Vocalist Sreevalsan J Menon rendered a full-fledged concert last night that featured a dozen-plus items spanning from the works of 5th-century Jain monk Ilango Adigal to philosopher Adi Shankara (8th century) to poet Irayimman Thampi to musician Shadkala Govinda Marar (both of the 17th-18th centuries). It also had songs penned in Jewish and Arab Malayalam of the late middle ages.
The two-and-a-half-hour show at Changampuzha Park in Edappilly attracted an impressive crowd as the 42-year-old artiste rendered 14 compositions.
The compositions sought to highlight the contribution of Malayalis to the Carnatic system that evolved in the times of composer Purandara Dasa (1484-1564).
He was supported by Edappilly Ajithkumar on the violin, Changanassery B Harikumar on the mridangam and Vazhappilly Krishnakumar on the ghatam.
"Initially, I did not find the idea particularly appealing when the organisers approached me suggesting a concert that would figure only works from Kerala. But then, I knew it would give me a chance to dwell into my state's art history," said Menon, a disciple of late maestro Neyyattinkara Vasudevan.
The vocalist contacted a wide range of experts and got ideas, insight and inputs from octogenarian Timila percussionist Thrikkambaram Krishnankutty Marar, Kerala Sahitya Akademi secretary R Gopalakrishnan, musician Chandrika Balakrishnan, filmmaker Rajiv Menon, linguist Shamshad Hussain, composer John P Vareky, singer Sarah Cohen, among others, besides the libraries of Avinashalingam University (Coimbatore) and University of Mysore.(more)
