Mumbai: “Classic Bollywood with a Twist” by The Bartender album was launched by actor Ranveer Singh. Also present at the launch were Kalki Koechlin and music composer Salim Merchant, singer Nakash Aziz , Pallavi Sharda, Gulshan Devaiya, and Amrita Puri .
The launch was followed by an enthralling performance by the band’s enchanting singers, Anushka Manchanda, Shalmali Kholgade and Saba Azad at Blue Frog.
‘Classic Bollywood with a twist’ is the latest album from The Bartender. Mikey McCleary has chosen some of the most loved songs from the 50s, 60s and 70s and reinterprets them with jazzy, seductive and mischievous flare using various genres and a predominantly live band feel.
Mikey McCleary said, ‘A beautiful song is like a beautiful woman. The musical arrangements are like the clothes that she wears. The music recordings, much like clothes, may appear old and outdated to the younger generation, but the beauty of the song composition and lyrics are eternal. My goal is to give that beautiful song new clothes that suit and enhance her beauty for all to see afresh and enjoy. I personally also still love listening to the old recordings.’
The concept of the remix has often damaged old songs. These are not remixes. It’s like Mikey has imagined what the old music arrangers would have done with the music back then if they had today’s technology at their fingertips.
Adarsh Gupta, Business Head – Music -Saregama said, “It gives us great pleasure to be associated with Mikey McCleary’s band The Bartender. He is known for his rare capacity to combine innovation with tradition. His music has a massive following and his charm continues in this album”.