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A lofty purpose
MANDOLIN U. RAJESH'S latest audio album, Amalgamation, produced by Pavanputra Music (India) and marketed by BMG Crescendo, strikes the right chord straightaway. It tells the listener that the purpose of music is not to produce a ``readymade audience'', whose knowledge and capabilities are of a high level, but to cater for all those with a yen for music and to create a ``musical climate''.
This younger brother of Mandolin U. Srinivas has joined hands with A.K. Palanivel (tavil) and `Vikku' Vinayakram (ghatam), to create an unadulterated amalgam of kritis.
The album opens with Veena Kuppaier's ``Vinayaka'' in Hamsadhwani and moves on to ``Orajuphuchu'' of Tyagaraja in Kannadagowla. But the best comes later — a scintillating ragam-tanam in Chakravaham that flows melodiously from the electronically treated strings of Rajesh's mandolin and leads you to a pallavi composition — by Rajesh. Of course things reach a crescendo with the Sai Bhajan. And naturally so, because Rajesh's treasured moments include his performance at Prashanthi Nilayam in the presence of Sri Sathya Sai Baba. So as piety and music go hand in hand, it is understandable that Rajesh tries to help out when people approach him for a deserving cause.
Thus it was that Rajesh's charity show with sarod artistes Ayan Ali Bangesh and Aman Ali Bangesh, and percussion support from Vikram Ghosh and Vikku Vinayakram for Shakti Foundation, was one of the well received shows of last year.
(The foundation's diligence and unstinted efforts to build ramps in public places, for the physically challenged is only too well known).
``If I believe in the cause, I do my bit. In fact, this concert for Shakti was organised at very short notice and all the artistes, pitched in to do their best'', Rajesh explains.
When Rajesh talks of a musical climate, he is not only referring to an open-minded and justly critical scenario, but also to one that keeps human beings humane.
``Music soothes the mind and steers one away from negative emotions'', he says. One should enjoy the music he listens to and should want to go back to it again and again. Only then can it be said that the composition has been a success, contends Rajesh.
Amalgamation is Rajesh's second album after a period of 12 years and ``it is the first time that I have worked with veterans like Vikku Vinayakram and Palanivel for an album''. Rajesh's words echo modesty.
The yawning gap between the first and the second album was inevitable. Rajesh has been busy with the innumerable concerts and albums that he has been presenting with his brother, Srinivas. But one hopes the third offering doesn't take too long a time, because Amalgamation has kindled much interest in the musically inclined.
MALATHI RANGARAJAN
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