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FUSION Music in TFM

Topic started by Deepu (@ pc109.renewal-iis.com) on Wed Jun 17 09:10:17 EDT 1998.
All times in EST +10:30 for IST.

TFM Music directors have the unique advantage of using FUSION Music. IR and ARR have knowledge in both Western and Indian Classical music. ARR is the one who uses this technique quite often these days. IR is great in fusing Western Classical and Carnatic music. What do you think folks? Is is a good sign for TFM? Don't you think this will bring World Music to every village in India? We have the unique advantage of knowing both worlds of music unlike Hollywood Composers. Tabala and Mridangam samplers are being used in lot Hollywood movies and commercials recently. TFM has a lot of songs with this technique being used.
1. Background score from the movie 'VEEDU' (How to name it)
2. Poove Sem Poove , un vaasam vaarum ( Yesudoss/IR's score)
3. En Veetul Thottathil ( Gentleman)
4. Margazhi Poove ( May Maadham)

and many many more...

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Responses:

• From: Geetha (@ gatekeeper.oracle.co.uk) on: Wed Jun 17 11:08:00 EDT 1998
  
  Fusion always evokes acceptance from people....Look at the success of Colonial Cousins. Also, the world-wide success of people like Zakir Hussain, I met a mirudangamist who works with him and he was saying how the majority of the audiances of his concerts are foreign, many Indians don't even get tickets because of demand. Fusion programmes always attract a cosmopolitan audience and this is the main reason why ARR has worldwide success, as he's blending Carnatic, Western Pop and some Hindustani to create wonderful pieces. IR is a master of fusion, as he brought Western Classical and Carnatic Classical together is an ingenious manner. This has been extremely successful, as many people are getting their ears trained in these types of music.
  
  In the olden days of Tamil music, Carnatic Classical and folk songs were used, then the 70s had a lull, where songs were western based only and IR picked it up with this wonderful fusion. I believe that people are familiar with Carnatic classical in India and when it's presented in this way they love it. After his drop, ARR picked up on the teenage and early twenties audience, with the blend of pop and Carnatic(examples here are Margali Poove(Suddha Dhanyasi - May Madham), Mettu Podu(Andhabairavhi - Duet), En Veetu thotathil(Senjurutti, Hamsadhwani, Kalyani) and many more. This gave the younger generation a chance to hear Carnatic ragams, but in a different manner, and in the same stone enticed the older generation to listen to his music.
  
  Also, people who are exposed to more Western music also fall in love with these pieces( a friend of mine who has no real interest in Carnatic music or film music for that matter and is a very proficient Western piano player has really identified with ARR's music and is now a regular buyer of his releases, Duet being the starting point of her new passion).
  
  Therefore, FUSION in TFM/Tamil Pop is an excellent idea and is extremely popular. If you rememember, the group Shakti, with genius violinist L.Subramaniam were a great fad of the 70s. That was successful fusion.
  
  
• From: Deepu (@ pc109.renewal-iis.com) on: Wed Jun 17 12:25:10 EDT 1998
  
  Hi Geetha,
  I am impressed by your response. As you said it is definetely true that fusion creates interests for Carnatic people to listen to Western and vice versa. TFM will reach the world instead of confining to just Tamils. I hope IR and ARR bring out atleast one fusion number in each of their films if appropriate. Vidyasagar and M.M Keeravani
  also did some fusion numbers in TFM.
  
  
• From: Anand Mahadevan (@ 205.147.245.41) on: Wed Jun 17 14:05:52 EDT 1998
  
  I have a point with ARR in fusion.The songs listed by geetha of ARR are per se Carnatic but defintely not a tinge of western notes.Just a sheer use of rythym box or a syntheziser does'nt mean its fusion music.One needs to incorporate western techniques into carnatic melodies.A simple example is "Pon maalai pozhudu".It does'nt have any great rythym but a lot of western classical concepts(chord progression,counterpoints) are used in the interludes which blends beautifully with kedaram.ARR has no base in western classical.Here again I am not bashing ARR but his blend of carnatic is more to do with bringing in synthzised sound rather than concepts.He has a long way to go before he thinks of doing fusion music.The only exponent of this art is IR.Even L.shankar tried this and it was a disaster.
  Fusion is not only carnatic and western but also carnatic and folk or for that matter any number of structured musical form.Another example is "Madhura marikohzindu".This is folk and carnatic.
  
  Anand Mahadevan
  
  
• From: stingy (@ 194.170.2.5) on: Wed Jun 17 14:57:53 EDT 1998
  
  fusion brings out talents makes sure people get a wide choice of music in one song or a couple. the best fusion i can think quickly is petta rap. fusing rap and giving it in an indians style(maybe not really indian style, but something tilted to indian side!)
  
  
• From: Srikanth (@ 161.225.48.3) on: Wed Jun 17 16:35:51 EDT 1998
  
  Hi Anand,
  Triggering another IR vs Ar...
  
  AR has done many fusions like
  E~spoaniol with Tamil folk - Manamadura
  New Age music and tamil music - Anjali Anjali..
  Spanish and tamil music - Veerapandi kotayile
  H.Rock with Tamil music - Kanum Kanum Kollai
  Rap and Kuthu - Peta rap...
  Falmingo - July madam vanthal...
  
