Hazarika has come up with what is effectively his first ever independent music album. Virgin Music has helped him bring out his best as a singer, composer, lyricist, indeed a complete artiste. So you have The Complete Bhupen Hazarika, which is a selection of nine of his best compositions.

The album has been designed by production house Imagik, which clarifies that this is not an attempt to "transcreate his compositions from Bengali or Assamese to Hindi". Fresh lyrics have been written for this album, and the music has been completely re-orchestrated, too.

The songs in The Complete Bhupen Hazarika were recorded in Mumbai, save the Darmiyaan number, Duniya parayi, log yahan begane, which was taken from BMG Crescendo. The eternal favourite, Ganga tum behti ho kyon, is obviously the star attraction of the album, and is the first to have been chosen for a video.

Notably, apart from Ganga, Hazarika has not sung the songs himself. He has introduced the original numbers to the listener, though. Hariharan, Kavita Krishnamurthy, Shaan, Sagarika, Hema Sardesai and some others have been chosen for the task of singing this album, and they have done a good job. Hariharan's Tum hi tum is by far the best number.

Hazarika is happy with the result, and says the songs reveal different facets of his personality. "Each number denotes a different feeling, a different mood. I have composed and sung thousands of songs before this, but most of them are in Assamese and Hindi. So this album is rather special for me." Indeed, he is credited with having brought Assamese cinema into world focus, along with film-makers like Jahnu Barua, of course.

It was Guru Dutt who introduced Hazarika to Hindi cinema with the film, Aarop. His composition, Nainon mein darpan hai, is remembered to this day. Surprisingly, thereafter, Hazarika did not do much in this field, although the offers kept coming in. He continued to concentrate on regional music and literature, and it was only when Rudaali made it big that he got the national recognition he deserved. This has been his biggest commercial success so far.

If his name is not included in the mainstream of Hindi music direction, it is only because he wasn't really resident in Mumbai until now, Calcutta being the preferred choice. "Calcutta is nearer Guwahati, and accessible. Of course, now I am trying to concentrate on the Mumbai scene. In fact, this house, which I have recently set up, has been lucky for me. So much work is coming in now!" he smiles.

After The Complete Bhupen Hazarika, listeners can look forward to Kalpana Lajmi's film, Daman, the musical score of which Hazarika has composed. He has worked with Lajmi in Ek Pal, Rudaali and Darmiyaan before. Hazarika did other films too, which were appreciated for their music, like Plus Channel's Mil Gayi Manzil Mujhe, Saaz with Ustad Zakir Hussain, and Chameli Memsaab. Another forthcoming release is M F Husain's Gajagamini, which is scheduled for release later this year.

A major part of Hazarika's busy schedule is taken up by his travel to various countries as a guest lecturer and music ambassador to foreign universities. "I have been to Japan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, the Netherlands and the UK. The response has been good everywhere. People respond to the music, even though they don't understand the language. I remember that some Japanese students would make valiant attempts to pronounce Hindi words," he says and laughs. "I also like to remember the time I performed to a huge crowd at Wembley Stadium. You know, that stadium is huge, not an easy task to fill."

It is this simplicity and honesty that seems to shine forth in his music, and no wonder his songs are so distinct and memorable.