Impact, influence of Anil Bheem

PAOLO KERNAHAN

"WHO IS Anil Bheem?" That's one of the questions following suggestions that the chutney and chutney-soca singer be posthumously awarded national honours.

Bheem passed away tragically at the age of just 48. He was scheduled to open the Chutney Soca Monarch show at Skinner Park and had a full slate of gigs abroad before his untimely passing.

Suggestions that Bheem be given a national award, with the also recently deceased Leroy Calliste mentioned in the same breath, triggered many folks. It was perceived as an attempt to compare the legacies of the two men. Quite a few characterised Bheem as comparatively unknown.

This column isn't here to make a case for posthumous accolades; that isn't particularly interesting.

What was striking is the idea that because some people are unaware of Bheem's standing in the Indo-cultural landscape, the artiste was therefore a minnow in the pantheon of artistic notables.

Look, there are a great many things unknown to a great many Trinis. The significance of, let's say, a particular subject or individual isn't contingent on your ignorance. Bheem's influence and impact on Indian culture in Trinidad was considerable; that means his impact on TT as a whole is worthy of recognition.

Put another way, I recently read a statistic in a news article that estimated that a mere 25 per cent of the population is actively involved in Carnival celebrations. Only a quarter of the population, according to that report, participates, but Carnival pervades the entire society – for months. For thousands who have nothing to do with or even abjure the festivities, Carnival is an inescapable feature of the tapestry of TT's artistic milieu; as was and is Anil Bheem.

I was always aware of his name, if not his music intimately. On hearing of his passing, I clicked on a YouTube music video of his and was quite struck by the voice. He was influenced by Bollywood playback artistes and had the vocal chops to emulate the greats like Mohammed Rafi and Asha Bhosle.

Mellifluous and dynamic, Bheem started his musical career singing devotional bhajans and Bollywood film songs. This sort of music is immensely popular in many Indo-Trini homes. In the 90s he honed his craft on the Mastana Bahar show. Bheem eventually graduated to the chutney-soca art form. After having formed his band, the artiste became a mentor to many aspiring performers.

Apart from his artistic exploits, Bheem also had a long radio career promoting Indo-Trini culture. His on-air presence went as far back as 1994. People who knew him also recalled his special relationship with fans, taking the time to chop it up with them in the crowds at his shows – even at the expense of a timely start to the event.

So Bheem's meaning to vast swathes of the Indo-Trini community is profound – his contribution to the art form is equally so. A person's value, in this context, isn't always determined by the length of time they practised their talents or leveraged their intellect – it's about the impact they had within the time they lived.

Tupac Shakur died at the age of 25 but left a larger imprint on the music industry than many artistes around today; that's not a comparison, by the way.

The debate about merit in the world of music is as old as tobacco. Is it about impact or commercial success or critical acclaim? It can be about all those factors, together and separately.

Quite recently the online world was all verklempt with news that "an unknown blues" singer beat Beyonce, Taylor Swift and Adele for song of the year at the Grammys.

This anonymous interloper turned out to be none other than Bonnie Raitt – ranked 50th on Rolling Stone's list of 100 greatest singers of all time, and with 18 albums under her belt – many of which were commercial blockbusters.

The fact that today's generations, including music journalists, don't know who Bonnie Raitt is doesn't erase her immense contribution to music in the US.

Anil Bheem was beloved in TT society by many whose lives he touched with his artistry and advocacy for Indo-Trini culture. The smatterings of ignorance about his impact don't alter these facts. The lasting impression Bheem has left on culture is a timely reminder of this important fact: it's the diversity of this nation that makes us a truly special place.