Carnatica Brothers - Los Angeles - 2010/03/19

[mssnlayam]

Vocal: Carnatica Brothers K N Shashikiran and P Ganesh
Violin: V V S Murari
Mridangam: Tanjavur Murugaboopathi
Kanjira: Suriya Subramanian (myself)

The concert was organized by South Indian Music Academy (SIMA) in Los Angeles. The entire concert lasted 4 hours. After the Thani, the organizers wanted a Pallavi and the artists did full justice with an elaborate Pallavi and concluding songs. Here's the song list:

1. Varnam - Thodi - Ata Thalam
2. Nee Bhajana [S] - Nayaki
3. Sattru Vilagi [R N S] - Purvi Kalyani
4. Swagatham Krishna - Mohanam
5. Thyagaraja Yoga Vaibhavam [R] - Ananda Bhairavi
6. Hari Narayana - Kedaram
7. Swara Raga Sudha [R N S T] - Shankarabharanam
8. RTP - Kaanada - Khanda Jathi Tripuda Thalam
Tanam Ragamalika in Bowli, Kalyana Vasantham, Shubha Pantuvarali, and Bindumalini
Pallavi line: Guru Arul, Thiru Arul, Per Arul Ellai Illada Sath(Guru)
Kalpanaswaram Ragamalika in Kannada Gowla, Gowla, and Kannada.
9. Rama Rama Prana Sakhi (Padam) - Bhairavi
10. Cheli Nenetlu (Javali) - Paras
11. Vellai Taamarai - Bhimplas
12. Mangalam Thillana on Surya Bhagavan - Hamsanandi

Since I played in the concert, I will not in a position to review it. Of course, I am only going to have nice things to say about artistes who were gracious enough to let me be part of their team. However, I would like to share an interesting tidbit about the Thani. The day before the concert Shri. Murugaboopathi, Shri. Shashikiran, and I were having a discussion about various Nadais (common and uncommon) employed in Carnatic percussion. Little did I expect a Thaniavarthanam in Khanda nadai (5 letters in 1 count) followed by a Khandam of that speed (5 Khandams or 25 letters in 4 counts). After playing a round in that nadai and finishing with Korvais, the Mridangam artist also proceeded to play Kuraippu (reductions) in the same Nadai. It was lots of fun and an interesting experience.

Edit: I had earlier mentioned that the Thani featured "5 Khandams or 25 letters in 1 count." That was a typo. I meant to say "5 Khandams or 25 letters in 4 counts." I have corrected the description above.

[mri_fan]

25 beats in one beat?

That seems too absurd. To play a kandam pattern 5 times faster than normal? Anyone who would play that would instantly be the fastest mridangam player in history and that doesn't really seem to be Murugapoopathy's style...can you explain more about how this was done?

[mssnlayam]

Sorry for the confusion. I made a typo and I have corrected it now.