Topic started by greatest_spb_fan (@ 212.2.14.241) on Thu Aug 2 04:57:19 EDT 2001.
All times in EST +10:30 for IST.
why don't anybody start a thread like 'SPB the greatest singer that India had ever produced', pls
Responses:
- Old responses
- From: Yakkov (@ 64.238.111.98)
on: Wed Jul 23 10:18:55 EDT 2003
Raghu,
Thanks for the suggestions. I'll keep 'em in mind.
I guess you are both right about the technology part. I heard that the song "Vannam Konda Vennilave" from Sigaram is a copy of an old Rafi song. Should I perhaps ask him why did he copy so blatantly?
PS: Actually I can't figure out what song it is based on.
- From: Raghu (@ 212.134.69.162)
on: Thu Jul 24 10:16:28 EDT 2003
Yakkov,
Vannam Konda venilave, is a copy of a Rafi song???, r u sure?, if so what song is that?, and where is it available online to listen to it, perhaps they are based on the same raaga :)
- From: Raghu (@ 212.134.69.162)
on: Fri Jul 25 05:25:59 EDT 2003
Yakkov,
Vannam Konda venilave, is a copy of a Rafi song???, r u sure?, if so what song is that?, and where is it available online to listen to it, perhaps they are based on the same raaga :)
- From: Thenraja,K. (@ 167.192.89.1)
on: Fri Jul 25 07:13:10 EDT 2003
Here is a report on SPB's NJ concert on July 19, 2003 at Tamiloviam web site
http://www.tamiloviam.com/html/America39.Asp
Looking forward to the Atlanta concert tomorrow evening
- From: interpreter (@ 4.41.45.232)
on: Fri Jul 25 08:32:11 EDT 2003
Yakkov,
I know the pallavi of "Muthamaa Ennai Moodi Vaikka" song by S.N. Surendar and S.P. Shailaja in Sigaram is very heavily inspired by (or almost a note-to-note lift of) the beginning part of "Happy Together" by The Turtles. I have felt a "sense of familiarity" while hearing "Vannam Konda", but I suspect it is more because of having heard another song (which I can't quite place) in the same raga.
- From: Raghu (@ 212.134.69.162)
on: Fri Jul 25 11:42:23 EDT 2003
Interpreter,
yes, i agree 'vannam konda venNilave' could be based on the same raaga as the old song of m.rafi.
if u have noticed S.A.Rajkumar, uses mainly 'Kalyani' raaga, hence most of his songs still sound like his first mega hit 'Paatu onu naa paadatma paal nilavai kettu' by SPB/PS.
MD, vidyasagar is another example he re uses many songs from his master tune 'Malare Mounama' again by the great SPB + SJ :)
- From: Raghu (@ 212.134.69.162)
on: Mon Jul 28 05:12:58 EDT 2003
Yakkov,
How was the Show?, did u attend?, did u ask those questions to SPB ji??
thanks
- From: Yakkov (@ 64.238.111.98)
on: Mon Jul 28 15:50:00 EDT 2003
Yes Raghu I attended the show in Atlanta on July 26, 2003 - spent time with SPB the evening before at the banquet and also got a close view of the Man in action right beside him on the stage wings. The show went great but due to an early flight the next day for San Jose, he left abruptly after singing O Podu from Gemini. The show was a mix of Telugu and Tamil.
- From: Yakkov (@ 64.238.111.98)
on: Mon Jul 28 15:50:51 EDT 2003
Here's excerpts from my writeup of the show for my own records:
SPB Concert, SPB’s songs review:
1. Sangeetha Jaadhi Mullai – the highlight of the evening. Near perfect rendition. Received a standing ovation for it. I think he had a small player hidden under his tunic to help him keep the tune/melody/rhythm. Only song he received a standing ovation for. Had him panting and sweating at the end.
2. Gemini, Gemini – last song. Super hit with audience. Only song that had people crying out for an encore. With Malathi Lakshman.
3. Vatthikkuchi Patthikkadhuda – most strained him out due to all those high notes all over the place. Sang with aplomb though even half a note higher would have surely cracked his voice. Showed a crack at one place but easy to miss if one didn’t pay attention.
