Will there be anyone who would like to miss a chance to see the living legend perform? No one would. A true music lover wil never do that and so did i. Dr KJ Yesudas was doing what he does best on sunday. Such an unassuming person he was. With a good sense of humor and the divinity that no other male voices have he was unleashed to the packed full house crowd. Never had i seen such a crowd for a ticketed concert in chennai. There are no words to describe his singing(am not a critic you see). but i felt the divinity in his voice and i had strands of hair standing hearing him render the best music that day. I felt a shiver in me waking up the sleeping me. And i have not seen in years a voice tat can sound so awesome in the lowest octave possible. He rendered many songs request form the audience too before wrapping up in his traditional way. Accompanying him were Bakthavatsalam( one of the great names) on mridangam who did a commendable job in his orthodox style and also Radhakrishnan in Gatam was great to hear. The whole concert was just another out of the world experience that only KJY can give us.
Yesterday's Unnikrishnan's concert was good as well. But my main motive to attend was for Karaikkudi Mani sir. And he was simply superb. Thani avarthanam was at its best. With the most complicated maths and thalam involved anyone ll be awestruck wit his performance. We cant find anyone who can provide such complexities to the thani avarthanam. his playing was way too much complicated wit very intricate strokes and most calculated and unique playing. He is known for this complication of the playing bringing in very complicated maths into mridangam. His pace just set the stage on fire. This was yet another concert to be remembered for mani sir.
And today was Kadri Gopalnath(the pioneer of playing carnatic music wit sax) kutchery. As usual he was at his best today giving out one of the best music treat to the rain affected population in the hall. Playing carnatic music in sax with this perfection and style is nothing but a gift.The pace and innovation in his playing made the people more curious and interested to sit till the end. Accompanying him on mridangam was my new found inspiration Patri Satishkumar. This is the second time i saw him play and today he was at his best or i would say that today was the best that i saw from him. The pace he sets along with Kadri Gopalnath was enthralling and a great music to hear. One of the best concerts that i have heard. Thani avarthanam was totally at the height of its pace. Satishkumar's speed was unmatched and was so perfect.The innovative strokes added more splendor today that was lacking in his first concert for the season. I dont know what more to say of him, but it was out of the box and an awesome experience. along with him was Sukanya ramgopal(one of the very few percussionist in the field of carnatic music) on gatam and B.Rajashekar on morsing . Rajashekar was out-standing as usual and it was really a good performance by SUkanya too. Kanyakumari on violin was absolutely mind blowing. Playing the tunes that was played with the sax to the same level of perfection was the best part.
I had a chance to speak with my new found inspiration. And am overwhelmingly happy about that. It was great feeling having spoke to him. The first instance wher i boldly went and spoke. More great concerts on the list. Will keep posted!!!!
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Season Starts!!!!
The most awaited December season has started with a great kutcheries..a couple of days back i was in a kutchery by ganesh and kumaresh. One of the most sought after violinists in the field of carnatic music, G&K just unleashed their bows to make merry out of music that came from their violins. Probably this is the first time am seeing them play live. The audience were mesmerized by the flow of music and the innovation in it. they have probably made more complications in the music to feed the audience with most intricate elements of the music. These intricacies were much sweeter than anyone could think. Play it slow or play it fast they didn't miss out the co-ordination in their rhythm(that is what it takes to be bros). Playing to their tune adding splendor was Harikumar in mridangam. His fingers doing the magic to produce the sounds so perfect to make the whole music a beauty. This is the first time am seeing him play as well and i was just astounded by the perfection in his rhythm and the knowledgeable playing. the kutchery was indeed the best opening for me this season and one to be remembered forever.
Today's was that of the Priya Sisters(Hari Priya & Shanmuga Priya). The main reason for me to attend this kutchery was not for their beautiful voices but for the mridangist Patri Satishkumar. I ve seen him play in videos but not a live performance. Today i made it a point to go for this particular kutchery just for him and he did not disappoint neither me nor anyone who were there as well. His fingers were playing magically. All through the time i was just watching him play with an awe. he was dynamic throughout the kutchery providing a great music. His intricacies and the speed with perfection and those out of the box thinking is making him identifiable in the pool of percussionists in the field. One of the most sought after and talented artiste has just found another fan for himself in me!! the thani avarthanam was simply astonishing with the most delicate pieces of music, sound, rhythm and pace mixed in proper proportions. I was just watching him agape since am a mridangist as well. I was just wondering how much practice would have gone into perfecting this art of playing the most delicate music and sound with an amazing ease. I have promised myself after seeing him today that i ll emerge as one of the most sought after mridangist five years down the lane. he took me to an heavenly sojourn.
