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Carnatic music gets cool
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Ganesh-Kumaresh released their new album, Carnatic chills, which combined the classic and the contemporary
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PHOTO: V. SREENIVASA MURTHY
MELODIC MUSINGS Ramesh Arvind flanked by Ganesh and Kumaresh at the release function
"I am overwhelmed with the response that our new-age album has generated, as it speaks of contemporary tuneful desires," said violinist Ganesh (of Ganesh-Kumaresh) at their new album release in Bangalore `Carnatic Chills' at Landmark in Forum Mall recently.
"It is the factor of universality that lends an up-to-date feel to it," said actor Ramesh Arvind, while releasing the album.
"Apart from shaping itself within the realms of the Carnatic contours, what the tracks seem to convey are how such tasteful blends from western genres could bring in a fresh modish expression to ones innovative skills," added Ramesh.
Take the track `Laughing Buddha' for instance, which Ganesh declared, was fitted into the album to bring luck from the Buddha to our Indian cricketers to bring home the World Cup.
Raga Mohanasri built here for fortune reminds you of our good old Mohana but the variations brought about in the western phrases, the fast paced straight notes on the scale or their novel changes in pitch without a hint of a jarring note is something to be appreciated. There are totally eight tracks based on different ragas in the album, of which the violin brothers played a few at the release function.
Each raga was chosen with care to bring in both serenity and the required fiery bustle into the thematic blend of disparate elements, said Kumaresh.
"It's keeping in tune with our lifestyle that allows for kurta with jeans or a dosa and pizza," chuckled the brothers, who said that it took them almost two years to create this album.
The numbers with traditional melody and upbeat urban sound merge to form an energetic sound.
Ask them how a new-age album features a serious raga as Pantuvarali for their second track "Fire and Water", and Ganesh says the titles justifies it.
"Pantuvarali is soulful enough to bring in both tranquillity and aggression into the scale. "While the deliberation at madhyama can bring in notes of tension, it is watered down once you tread on the Panchama with ease, bringing the characteristic of the raga.
The violin can stress on the hard notes, and the flute takes over to quench the fire."
The vocal meanderings on the higher octave by Ganesh open the track for an apt experience.
The traditional start is seen in the opening track "Dance like a man" flagging off with Nattai, while "Flights of Fantasy" in Janaranjani has a symphonic effect with a "harmonious samvaada in notes."
And of course the duality of melodic expression takes on a pious bend in the exercise with a Ganapathi Sachchidananda's bhajan in Desh, "Back to the basics."
Flute, mridangam and ghatam take on the drums, keyboard and bass guitar for an overall theme created by the violins in the album released by Sa Re Ga Ma, costing Rs.295.
"Carnatic Chills" is a thematic album from Ganesh-Kumaresh after their earlier ones "Spark", "Colours of India", "Sadjam", and "Manoranjani".
RANJANI GOVIND
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