The Genius of Ilayaraja - II
Two Peppy Numbers
It has been a tough week, fellas. Escalations, failed promises, missed milestones, "con"-calls, colorful reports with incorrect data, attrition, interviews...the usual.
So, naturally, I was unusually thankful that Friday had arrived.
I poured myself a glass of Grover's Cabarnet Shiraz from the vineyards of Nashik -- the ostensible birthplace of my ancestors; about my only connection with them. It was really not a wine glass, you know, but a stainless steel tumbler with dabara, in order to camoflauge it from the prying eyes and sniffing noses of my mom and daughter, placed unobtrusively on the chest of drawers next to a globe, and me sipping the blood of Christ casually as if I was drinking neer more. The pressures of a brahmin household...!
I switched on my iPod, turned on "shuffle" mode and immersed myself into the treasure trove of my favorite Ilayaraja songs from 1976 to 92. I tell you, folks. I have listened to a lot of Raja. But NOBODY beats the Raja of 1979-81. People consider the mid-80s to be his peak but between 79-81, he was still new and exploring, creatively enigmatic, oozing with raw energy and verve, and his interpretation and usage of western classical orchestration and this much-maligned thing called "counterpoint", was simply outstanding...and he was awfully prolific. He averaged around 30 movies and 150 compositions a year.
Two songs stuck on to me this morning...as did the hangover.
"Engengo sellum" from "Pattakathi Bairavan" has SPB and Janaki with an effortless rendition of a mildly peppy number picturized on a rotund Sivaji Ganesan with a triple-breasted, red suit and an over-made-up Jaya Sudha in gawdy sarees. But the song itself is brilliant! It begins with an evocative yet simple, Ennio Morriconish piece in guitar and keyboard and then crescendoes into Ilayaraja's famous violins -- and this was before he discovered Budapest! How did he get his Kodambakkam Kuppans and Subbans to play his magic? SPB and Janaki add such character to the song...nothing surprising there. But this was the early SPB and was just about starting to dominate Tamil playback singing. SP begins the 2nd charanam with "aaaa...kallanavun poovaaginen...". Anybody would, if they listen to Raja...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-eLtA29tBiQ
The other song is from "Guru", "Endhen kannil ezhulagangal...", a solo rendered superbly by Janaki. So intoxicating each time you hear it, with Janaki crooning with such feel and vivacity. Raja uses violins, the clarinet, and the sax to such mystical effect. The grandeur in this song really comes from the richness of Janaki's voice, and not so much from the music. What a combo! And the icing on the cake is a plump but beautiful Sridevi and the jilpa Kamalakassan...what a screen couple!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lREZH0MHgas
It has been a tough week, fellas. Escalations, failed promises, missed milestones, "con"-calls, colorful reports with incorrect data, attrition, interviews...the usual.
So, naturally, I was unusually thankful that Friday had arrived.
I poured myself a glass of Grover's Cabarnet Shiraz from the vineyards of Nashik -- the ostensible birthplace of my ancestors; about my only connection with them. It was really not a wine glass, you know, but a stainless steel tumbler with dabara, in order to camoflauge it from the prying eyes and sniffing noses of my mom and daughter, placed unobtrusively on the chest of drawers next to a globe, and me sipping the blood of Christ casually as if I was drinking neer more. The pressures of a brahmin household...!
I switched on my iPod, turned on "shuffle" mode and immersed myself into the treasure trove of my favorite Ilayaraja songs from 1976 to 92. I tell you, folks. I have listened to a lot of Raja. But NOBODY beats the Raja of 1979-81. People consider the mid-80s to be his peak but between 79-81, he was still new and exploring, creatively enigmatic, oozing with raw energy and verve, and his interpretation and usage of western classical orchestration and this much-maligned thing called "counterpoint", was simply outstanding...and he was awfully prolific. He averaged around 30 movies and 150 compositions a year.
Two songs stuck on to me this morning...as did the hangover.
"Engengo sellum" from "Pattakathi Bairavan" has SPB and Janaki with an effortless rendition of a mildly peppy number picturized on a rotund Sivaji Ganesan with a triple-breasted, red suit and an over-made-up Jaya Sudha in gawdy sarees. But the song itself is brilliant! It begins with an evocative yet simple, Ennio Morriconish piece in guitar and keyboard and then crescendoes into Ilayaraja's famous violins -- and this was before he discovered Budapest! How did he get his Kodambakkam Kuppans and Subbans to play his magic? SPB and Janaki add such character to the song...nothing surprising there. But this was the early SPB and was just about starting to dominate Tamil playback singing. SP begins the 2nd charanam with "aaaa...kallanavun poovaaginen...". Anybody would, if they listen to Raja...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-eLtA29tBiQ
The other song is from "Guru", "Endhen kannil ezhulagangal...", a solo rendered superbly by Janaki. So intoxicating each time you hear it, with Janaki crooning with such feel and vivacity. Raja uses violins, the clarinet, and the sax to such mystical effect. The grandeur in this song really comes from the richness of Janaki's voice, and not so much from the music. What a combo! And the icing on the cake is a plump but beautiful Sridevi and the jilpa Kamalakassan...what a screen couple!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lREZH0MHgas
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