R.Suryaprakash at IMSOM, Minneapolis on 11th Oct 2009, Sunda

[prasanna_mn]

I have not listened to R.Suryaprakash before. I am now simply blown over by his music and the full bench concert.

Jayshankar Balan - violin
Thanjavur Murugabhoopathi - mridangam
Sriram natarajan - kanjira
Balaji Chandran - ghatam


Slokam, Vinayaka (hamsadhwani)
Evarani (devamrutha varshini) with an explanation
Pantuvarali , Visalaksheem with neraval, kanakku swarams
Mayamma with an explanation
Sarasa Sama Dana with swaras
Kambhoji - thiruvadi charanam - raga, neraval, swaram and tani
Kinthu cheyvu (padam)
virutham in ragamalika followed by ninaikkada neramillai muruga (rageshri)
rama rama (thilang), devar nama
mangalam

It was mesmerising from the word go. Senior mridanga vidwan Murugabhoopathi and Suryaprakash just took the local artistes on the kanjira and ghatam along, encouraging them, making it a superb team work. Jayshankar Balan provided excellent and tuneful support on the violin.

And Suryaprakash ... definitely a legend in the making. I could discern only glimpses of Madurai Mani Iyer very occasionally, especially during "aduthu vandu ennai" neraval and sarasa sama dana. I would have been disappointed if there had not been, but this concert was far from formula oriented singing and spontaneous. Mayamma brought tears.

The tukkadas contained specialities of Somu but some rasikas felt a bit let down on the absence of eppovaruvaro, note etc in the list.

[rajeshnat]

prasanna_mn
IIRC, this is the first review form minneapolis. Keep them coming. Glad to hear that suryaprakash has opened his account well, that too with all expressive
rAgas like pantuvarAli, it certainly would have done a lot for his voice as pantuvarali is the perfect antidote to wind chill (googled to find it is 2 degree celsius).

Hoping to hear more artist reviews from minneapolis