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Impact of TFM on other communities

Topic started by Nirupama (@ 209.153.226.35) on Fri Jul 24 00:46:10 EDT 1998.
All times in EST +10:30 for IST.

Ravi: Thanks for your prompt response. With your suggestion, I am starting this new thread.

Hi Friends,

I'm Nirupama from Vancouver, Canada. Since I visit this site quite often and have found out your passion for tamil film music, I thought this bit of information will be interesting for you.

With a help of a friend who hosts a hindi show on radio, I started my own radio show for tamil film music. Since there are no other tamil radio shows in Vancouver, I thought tamils living here might appreciate this. But to my surprise, I received many calls from non-tamils(White Canadians, etc) inquiring about this strange yet wonderful eastern(or fusion, rather) music. The show is only three-weeks old, and every week I've been getting these phone calls. I've described this type of music to the best of my abilities, but still their curiosity is overwhelming.

Some of their comments in their own words are:
"Hey, I love this music! What is it called?" , "This is great! Where is it from?" , "I like traditional Indian music, but what you're playing sounds very interesting!" Some even asked me for the film and song names.

In order to find out more about their music preferences, I tried playing songs from different periods, styles etc. What do guys think about this? Any guesses on whose music style or what type of tamil film music they like?? I'll talk more about that later.....

Nirupama

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Responses:

• Old responses
  
• From: Nithin (@ nc36.pr.mcs.net) on: Sun Jul 26 13:35:00 EDT 1998
  
  Hello, Nirupama
  
  Many thanks for your reply. Your observation about non-south Indians and non-Asians was quite coincidentlly a point that I was driving home as an undercurrent. (You can see that I did not make a mention of Hindustani classical at all!) It has come to me as a great shock when I found that many of my North Indian friends could not just take the melodies of South Indian film music! I realized that Hindustani music does not have many of the ragas that are predominant in carnatic music and that explained why in the north the people did not have the grains to appreciate deeper and complex ragas!
  
  I live in Chicago. I was wondering if I could help generate some interest in Indian film music in general and South Indian film music in particular through a radio station. What steps shoud one take to be a broadcaster? Please let us know at your leisure.
  
  Best regards
  
  
  Nithin
  
  Hello, Madan
  
  Are you based in Goa? You are the one who missed the opportunity to meet with Illaiyaraja when he was visiting there? You have brought out some great features of IRs compostions in some of his famous songs. How difficult are IRs compositions in terms of composition patterns? You know he writes songs almost daily and how in God's name does he get things so precise in the notation form? Hope you have some insight about this man's composing styles?
  
  Bye.
  
  
• From: Udhaya (@ host16.globalcenter.net) on: Sun Jul 26 15:47:07 EDT 1998
  
  So, Nirupama,
  Seeing that your interest is as deep as the DFers,
  would you please take me up on the suggestion of doing
  a weekly posting of top requests of the week.
  It could be TFM page's hand on the pulse of world music
  fans (well, Canada is a start).
  
  Also, like you mentioned, these requests from non-Indians
  are pure music requests since they don't know the history of
  the musicians and have no agenda. I'm usually not big on
  statistics, but I would love to find out whose voice is the
  most appreciated, which compositions are considered complex, etc.
  The Beatles' brush with Ravi Shankar brought such a worldwide
  appreciation to Ravi Shankar's music as well as North Indian
  music as a whole. Maybe through DJs like you, the much deserved
  South Indian music might finally get its world spotlight.
  
  
• From: Geetha (@ gatekeeper.oracle.co.uk) on: Mon Jul 27 11:33:38 EDT 1998
  
  Nirupama: Just a couple of incidents to note, in the UK and some show ideas.....
  
  My Father was playing Deva's Nerukku Nerr album in the car....As you know, 'Manam Virumbuthe' is sung twice, once by the Male voice(Unni) and also by Harini. Now, one of his colleagues, a French girl was in the car, for the length of this journey - 30 minutes or so, hence heard all teh NN songs. She immediately identified Unni's version, in a few seconds after it's start, after only hearing the Harini version once, 20 minutes ago. She asked him to record the album for her and also kept humming the tune....
  
  I also have an Egyptian friend who is IN LOVE with TFM....She constantly makes me do compilations for her, of all sorts of songs...She loved Nerukku Nerr songs, Ullasam songs and is also a big fan of Hariharan's voice(Particularly MALARGALE from Lovebirds and Anbe Anbe from Jeans)....She comes to Cultural programmes with me, especially if a band is playing and also hums the 'Chum Chum Chum' bits from Manam Virumbuthe all the time....
  
  "How to Name It" goes down very well with our Western friends, as does "Nothing but wind". Maybe you could try playing excerpts of this in your start up music or a few pieces as part of a themed show - One that hi-lights the Western Classical aspects used in TFM by IR(he's the one who has used the techniques the best and to full FUSION potential).
  
