Saleem Beharry tops local chutney charts with ‘Devika’ Saturday, October 30 2010
TRINIDAD NEWSDAY - By SEETA PERSAD - Saleem Beharry, a newcomer to the chutney scene, has burst into the spotlight with his new groovy tune, “Devika”.
Over the last three years, groovy chutney soca songs seem to be gaining in popularity over soca chutney and traditional chutney songs. In 2009 Sangre Grande-based Kenneth Salick set the pace with his groovy chutney“Radica Why Yu Leave and Go.” The track, written by Salick himself, earned him the Chutney Soca Monarch title and gave him a boost in the world of chutney. He became a household name here in TT and other Caribbean islands, and travelled extensively. This year Ravi Bissembhar scored with the slow paced “Dularie You Know I Was A Drinker.” Princes Town’s Moses Charles also saw success with his own composition, “Indrani,”which earned him third place in this year’s Chutney Soca Monarch competition.
After a successful stint in Markham, Toronto, Canada, Beharry is back in TT on request from promoters for shows in the lead up to Carnival 2011. He has been performing throughout Canada and New York as a frontline singer/musician with Canadian band Exodus.
“I always wanted to get into the chutney arena and I think I have the perfect song to make my mark this year,” Beharry said from his home in Naparima Mayaro Road, Princes Town. The young and talented performer is excited about Carnival saying that the stages here in TT are the best in the world because there are many top class artistes to compete against in this country. “If you cam please the audience here then you can be a star in any country with soca, chutney or remixed songs,” he said.
Scores of new chutney songs have already been released in the lead up to Carnival 2011. Like Salick’s “Radica,” Beharry’s “Devika” is a true “tabanca”story. Talking about his new song, Beharry said he was just 18 years old when he landed in Canada to do drumming for several artistes from TT and Guyana. He met Devika one year later and they began a “story-book romance.”
“When you are a teenager you think everything will last forever. You feel the world is at your feet and you go about life as if nothing will go wrong. And when it does go wrong you are heart-broken and lost,” he recalled.
Beharry said it takes a long time to recover from heart-break. “Some men never recover,” he said, laughingly. Beharry chose to write a song about the experience, but he did not want to dwell on Devika. He said in addition to Devika, the song also mentions Radica, and Indrani as women who try men’s patience.
Since the song’s release, Beharry has been getting calls from many promoters. “Devika” was mastered by Rishi Mahatoo of Maha Studios in Chaguanas. Music direction was done by Canada-based Shiva Nandlal.
Beharry said his love is his dearest daughter Tanuja Beharry, now two years old. “I feel good to be a father knowing that you have someone in life who is a part of you. It is like accomplishing a goal,” he said, revealing a tattoo of his daughter’s name on his right hand.
Beharry chose not to base his composition on a melody from an Indian song and chose his own melody and music for “Devika”.
“I like to be original. I want my song to be all about me and the music of this country. I am a performer in the world of East Indian entertainment and I want to stand out as an artiste with the ability to create his own songs like the traditional chutney stars of yesteryear Anand Yankaran, Yusuff Khan, Sonny Mann and Haniff Mohammed.” Known as an ace drummer and tabla player, this young man has provided music for the best recording stars coming out on TT including Anil Bheem and Rikki Jai.
Beharry, who is the younger brother of Imran Beharry, a former Mastana Bahar winner and frontline singer with Dil-E-Nadan, says he has music in his blood. “Growing up in a home with just a mother has been a difficult journey and it was the music and songs that kept us occupied through the years,” he said.
Beharry revealed he lost his father, Garnet Beharry when he was just a baby. He said his mother, Ann Marie Beharry has been the force behind his success and that of his brother Imran.
“I remember her writing the Hindi words of the old time Bollywood tunes so that my brother and I could learn to sing,” he said, adding this was how he and his brother “got into” music.
Beharry spoke about the influence of soca and other rhythms on traditional chutney. He said it all started with the Bhoj Puri language and culture of the Uttar Pradesh and Bihar regions in India, which were brought to TT by the indentured labourers.
“Bhoj Puri performance is known for its reflection of folk culture and traditions, rituals, wedding rites, love, relations between husband and wife, love and devotion, and other social issues facing village people,” he said. Beharry noted after many years of doing these songs at various East Indian-based celebrations, artistes experimented with other rhythms and as a result gained a wider audience both locally and internationally. This development of the tradition, he said, led to cross influences in the music as many other rhythms woven into songs for the chutney stage.
He said great exponents of chutney such as Sundar Popo, Sonny Man, and Drupattee Ramgoonai strongly reflect these influences in the style of chutney that became popular.
Beharry has cancelled several overseas performances to return to TT as he gets set for the Carnival season. “I know people will enjoy this song and I am looking forward to going on stage after Divali this year,” he said.
As revealed by Southex, Chutney Soca Monarch 2011 will take place on January 29 at the Samar Entertainment Centre. This is where young Salem is heading.
