Venkatesh Kumar

murthyhmg · Post by **murthyhmg** » 12 Jan 2007, 17:30

Artist of the month for December in itcsra.org is Venkatesh Kumar. The following information is made available. I was most impressed by the controlled singing.

Born and brought up in a a rural ambience in the hamlet of Lakshmipura in Karnataka, Venkateshkumar was strongly influenced by his father, a renowned folk artiste. Later, under the tutelage of Pandit Puttaraja Gawai, who was impressed by his genuine dedication to music, he effectively inherited all the nuances of the Gwalior gharana. Venkateshkumar is a versatile singer with a mellifluous and vibrant voice, rich in tradition, deep in devotion and dexterous in bhava.

An `A` grade artiste of All India Radio since 1988, he has featured in its National programme of music. He has also performed in major music concerts of the country and has been conferred with titles such as Swara Sree, Sangeet Sudhakara and Sangeet Ratna by established cultural organisations. Venkateshkumar is a recipient of the Karnataka State Rajyotsava Award and has to his credit many audio cassettes and a CD of devotional songs. Presently, he is on the faculty at Music College, Dharwad University and has authored the text book prescribed for the Music Examination conducted by the Govt. of Karnataka.

Puriya-Phoolan Ke Harva-Gajre Banakar Aaliri
Yaman-Harva Mora Re
Mishrapilu-Saiyan Bides Gayo Re Madho

coolkarni · Post by **coolkarni** » 12 Jan 2007, 17:54

Yes.Indeed.
He is such a nice unassuming singer.
If only Chennai Sabhaites take the Goa train directly to Hubli(and on to nearby Dharwar) to book such artists instead of the Sultan Khans , VM Bhatts , Abhayankars and Sadolikars.

And they would be working on a fraction of their original budget , too.
If anyone likes his music,I can put some AIR recordings of Hindol, Shyam Kalyan, Bhibas ,Durga and others.
Bangalore Music stores have all his famous labels featuring
Br Sarang, Kedar , Miya Ki Todi,Shudh Kalyan, Ragesri and Sree.

Venkatesh Kumar , often sings at Kannada Sangha, T Nagar,chennai,
very often to audiences stretching to only two rows.

vijay · Post by **vijay** » 12 Jan 2007, 18:36

Sure Kulkarniji - the reviews at ITCSRA are indeed tempting....would you have Multani or Darbari in your collection?

murthyhmg · Post by **murthyhmg** » 12 Jan 2007, 18:43

Yes. Kulkarni sir, i am waiting

coolkarni · Post by **coolkarni** » 13 Jan 2007, 11:26

Multani.
Huh ! Then we missed you at Kannada Sangha six months ago.
that was a rare afternoon concert.

BTW he is very well know for Singing Basaveswar
(and Akkamahadevi) Vachanas , too. A fine tradition set by Mallikarjun Mansoor, Siddaram Jambaldinni...

In my stock Unforuntately , no.But a lot of that work is get consolidated , so someday in the future.maybe I will get Multani.
Darbari is featured in one of his commercial albums by Sagar casette Company in Bangalore.

coolkarni · Post by **coolkarni** » 13 Jan 2007, 12:23

here we go
the first one is a nat bhairav (not to be confused with the commercial 25 mts track, if someone has the tape)

http://rapidshare.com/files/11469667/Na ... v.mp3.html

This is a from a genre of renderings that is very peculiar to AIR Dharwar.
They feature the same artist , -senior-junior-all kinds of grades-three times in day -morning , afternoon and evening -to cover the three broad types of ragas associated with the time of the day -( evening slot gets the cut on weekends).
Tuesdays are for carnatic Music.
These recordings were made over a 20 year period , and so in some tracks , you may notice a level of accomplishment that does not reflect the current status.
Enjoy a soulful Natabhairav.

http://rapidshare.com/files/11470844/Na ... e.mp3.html

a short 2 mt extract for members who want to test it.

chalanata · Post by **chalanata** » 13 Jan 2007, 17:26

and what is this 'member first and moderator next' business? any irritant has necessiated this kind of assurance to members?

drshrikaanth · Post by **drshrikaanth** » 13 Jan 2007, 17:30

chalanata
see here

http://rasikas.org/forums/viewtopic.php?id=1910

Just reassuring people

coolkarni · Post by **coolkarni** » 13 Jan 2007, 19:37

And that would also mean that when we post as moderators , we will register it , at the end of the post.As in this post.
Moderator.

coolkarni · Post by **coolkarni** » 13 Jan 2007, 22:29

Puttaraj Gavai
Venkatesh Kumar's Guru
http://www.thehinduimages.com/hindu/pho ... Id=4850823

http://www.thehinduimages.com/hindu/pho ... Id=4850824

http://www.thehinduimages.com/hindu/pho ... Id=4850839

Runs a Music school in Gadag , exclusively for Blind children.
2004- N Rajam - was quoted as saying
" Performing in front of hundreds of visually impaired members in the audience , was one of the most moving experiences of my Life".

