Blend of virtuosity and melody
Jasmeet Kaur ... lively and entertaining.
THE INSPIRATION behind Chennai's Amir Khusro Sangeet Academy speaks for itself. Its members, drawn from among teachers, students and music freaks, all betray a yearning for a sublime experience, believing as they do that the quality of the music has much to do with a certain ambience. The venue for Jasmeet Kaur's vocal recital recently was the imposing colonial building of the Presidency College overlooking the Bay of Bengal. The atmosphere under the high ceiling hall should have been more than agreeable to Kaur, who hails from Jammu and Kashmir.
Kaur's vocal recital in Hindustani style was a superb blend of virtuosity and melody. The disciple of Rajan and Sajan Misra of the Benares Gharana began with a `bada khayal' in raag Madhuvanti. After a brief alaap, Jasmeet plunged into the vilambit: "Kaise javun re sakhi." As she lingered on each syllable, infusing musical meaning, it was as if to convey the sense of yearning in a thousand ways. Not long thereafter, the full range of her voice gave indication of years of training under her mother Sudharshan Kirti Kaur and later on, P. N. Raina and Hanumanprasad Misra. As Kaur gradually scaled the higher notes stepping up the tempo, fluent and flowing phrases followed in a succession.
The Madhyalay and Dhrut in raag Marubehag was a lively and entertaining bandish after the reflective mood conveyed in Madhuvanti. "Raatuke las aye piyarava sejariya nahin aye,'' she sang in teen tal. Then there was a gradual progression to the dhrut, also in teen tal.
The Firakh Gorakpuri Ghazal in Purya Dhanasri was the third in a succession of pratimadhyam ragas that evening. The recital was nevertheless not wanting in variety. Such was her command over her voice and eloquence in presentation.
Raag Kalavati and then Bhairvi echoed the mood of bhakti in the Ravidas and Meera bhajans.
The tailpieces tend to linger in the mind, but only for a time. The lasting impression of Jasmeet Kaur's concert will of course be of the bandish in Madhuvanti.
Janaki Rajagopalan on the harmonium, Rajesh Thajwe on the tabla and Sangeeta Madhuri on the tanpura complemented the vocalist with competence and enthusiasm.
GARIMELLA SUBRAMANIAM
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