Ganesh Kumaresh and Unnikrishnan at NaradaGanaSabha- 4th Dec

[sairaam]

Yesterday went to back to back concerts at Narada Gana Sabha - first was Ganesh Kumaresh accompanied by Neyveli Narayanan and a ghatam artist (sorry i couldnt get his name as he was a last minute substitute for guruprasanna) - All my comments abt VS' short alaps for 3 ragas might hv been overheard by them i guess.. They played 2 ragas exclusively bringing out the full form.. Bairavi (Thudhi seidhidu maname) was a great treat.. The main piece was sahana Giripai nelakona - a sahana am sure i can never forget.. Their laya gnanam is also very much known.. But on certain swarams, it looked it was being over-used a bit, but i was able to enjoy it thoroughly nevertheless... I think Neyveli Narayanan def deserves to accompany all the leading artists.. Beautiful naadham and sowkyam while accompanying.. Thani was in adhi (2 kalai - after one beat) They ventured into Tisram and for every korvai of NN, The Ghatam artist was able to reply effectively... TOTALLY AWESOME PERFORMANCE - i was fully satisfied, that i thought of leaving without listening to Unnikrishnan - but thought i wud give a try - He too took two ragas - Dhenuka was good, karaharapriya was decent (with grahabedam) - but his voice was not at the expected level, many usual sangadhis in Pakkala Nilabadi were missing (though its good in a way unlike just singing for the sake of it)... Akkarai subbulakshmi is def a prodigy - the way she played alap in karaharapriya was a beauty.. It was a bit disapponting with respect to Patri Satish Kumar, who is a very brilliant mridangist.. Maybe the speaker sound or some prob in his mridangam - it looked more like BEATING than PLAYING.. Thani was not in the usual Adi - was in Misram (after 1 aksharam) playing in chatusra gathi and also some tisra nadais - SV Ramani in ghatam was challenging every korvai and kuraippu phurrans of Patri.. Brilliant Thani.. Not a great one, but was quite decent...