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 14 Jan 2007, 08:32

Cool,
In Bangalore, The Ramana Maharishi School for blind children a venue for many concerts. The children are there most of the time and one should see their enthusiasm in listening and in keeping tALA. A few of them are so absorbed in the music that the 'so called' seasoned rasikas have to take back seats when it comes to appreciation...

coolkarni · Post by **coolkarni** » 14 Jan 2007, 09:49

Arasi
I had another , moving experience.
There was a time when all my friends / contacts would make a bee line to my home -round the clock- to keep my ailing father in good spirits.They would make copies of concerts - tonnes of them - and bring it along , to fill in various slots in the day (since he had difficulty in coping with the pain and discomfort of cancer)

After he passed away though , I had a huge surplus of 600 tapes of concert music for disposal ,and I hit upon the idea of donating it to a blind school.
I was aware that my friends who recorded on spools in the 60s and 70s , sourced their blank spools from an Institute for the blind in Delhi and that blind students used tapes for recording lessons in the class .
I zeroed in on one Institute in Tambaram and made the donation.
After a few weeks , a grateful Head Master (of that Institute) visited me and explained how his students were in raptures .
They would not use the tapes for recording lessons.(Criminal to record anything on such great music, wasnt it ? he queried)Having chanced upon listening to some of them, they had organised a music library-out of those tapes- in my fathers memory.
And he had come to invite me for the inauguration !
I had to excuse myself , since I had to travel the next day , and so they insisted on taking a blown up image of my fathers photograph for use on that day.
Not only that , he took enough details from me to write a short tribute to my Father.
The immaculate way he dressed (in simple white Dhothi and shirt) , his beautiful Language(Thamizh), mild manners , simplicity and a personality that communicated a charming gratitude ...These are images I will treasure forever.

Years later I wish I had skipped that official trip and attended the program.(but then rat races are rat races) :rolleyes:
I was to learn , later that this school had a Professional band of their own , too.

rshankar · Post by **rshankar** » 14 Jan 2007, 09:52

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 14 Jan 2007, 11:35

Thanks for that leaf from personal history,Cool.
Pongum mangaLam engum thanguga!

coolkarni · Post by **coolkarni** » 14 Jan 2007, 11:47

http://rapidshare.com/files/11482296/Sh ... n.mp3.html

time for the next offering.

vijay · Post by **vijay** » 14 Jan 2007, 14:37

It is amazing how the loss of one faculty sharpens the others - you only need to watch MC to understand the phenomenon. You could not have done a better thing, Kulkarniji...

Anyway, as for the Natabhairav...I was taken aback by the Gandharam (same usage as in Dwijavanthi) and the Nishadam (definitely N3) - so this would be Sarasangi and not Natabhairavi as I had expected....what a beautiful raga! Wonder why it is languishing in CM?

I will certainly try to make it next time he sings in Chennai - please do keep me posted...

coolkarni · Post by **coolkarni** » 14 Jan 2007, 15:09

http://rapidshare.com/files/11632132/SA ... I.mp3.html

here is a sombre alapana by Mysore Nagaraj.

full track by BMK-Nagraj..
http://rapidshare.com/files/11636810/5. ... i.mp3.html

Never heard it elsewhere,except for Voleti in CM and Vasanthrao Despande in HM

and yes.will keep it in mind, the next time V.Kumar sings here.

Sam Swaminathan · Post by **Sam Swaminathan** » 17 Jan 2007, 05:14

Coolji...I was really moved to read about your father and your donation to the blind school. I must accept, that when the Lord, for reasons best known to him. deprives a person of one of his faculties ( let us say, the sight) other faculties increase proportionally to compensate the disadvantage. I remember a couple of years ago, when I was requested to play the violin in front of a music students of a blind school. I was asked to give a lecture demo on carnatic music, our training methods etc etc. I started explaining about the basics, sarali varisai etc etc leading upto kritis, ragams etc etc. I played a few fundamental steps, went on to play a varnam ( I took up Mohanam in two speeds). From here, I explained the raga structures, played a bit of Mohanam and then, for a good change, played the ragam Sri Ranjani. At this stage I took up their questions. A young lad ( blind ) was so facinated by the two distinctly different ragas and pointed out to me that there was a major tone missing in the second piece. I played a aro/avro and he picked up the "Pa" to be the one he missed most. He went on to ask me to play the same raga ( he could not get the name ) but include the "pa" in it, because he wanted to hear how it changed the mood. I obliged him and played the ragam Karaharapriya. The boy promptly came back and said that the mood was totally different between Sriranjani and Karaharapriya. I had to explain the raga bhava etc which even to me was a difficult subject to discuss. But the point I am trying to make is, that the sense of perception of this young blind man was on such a high level that it really amazed me....cheers ....Sam

ramakriya · Post by **ramakriya** » 17 Jan 2007, 05:18

coolkarni wrote:Never heard it elsewhere,except for Voleti in CM and Vasanthrao Despande in HM

For those who can get hold of this recording, the NatBhairav from Vasantarav Deshpande is simply superb. IIRC, it is released from Alurkar Music House (Pune). Don't miss it.

