PALGHAT K.L. SREERAM IN MUDHRA- 18/3/17

[CRama]

It was a special three in one concert by the multifarious artiste K.L.Sreeram performing Vocal, Flute and Keyboard. Along with him R.Ramesh and S.Karthik accompanied on Mridangam and Ghatam respectively. There was no violin accompaniment. The concert started at 6.45 P.M. List of songs.
• Varnam-Viriboni
• Dudugugala-Gowla-T (R)
• Kaa Guha-Kosalam KI—(R)
• Bandureethi-Hamsanadam-T (R,S)
• Raave Himagirikumari-Todi-SS (R,S)
• Tani
• Bhajagovindam
• Sindubhairavi

This was the first live concert of K.L.Sreeram that I attended even though I have listened to his many radio concerts and got impressed with his virtuosity. He has got a voice that can negotiate all three octaves with consummate ease, Sruti sudham, can bring out the brighas and gamakams with ease. At times, he sounds like Voleti. He has made some changes to the keyboard and it is bringing out the gamakams quite well. In this concert, he sang/played keyboard/flute alternatively. The Bhairavi alapana which started with the keyboard was continued vocally and the varnam was rendered vocally well. Gowla alapana in Keyboard came out well amply portraying the gamakams and in the song, swarams were played in the keyboard and the sahithyam was rendered vocally. In the entire concert flute was used to the minimum. Kosalam was elaborated vocally and I could not identify that. He made sruti bhedam to Ahiri which came off very well. Next the ragam Hamsanadam was elaborated in the keyboard and the song Bandureethi and swarams with all its nuances came off very well in the keyboard. Thodi the main ragam was presented vocally with the characteristic phrases of Thodi coming out very clearly followed by the SS masterpiece and the following kalpana swarams which had very interesting phrases and his laya prowess was displayed in the swarams. I am happy that he chose this kriti of SS, as it is not heard frequently in concert platforms. There were many interesting sawal jawab portions in the swarams with the enthusiastic participation of the percussion duo. Post tani, Bhaja Govindam in the style of Voleti was rendered (only Pallavi and Punarapi jananam) Then he started Sindubhiravi alapana and I came out.

Sreeram was sitting on a small chair with the keyboard kept on a small table and the mike was fixed to his mouth. Sreeram could have had violin accompaniment. I don’t know why he avoided. There was no neraval in the entire concert. At least for Todi, he could have done neraval. The accompanists Ramesh and Karthik played well. The volume was right, no banging, and there was mutual enjoyment by the artistes on stage. The tani was long, as always with Ramesh. There was a mini Tani after each song. Neverthless much enjoyable. Nobody left during the 20 minutes tani. An enjoyable concert for two hours plus.

[rshankar]

Interesting concert. How did you find the switch between the instruments and vocal? Were the switches smooth? I like the "veena and voice" type like Smt. MSS, Smt. Kalpagam Swaminathan, and more recently, Sri Ramana. Not sure how this would have been.
Small correction - the hamsanAdam composition should be baNTu and not baNDu. baNTu = servant

[CRama]

The switch was smooth only. He never mixed them. after taking vocal to one point, say pa, he will start flute. OR in this case, entire Bantureeti (I know this, but by oversight I wrote as Bandureethi) way played in keyboard. Kalpakam Swaminathan Mami and Ramana - they sing along with the Veena. Here, he did not sing alongwith keyboard.

[rshankar]

Ah! Thanks for that clarification.

[rajeshnat]

IS palghat KL Sreeram husband of Baby Sreeram?

[CRama]

Yes.

[Sivaramakrishnan]

I presume K L Sreeram has read CRama's committed review. Rasikas would be very happy if the artist could give his remarks/reply.

[rajeshnat]

Review of the concert in the Hindu
http://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/m ... 743610.ece