4. Oh Paapa Laali – Sang his usual mellow, caressing Telugu version as opposed to Mano’s bassy one. Mano was called onstage and was awaiting his turn…but it never came. SPB finished the entire song himself. Felt bad for Mano. Also, I think Mano was a little drunk. During the second interlude, SPB swayed to the music and exclaimed off-mike: ”This is music!”
5. Tu Mile Dil Khile – Telugu version. SPB again sang it as opposed to letting Mano sing the Tamil version. This was good too except for the humming by Malathi. In the second interlude when she again hummed, SPB whispered to her to “Sustain, Sustain”. And sustain she did. Also, here instead of the usual crap love that comes as dialogue in the original, SPB talked about greatness of religion and importance of giving generously to the temple fund (crap too). He improvised wonderfully at the end of the song, going into falsetto ala Mariah Carey/Sonu Nigam et al. A very modern touch that shows he can still deliver the goods if these dumb MDs let him.
6. The concert started off with Shankarabharanam and then Idhu Oru Pon Malai Pozhudhu – I missed most of it due to my running around for the volunteering. Forgot to metion, SPB, in the first half, explained the significance of each song and its lyrics to the audience.
7. Ilaya Nila – nice but not exceptional I thought. Maybe I didn’t like the improvisations? Not sure.
- From: Yakkov (@ 64.238.111.98)
on: Mon Jul 28 15:51:21 EDT 2003
SPB Atlanta 7/26/03 concert review cont'd:
8. Andhi Mazhai Pozhigiradhu – great singing. SPB tried the alaap that comes in the first BGM (original by who?). He sounded okay but it was not the same – he sang it like himself and not quite the same ghamakams. The smaller alaaps that follow later were done by Mano, who I thought did a great job at matching the voice and the melody of the alaap with the original. At the end of this song, he reminded the audience of the other greats involved in this number. When he mentioned S.Janaki’s name and the applause was not very forthcoming, he repeated, with emphasis,”S.Janaki?” and a suitably embarrassed audience applauded well.
9. Sang two Hindi songs: Tere Mere Beech Mein and Dil Deewana. Nothing spectacular.
10. For Mano’s part, he sang with ease except for the higher notes where he tends to shout – his upper range is still quite poor. Muqqala Maqqabla and Nee Oru Kaadhal Sangeetham were quite good. He also sang Thayya Thayya, Telugu version. Was good except for the high notes in the saranam. He switched to falsetto and matched voices with Malgudi Shubha there. Range man…where is it when you need it? But still he was fun on stage, mimicking Rajini’s talk and walk and digalogues and providing female chorus when needed and changing his voice for some telugu song.
11. Malgudi Shubha – though most of her songs are unknown to me, she sang with élan and seemed very comfortable. She could rouse the audience very well and spoke without causing me to fidget. I really like her vibrato and the way she sustains her voice like the western opera singers.
12. Malathi Lakshman – her giant photo in the background made her look real pretty. She has quite a few voices in her repertoire. Her singing is okay. She missed a few notes and scales once a while. Seemed a little intimidated by SPB’s improvisations and clear voice right by her. Her renditions of the Dhool song, Madurai veeran thane, was quite good especially the voice matching. For the regular melodies she seems to match Chitra a lot.
13. Lakshman, of the Orchestra, performed a mimicry after the excruciating break. All his imitations were bang on especially Manivannan, Paarthiban, Kamal Hassan, Venu Chakravarty and T.Rajender. He flopped a little on his opening impression of MGR and belly-flopped while imitating Superstar Rajini. His imitation of Vijaykant too was bang on target. More than the voice, he imitated the tone and mannerisms of these people. His following jokes with the SUN TV trailers and phones were also hilarious.
14. The orchestra were good for the most part. But good is not enough if you are coming all the way to the US for performance. I really imagined them to be some kind of extraordinary virtuosos, turned out to be a damp squib. They missed notes, timing and orchestration. Of course, the mixing also was bad. Particularly bad were the keyboard players. Tabla, e-drums, flute and guitars were really good. Sax was also really good but a tad too loud. The failed to reproduce any song to perfection. They could say that they have so many songs in their repertoire that its hard to keep track but, hey, that’s no excuse!
