Finally, vindication for me!

[harimau]

This website has a couple of different types of people posting on it.

The first are those who post glorious reviews of their favorite artists.

The second are those who who immediately follow up with nice things about the reviews, getting themselves Facebook-style "Likes" which has been recently
introduced; previously, they had to be satisfied with periodic accolades whichdescribed them as "very nice persons", particularly in comparison to "odious
persons".

Then there is me, the Observer of the Social Scene and Sociological Researcher, who is barely tolerated. However, I soldier on, patrolling the music sabhas and
unearthing and identifying trends which I consider dangerous to Carnatic music.

When I decried the used of the keyboard, I have been accused of "not getting it", whatever that means.

When I said that these attempts at the dilution of Carnatic music are the first steps along a slippery slope from which there can be no recovering, I was accused of
"using American idioms", as if that negated my premise.

In short, I have been derided much as Cassandra was.

However, vindication is at hand.

Sruthi in its August 2013 issue has profiled Ustad Zia Fariduddin Dagar.

On Page 45, there is a short paragraph on Dhrupad on Western Instruments.

It says, "Greg Powers plays dhrupad on the trombone and has released audio compact disc (CD) recordings with Stuart Dempster who provides support on the didgeridoo."

You read that right, Stuart Dempster plays Hindusthani music on the didgeridoo!

I am sure The Hindu November Fest would be looking for innovations in Carnatic music too and would soon be on the lookout for didgeridoo players.

A band consisting of the didgeridoo, the kazoo and the bagpipe could outsell the Goat and Geth!

I am now thinking if a change in pastimes is not warranted.

All I need to do is sit under a tree wearing ochre robes and I could be minting money foretelling the future instead of battling vainly against sacrilege in the name of
innovation and earning the wrath of people who like the keyboard, guitar, saxophone, etc.

There is only one problem: God has not seen fit to aircondition the Great Outdoors.

I guess I will stick to the T T K Auditorium, Nalli Gana Vihar and Sadguru Gnananda Hall.

[Rsachi]

Ode to the Oracle


Thou noblest heart full of a tiger's bubbling mirth
Geotagging a snake or monkey anywhere on earth!

Thou decriest dastardly experiments near and far
Deploying colourful metaphor and brush of tar.

None escapes your dagger, claw and fang.
Not Dagar, Dempster nor the madisaar gang.

Oh conscience-cleanser! Endangered Tiger!
Is it vindication or apocalypse round the corner!?
Electronic dhrupadist, global mal-melodist.
What dark destiny lurks yonder, I wonder.

[tiruppugazh]

The day the music sought to move from its traditional space of the temples and the traditional performers like the Odhuvaars & Arayars, things changed for the worse.

[varsha]

When I decried the used of the keyboard, I have been accused of "not getting it", whatever that means

Harmonium support was mercifully minimal,allowing the improvisation to be heard fully and clearly
http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp ... 361757.ece

wonder if the op missed this - keyboarder on a keyboarder :-@

[munirao2001]

harimau
When the Indian Classical Music is having two goals of Divine or Spiritual uplifting and Entertainment, all the attempts at offering entertainment must be taken at the face value. Conflict and disappointment comes or happens only with the lack of this clarity. Judge by the worth and value and never get conditioned...continue with your spirit of inquiry and search. You will have answers, not needing vindication, satisfaction

munirao2001

[Nick H]

It says, "Greg Powers plays dhrupad on the trombone and has released audio compact disc (CD) recordings with Stuart Dempster who provides support on the didgeridoo."

Unlike 99% of the fusions and innovations that I hear of, I am actually tempted to listen this one! :-s

[vasanthakokilam]

Hah! Harimau's favorite instrument, didgeridoo, is not that far fetched an idea after all, it turns out Who knew!

[sureshvv]

Yes.. harimau must have inspired Stuart... Get a rope

[seema]

Ok, I'll play this time... as dear harimau's astrological talents definitely need to be lauded and promoted. Didgeridoo with HM does rather sound too esoteric to actually be true.

Varsha, on another topic though, I don't think AS is a "keyboarder" - whatever that means. I think we've already buried and dusted off that particular debate, so seems a bit out of order. Keyboardist, even if we were to get the language right - but he seems to have taken harimau to heart and uses a grand piano everywhere - so let's at least do him that honour.

[Rsachi]

You can buy the CD or download from here :
http://bit.ly/187kb6J
To listen to a didgeridoo:
http://bit.ly/187mvuu

[Nick H]

On Page 45, there is a short paragraph on Dhrupad on Western Instruments.

It says, "Rolf Harris plays dhrupad on the didgeridoo and has released audio compact disc (CD) recordings with Stuart Dempster who provides support on the trombone."

Tie me Kangaroo down, sport!

(ok, I admit to having changed the quote)

[arasi]

"with an extra leg lidilidilum..."
'Tai' me Kangaroo Rolf from down under indeed came with one...

To Harimau:

Points are pointless--when you
pontify--with humor of all shades
Pointing at others suits you--yet, let me
Point out, if I may, the invisible points--
Points which pile up at your feet--

Pointing you may be, throwing barbs at will,
Point taken--but look at all popularity
Points which you bag (not bagpipe :-Q)
Pointing fingers at you matters not--the
Point is, you are king of the jungle!

aRu Suvai uNavukku URugAyAm harimau Sol...
(in a feast, Harimau's words, a piece of hot pickle)

[rshankar]

Get a rope

Suresh..I can only quote Sri OVK...'kaikkAna kayirellAm aLavAga kANOm' -

[rshankar]

"lidilidilum..."

Arasi, for a moment there I thought there was some new contrast material (a la gadolinium) which would help light up areas of the brain when someone is making true, farsighted predictions!

[girish_a]

I wonder what the reaction would be if the morsing was unknown in Carnatic music, and an upstart tried it in a concert...Not suggesting that the didgeridoo shows such promise

[girish_a]

In the meanwhile, didgeridoos are being employed in other creative ways (this news is just a week old):

http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/weird/D ... 48041.html

[cmlover]

OK harimau!
CM is dead
Long live CM!

[arasi]

RasikAs:

The dead we revere and praise
Alas! Their music lives only in
What they left behind for us :-s
Unless the new take their art
Further, presenting it afresh...

Harimau way:

Knock the living and choke their sound,
Till their new, rooted-in-old sound is muffled--
And then, sit back and listen to silence... :-$

Or...
To the pile of files, CDs and all new-fangled
Systems which store old gold, heritage music...

Which also spells out, without doubt...
"Hail atrophy, for thou shalt rule over CM!"