Tag: music

Signature song! 😊

Few days ago attended a concert featuring noted vocalist Sikkil Gurucharan. The concert was based on the wildly popular “Jannal Orum” concept pioneered by Sikkil Gurucharan who is one of the young, recognized and well received singers in the classical South Indian Carnatic music genre. The concert was enjoyed very much by music connoisseurs and the less knowledgeable alike because of the format 👍. A little background about Jannal Orum origin: In the wake of the COVID pandemic, which affected everyone directly or indirectly, public concerts were not possible because of lockdowns. “Jannal Orum” in Tamil means by the side of the window. The singer found himself standing by (and looking out) the window of his home many days and singing songs, not sure when the situation would return to at least a semblance of normalcy. At that time, in an effort to reach out to eager listeners, he started the Jannal Orum series and posted on youtube. Each video in the series would be based on a theme and Sikkil Gurucharan would identify and explain movie songs on the chosen theme that was based on a classical raga (Raga = melodic framework in Indian classical music). It became wildly popular as everyone, irrespective of their knowledge level of classical music, could understand and appreciate because of familiarity with the movie song. The keys to success being keeping it simple, making it accessible and augmenting by easily understood explanation. 👍

Towards the end of the concert it was time for audience requested songs. One of the requested songs “Aasai Mugham Marandhu Pochey”. Before starting the song Sikkil Gurucharan gave some background information about the song. It’s written by celebrated Tamil poet Mahakavi Subramania Bharati. The poet had lost his mother at a very young age and one of his most prized possessions was a fading black and white photograph of his mother. That picture was lost in a fire at his home. The poem/song is a lament on losing the last physical memory of his mother. It’s a very touching tribute to a person he held very dear to his heart. So, the context in itself lends to pathos. Penned by a great poet the loss almost bestows a quality of personal loss to the reader of the poem or listener when sung. In Sikkil Gurucharan’s rendition the feeling of loss immediately came alive. When great lyrics combines with heartfelt rendering by a very talented artiste bringing the emotions to the fore it creates a moment and a memorable moment it was! 👏 As soon as the song started my eyes started welling up 😢 and as the song progressed, I had to wipe my eyes a few times. Youtube link to song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxoAyj9jzro
This song was followed by another song praising the virtues of South Indian filter coffee, in a lighter vein. I wonder how singers are able to sing a very emotional song with a lot of passion and not choke up. I guess talented professionals have the ability to seize the moment and let it go too! After the concert ended we went up to the stage to compliment the young musicians that accompanied the main artiste, thank the main artiste for a very enjoyable experience and were able to capture a Kodak moment with Sikkil Gurucharan. Emboldened by his accommodation of our request for a picture with him I requested an autograph. I had not planned before on asking for autograph. Desperately I fished out the only piece of paper I could find in my wallet with just enough whitespace on one side for an autograph. 😂 With a bemused look at the scrap of paper I had handed over the well-natured singer willingly gave his autograph. That makes “Aasai Mugham” his signature song for me! 😊

Raj, Taylor and Travis! 😉

Ever wondered bumping into celebrities and how that experience would be? Here is a fictionalized account of me accidentally meeting Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift, with the Hindu God Ganesha and guardian angels behind me for support!

He is tall,
I am short,
She is mean*,
You know what I mean!

* I am talking height and math when I say mean. Don’t want Swift fans coming after me 😊. I will let you calculate what our heights could be!

How would I describe myself?
Not a Swiftie (Just means I haven’t listened to her songs. Her multiple hit albums from her teens is proof of her undeniable talent and the Eras tour creating a bump for the economy is evidence of her phenomenal popularity 👍),

Not a hardcore KCC fan (while acknowledging the Mahomes-Kelce duo as one of the best one-two combo, with Andy Reid as the coach, in the history of the sport 👌),

I am a cheesehead (Packers are my home team, I have to support them and what is not to like about a major sports franchise in the smallest city that is also referred to as Titletown and is community-owned! 👍)!

What I genuinely appreciate is accomplished people using their name, fame, money, time and effort for a cause dear to them and it doesn’t get much better than partnering with local food banks for donating food to those in need 👏🙏
I am neither as accomplished nor do I have the same power but hopefully I can be generous too if I achieve even a fraction of that fame and power, to do good 🙏 Generosity of spirit is the among the most uplifting characteristics of humans 🙏

Hey Travis, use your leverage when you bump into Jake of State Farm fame. Make him a Triple Discount (3 discounted tickets for Swift’s concert at State Farm Arena, no less 😊) offer he cannot refuse! 😉 Hoping my man, Aaron ‘Double Discount’ Rodgers, will not think he is getting one-upped 😂 but he will understand. It is the season of Love 😊

Ragamalika: S(w)inging in, S(w)inging out!

Ragamalika: S(w)inging in, S(w)inging out!

In Indian classical music a raga is a pattern of notes having characteristic intervals, rhythms, and embellishments. So, there is a structure to it and there is a discipline required to ensure any song based on a particular raga follows the defined pattern. However, even within the structure there is room for improvisation. Singers who are highly skilled and have a flair for improvisation can deftly move from one raga to another (and then another and so forth) and make it back to the original raga seamlessly. I call it S(w)inging in, S(w)inging out! Sanjay Subrahmanyan is one singer who has the vocal chops, mastery of the individual ragas and discipline allied with creativity and improvisation to sing ragamalikas naturally. 👍

As an analogy in a different context think of monkeys swinging on a tree, say a fig tree ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wsotv_N2B5Y ). The way they go about swinging in and out of different branches it appears they were born with those skills naturally. Biting a fig from one branch and then swinging to another branch for bite of another fig is akin to singing in one raga, then moving on to another raga. Why am I comparing singing with monkeys swinging? Just as swinging from one branch to another requires physical dexterity swinging between ragas requires vocal dexterity. There is timing and decision making involved too. Swing has to happen between branches that are strong. If a monkey swings from a strong branch to a twig it can make for an awkward landing to put it mildly. Similarly, the results can be less than desirable if the transition between the ragas is not smooth and seamless. One more factor that needs to be considered is room and ability of those following the leader (accompanying percussionists in singing). Only the very accomplished can achieve that with relative ease.

On another note it’s been raining all day. I don’t mind it as it’s raining ragas too. Continuous supply of strong coffee or tea along with potato and onion fritters would make for a perfect combo for the music and weather. 😀 With wife wanting me to eat healthy, onion/potato fritters idea ain’t gonna fly though. 😢 Hey, improvisation is the name of the game today and I don’t want to fritter the opportunity. I can pop some corn instead! 😉😅