Melodion and harmonica jugal bandhi

We had a nice practice session, after a short vacation of Diwali.
The HCG is going to perform in Gandhidham on 22nd of January. We are going to introduce the melodion in a few songs. Devansh and Aditya have recently got their Suzuki melodions from Abe Thomas.
We specially thank Abe for his continuous support in providing us the best of Harmonicas and melodions.

The cardiac surgeon of harmonica

The most horrifying experience for a harmonica player is when his musical instrument gets damaged. Even if one of the notes of the harmonica gets slightly detuned, the whole instrument becomes useless. There remains no option but to buy a new harmonica. This is a very costly proposition.

There is good news now. There is amidst us an expert in the persona of Sripad Helkar, also known among his friends as Devendra. Like a cardiac surgeon, Helkar repairs a broken or detuned reed and gives the instrument a new heart. He has performed such delicate surgery on over a dozen instruments belonging to the members of the Harmonica Club of Gujarat, mine included. The harmonicas repaired by Helkar become as good as new.

After he bought a chromatic tuner, it became easy for Helkar to tune the reeds to perfection. He has also put together a contraption by which he pulls out a defective reed and replaces it with a new one.

Sripad Helkar, picked up harmonica at the age of 10 years, and performed ' Hai Apna Dil to Awara' for the first time in 1980. 'Atit me gum hota Mouth Organ' a programme relayed in 2008 by the local radio station in Jabalpur, M.P. got him recognition amongst the harmonica people.

He has been inspired by Dr. S.S. Ratan a very good harmonica player in M.P.

According to him there are a very few harmonica players in his area. Inspired by the different harmonica clubs in India, he also wants to start a club in Jabalpur.

One can send in the damaged harmonicas to Helkar at the following address for repair:

S.G. Helkar 2B/13 NEHRU NAGAR,BAJNAMATH,TILWARA ROAD JABALPUR-3(M.P.) PIN:482003

TELE:0761-2673322,2673501(R)

OFFICE:0761-2678500 , MOBILE-09425001408

Zindagi Milke Bitayenge : Kavit

Kavit is in Ahmedabad for a short Diwali vacation. He surprised many senior members of HCG, in the practice session, in Satyam Mall, by playing lovely songs.
He is learning harmonica from the videos uploaded on the HCG Blog. He learnt this song from Devansh's video.

नचिकेता देसाई बने सब बच्चो के दादाजी

पुरे भारत में नवरात्रि महोत्सव खूब धामधूम से मनाया जाता है। रात भर सभी लोग डंडिया और गरबा खेलते है।
एक रात मुझे उनकी सोसाइटी में जाने का मौका मिला। मैंने ड्रम्स पर हाथ साफ़ किया और उन्होंने अपनी अदा में हार्मोनिका बजा कर बच्चो से काफी डांस करवाया।
एक छोटी सी झलक......

Tapan rocks

Harmonica Club of Gujarat founder secretary Tapan Bhatt is a rock star. A plastic engineer by education, an interior designer by profession, a pioneer of break-dance who introduced this dance form to Gujarat, a hypnotist who has cracked many a complex crimes for the police, an Information Communication Technology entrepreneur, an ornithologist and breeder of exotic species of reptiles, Tapan is a passionate music lover.

Tapan sprang a surprise during the Navratri festival in my campus, Akbhar Nagar, last night by displaying his skill as an accomplished drummer. Akhbar Nagar, celebrating its Silver Jubilee, had called popular band, Heaven Music led by famous drummer Sunil Patel. The band was in full swing and the residents of the colony, men, women and children, in their traditional attire were swaying to the Gujarati garba songs when Tapan appeared on the stage and requested Sunil to hand over the drum sticks to him.

And, Tapan rocked.

Parimal Garden sings with us on Sundays

जब से हार्मोनिका क्लब ऑफ़ गुजरात शुरू हुआ है तब से हम परिमल गार्डेन में हर रविवार मिलते है और जश्न मनाते है। इस रविवार हमने काफी प्रक्टिस की। इस प्रक्टिस के दौरान हमने ये गीत बजाया जो हर एक के दिल में बसा हुआ है।
' सावरे सलोनी आये दिन बहार के और ऐसे ही हम मिले हर रविवार के दिन '
मनोहर वैद्यजी ने संगीत दिया और बाकि सब लोग जुड़ गए।
हर एक प्रेमी का परिमल में स्वागत है .........संगीत के हो तो और भी मज़ा आएगा !!!!

Angel got caught on mobile

Devansh was practicing on his newly purchased suzuki make melodica, when I called him to inform about the upload of his song on the HCG blog. On my request , he played a very romantic song " shayad yahi hai pyar ".
Devansh, now a days you are playing only love songs !!!! :-)
Well, a student of sir Howard Levy, has to do some bending in a very nice song called, Angels.
Devansh plays this song along with the singer in the back ground.

Devansh is in LOVE

Yes Devansh is in love with his musical instruments. We all still remember his early days of joining the HCG as a student of Paresh Bhatia.
Today Devansh is getting control over various musical instruments and his sense of music also..
He has been getting support from many senior harmonica players, like Roustom Karwa, Madanji, Sabnaveesji, Manohar Vaidyaji and Paresh SIR.
He is also a student of Sir Howard Levy.
The kids of HCG have made their respectful positions in the club, by not only showing their love for the instrument , but also by working very hard.
HCG is very thankful to Devansh's parents for having faith in us and supporting his LOVE for music.

Mr. Godrej from Aurangabad.

This is one more video of Mr. Godrej.

The Man who lives music

Recently, treasurer of HCG, Kumarpal Shah met MR. Meherhomji Godrej in one of the conferences in Aurangabad. He was surprised to see him perform with guitar and mouth organ.
With his permission he recorded three beautiful videos.
Mr. Godrej performs in Hotel Rana International since last three years. He has played with some of the top music groups in star hotels.
We have many such hidden jewels in the country.
We really need to find them out and showcase their talents.