Last week, this column had reflected over Addha or Sitarkhani taal and its peculiar lilts. This week we will talk about Jat or Aadhaa that, like Sitarkhani, is another taal that shares the same structure as Teentaal, but differs in the theka or the string of syllables used to represent the taal. Although some musicians refer to it as a taal or time cycle with eight matras or time units, it is more commonly accepted as a 16-matra taal divided into four equal sections.
Jat taal is used primarily in slow and medium tempo for accompanying thumri. As is the convention, the tabla player changes the original taal and pace, moving to double and quadruple tempo to play a series of laggis or rhythmic designs in four or eight matras. The singer normally maintains the first line of the song text as a refrain and elaborates on it melodically and rhythmically.
Siddheshwari Devi
Surat mori kahe bisrai raam (Thumri Mishra Talang)
Here eminent vocalist Siddheshwari Devi sings a thumri set to Jat or Aadhaa in raag Tilang.
Roshanara Begum
Tousey nahein bolun (Thumri)
This track features Kirana gharana exponent Roshanara Begum singing a thumri set to Jat in raag Khamaj. She is accompanied on the tabla by Shaukat Hussein Khan, one of Pakistan’s best-known tabla players.
Bhimsen Joshi
Man ram rangi rangle
Like many other taals, Jat taal too has been employed in forms of music outside the realm of Hindustani music. It was used, for instance, in sangeet-natak or musical theatre of Maharashtra. This song sung by renowned vocalist Bhimsen Joshi was composed for the play Sant Tulsidas by Govindrao Tembe, a path-breaking harmonium player and composer. Listeners will note that the pace of the theka on this track is faster than the tempo on previous tracks. The tabla player intersperses the original theka with laggis.
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Jat taal is used primarily in slow and medium tempo for accompanying thumri. As is the convention, the tabla player changes the original taal and pace, moving to double and quadruple tempo to play a series of laggis or rhythmic designs in four or eight matras. The singer normally maintains the first line of the song text as a refrain and elaborates on it melodically and rhythmically.
Siddheshwari Devi
Surat mori kahe bisrai raam (Thumri Mishra Talang)
Here eminent vocalist Siddheshwari Devi sings a thumri set to Jat or Aadhaa in raag Tilang.
Roshanara Begum
Tousey nahein bolun (Thumri)
This track features Kirana gharana exponent Roshanara Begum singing a thumri set to Jat in raag Khamaj. She is accompanied on the tabla by Shaukat Hussein Khan, one of Pakistan’s best-known tabla players.
Bhimsen Joshi
Man ram rangi rangle
Like many other taals, Jat taal too has been employed in forms of music outside the realm of Hindustani music. It was used, for instance, in sangeet-natak or musical theatre of Maharashtra. This song sung by renowned vocalist Bhimsen Joshi was composed for the play Sant Tulsidas by Govindrao Tembe, a path-breaking harmonium player and composer. Listeners will note that the pace of the theka on this track is faster than the tempo on previous tracks. The tabla player intersperses the original theka with laggis.
