Bombay Jayshree @ MFAC on 25 Dec 2017

[shriram.krishnan72]

Bombay Jayashri - Vocal
H.N. Bhaskar - Violin
Patri Sathishkumar - Mridangam
B. Shreesundarkumar - Ganjira

01 Ranganai Thudi - Chakravaham - Adi
02 Samikki - Kedaragowla - Mishra Chapu (RS)
03 Ni Daya Galguni - Shanmugapriya - Adi (RNS)
Specially announced as a composition of GNB
04 Ragam Thanam Pallavi - Nalinakanthi and Kalyanavasantham
05 Virutham from Abhirami Andadhi

Observations:

A sublime concert. Always an aural treat to listen to Jayshree. Especially with a team like this. Enjoyed every minute even though it was my fourth concert for the day.

Highlights:

Everything about the concert.

Positives:

Her voice took 15 to 20 minutes to warm up but was in great shape throughout. Her ideas were expressive and the voice played along to crete the usual meditative and sensitive Jayshree impact. Sublime

HNB was at his best and complimented the vocalist admirably and scored heavily in his Ragam and Thanam sections and drew heavy applause. One of the best going around in the music world today imho.

Choice of Ragams one after the other was apt and refreshing. Her elaboration of Shamugapriya was beautiful. The Kalpanaswarams for this song was full of Bhava. Moving

Rarely do we hear two full fledged Ragams for a Dwi-Raga Pallavi and Rasikas were treated to both Nalinakanthi and Kalyanavasantham in length.

The Neraval and Kalpanaswarams for the RTP were intelligent and switched between each other effortlessly.

The Thani was explosive and high energy. Lovely patterns and high speed rhytmic exchanges.

Negatives:

Patri was amazing in sections while playing for the music but somehow did not seem to gel with Jayshree and her music. I have heard him before with her and it was a good combination. Maybe it could be attributed to Season fatigue? Shreesundarkumar was predictable and followed along the lines of Patri. Nitpicking.

The hall does feel very stuffy when it is filled to the brim. The charm has definitely vanished from this venue but the acoustics are a lot better than before. An unavoidable trade of I guess.

Thoughts:

Jayshree was amazing and delivered to satisfy expectations which are high for her concerts. One of the more sensible artists imo to cut down and sing only 7 concerts every season. Definitely makes a difference. Maybe a few other top artists can adopt this approach as it gives them a breather in between and keeps the music fresh without fatigue and strain of the voice. Looking forward to another soulful Jayshree concert this season.

- SK72

[rshankar]

What was the pallavi?

[sureshvv]

There was something about the concert ambience which was ethereal. The usually unruly audience was very disciplined. The usually loud accompanists played softly in a subdued manner. Everyone behaved in a most deferential manner, which I have not seen before in this hall.

May be harimau will comment!

[kvchellappa]

why do you want disorder in what has been ordered?

[gajaa]

Bombay Jayashri - Vocal
H.N. Bhaskar - Violin
Patri Sathishkumar - Mridangam
B. Shreesundarkumar - Ganjira

01 Ranganai Thudi - Chakravaham - Adi
02 Samikki - Kedaragowla - Mishra Chapu (RS)
03 Ni Daya Galguni - Shanmugapriya - Adi (RNS)
Specially announced as a composition of GNB
04 Ragam Thanam Pallavi - Nalinakanthi and Kalyanavasantham
05 Virutham from Abhirami Andadhi

Observations:

A sublime concert. Always an aural treat to listen to Jayshree. Especially with a team like this. Enjoyed every minute even though it was my fourth concert for the day.

Highlights:

Everything about the concert.

Positives:

Her voice took 15 to 20 minutes to warm up but was in great shape throughout. Her ideas were expressive and the voice played along to crete the usual meditative and sensitive Jayshree impact. Sublime

HNB was at his best and complimented the vocalist admirably and scored heavily in his Ragam and Thanam sections and drew heavy applause. One of the best going around in the music world today imho.

Choice of Ragams one after the other was apt and refreshing. Her elaboration of Shamugapriya was beautiful. The Kalpanaswarams for this song was full of Bhava. Moving

Rarely do we hear two full fledged Ragams for a Dwi-Raga Pallavi and Rasikas were treated to both Nalinakanthi and Kalyanavasantham in length.

The Neraval and Kalpanaswarams for the RTP were intelligent and switched between each other effortlessly.

The Thani was explosive and high energy. Lovely patterns and high speed rhytmic exchanges.

Negatives:

Patri was amazing in sections while playing for the music but somehow did not seem to gel with Jayshree and her music. I have heard him before with her and it was a good combination. Maybe it could be attributed to Season fatigue? Shreesundarkumar was predictable and followed along the lines of Patri. Nitpicking.

The hall does feel very stuffy when it is filled to the brim. The charm has definitely vanished from this venue but the acoustics are a lot better than before. An unavoidable trade of I guess.

Thoughts:

Jayshree was amazing and delivered to satisfy expectations which are high for her concerts. One of the more sensible artists imo to cut down and sing only 7 concerts every season. Definitely makes a difference. Maybe a few other top artists can adopt this approach as it gives them a breather in between and keeps the music fresh without fatigue and strain of the voice. Looking forward to another soulful Jayshree concert this season.

- SK72

Thanks for the great review. Small factual correction. She’s just singing 4 concerts this time around. Only VM, MA, NGS & MFAC. Till Last year, it was 7. This year, steep drop to 4. Another distinct change that I notice is the list is looking really fresh in each concert & the items have also gone down in number from the usual 12 to less than 7 in most places in her concerts. Hopefully, that implies more time spent for manodharma for the chosen Kritis. Wish I had been there. Earlier, she would always end the concert with a Tillana. Not any more. Breaking simple rules that she had set for herself. Nothing major, but it lends that wee bit of newness that we look forward to each season.

[sureshvv]

There was a tillana in hamsanandi just before the mangalam.

[shriram.krishnan72]

@gajaa - Thanks for correcting my factual error. It is sad that the number has come down. But you are right about the freshness and breaking small rules. Interesting point. Her voice has still got the feel which made her big. Admirable to have maintained it after so many years.

[harimau]

May be harimau will comment!

I can't. I was at the Music Academy for Malladi Brothers and my MFAC patron ticket went unused!

Oops. I can. Sounds like a great song list. Is a recording available?

[sureshvv]

oh... the sociological study suffers!