-Ramakriya

vijay · Post by **vijay** » 17 Jan 2007, 10:51

Coolji, would you have the Voleti rendition of Sarasangi with you?

coolkarni · Post by **coolkarni** » 17 Jan 2007, 11:03

Vijay.
I am sorry.It is not just Voleti and Sarasangi.
Others to have handled this raga include
MM Iyer, GNB,Kalyanraman,Jayan Vijayan,Nednuri, Mysore Ramratnam,OSt, Sudha(couple of Film songs based on this),TNs, Nednuri....
(you guessed it right.. I have a brand new search engine , in place, to zip through the datbase.New in terms of just minutes !!!

hopefully , will lead to better service levels)
here is a voleti rendering.will see if there is one with an alapana..
http://download.yousendit.com/3131221274D68214

coolkarni · Post by **coolkarni** » 17 Jan 2007, 11:25

http://mysorevramarathnam.org/Concerts/ ... maja-1985/

quite elaborate

padren68 · Post by **padren68** » 17 Jan 2007, 13:31

Neekela dayaradu - Sarasangi - Ramanathapuram Srinivasa Iyengar.
Rendered by Nedunuri (with expansive Alapana accompanied by MC), Voleti (many times with MSG, MC, Lalgudi) and Dr. Pinakapani

coolkarni · Post by **coolkarni** » 17 Jan 2007, 14:02

http://file.uploadr.com/c108

a very moving version by Lamani Misra on the Been.
One of the best (after Despandes Hamaree araz suno...)
From a very old national program.

humdinger · Post by **humdinger** » 17 Jan 2007, 15:10

padren68 wrote:Neekela dayaradu - Sarasangi - Ramanathapuram Srinivasa Iyengar.
Rendered by Nedunuri (with expansive Alapana accompanied by MC), Voleti (many times with MSG, MC, Lalgudi) and Dr. Pinakapani

Dear Padren...such enticing descriptions and no attachments...not very kind of you...

coolkarni · Post by **coolkarni** » 17 Jan 2007, 15:18

humdinger
he could not help it.
he is in chennai and travelling ....
padren..waiting for ur phone call..

padren68 · Post by **padren68** » 17 Jan 2007, 15:22

humdinger
I am at work now and am travelling today to chennai. will be back in a couple of days. Keep a watch on this thread and u will get all 3.

padren68 · Post by **padren68** » 17 Jan 2007, 15:24

Kulkarni
am reaching 2morrow morning. Will call u then.

humdinger · Post by **humdinger** » 17 Jan 2007, 16:22

Oh sure...thanks a lot

padren68 · Post by **padren68** » 20 Jan 2007, 09:41

Humdinger
Here it is Voleti's Sarasangi
http://www.rogepost.com/n/7609093123
Nedunuri singing Sarasangi
http://www.rogepost.com/n/3023027249

padren68 · Post by **padren68** » 20 Jan 2007, 10:26

And here is the Guru's version - Dr. Pinakapani
http://www.rogepost.com/n/1016792341

humdinger · Post by **humdinger** » 20 Jan 2007, 22:26

Dear Padren, as coolji said in other thread, cant thank you enough!

murthyhmg · Post by **murthyhmg** » 22 Jan 2007, 17:45

This Ali Akbar khan - Nat Bhairav

http://rapidshare.com/files/12844839/Al ... v.mp3.html

I looked up my HDD and found this very beautiful rendition - VeenaSahasrabudhe-NatBhairav-ShankarSharanTore-Ektal-GuniJanBakhaneGunKi-Teental

coolkarni · Post by **coolkarni** » 22 Jan 2007, 18:20

dont worry..
the next one is shyam kalyan.
no chance of straying into hm here.

meena · Post by **meena** » 22 Jan 2007, 23:05

murthyhmg wrote:I looked up my HDD and found this very beautiful rendition - VeenaSahasrabudhe-NatBhairav-ShankarSharanTore-Ektal-GuniJanBakhaneGunKi-Teental

PLEASE do not u/l, the track is from her commercial release album-'Tribute to Pt. Omkkarnath Thakur'

coolkarni · Post by **coolkarni** » 24 Jan 2007, 11:52

SHYAM KALYAN

http://rapidshare.com/files/13117723/Sh ... n.mp3.html