The most awaited is tomoro's kutchery of Dr.KJ Yesudas. who ll want to miss seeing him sing???
Today's was that of the Priya Sisters(Hari Priya & Shanmuga Priya). The main reason for me to attend this kutchery was not for their beautiful voices but for the mridangist Patri Satishkumar. I ve seen him play in videos but not a live performance. Today i made it a point to go for this particular kutchery just for him and he did not disappoint neither me nor anyone who were there as well. His fingers were playing magically. All through the time i was just watching him play with an awe. he was dynamic throughout the kutchery providing a great music. His intricacies and the speed with perfection and those out of the box thinking is making him identifiable in the pool of percussionists in the field. One of the most sought after and talented artiste has just found another fan for himself in me!! the thani avarthanam was simply astonishing with the most delicate pieces of music, sound, rhythm and pace mixed in proper proportions. I was just watching him agape since am a mridangist as well. I was just wondering how much practice would have gone into perfecting this art of playing the most delicate music and sound with an amazing ease. I have promised myself after seeing him today that i ll emerge as one of the most sought after mridangist five years down the lane. he took me to an heavenly sojourn.
The most awaited is tomoro's kutchery of Dr.KJ Yesudas. who ll want to miss seeing him sing???
The December season!!!!
Its December and the music is ON. The city activity is filled with music all through the day. Music lovers are found swarming the sabhas to listen to their favorite musicians. From budding artists to stalwarts in the field of carnatic music entertain the city's music lovers with their divine talent, mesmerizing the audience present, and am one among those music lovers hunting the sabhas to listen to my favorite musicians.
Being a percussionist myself, i see to it that i don't miss any of the best percussionist in the field performing.
Being a percussionist myself, i see to it that i don't miss any of the best percussionist in the field performing.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
The Tiger Caves.
Tiger caves!!!!!!!!! Sounds nice and dangerous.Well am not going to encounter with a tiger anywhere here. It's a so called tourist spot in the famous ECR.Its a happy ride along the bay side(even tough the beach must be more than half a km away from the road).
The journey to tiger caves started without much of planning because planning always led to a war of words with us. And so it was surprisingly a pleasant afternoon in Chennai, after our lunch Ajay, Dilip and me started from ajay's place. we never had the idea of going to this place but since i haven't seen this place before i persuaded him to make a trip there and fortunately he agreed. The next thing i knew was that we were all in our bike on our way to there. Passing through the heavy traffic of the Chennai streets is of course an herculean task for even the most experienced drivers in the city. Braving the raging streets of Chennai, we started on this beautiful trip.
It was really indeed pleasant throughout the drive. we turned right to reach the IT Expressway. I just had a glance at a car parked on the side of the a road, a LEXUS sedan, Wow!! Chennai is growing too fast. Following the road we reached the ECR stretch. The traffic was beginning to reduce in the highway and it was such pleasure to drive in these roads. Zooming our way to our destination we crossed so many motels,VGP Universal Kingdom, MGM, Mayajaal. To our left the beach(pebble beach or pearl beach,whatever it is called) started to emerge to make our ride more scenic. The trees in the side provided a beautiful location for the ideal picnic spot for many families.
We stopped in one such place and parked our bikes in a natural shed there and started to walk. It was feeling nice to walk on the sands of the beach with your friends.Walking a little further inside towards the roaring sound of the waves, pushing aside the small plants grown i as able to smell the waters(astonishin that one can smell water eh??!! ). Just crossing the final array of these plants we stepped on the sands oh the beach with the waters inviting me to wash my feet. The place was isolated. There were no one else other than we three. The first thing we did were take photos. I scribbled my name all over the beach. We posed ourselves as tough we were the best models in town. we spent nearly an hour posing for photos and scribbling our names.I just didn't have the mind to leave this place and start back. But the Tiger caves is still a little more drive from this serene spot. A perfect tranquility.
