Mehul Parekh, 52, has never missed a single Jagjit Singh concert ever since he first got an opportunity to hear him live in 1975!
On hearing about the demise of his favourite singer, the first thing Parekh did was to plan a concert where he and his friends would play their favourite Jagjit songs to give a heart-felt tribute to the singer.
Parekh has a vast collection of old LP records and new CDs of Jagjit Singh’s music – all the albums that Parekh possesses bear autograph of the artist. “Whenever he came to Ahmedabad, I would get all the records and CDs signed by him. He would tell me that music is alive because it has devotees like me,” reminisces Parekh.
Parekh said that he would sit down to make a CD of his favourite Jagjit Singh songs and organize a get-together of friends to offer a tribute to the singer. One of his favourite songs of the ghazal-maestro is Main khayal hoon kisi aur ka, mujhe chahta koi aur hai’.
Parekh, who has been attending almost all the concerts that happened in the city after 1975, is a close associate of Abhinav Upadhyay – tabla artist accompanying Jagjitji. “I have seldom missed a live music concert of Jagjitji in the city,” said Parekh.
His innovative compositions which have classical music touch and fusion of contemporary musical instruments made ghazals more popular, feels parekh. His devotional Gujarati songs and bhajans are his best gift to Gujarat. “Truly empathizing nature of his voice made him establish a deep and straight connection with listeners’ heart and soul. His voice was a like a panacea to pained souls,” said Parekh.
