 She has embarked on an ambitious, pet project. 'Kashmir to Kanyakumari' is tentatively fixed as the title of Usha Uthup's multi-lingual cassette.
The versatile singer talked to Chennaionline about her dream project. "It is about a train journey from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, covering as many States as possible. The songs would reflect the different dialects and styles that India provides--right from Dhongri to Bhojpuri, Bengali, Oriya, Assamese, Rajasthani, besides versions of Goa and Maharashtrian folk to Telugu and Tamil, ending the journey in Kanyakumari," she says adding that some States like Tamil Nadu would require two songs to cover the different dialects in the northern and southern parts of the State.
Usha Uthup was in Chennai in connection with a series of events organised by Club Mahindra. Sipping some tea, she had a glimpse of the online presentation of Club Mahindra's package at Holiday World in Spencer's Plaza. The previous night she had members of the club singing with her. "It was fun, wasn't it?" she asks the club managers. They nod their heads, approvingly.
The cassette should also have a video. "Hope I get a good sponsor for the cassette and the video production", says the excited singer.
The route from Kashmir is not fixed. From central India, she is not yet sure if she will turn left towards the east and later come to the west or go back to the east after touring Andhra
Pradesh.
 The video could have wonderful shots of people enjoying tea served in small mud-pots -- "oh, they are so cute and hygienic"-- and the way people serve it or drink the beverage can be so different, Usha says. "I know nearly 14 languages and that will be an asset," she adds.
The album is a pet project as the singer is passionate about the diverse cultures and musical experiences the country offers from Kashmir to Kanyakumari. "There will be opportunities for local singers and celebrity-singers to join or present songs in different States," and that will be a novel experience.
The album may be out by the end of the year, says
Usha.
On the music scene, she feels the music directors in the South had a strong, classical base, steeped in tradition, and that is why their music has a lasting quality compared to their counterparts in the West, "although one can't brush aside the work of the music directors in
Mumbai."
 She is lavish in praise of Ilayaraja, in particular, who she says is a complete music director who has mastered classical and Western music, and also has a strong base in folk. "Ilayaraja provides an unique fusion of all three systems, and is therefore amazing," says Usha who has done several songs for the maestro.
Music from Chennai had always enthralled her, she says and sings a couple of lines from P Susheela's numbers, 'Paartha Gnanabam Illaiyo' and
'Athaan Ennathaan".
"The chords from Madras music directors were so soothing and pleasing to the ears that the songs are evergreen," she adds.
Similarly, R D Burman, with an emphasis on the base guitar, created a sensation but the purists didn't like his brand of music, she pointed out, adding that today the same people are raving about his songs, stating that those songs were good whereas most of today's songs are trash.
 Usha is not too harsh about the remixes. Some of the remixes are good, at least they help in reaching out to the youth. The film songs too are bound to sound like the old ones, as the music directors have to operate within the limited notes available. "One can't blame the music directors, if they don't sound original," adds the singer who continues to entertain audiences all over the country with her own brand of music.
"In fact, initially I was looked down upon as I was singing other artistes' songs and not my own. I didn't worry about it. Frank Sinatra never bothered about it. I had no hang-ups in singing the songs of other singers, whether it was Yesudoss or S P Balasubramaniam," she says, and rushes off to her next appointment in
Chennai.
R.
Rangaraj
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Usha
Uthup plans new album
