Bombay Jayashri @ sanjose on 26th oct

[thanjavooran]

The review made by my grand daughter on the above concert is given below with the permission of our forumites.

Bombay Jayashri gave a memorable concert, soaked in melody, bhava and downright professionalism. She started off with a brisk rendition of Jaya Jaya Swamin in Naatai, which was followed by a soulful rendition of Thyagaraja's Theliyaledhu Rama in Dhenuka.
The Mohanam alapanai for Nannu Palimpa was both elaborate and refreshing, with H.N. Bhaskar providing adequate support on the violin.
The main piece of the concert was Kharaharapriya, Pakkala Nelabhadi. The neravals were followed by an electrifying Thani by Patri Satish Kumar on Mridangam and Giridhar Udapa on Ghatam.
Both Patri Satish Kumar and Giridhar Udapa were on their best through out the concert and the state of art sound system in the auditorium helped amplifying their gumkis and other nuances.
RTP in Sindhubharavi w/ Pallavi Bala Gopala (+ Hindolam, Neelambari + ..) was quite pleasing. H.N. Bhaskar proved his might providing befitting replies to Jayshri's raga elaborations and thanams.
This was followed by thukadas, which included a Meera Bhajan (Aye Kagane), Jagadhodharana in Kapi and her Guru LGJ's Pahaadi Thillana.
In all, it was an enthralling 2.5 hour concert. Nevertheless, the concert left one with mixed feelings - Literally, every raga from Naatai to Pahaadi was rendered with a Hindustani vaadai ! It didn't feel like a "traditional" Carnatic concert.. and this "tradition" casualty was punctuated when Jayashri finished the concert with a chant of mangala sloka instead of "Pavamana Suthudu" ;(

Thanjavooran
28 10 2013

[MaamiAtHeart]

Thanjavooran Sir, thank you for posting the review. I was eagerly checking the reviews page again and again to see if anyone had posted a review. I had the pleasure of attending the concert, but totally lack the indepth knowledge to analyze the raagam and thaalam and other intricacies for each song.

One minor question for the RTP - I don't think the main raagam was Sindhu Bhairavi. It was something else, not sure what it was. It had snatches of Yaman kalyani but there was a distinct variation in notes for Aarohanam and Avarohanam.

I am still on Cloud 9 after the concert. I get to attend maybe one concert a year and this concert has satisfied my soul and will keep me going for another few months! BJ's music did not just come across as a sequence of compositions - it felt like a deeply spiritual experience. She did not "perform" in the conventional sense of the term, it was like watching someone deep in prayer. Her voice was incredible; very melodious, constantly adhered to shruthi and performed brilliant aalapanais with extremely intricate gamakams (not sure if this is the right term here). Maybe, this is what the previous reviewer meant by Hindustani flavor?

H.N Bhaskar on the violin provided able support to BJ's exquisite vocals. Do I even have to talk about Patri's performance? He is so consistently brilliant, it is just sufficient to say "Patri performed". You can imagine the rest! I really hope another forum member who attended the concert can enlighten us on the intricacies of his laya. Giridhar Udupa was too good. The percussion thani was thrilling and Patri and Giridhar brought the house down with their high energy performance. And yes, there was a flying Ghatam!!! :ymapplause:

BTW, I ended up missing Naatai thanks to the major snafus in ticketing. Many of us with fully paid tickets had to wait forever outside, in absolute agony knowing that the much awaited concert had already started inside. Wish Sulekha or the organizers had told us exactly what the process and delays were going to be and that way, we would have purchased tickets with other sources.

[MaamiAtHeart]

I googled the composition BJ performed after the RTP; It is "Ayikagha vahini mohini chakrini" - it is from the Ashtalakshmi Stothra in praise of Santana Lakshmi -

From http://www.shrimandir.com/downloads/boo ... glish).pdf
"Santanalakshmi
Aie khagavahini mohini chakrini ragavivardhini gyanamaye
gunaganavaridhi lokahitishini saptaswarayuta gananute
sakala suraasura devamuniswara manavavandita padayute
Jayajaya he madhusudhana kamini santanalakshmi paripalayamam ."

Meaning -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vC7maHg ... 680C385DC2

Sudha Raghunathan's rendition -
http://www.fulfillr.com/music/gallery/A ... i-Chakrini

I was hoping BJ would sing one of her famous lullabys, but this song in praise of Santhana Lakshmi was equally divine! Can someone please identify the Raagam from Sudha's rendition? The same version was performed in the concert

[Rsachi]

Sounds like Shubhapantuvarali without Pa. So Hindustani Todi. (There is the occasional Pa and even the higher Dha once or twice! So a Mishra candidate!!??)
Listen to this: http://raa.ag/t89938

[MaamiAtHeart]

Thanks RSachi sir; it does indeed sound a lot like Shubha Panthuvaraali

[HarishankarK]

Was the Meera Bhajan 'Aaye Giridhara More Guare'? Then it is not Meera Bhajan but Swathi Thirunal composition and raga Purya Dhanasree. BJ has rendered this in some concerts and also in some albums. just my guess...

[mohan]

I heard from a friend in California that the RTP was in Yamun Kalyani

[rajeshnat]

I heard from a friend in California that the RTP was in Yamun Kalyani

Mohan
I am assuming you meant yamunA kalyAni. There is YamunA kalyAni and there is yaman(which some people refer as yaman kalyani)

[MaamiAtHeart]

A Meera bhajan was not performed. Here is the song list (thanks Thanjaavooran and RSachi)

Jaya jaya - Nattai
Theliyaleru Rama - Dhenuka
Nannupaalimpa - Mohanam (R, S)
Pakkala nilabadhi - Karaharapriya - (R, N, S followed by Thani)
RTP - not sure
Ayikagha vahini mohini chakrini - lines from Ashtalakshmi Sthothram (Shubha Panthuvarali)
Krishnam vandhe jagath gurum followed by Jagadhodharana (Kapi)
Thillana - Pahadi - LGJ
Mangala shlokam

The RTP's raagam was very similar to the raagam of the song "Bhavayaami Gopalabalam". I was beginning to think it was the same raagam, but some notes sounded a tad different. Which Raagam is Bhavayaami? Some sites refer to it is Yaman kalyan and some as Yamunaa Kalyani.

[HarishankarK]

A Meera bhajan was not performed. Here is the song list (thanks Thanjaavooran and RSachi)
Ayikagha vahini mohini chakrini - lines from Lakshmi Ashtothram (Shubha Panthuvarali)

I think this shloka is from Ashtalakshmi stothram (Santana Lakshmi) and not Lakshmi Ashtothram (which is 108 names of Goddess Lakshmi).

[MaamiAtHeart]

That is correct; It is from the Ashtalakshmi Sthothram. I'll correct my song list. Thanks!