Let the music begin
GOWRI RAMNARAYAN
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The Hindu Friday Review Music Festival offers a smorgasbord of rhythms to satisfy the palate of every music lover, from traditional to trendy.
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Classical, light, fusion, ghazal, folk - it's all there at The Hindu Friday Review November Fest, a seven-day musical feast that brings some of the best practitioners of these genres to Chennai.
Between November 19 and 25, the festival promises to satisfy every kind of palate, from traditional to trendy.
ON SHOW: Shubha Mudgal
The unique musical event, the only one of its kind in South India, brings performers to Chennai from far-flung places in India and abroad.
The festival kicks off with two jugalbandis, where North meets South, each maintaining its distinct ambience. The inaugural concert brings two childhood friends from Mumbai to the Chennai stage: Hindustani flautist Ronu Majumdar and Carnatic vocalist Bombay Jayashri Ramnath.
Mynta
"Do you know that I composed the music for Jayashri's first ghazal album?" Majumdar asks with a smile.
Jayashri recalls having sung "Sarasasamadana" for hours as Majumdar translated raga Kapinarayani into its North Indian cousin Jhinjhoti. This was years ago, in fun, and at home.
Gundecha brothers
The Friday Review Fest will make those exhilarating exchanges accessible to Chennai rasikas for the first time.
Two instrumentalists trade ragas on day two. Sarangi maestro Sultan Khan chuckles, "Mein buddha, woh jawan, dekho kya karte hain!" (I'm old, he's young, see what we do). Khan's assurance is complemented by Mandolin Srinivas's humility. "It's an honour for me to play with my seniors. I learn so much." But Chennai knows only too well the young prodigy's wizardry and looks forward to a match of the titans. Whether with Ravi Shankar and Yehudi Menuhin or Vikku Vinayakram and John McLaughlin, fusionists have played a great part in popularising Indian music in the West. "Scandinavian ice melts into Indian spice" in Mynta, a band of Indian, Swedish, American and Cuban musicians. With Fazal Qureshi, son of Alla Rakha, in the team, India will hold its own against a range of top-notchers. Welcome to a smorgasbord of Indian, African, Latin American, Cuban, Arabic and Nordic rhythm.
Runa Laila
Chennai will also hear a genre ripe and profound, in the dhrupad performance by the Gundecha Brothers — Ramakant and Umakant, with Akhilesh on the pakhawaj. Its accent on the lyric, devotional content and majestic style, ensure affinity to Carnatic music. Almost obliterated by the profusion of the more emotional khayal, dhrupad has drawn fine performers in recent years, to become a notable presence in the music world. The Hindu festival salutes its burnished splendour.
Another grand tradition is represented by Nishat Khan, son of Imrat Khan, whose surbahar has sung unforgettable duets with brother Vilayat Khan's sitar.
Pt. Ronu Majumdar
Nishat Khan has not only played purist melodies from his debut at age seven, but worked with a range of international celebrities from Philip Glass to Paco Pena and Evelyn Glennie. Abstract jazz, Gregorian chant, Flamenco and Symphony are all his courts of musical exchange.
Living and teaching in the U.S., the Ustad makes annual visits to India, and interprets his heritage at home. "I regret that classical music is turning into a museum of art," Shubha Mudgal once declared. You never know what she will do with her deep-timbred voice — will she have you tapping your toes, or close your eyes in silence? For Mudgal's forceful approach to life and music makes her value other musical cultures besides the classical and light classical genres in which she was trained by heavyweights Kumar Gandharwa, Pandit Ram Ashreya and Naina Devi.
Sultan Khan and Mandolin Srinivas
A true artiste of her times, this exponent of the Gwalior gharana has composed and sung for films, documentaries, music videos, tele-films and dance ballets. Her albums have included folk artistes.
Bombay Jayashri Ramnath.
The festival ends with the birdsong from Bangladesh. Runa Laila has been the koel and nightingale for the subcontinent since she made her debut in Pakistan with film songs.
Moving to Bangladesh spelt no break in her career, she expanded her repertoire and audiences, developed an interest in the folk music of her motherland. India fell under her spell when she toured the country and cut albums in Mumbai. She is adept at geet, nazm, ghazal and of course, film song. Hopefully, Chennai will get to hear them all!
For Tickets
Daily tickets priced at Rs. 500, 300, 200 and 100 and season tickets at Rs. 2,500 and Rs. 1,500 are available at: Sri Krishna Sweets (Purasawalkam, Ashok Nagar and T. Nagar), Landmark (Nungambakkam), Odyssey (Adyar), Music World (Anna Nagar and Spencer Plaza) and Fountainhead (Mylapore). Also at Pureit Safe Water Zone - 109/189, Lloyds Road, Royapettah (Helpline - 28237373).
For online booking log on to www.thehindu.com/novemberfest
Associate sponsors: HLL Pureit, Ford and Worldspace.
Beverage partner: AVT Coffee
Travel partner: Jet Airways
Hospitality Partner: Taj Connemara
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