A collaboration of Calcutta-based musicians culminated in the release of an album at Landmark on Sunday.

Saat Suron Ki Sargam Bunkar is a non-filmi Hindi album. It marks the first attempt by a Calcutta DJ to record remixed versions of original compositions.

The lyrics to all the songs have been penned by poet Dinesh Kumar Agarwal.

“After two books, I decided to do something new. That’s when I approached Suman Gupta who agreed to set my poems to music,” said Agarwal. As many as six young singers have been roped in by Agarwal for the album.

DJ Akash has earned himself a name in the city’s clubbing circuit as well as in Hyderabad and Bangalore. He has remixed two of the eight original tracks to add that upbeat feel which has become characteristic of remix numbers.

“I have added a strong baseline and used techniques like scratching to give a trendy feel to the songs, so they can be played in the discos too,” said Akash.

The debut effort was flagged off at the Lord Sinha Road store by actress Koneenica Banerjee.

(From top) Actress Koneenica Banerjee at the launch of Saat Suron Ki Sargam Bunkar; Rossana Maya at a Flamenco workshop; children aboard the Mahanagar; some of the exhibits at the Swabhumi furniture fair. Pictures by Sanjoy Chattopadhyaya and Rashbehari Das

“I hope this album does well as it is a production from Calcutta and a lot of new people have found a place in the project,” said the small- and big-screen star.

Being positioned as a “romantic album”, it will be selling from racks at all major music stores across the city.

Spanish style

Calcutta recently had a brief brush with that stunning Spanish dance form, the Flamenco.

“I used to start my lectures saying Spain has the most varied dance forms in the whole world. After my visit to India, I have been forced to change this. Now I say Spain has one of the most varied dance cultures in the whole world,” smiled Flamenco dancer Rossana Maya, who came to Calcutta for a three-day workshop on the sensuous, traditional dance.

The expert who has trained students across the globe has felt a special connect with her students in India. “I have taken classes in Mumbai, and now in Calcutta. Though the students are different in the way they dress and behave, they have a very strong will to learn and absorb everything I have to offer,” she said, at the end of one of her classes.

Clearly, the appreciation was mutual, with students — between the ages of four to well over 40 — begging her to come back to Calcutta as often as she could. This experience has been different, with students in the west being more guarded in their response, she added.

She worked with two batches in the city, one with 25 and the other with 18 students. “I came here out of curiosity and I have already fallen in love with the dance form,” said a Flamenco first-timer, a young college girl, all decked up for class in high leather boots and flowing skirt.

The group — with more women than men — learnt about the history, various styles, arm and feet movement and rhythmic clapping, which is an integral part of Flamenco. She also held a lecture-demonstration at Max Mueller Bhavan.

But can one learn a new dance form in so short a time? “I have just planted the seed. Who knows, one day some of them might pursue this seriously,” shared a hopeful Rosanna, who believes Flamenco helps “relax the mind”.

Cool kitchen

Your dream kitchen has never been so close to reality. With the modular invasion, you can get a kitchen from home turf or abroad in all of three weeks, with dream accessories made to order.

No carpenters turning you mad with the incessant sound of the hammer. No headache of purchasing wood, laminates, glass and marble.

The latest to join the foray to dress up kitchens is Vesta, an Italian company. The showroom on Camac Street showcases two different kinds of kitchens.

The classic design is called the Romano Classico while the modern improvised version has been named Milano Moderno. To tempt the brand-conscious, both have been designed in Italy.

One kitchen is meant for those who have a straight space of eight feet, while the other is -shaped, for square kitchens. “Each comes in three colours,” said Reza Bux, manager for business promotion, east. Blue, maroon and white are the options.

“A kitchen can be complete within three weeks. We just need to sit with the customer to get the specifications. Four days of work are needed to finally set up,” added Bux. It will set you back by between Rs 1.6 lakh to Rs 2.5 lakh.

Plush picks

If the glut of branded furniture stores that have cropped up in the city has left you confused, head for Swabhumi, where a four-day exhibition took off at Rangmanch on Friday.

With over 60 national and international brands participating in the event, there is a lot to choose from.

Opt for wrought iron or swank steel for the clutter-free young look; or teak, leather or marble for classy old-world charm. Beds to computer tables and everything in between are up for sale at discounted rates. Knick knacks and artefacts are at hand to go with the décor.

“Wrought iron is still doing great business, but smart steel furniture is also taking over the light-weight furniture section steadily,” explained Karan Shah, a participant.

Gear up

Hoffmen Fashions inaugurated its fifth retail outlet on August 17 on Rashbehari Avenue recently.

With a network of 800 dealers and a cross section of stores all over the country, Hoffmen has four menswear brands — Hoffmen, Hooray Henry, Green Valley and Strange — with a wide range of denims, casual trousers, T-shirts and formal shirts. “All the brands are positioned at the classy consumer rather than the mass market,” said Pramod Rungta, managing director, Hoffmen.

Two more stores in the city are also on the anvil. The gear is priced between Rs 700 and Rs 1,200.

Hilsa aboard

With the hilsa season approaching its end, grab every chance to gorge on the delicacy. To take advantage of the fresh catch, Vivada Inland Waterways organised a hilsa festival aboard the Mahanagar launch, an air-conditioned luxury vessel on the Hooghly.

The cruise sails from Millennium Park every Sunday at 10.30 am, stops at Belur Math, Dakshineswar, Botanical Gardens and the Calcutta docks.

“For lunch we serve Ilish Bhaja with Tel, Ilish Bhape and Ilish Doi apart from the regular fare of rice, dal, mishti and chutney,” explained cruise officer Sanjoy Sen.

If partying at sunset is more your style, hop aboard at 6 pm, sans the fish, sadly.

“You may have seen all the places before but this is a different experience,” promises the cruise officer. The vessel is also let out for conferences, executive meetings, seminars and informal family receptions.

Fares for both the day and the sunset cruise are Rs 300 per adult and Rs 200 per child.