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Together for a Better World
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The MMA concert for tsunami relief was a mix of gospel, pop and rock music
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Harmony at its best: The Male Voice Ensemble. — Pic. by K. V. Srinivasan
THE PARKING lot at the Music Academy was more packed than the main hall. With two events in the same premises, of which one screamed `Free Entry' in big letters in front of the Mini Hall, it wasn't surprising that the other, a ticketed concert for tsunami relief, was the one that was forsaken.
But amidst talk of the more attended one, the effort by the been-there-for-112-years-not-without-reason Madras Musical Association most definitely needs to be spoken of. First of all, if the hall looked derelict, it was because the mass was in the Rs.100 balcony. Second, every single person performing that night was whom we'd thump our chests proudly, and call a "namma ooru musician".
Gospel songs
The first half of the concert comprised mostly gospel songs by The Octet Cantabile, conducted by Augustine Paul, and the Male Voice Ensemble conducted by Kalyan Subramaniyam. When the latter sang "10 Bones", an African-American gospel number, you could see everyone singing individually, but only a collective voice seemed to emanate. Harmony at its best. Of course, it was hard not to be amazed at Dr. Samuel Grubb, the basso, whose voice had to be coming from a place lower than even his feet. He also conducted the MMA choir, which sang some more popular numbers like "Can you feel the love tonight?" by Elton John.
However much one enjoys the confluence of voices, if you add some drums and cymbals, a couple of guitars, and some irreverence, the rock does hit hard. Roxygen, one of the city's most popular rock bands, came on for the second half, and you could tell that the audience was sitting up with enthusiasm, the younger people maybe even with relief. Roxygen includes Jim Satya and Timothy Madhukar on keyboards and vocals, Keith Peters on bass, Sudhin Prabhakar and Christy Samuel on guitars and Vasanth David on drums.
When Sunitha Sarathy, of "Fanaa" (Ayidha Ezhuthu) fame, sang "My funny Valentine", jaws did drop, of course, but later, when she handled a little technical glitch, doing some impromptu singing as a bunch of people behind her fiddled with wires and amplifiers, everyone whispered to their neighbour about the girl's fantastic gumption.
Grinning and waving away some good-humoured whistling, and cat calling, Timothy (of Vikram's "Dil" fame) did his numbers in his characteristic full-throated voice, but in "Better world", it was Christy, Keith and Jim Satya who held ground. David Pascal, another popular face in the city's rock circuit, did not disappoint either, but when he sang about the fragility of life, one wondered why it suddenly extended to his voice. Andrea Jeremiah, who also sang a few numbers that night, with her sensual voice, looks like the one next up the ladder after Sunitha.
No rock and roll is whole without The King. So Ravi T. Santosham, president of the MMA, belted "Blue suede shoes" complete with an attempt at Elvis style gyrations. Thankfully, Queen wasn't left out either, what with Vishal Thomas performing "Don't stop me now" to his yelling, screaming, ecstatic best.
When the whole event ended with "This little light of mine" performed by Roxygen and all the vocalists, one thought came to mind: The entire time Roxygen performed, no one was heard picking up their cell phones, and whispering loudly into them. Now, that is something to pat oneself on the back about.
ROHINI MOHAN
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