A phenom called Ranjani Hebbar at Raga Sudha - June 28th

[sureshvv]

Ranjani Hebbar gave a steady and delightfully melodic performance at Raga sudha accompanied by a most appreciative Padma Shankar and Kallidaikurichi Sivakumar.

Song list

1. Sami daya juda, kedaragowlai, Adi, Poochi(?)
2. Evvare Ramayya, Gangeyabhushani, Adi, Thyagaraja
3. Khamas, Brocheva, Adi, Mysore Vasudevachar, N(seethapathe)S
4. Vidalajathura, Janaranjani, Adi, Thyagaraja
5. Dikku verillai, Varali, Adi, Papanasam Sivan
6. Reethigowlai, Nee daya galpude, Adi, Thyagaraja, NS
7. Thani
8. Slokam (Saayankaale kusumitha samaye... Narayaneeyam?)
9. Sadayenna hridaya dalli, Brindavana saranga
10. Kapi, Enna thavam seidanai, Adi, Papanasam Sivan
11. Maru behag, Nudidare, Basaveswara
12. Tillana, Bageshree, Adi, Chingulpet Ranganathan

Casual Observations:

1. Second time I am hearing this artiste. I thought she was decently good six months back when I heard her at Ramana kendra opening for another slightly more senior artiste. She was phenomenal on this day. Every piece was a gem and sung with steadiness and great clarity of music and lyrics. The concert covered the gamut of rasanai.

2. Khamas neraval was slow and sung with great emotion tugging at your heart. The lyrics sounded like it was in your mother tongue.

3. (2), (5), (6) all rare kritis - seldom heard in today;s circuit - sure to send the most jaded rasika (you know who you are) home giggling like a teenager.

4. Alapana of maru behag was out of the world with just the right combination of maru and behag sure to please the closet Hindustani enthusiast.

5. Enna thavam could have been avoided. I am sure it made someone else's day

[Sreeni Rajarao]

Thanks for the review! It is interesting to note she has rendered a vachana by BasavaNNa in the concert.
Very impressed by her rendition in a CD brougt out by Bangalore's Ananya Culture where she has rendered Three items (Mani rangu, Harikambodhi, Revati), I was thinking of writing about this album under Alburms review section today.
The two PurandaradAsa padas she has rendered in the above album are a delight, owing to her melody and correct pronounciation of kannada words.

I wish her a bright future!

Please visit her website www.ranjanihebbar.org to learn more about her background.

[vasanthakokilam]

Sreeni: Thanks for the link. I listened to the sample songs there. She is pretty good. In the Reethi gowla alapana, after the first few seconds of intro to RG, it was a bit unusual for 30 seconds.

sureshvv, good review. Thanks. The word 'phenom' in the title raises the expectations in the minds of the reader that may put an unfair burden on this young up and coming artist. Your characterization in the review that it was a phenomenal concert conveys the idea better. ( hope I do not come across nit-picky )

[cienu]

Thanks Sreeni for the link

I have heard Ranjani at the Kalki Krishnamurthy Award function last year, when I happened to be in Chennai and she was extremely good.
I was not aware that she was Sowmya's disciple too apart from Sri Chinglepet Ranganathan ! Thats a great combination..

[sureshvv]

It is interesting to note she has rendered a vachana by BasavaNNa in the concert.
Very impressed by her rendition in a CD brougt out by Bangalore's Ananya Culture where she has rendered Three items (Mani rangu, Harikambodhi, Revati), I was thinking of writing about this album under Alburms review section today.

Sreeni, Please do. Anything that you can contribute about Basavanna (in the Vaggeyakaras forum?) would also be appreciated, as I have not come across this composer before.

[sureshvv]

I did a search of the forum and came up with this wonderful thread

http://www.rasikas.org/forums/viewtopic.php?id=5585

[hradini1990]

she is a lecturer in MUSIC ACADEMY !

[kmrasika]

1. Sami daya juda, kedaragowlai, Adi, Poochi(?)

This is by tiruvoRRiyUr tyAgaiyyer.