ASJ....this is my favorite thread....takes me back to Wakenaam days.
You're right about Sonu coming closest to a Rafi voice, but no one, no one, can do Suhanni Raat - one of the greatest gems of Rafi and indeed Indian music
Wakenaam girl eh! So much memories of Wakenaam, remember when I was younger, much younger used to travel to Wakenaam via the Amin's Tanker (Miss Texaco) cant forget those hundreds of coconuts that could be had for the asking, and there was this old guy playing his guitar and serenading us with folk tunes that were famous, those were days to remember. Had many such trips, well working with Texaco West Indies Ltd had its perks.
Most of us can relate to Suhani Raat because of the beauty of that song, which was used
in many facets of life on the then local scene, like for instance Beauty Contest Shows during the diwali holidays, when contestants paraded the stage, the song being used as a background and most important many of us do remember the very popular radio program "Indian Memory Album" hosted by Mr Ayube Hamid and then later Ishri Singh in which Suhani Raat was its opening and closing theme.
Interesting to note that Lata Mangeshkar also did Suhani Raat. Here is three recordings of Suhani Raat and in the first two recording we are listening to the voice of Mohd Rafi, and third recording......the voice of Lata Mangeshkar
1) http://link.songs.pk/song.php?songid=10903
2) http://link.songs.pk/popsong.php?songid=2488
3) http://www.mp3fundoo.in/artist...gs/Suhani%20Raat.mp3
The first is the original and the second is music added to the verses sung by Mohd Rafi and the second one, really do sound great. So much can be done with music that appeared some fifty and over years ago.
Kari so happy to know that this thread scores with you, please do keep visiting
Enjoy: Suhani Raat Dhal Chuki