- From: Raghu (@ 212.134.69.162)
on: Tue Jul 29 04:42:01 EDT 2003
Yakkov,
But did u manage to ask any questions to the great SPB ji ??
thanks
- From: Mythila (@ 208.220.245.72)
on: Tue Jul 29 05:30:56 EDT 2003
Yakkov, that humming part in 'Andhi mazhai' was orginally by the Guru and Aasthaana mridhangam player for IR TVG(T.V.Gopalakrishnan)
- From: Lord LabakuDas (@ 202.54.153.21)
on: Tue Jul 29 06:08:49 EDT 2003
3 more days for this thread to celebrate its 2nd birthday !!..Way to go Raghu !! Bravo !!
Advanced Wishes !!
- From: Raghu (@ 212.134.69.162)
on: Tue Jul 29 07:50:30 EDT 2003
Mythila,
>>Yakkov, that humming part in 'Andhi mazhai' was orginally by the Guru and Aasthaana mridhangam player for IR TVG(T.V.Gopalakrishnan)<<
I thought it was by IR and S.N.Surender?, r u sure, it was TVG??
thanks
- From: Raghu (@ 212.134.69.162)
on: Tue Jul 29 07:58:01 EDT 2003
Engineering musical ecstasy
The Hindu, July 1 2003, By Dinesh Varma M.
'Each singer's voice has its distinct fingerprint, its own speciality and timbre. There should be no propensity to mimic.'
AN ENGINEER by qualification, a world record-holding playback genius, an actor in over 60 films, and a music composer all bundled into one. There are not many men with such versatile talents and are yet so humble at heart, like the multi-faceted S.P. Balasubramaniam.
Guinness Book of Records entrant for having rendered the highest number (over 36,000) songs in languages ranging from Telugu and Tamil to Hindi, Malayalam and Oriya, six-time national award winner, and Padmashri awardee in 2001, the man's easy-going and down-to-earth manners are as incredible as his phenomenal feats.
S. P. Balasubramaniam, or Bala as he is fondly known in the circuit, was in the city last weekend for hectic recording sessions for the Asianet channel's musical, `Sangeetha Saagaram', which is featuring the playback legend on its forthcoming Friday episodes.
No other duo had so completely dominated the playback scenario in the Tamil film industry through the Seventies and Eighties as Ilayaraja and SPB had done. Banking on a talent pool of gifted lyricists such as Kannadasan and Vairamuthu and singing sensations like Janaki, Suseela and Vani Jayaram, the Ilayaraja- SPB combine had blazed ahead to produce a string of seemingly endless hits.
"There will never be another Ilayaraja. He was par excellence as a self-taught, versatile and complete composer," Bala declares. Given SPB's known penchant for improvising, how did he fare under the daunting baton of a tough task-master like Ilayaraja?
"Improvising on the original compositions of someone like Ilayaraja is always a dicey proposition.
"Some of my touches would go well with him, but whenever I went overboard, he would step in with a figurative spank in the ear," says Bala.
Does he feel happy about having inspired a generation of singers who revel in imitating his style? "I am happy, but only to the extent of having provided inspiration to new talents. But, this inspiration should not be overwhelmed by a propensity to mimic. Each singer's voice has its distinct fingerprint, its own speciality and timbre. The last thing I wish is for SPB clones burgeoning in the music world."
The veteran crooner says he has sometimes even personally raised these points with some singers who were known to take after his style of rendition.
"One can understand if Jesudas's scion's singing closely resembles that of his father because it could be in the genes. But, look at what happened to the scores of talented Malayalam singers who started aping the incomparable Jesudas. They all slid into oblivion. By comparison, Tamil singers like Mano are fortunate to have succeeded thus far in spite of his style being said to closely resemble mine," says Bala.
What about technology-driven music that seems to be the craze these days? "Technology has its advantages and dangers. A singer is benefited by having the option of going back to make corrections at places where he has gone off-key.
"But, having said that, one must say that technology is also being misused to mask the defects of new singers. But, the worst part of it all is that the importance of good lyrics has been virtually displaced in this dizzying mix of fast-paced rhythm and heavy sounds," says Bala.
the above extract from www.spbindia.com
- From: from Saudi Arabia (@ 212.138.47.20)
on: Tue Jul 29 08:40:36 EDT 2003
Yakkov!
is any body got copy rights to do the video of onceret. if it is is any Possibilities to telecast the show by tv chanels.
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