S Saketaraman Brahma Gana Sabha 3:45 pm 24 December

[kamalamba]

S. Saketaraman - Vocal
Mysore Srikanth-Violin
KV Prasad- Mridangam
-Ghatam

I made a very short trip to Chennai this year and was extremely fortunate to attend this concert.

Saketaraman packs a great deal of Bhavam and therefore is always a great pleasure to attend his concerts.

1. Andal ThiruppAvai- Hamir Kalyani- tUmaNi mAdathu
2. ChalamelarA-mArgahindOLam, started at anupallavi valaci bhakti..
3. tOlijanma-Bilahari (short alapanai and swaram)
4. Sukhi evarO -KAnadA, the best I have heard in a long time, with a very touching and elaborate alapanai, neraval and swaram, followed by tani.
Another excellent Sukhi evarO I have heard in recent times was rendered by GAyatri Girish.
5. tAmadam tagAdayya-MOhanakalyAni
6. RTP in 2 ragams (talam 40 beat cycle 8X5; not sure what it goes as)
NaLinakAnti and bindumAlini and swarams in NIlAmbari and behag
7. sounded like a tyAgarAja kriti in Ahiri?
8. bArO krishnayyA
9. ThillAnA- BrindAvana sArangA.

Incidentally a version of bArO krishnayyA by Saketaraman available on youtube is one of my favorites. As I walked in I saw Saketaraman and requested him to sing it and he readily obliged. Nice of him.

OVERALL an EXCELLENT CONCERT and I come back to BhAvam, that is what his music defines to me.

The accompanying artistes were outstanding as well.