124 years on, their repertoire remains matchless

SURAT: In the age of electronic musical instruments, which are more popular and easier to use and transport, a 124-year-old brass band in Surat continues to make waves.
Never short of gigs, Abdul Razak Band graces big fat weddings across the country even today and gets rewarded handsomely, much to the envy of the DJs in the city.
The band has been in the business since before the Partition and there is no state in this country where it has not performed. “I remember my grandfather would place advertisements in the newspaper to inform people that the band was travelling to Karachi for a wedding and that it was available for hire for 10 days. Such is the quality of our music that even today we get bookings from other states,” says Farooq Bandmaster, who leads the band.
Understanding the audience and knowing what music to play is the key to a band’s success, he says.
Besides, the members should practise all popular songs so that they can play the tunes on demand. These days, it is “Naatu Naatu” that is keeping Bandmaster busy. “When I first heard the song, I was sure it wasgoing to be a rage. I immediately set the tune for the song on the keyboard and began practising with my team. Initially, people inquired about the song, but now that it has won an Oscar, there is no event that ends without ‘Naatu Naatu’,” he says. The traditional band, comprising saxophone, trumpet, horn, clarinet, trombone and tuba players, has many popular songs in its repertoire. “Songs will come and go, but what will never fade from public memory is ‘Mere Yaar Ki Shaadi Hai’. It is evergreen,” he says.
This is also the only band in Surat that has set a condition for Ganesh Chaturthi bookings: ‘We will not play Bollywood songs. ’
“The business is sacrosanct for us and there are rules in place. My father Abdul Gani wanted us to continue the legacy that my grandfather Abdul Razak started. So, he trained me and my brother Hafiz. Now, the fourth generation of the family is entering the business,” says Bandmaster.