Sanjay at KGS 12/25

[CommonMan]

After so many years had the luxury of listening to a "disturbance-free" (from both domestic and official fronts) concert, and thus could observe a lot more than I usually do in a concert.
First up, excellent concert - well thought, and wonderfully presented.
An outstanding nagaswarali, very aboriginal varali, and a scholarly RTP in Sankarabaranam (the time tested sakak ni) and a small note on his Sankarabharanam: it was not traditional but very likeable....there are some usual and traditional time tested sangathis in sankarabaranam which Sanjay refused to employ... so I could think of a parallel...I walk through the agraharam behind kapali temple to meet with my sastrigal friends in traditional panchakajam....but actually find (hooters) dames walking and running in and out of the agraharam - went to see traditional sastrigal and instead came across hot dames - but why would I (or anyone) crib for such an enjoyable sustitute??????????????????
Few observations (many more to follow - but penning down my immediate thoughts):
1. The thambura-lad drank water many times more than Sanjay did (shows Sanjay's stamina, and the thambura guys lack of it --- if you are his sishya, learn from your Guru, on stage as well)
2. I feel Sanjay does not have a very strong voice to sustain in the upper octaves - it sounds emanciated compared to some of his contemporaries - but he compensates it by his ideas and imagination to present different sangathis that traverse the upper notes with ease - and in fact, that sounds more original than singers having a clear voice to reach upper octaves.
3. Patri Satish was outstanding, and contributed significanttly to the concert's success.
Many more to come - now it is just the "thalaipu seidhigal"

[CommonMan]

Siva Chidambarame (Nagaswarali) seems to be Sanjay's masterpiece....nagaswarali ragam had the perfect combination of brigas and weighty sangathis, and thus was enterprising through out .....the DSG and DSGM combinations in the upper octave sounded vibrant and had no pisuru.......it was a bit irritating when a mami next to me (no, not my wife) was constantly singing bahudari along with him......

A soon-to-be law for Sanjay's concerts: "accompanists have to wear protective gear (helmets would be mandatory)". The music fraternity, in the interest of protecting the lives of violinists and mridangists, have to bring this law very soon....Kudos to the accompanists (for their bravery)....Ne pogada in Varali, was just flawless....I thought the ucharippu could have been better (through out).....Math wiz's correct me if I'm wrong: the swaras -2 before samam- were very punchy.....thought MR Gopinath could match him swaram after swaram.....

During his varali ragam, Sanjay, in pursuit of a sangathi, looked as if he was preparing himself for a 100 meter dash (hey hussain bolt! beware! u gota serious contender in India).....

Sankarabaranam RTP very scholarly ....the english notes (jumping several notes at a stretch) on the raga scale requires immense concentration and loads of sadhagam, both of which are an intergral part of Sanjay's ammunitions - so needless to mention how impactful it would have been - outstanding.....

To me, a great concert, immensely satisfying, edifying, and would stay longer in my brain than in my heart.......

[badari]

@ Common Man,
if there is a like button on this review page...i would have clicked it a million times.. This was indeed a better concert than any other I have heard in recent times.. Even though shankarabharana is not my fav, th presentation was impaccable...100/ 100 for Sanjay.

fantabulous concert.

[kunthalavarali]

The full list:
1. Varnam - Begada, Adi, VK
2. Venu gana - Kedaragowla, R, T
3. Siva chidambarame - Nagaswarali, Adi, Muthu thandavar
4. Nee mathi - Anandhabhairavi, Adi, Kavi Matrubhoothaiyya
5. Ne pogada - Varali, Jampa, T
6. RTP - Sankarabharanam, Adi
7. Mannu pugazh, Ragamalikai, Kulasekara Azhwar
8. Thillana - Khamas, Adi, PSI
9. Mangalam, Adi, T

M R Gopinath was off colour, I thought while the thani was presented exuberantly by Patri and Bangalore Rajasekar.

[Rajani]

It was indeed a wonderful concert. I was wishing it would go on and on.

I found the Mridangam too loud. It was great playing, but loud.

[purush]

The Sankarabaranam was one of the good ones I have listened to in the recent times . The odd Western style phrase in passing , produced a joyful reaction from the listeners- again more so when repeated by the violinist. This action -reaction indeed makes the live concert a real experience. Hope there is no new thread of arguments as to how Snm-ndg could be sung in Sankarabaranam. It seemed like Sanjay was labouring to reach up in Nagaswaravali resulting in a few places where pitch was suspect.