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Accompanists impress
CLOSED MOUTH singing and incoherent delivery of lyrics marred K. Sriram's concert at Hamsadhwani. It took sometime to identify the raga as Manirangu for his opener, a Tiger Varadacharirar varnam. He improved a little in "Etaunnara," a popular Tyagaraja kriti with swaras and neraval at "Sri Garudaga." "Karunai Seivai" (Hamsadhwani-Papanasam Sivan) and the demanding Mahavaidyanatha Aiyar's "Pranatarthiharam" (third chakram) Tygaraja's "Nee Muddumomo" (Suryakantam) and Dikshitar's "Sriguruguhamurthe" (Udayaravi-Chandrika) and "Manasa Sri Rama" (Mararanjani) were other noteworthy songs. The Thevaram in Neelambari and Tiruppugazh in Sindhu bhairavi gave a devotional finale to a mediocre concert. Neela Jayakumar (violinist) somewhat raised the stature of the cutcheri with classy alapanas and crisp swaras. Jayakumar's mridangam support also helped.
Soft, easy rendition
Though in recent years Bombay Jayashree's voice has gained more weight and volume her rendition continues to be soft and easy on the ear. She sings with utmost ease; her phrases, idioms and syllables have certain fluidity and with devotional clothing she continues to attract both the laity and the cognoscenti in equal numbers. This was evidenced in one of her rare sabha concerts at the Rajah Annamalaipuram Bhakta Jana Sangam. Singing a Todi alapana in the most unhurried manner without any nadaswara overtones spoke of a high order of vidwat and manodharma. The song, "Kartikeya Gangeya" (Papanasam Sivan) was rendered with poise and tranquillity both in the neraval and swaras. Violinist H. N. Basker followed the dharma of an accompanist most faithfully and when he reproduced several of the vocalist's sweet sancharas well, the audience response was complete. Poongulam Subramaniam (mridangam) subtle for most of the time with helpful laya beats, was in full form in the tani avartanam.
Jayashree concentrated on familiar kritis and ragas sizing the nature of the audience. Dikshitar's "Amba Nilayadakshi" (Neelambari) was quite moving what with her clear diction and emphasis on the meaning of the sahitya. Ambujam Krishna's "Tottutottu Pesavaran" (Behag) Bharatiar's "Yethanai Koti Inbam" (Janasamodini) and Papanasam Sivan's "Karunanidiye" (after a moving Bhowli alapana) received the right response. A chic alapana in Abhogi quite matched Dikshitar's "Srilakshmi Varam Bhajeham".
"Koovi Azhaithal" (Valachi), scripted by Vali, was one of the last songs and was rendered evocatively.
KSR
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