At last we started to our decided destination. It was a 15 km ride from our previous spot. The followed the road alongside the beach. We finally reached our place. This is no big place to be a tourist spot. A big leaning rock and a rock carved sculpture with tiger faces are the property of this place. This must be a park actually.But it was more peaceful and silent with the smell of the beach filling the atmosphere. We climbed to the top of the rock and another photo session was on. Posing to be the most funniest clowns seen around we shot more than a 100 photos (Wow!!!). Then myself and Dilip had a walk along the length of the park. It was fresh and green(hard to find such places in cities!). Tall tress and green grasses adorned the area inside the fence. At the end of the park there was a Sivalingam inside a small temple like structure. The lingam must be of granite i think so am not sure , a broken Nandhi was seen opposite to the lingam. And there was nothing more here except the peace and silence(which u don't get in the city). at last it was time for us to start back and reach home before the traffic swarms the road like bees. We finally bid a goodbye to my most wanted to be visited place and we started our way back to home.
This trip was all of sudden on one of the most boring afternoons. The reason i liked the place was nothine else but the serenity of the place and a nice ride to pass the time on a boring afternoon.
The journey to tiger caves started without much of planning because planning always led to a war of words with us. And so it was surprisingly a pleasant afternoon in Chennai, after our lunch Ajay, Dilip and me started from ajay's place. we never had the idea of going to this place but since i haven't seen this place before i persuaded him to make a trip there and fortunately he agreed. The next thing i knew was that we were all in our bike on our way to there. Passing through the heavy traffic of the Chennai streets is of course an herculean task for even the most experienced drivers in the city. Braving the raging streets of Chennai, we started on this beautiful trip.
It was really indeed pleasant throughout the drive. we turned right to reach the IT Expressway. I just had a glance at a car parked on the side of the a road, a LEXUS sedan, Wow!! Chennai is growing too fast. Following the road we reached the ECR stretch. The traffic was beginning to reduce in the highway and it was such pleasure to drive in these roads. Zooming our way to our destination we crossed so many motels,VGP Universal Kingdom, MGM, Mayajaal. To our left the beach(pebble beach or pearl beach,whatever it is called) started to emerge to make our ride more scenic. The trees in the side provided a beautiful location for the ideal picnic spot for many families.
We stopped in one such place and parked our bikes in a natural shed there and started to walk. It was feeling nice to walk on the sands of the beach with your friends.Walking a little further inside towards the roaring sound of the waves, pushing aside the small plants grown i as able to smell the waters(astonishin that one can smell water eh??!! ). Just crossing the final array of these plants we stepped on the sands oh the beach with the waters inviting me to wash my feet. The place was isolated. There were no one else other than we three. The first thing we did were take photos. I scribbled my name all over the beach. We posed ourselves as tough we were the best models in town. we spent nearly an hour posing for photos and scribbling our names.I just didn't have the mind to leave this place and start back. But the Tiger caves is still a little more drive from this serene spot. A perfect tranquility.
At last we started to our decided destination. It was a 15 km ride from our previous spot. The followed the road alongside the beach. We finally reached our place. This is no big place to be a tourist spot. A big leaning rock and a rock carved sculpture with tiger faces are the property of this place. This must be a park actually.But it was more peaceful and silent with the smell of the beach filling the atmosphere. We climbed to the top of the rock and another photo session was on. Posing to be the most funniest clowns seen around we shot more than a 100 photos (Wow!!!). Then myself and Dilip had a walk along the length of the park. It was fresh and green(hard to find such places in cities!). Tall tress and green grasses adorned the area inside the fence. At the end of the park there was a Sivalingam inside a small temple like structure. The lingam must be of granite i think so am not sure , a broken Nandhi was seen opposite to the lingam. And there was nothing more here except the peace and silence(which u don't get in the city). at last it was time for us to start back and reach home before the traffic swarms the road like bees. We finally bid a goodbye to my most wanted to be visited place and we started our way back to home.
This trip was all of sudden on one of the most boring afternoons. The reason i liked the place was nothine else but the serenity of the place and a nice ride to pass the time on a boring afternoon.
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