  Infact:
  Good old Yaradee ne mohini is a fusion
  has rock and rock , indian music , carnatic music etc..
  I will post more songs.. .from home
  Srikanth
  
  
  
• From: Anand Mahadevan (@ 205.147.245.41) on: Wed Jun 17 16:46:34 EDT 1998
  
  Srikanth,
  I do'nt want this to be AR/IR dog fight.I was quizzing on AR's fusion talents.Except for "July Madham vandal"(I would'nt categorize this into fusion, as there is no blend but rather some catchy melody) all other songs do'nt have any western concepts introduced."manamadura" has a some good rythym with no western distinction to boast of(except for a out of context guitar run).
  Anand
  
  
• From: S.Suresh (@ dwarpal.wipsys.soft.net) on: Thu Jun 18 05:06:42 EDT 1998
  
  Hi Anand,
  
  Neither do I want to get into the dog fight.
  
  Your observation on Rahman's effort in fusion was very good. I agree with your assessment. AR scores are carnatic tunes plus western rythm. Take Nila Kaygirathu. It is carnatic. I too think he has not been able to fuse these two concepts together. For me a song like "Innum Ennai Enna Seyya" from Singaravelan represents an excellent blend of Western Music using GambiraNaatai. Similarly the song "Pani Vizhyum Malarvanam". Raja has given lot of new dimensions to classical ragas due to his fusion. The oft quoted "Poonkathave" is a classic example. Another excellent Mayamalavagowla fusion was "Kaadhal Kavidhaigal Padithidum Neram". The most recent example is from Poonthottam. The way Rithigowla is played in the whole song goes to show that Raja has no equals when it comes to blending Western Music with Carnatic.
  
  
• From: Sankaran (@ webgate0.mot.com) on: Thu Jun 18 08:32:33 EDT 1998
  
  I agree with Anand and Suresh.Rahman has been successful in giving some good western classicals(like Putham pudhu Bhoomi vendum) and some good Indian classicals set to contemporary western rhythm.They can't be called fusion per se.
  Excellent examples of fusion music can be found in
  "How to Name it"(The keerthanai Thualsi dhalam in mayamalavagowlam set to a thorughly western orchestration) and "Nothing But Wind"(The second number in the album).
  I feel that Vidyasagar is one MD who is also capable of giving this kind of music(Udayaatha vennilaa from Priyam is one example).He is doing exceedingly well in Malayalam.I think here in TFM,the directors want only Bangra,galaattaa kind of music from him.
  
  
• From: aruLarasan (@ psiphi.umsl.edu) on: Thu Jun 18 14:49:11 EDT 1998
  
  Sankaran,
  
  Nice to see someone talking good about a really deserving person, I mean
  kalvik kadal (vidhyAsAgar).
  
  
• From: Udhaya (@ 205.218.142.217) on: Thu Jun 18 15:58:05 EDT 1998
  
  This is a great thread and the contributions have been, well, classy. This thread is a nice refuge from the stench out there, thanks folks. One of my favorite East/West combinations in IR's music is "Thaalaattu Pillai Undu Thaalaattu", where the guitar and veenai blend harmoniously along with the percussion counterparts of both styles.
  I thought ARR does a great job in "Anbae Anbae Kollathae" where the veenai and melam represent the East while the western bass rhythm propels the song.
  
  
• From: vijay (@ 129.252.27.248) on: Fri Jun 19 02:08:38 EDT 1998
  
  In my opinion one of the greatest tamil songs incorporating hindustani classical music is 'megame megame'.Though it is a lift the song is unbelievable and iam still amazed that the song is in tamil and not hindi.i wonder why no one has tried a ghazal type song in tamil like that afterwards.vani jeyaraama's voice is mesmerizing and the song leaves a feeling
  of longing and sadness in u.a CLASSIC!
  
  if u do not think the above song is exactly an example of fusion pl. let me know.
  
  
• From: S.Suresh (@ dwarpal.wipsys.soft.net) on: Fri Jun 19 02:18:40 EDT 1998
  
  Seeing that lot of people have interest in fusion music, I have a question. Do you think that fusion will become popular in non-FM forums? There have been some troups which have made fusion popular. Like Shakti of Shankar/McLaughlin. Now Colonial Cousins. But none seems to be able to sustain for a long time. My feeling is that fusion can be good as a change but as musical form it has not been able to sustain itself. What is your opinion?
  
  I was reading "Folio" which gets released by Hindu once in every six weeks. This was an old issue which was devoted to music. In this there is a article by Prassana ( I think he is the guitarist). This is a good article where he discusses fusion music. In that he points out that the best example of fusing Western Music and Indian music comes from Illayaraja.
  
  
• From: raja m (@ ww-tp05.proxy.aol.com) on: Fri Jun 19 10:26:08 EDT 1998
  
  An interesting thread for me. I have one point, L Shankar being mentioned as a disaster in fusion music is not acceptable, he has released many CDs on the ECM label and they are well known to fans of world music. Both Shankar and Subramaniam have made carnatic music more popular worldwide.
  
  His work on Shakti is outstanding and the name of the group says it all.
  
  
• From: sree (@ viveka.cs.concordia.ca) on: Fri Jun 19 10:42:41 EDT 1998
  
  Suresh:
  Can you give more details about the articles which came in folio magazine.I really miss that magazine after coming to north america.Hindu came with a big effort in bringing that.
  sorry for the disgression.
  sree
  
  

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