When I decieded to write about the books I enjoyed reading during 2023 A2Z, I made a list of the books picking titles starting English Alphabets from A to Z. When I was scrolling through my list on Goodreads, I couldn’t find a book for the letter J. So, here’s a Joker entry to the list.

Mr. Shantanu Moitra is a household name after listening to his melodious tunes from many films and non-film songs. Indie music projects like Abke Saawan, Coke Studio, Dewarists has made a mark with their unique flavor. If you get a peak into his creative process, his inspirations and passion for the art, you would be delighted. But Mr. Moitra is a multifaceted person. Music is not the only thing that drives him.

I read this book way back in 2015 and yet, it has made a strong impact on me. Since then I have re-red it again and again. Not entirely but in bits and pieces.

What to expect from this?

Main focus of the book is on memories about music. However, they enlighten the shades of great artists in the music world; the human being side. This journey is full of helpful values, lessons and thought, he picked up. Shantanu underlines, as a composer, how important is to be alert to grab all these bits and pieces of wisdom you come across throughout this book.

Mountains are a huge inspiration for him. His love for mountains is weaved so elegantly in between memories of music that makes the collection very mystic. We keep turning pages with glimpse of those magnificent mountains and tunes of his compositions playing in our mind. He takes us to meet good souls chasing their dreams of their life.

Parineeta is an important milestone in his career as a composer. Memories of that project have a well deserving place in this book. Back then he was young and enthusiastic music composer. He dreamed to create musical masterpiece for this Bengali Classic of Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay.

His cooking adventures, his relations with majestic poets Gulzar saab and Javed ji, his meeting with fellow mountain lover Krushnaa Patil, his days from advertising industry and so many other memories stops you from putting the book down easily. Just get your copy and dive in the pool of memories with him.

From the blurb

There was once a young boy who loved nothing more than making music. He dreamt of sharing his music with the world. One day, his dream came true.From a childhood spent strumming away at a guitar in Delhi to one of the most successful music composers in Mumbai: this is the story of Shantanu Moitra.

His ebullience and sheer sense of adventure light up this memoir. Finding himself all alone at Jaisalmer station at three in the morning as a schoolboy; days as a client servicing drone in an advertising agency; collaborations with the biggest names in Hindi cinema; the making of Parineeta, his greatest hit; an all-consuming love of astronomy; near-death escapades in the Himalayas; his surreal moment with Diego Maradona at Milan airport – these stories provide a fascinating glimpse of the man behind the music.On the Wings of Music is a collection of reminiscences, anecdotes and self-revelations, embellished by photographs from Moitra’s personal albums. These are delightful vignettes that chart the growth of a timid, self-effacing boy into a music composer of international repute. Charming and compelling.

This post is a part of #BlogchatterA2Z 2023. For more about my views on books, click here.