~ Hitavada, Bhopal, Nov. 24 1964
'Swar', a cultural organization run by a band of enthusiastic city folks had a very successful day on Saturday last at Ravindra Bhavan. The four-hour entertainment-packed programme was highlighted by delightful piano-accordion recitals by noted young musician from Bombay, E. Daniels, who was specially invited for the 'Swar' annual day.
Daniels charmed the audience with masterly recitals of some of his original compositions - his 'Mustafa' being an outstanding piece. Although Daniels got a big hand for his original compositions, the audience with a 'drain-pipes and tight salwars' majority, naturally clamoured for gay, light tunes. Daniels very willingly obliged and played hit songs from Hindi films and two from the Hollywood musical 'Come September'. The enchantment of the 'Come September' title tune caught the audience in such gay mood that almost the entire hall kept clapping and tapping shoes on the floor and beating time to the rhythm in a rhythmic tap-a-tap for a good part of the performance. Daniels concluded his performance with what was described as a 'hot' piece, though it was not possible to gauge as to how much heat the audience derived on that cold Saturday night! Whether Daniels played hot or cold, his renderings were a treat with every note coming out from the instrument in perfect precision and binding into a lilting melody.
Daniel's performance put into spotlight alongside of him young but competent accompanists - Arun Shendurnikar (Jazz kit), Bannerjea (Bongo, drums), Kathaley (Dholak). All the three accompanists displayed confidence and acquitted themselves creditably.
DANIEL'S DREAMS
E. Daniels, who hails from Poona, is reckoned an accomplished piano-accordionist and he has climbed the ladder of success rather early in life - he is only 30. Daniel had a sanctimonious start in his musical career and started with a choir in a Poona church. After striking sacred notes on his piano accordion for some years, Daniel was spurred by his talents to move on to Bombay where he soon made a place for himself in the film industry and played for top-notch music directors like Shankar Jaikishan, C. Ramchandra, Naushad and others. Daniels had three musical tours abroad, to East-Africa, two in the company of Talat Mahmood, Manna Dey and Van Shipley, the guitarist, and one on his own which is reflective of his popularity there.
Daniels is a freelance piano-accordionist and composer. and he has to his credit some long-playing compositions recorded by the H.M.V. His ambition is to be a music director and to compose music for big hits in the film industry. "If I would have done that I would have earned enough dough to keep going for the rest of my life. Believe me.. l am not after money. I would have good success accompanied with some money; and I will draw away from this humdrum at the age of fifty, and retire into some cottage with flower-laden bowers all around, echoing with melodious notes from my instrument - far, far away from the maddening crowd!' This is Daniels' dream.
