Forgotten Artists with deep voices

[CommonMan]

Hi all,
A very new member.....a reasonably old listener (and follower).....
I have been missing the performance of two musicians with excellent voices...1. Balaji Shankar and 2. Palghat Ramprasad.
As for the former, i have been hearing different stories on why he stopped singing....does anyone have any idea if he is planning to be back on circuit? It is a real curse and ill-luck, if we lose a musician with such a deep resonant and lingering voice....I am not sure if any of the present day musicians have such a masculine voice....I remember him singing along with VIjay Siva on many DKJ concerts, and have had high impression on his singing and style....
I believe Palghat Ramprasad is the elder brother of Abhishek Raghuram (correct me if I am wrong)....he is yet another vocalist with a really masculine voice - I also heard that he is back from the US or UK after his higher studies and/or work....I remember him as an ardent adherer to tradition (even the thukkadas are age old time tested ones)...the difference between him and his brother perhaps, is that AR is more of a contemporary flamboyant artist with excellent manodharma and PRP is more of a stickler to tradition (which is good to the art - with varied styles of music)....any ideas if he is back fulltime on this?

[devan]

i donot think he is the brother if ar.he is the grandson of palaghat mani iyer.he has got a deep voice.but his music is bordering boredom.this is my perception

[CRama]

Palghat TRRamprasad is seen in music concerts- although not to a great extent. Very recently I heard one radio concert in FM where he sang a very good asaveri composition of Swati Tirunal. Palayamamayi- Very much new to me. He rendered it very well. That entire concert was good. I saw him in TV also.

[viswanathmysore]

FM where he sang a very good asaveri composition of Swati Tirunal. Palayamamayi

It was TV Ramprasad who sang that concert, recently . Also a Seetha Nayaka in reethigowla . It was wrongly printed as Palghat Ramprasad in the papers, that day . And wrongly announced too , on the radio .
TV Ramprasad is a good example of a deep voice , these days .disciple of PSN . I think.

[natakapriyan]

Abishek raguram is a Grandson of Palghat Ragu and Ramprasad is a grand son of Palghst Mani Iyer
T.V.Ramprasad is from karnataka and has a deep masculine voice .He used to wear a traditional attire while on the stage (panchakachham)
Palghat Ramprasd has a slight nasal voice and is a good singer

[CommonMan]

Thx for the info....I also heard an AIR recording (announced as Palghat Ramprasad) last month ....but now tht you say that T V Ramprasad also has a deep voice ....probably have to make the distinction based on whether the concert list has very old songs.....
Although AR and PRP hail from great mridangam lineage, I feel that the kanakku aspect of AR outscores that of PRP....(although I cannot follow or understand and appreciate most of it, as like any other normal non-technical rasika)....
Any other artistis with deep voices? I have always been a fan of that - since these days most of the male singers have feminine or rather, non-masculine voices....

[CommonMan]

Heard from some reliable sources that Balaji Shankar may be back to the circuit next year.... did anyone else hear something similar? It would do immense good to have such artists back in the mix.

[sureshvv]

You may also want to check out S.P.Ramh, Kasturirangan, Serthalai Ranganatha Sarma and Sreevalson menon

[CommonMan]

That's a very refreshing reminder suresh, thx.....However, I was under the impression that the artists you had mentioned were singing reasonably regularly without any breaks: at least not as irregular as Balaji Shankar or Palghat Ramprasad......Besides, I agree that SP Ramh and Sreevalson menon have rich voices - whereas, Kasturi rangan has good ideas but not a masculine or catchy voice as the others...will try to listen to Serthalai Sarma this time....Thx

[thathwamasi]

@CommonMan - Palghat Ramprasad is the grandson of Palghat Mani Iyer. He is an excellent singer with a no nonsense approach. He is back to India after his PhD in Economics and he is back in the music circles. He is singing at Sastri Hall on Dec 19th and KGS on Dec 23rd. You may want to listen to him now.

Thanks
T

[Nick H]

Rama Varma?

His range seems to be increasing, and I noticed that he was very much at home (this very evening) with the low notes. I felt that he used them well, too, whereas some may use range just to show off what they can do.

[CommonMan]

@thawamasi - Thx for the info....I too agree that he is one of the few recent day artists who is a stickler to classism, tradition and "no anaavasyam" (which is a big relief for an old-timer)......I will try to attend at least one if not both....

[thathwamasi]

@commonMan - Thanks for your response. Im not sure if we are allowed to share youtube links in the forum. So moderators please delete this if Im not supposed to share this. This is a video of Palghat Ramprasad's concert in the USA in June 2011. I loved the Dwijavanthi raagam very much.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqLdhz5lAW0

Regards
T

[CommonMan]

@thathwamasi: thx a lot for that....very refreshing dhwijavanthi, indeed .....his voice sounds much more matured since I heard him last...also got hold of a few more youtube links of his while checking the one you suggested....

[CommonMan]

In the last few years, I heard that Luz Sastri hall has turned into an A/C hall.....does anyone know if it has canteen facilities now?

[Nick H]

There is no canteen*. An additional external staircase has been built. There is a new toilet, which is so badly designed it feels like the men and women have to share!

*unless they have erected anything externally. I have not been there this season

[CommonMan]

@ Nick: Good that you haven't been there this season: try to catch up with artists who perform here, at a different venue. Had a horrendous experience last night after Palghat Ramprasad's concert....the enjoyable experience of the concert was almost consumed by the hall's facilities, or rather lack of it.....Guess it's time artists, organizers and rasikas together start boycotting such venues.

[Nick H]

If we have this conversation in very deep voices, then we will not be too much off-topic!

It is not one of Chennai's most comfortable halls, nor does it have the best acoustics, and it's sideways-on arrangement of stage and audience always seems strange. However, there are far, far worse. I haven't been there this season, but I have been there this year. On one notable occasion, I left with a headache due to the rock-concert volumes as per discussion in another thread.

However, I have certainly enjoyed concerts there, and I expect I will do again!