Abhishek Raghuram@CMANA, NJ

[Gadolinium]

Vocal: Abhishek Raghuram
Violin: Vittal Ramamurthy
Mridangam: Anantha Krishnan

Songlist (additions/corrections welcome):

1. ?
2. Mampala velaseda - Asaveri - T
3. Salakalla - Aarabhi - A+S - T
4. Brovavamma - Nilambari - short A - SS
5. Raghuvara Nannu - Panthuvarali - ANST - T
6. Nagamana Unnai - Saaranga - ?
7. Enna Paliso Karunakara - Bhupali - ?
8. Bhujaga Sayino - ST

I decided to embark on a 1.5 hour long journey to the concert venue to attend my second concert of Abhishek Raghuram.

As I was entering the venue, I think I heard a bit of saranga (varnam maybe?), but I am not sure. After a brisk mampala velaseda, he embarked on a fairly detailed explorative alapana of aarabhi. The arabhi was explosive, culminating in a mesmerizing torrent of swaras, alternating beautifully to end in "Ilalo" and "Sarivaaralalo". This was followed by a bhava-soaked Brovavamma. This is the first time I am listening to this song, and oh, what a beautiful kriti this is. No wonder, SS was the composer . An expansive Panthuvarali alapana followed. It took me a long time to find the raga (and here I was, thinking I am very familiar with Panthuvarali). I think he explored almost everything possible with the raga. There was the soft, the sublime and towards the end of the kriti, a torrential outpouring of swaras. Unfortunately, the concert was cut short even from the advertised 2.5 hour duration. Ennapaliso stood out from the list of songs following the main, probably a song in tribute to Pt.Bhimsen Joshi who popularized it.

Shri. Vittal Ramamurthy played the perfect foil for Abhishek, restraining when Abhishek needed space and stepping up during his forays. Anantha Krishnan was a revelation and maintained the tempo of the concert. He played a very good tani and almost got a standing ovation after his tani avarthanam.

The concert was very high on energy levels and spontaneity, aided by Abhishek's voice. At many instances, it was like a Hitchcock movie - you know the song, you know the raga, but you don't know what comes next. The rapport of artistes on stage was another positive. I would have loved to hear a Dikshitar kriti from him - I guess I need to wait for one more concert.

I know others from the forum would have been present. Feel free to add to this/correct any mistakes.

[rshankar]

Unfortunately, had to give this a miss. But hopefully, CMANA will make a recording available.
Quick question - 2 songs in sArangA?
IIRC, it was a double-header...I am hopeful that someone will post the review of Sri Gurucharan's concert...

[mahavishnu]

thanks, Gadolinium! sounds like a great concert.

At many instances, it was like a Hitchcock movie - you know the song, you know the raga, but you don't know what comes next.

Couldn't have expressed it better!

Enna Paliso is a kannada(?) song that is usually sung by Bhimsen Joshi (and Jaytirth Mevundi among others). I wonder if it is the same one?
Mahesh3, did you go to this concert?

[mahesh3]

I was busy with a wedding over the weekend, so missed all his 3 concerts - and feeling really sad about it. Still mesmerized by his concert from a week earlier... Bindumalini, Hindolam, Anandabhairavi, Thodi and Bihag. Raga after raga unleashed in a torrential downpour of manodharmam in different talams, by different composers in different nadais using uncommon compositions....dynamism seldom seen like this before in someone so young. And the feeling he brought to the crooning of "raghupati raghava rajaram" - was it the ethos, was it the raga bhavam, was it the soft enunciation of raghupathi raaghava rajaram - it was just beauteous. Maybe mandolin many many eons ago made people gush like this.....one of the 18 year young kids on the east coast who has a crazed interest in carnatic music and is in MIT...IM'd before Abhishek's concert, "The king, abhishek raghuram, at MIT today. Beyond pumped." That to me sums up what Abhi means to this generation - a Phenomenon.

[mahavishnu]

"The king, abhishek raghuram, at MIT today. Beyond pumped. That to me sums up what Abhi means to this generation - a Phenomenon."

I am certainly not the same generation as the 18yr old from the East Coast, but I totally agree with the sentiment

[Lakshman]

enna pAlisO is in bhUpAli.

[arasi]

Hitchcock movie, eh? I like that analogy too!

[mohan]

Anantha Krishnan ... almost got a standing ovation after his tani avarthanam.

So you mean people were about to stand up and then had second thoughts?

[rajeshnat]

Gadolinium
Great to see your review, hope more comes from now on!!! . Abhishek with Anantha Krishnan in his left and Vittal Ramamurthy in right , a "PalghatRaghu-Lalgudi Jayaraman" Patantaram in full flow.

[mishram]

Abhishek presented a scintillating Bhairavi (Kamakshi Swarajathi at its best) and shankarabharanam (swara raga sudha) at CT on the 9th of Oct - undoubtedly a high caliber artist.

Does he play the violin too? His hand gestures seem to suggest that he vocalizes violin phrases.

[ShrutiLaya]

For all those who regret missing this concert: Shruti Laya is presenting Abhishek Raghuram, Vittal Ramamurthy and Trivandrum Balaji (yes, mridangist has changed) on Sunday, Nov.6, in Queens, NY. Details on our website, or email me.

And for those who followed Benny Hill's dictum ("Never leave till tomorrow what you can do today; because if you do it today and like it, you can do it again tomorrow!") this will be a chance to catch another great concert!

- Sreenadh

[Gadolinium]

mahavishnu: Thanks! Yup, its the same "Enna Paliso"

Mohan: It was not very far from that, actually A few stood up, but a majority looked around to see if a "critical mass" of the audience stood up, and that never materialized. It was thunderous though.

rshankar: I did stay for half of gurucharan's concert, but was a bit put off by the volume of the mridangam. He started with khamas (a beautifully rendered mathe), (missed), followed by a sahana alapana and Chittam Irangada, bhagayanayya, and mukhari (ema ninne) - possibly the main piece considering the length of alapana, but I had to leave in the middle.

Thanks - Arasi, Lakshman, and Rajesh (I will try my best to post reviews. I typically tend to wait, and I see a review by then ).

Sreenadh - Can't wait for the concert! I like your quote too.

[rshankar]

Thanks Gadolinium....must be your name, because I keep wondering if it is a closed or open system, (MRI) I mean!

[arasi]

The Doc sees MRI in your name, and if I may say so, your name brings to my mind gladioli flowers and linoleum

[doyoucare]

Does he play the violin too? His hand gestures seem to suggest that he vocalizes violin phrases.

Exactly what vocal music needs