  Some THEMED Show Ideas
  ----------------------
  1) TFM and Western Classical Aspects - Classical Fusion - Could Include HTNI, NBW, Pookathave - Mayamalavagowla(IR, Nizlalgal), Vedham Nee(IR's work in Raga Gowlai, but beautifully fused, Don't know film name), Pon maalai Polzuthu - Kedharam(IR, Nizlalgal), Andhi Malai Polihirathu - Vasantha(Raja paarvai?), Most songs in Pagal Nilavu and lots of IR's work....e.t.c. You colud explain the actual fusion of Pure Carnatic with western techniques.....not to mention Colonial Cousins - Krishna(Yeman Kalyani Ragam fuse), Indian Rain(The 'Jathi - Dheem Tha Dheem Tha' fuse, Let me see the Love(Hamsadwani Ragam fuse)
  
  2) TFM and Carnatic Classical(Call it South Indian Classical and maybe discuss the Ragam aspects as many Westeners are familiar with the concept of Scales and that Ragam is their equivalent) - This can manifest into many programmes) - Could Include Margali Poove- Suddha Dhanyasi(ARR, May Madham), Endhan Nenjil- Nalinakanthi(IR, Kalaignan), Meetaatha Oru Veenai- Reethigowlai Ragam(IR, Poonthottam), Enna Sattham Indha Neram- Sindhubairavhi Ragam(IR, Punagai Mannan), Ilancholai Poothadha- Madhuvanthi Ragam(IR, ?), Kannodu- Abheri(ARR, Jeans), Engenge Engenge- Charukesi Ragam(Deva, NN), and so on...... Please try and include some old stuff like G Ramanathan's or MSV's Carnatic based work - e.g Singaravelave Deva- Abheri, Adisaya ragam- Mahati, Bairavhi - Introduce the concept of ragamalika here.....You can also categorise Ragams and choose a list of film songs in the same Ragam...Plenty in Mohanam, Madhyamavathi, Suddha Dhanyasi, Mayamalavagoula e.t.c. - Similar raga Programmes are a real hit in London.
  
  3) TFM and Pop - Stuff like Mukabala(ARR, Kadhalan), Jo Lahri(KR, Ullasam), Romeo Aatam(ARR, Mr Romeo), Oh Baby Baby(IR, KM - the JUNGLE can be classified as pop, maybe?)...lots of the new Pop based stuff of Vidhyasagar, Deva, ARR, KR....Rap in TFM can also come under this. Could include Rock, Jazz, Latino e.t.c. in this area.
  
  4) TFM and North Indian Influences - Meghame Maghame(Shankar Ganesh?, Paalavanna Cholai?) - based on Ghazal, Mudhal mudhalil Paarthen(Deva, Aaha) also based on Ghazal, Coimbatore Maapilai(Vidhyasaagar, Coimbatore Mapillai) - based on Bhangra Music, you can add plenty more to this from new TFM, Malare Mounama- Dharbari Kanada(Vidhyasagar, Karna) - This is based on a Hindustani(Describe as North Indian classical) Ragam, plenty more of Hinduatsni Raga based TFM - A very new one is Jiya Jale(I'm not sure what it's called in Tamil - MD ARR, from UYIRE) in the Ragam Natabairavhi, in Hindustani style, hence name the Raga as ASAVERI THAAT. There are many more in this style.
  
  5) 90's TFM - Take a sample of main 90's music and cover a show on this....see the reaction you get, it may help you ascertain what it is the Western Audience falls for....
  
  6) 80's TFM - Same as above for 80's music
  
  7) 70's TFM - Same as above for 80's music
  
  8) 60's TFM - Same as above for 80's music
  
  9) 50's TFM - Same as above for 80's music
  
  10) 40's and 30's TFM - Put stuff like songs from Vedhala Ulagam - See the reaction it gets....
  
  11) IR's Music - Selection of Greats
  
  12) ARR's Music - Selection of Greats
  
  13) Deva's Music - - Selection of Greats
  
  14) KVM's Music - Selection of Greats
  
  15) G Ramanathan's Music KVM's Music - Selection of Greats
  
  16) MSV's Music - Selection of Greats
  
  17) Other MD's Music - Selection of Greats
  
  We've now covered the eras of TFM and the different MD's, not to mention many styles used....I feel that this way, we can find out what clicks with the Western Audience. One piece of advise is that you always give a brief summary of TOMORROW'S SHOW before jumping into a "Themed show", so that the people listening will know exactly what they're about to be subjected to, not the actual content but the concepts, as some of these will be a CULTURE SHOCK to them.....Also, please HYPE up the HI-LIGHTS of the ERA or CONCEPT you're going to work on, so that they will remain enthused and will be keeping an OPEN MIND to the ideas that you're about to convey to them.
  
  Most of all, hope this helps and ALL THE VERY BEST with the success of this show.....
  
  
• From: Srikanth (@ 52.des-moines-02.ia.dial-access.att.net) on: Mon Jul 27 19:28:51 EDT 1998
  
  Helo Nirupama
  
  Many have given thier ideas here, great to see TFM being played in Canada.thanks to you ...
  Wish you make a great TFM-DJ.
  Let me know if there are any technical questions etc.. do vist my page jsri.fsn.net - Might help you - you will find good songs - Carnatic and film music etc. (if possible - Here my neyar neram program and give a feed back)
  
  Srikanth
  
  
• From: Nirupama (@ van-as-09a16.direct.ca) on: Mon Jul 27 23:21:51 EDT 1998
  
  Dear Friends,
  
  First of all, forgive me for not responding to your messages yesterday. I've been extremely busy. I have no words to describe my gratitude towards your concern in this issue. Most of the times when I read these messages I can't help but form tears in my eyes. Your overwhelming support and encouragement is more than appreciated. As long as TFM has enthusiastic patrons as yourselves, it will never lose its identity as one of the most creative forms of music.
  
  Tomorrow is my next radio session. I'm still toying with an idea for the show. I've had similar thoughts in the lines in of Geetha's ideas. I'll let you know a bit later.
  
  Bye
  Nirupama
  
  
• From: badri raghavan (@ 206.103.12.125) on: Tue Jul 28 02:07:47 EDT 1998
  
  Nirupama,
  
  you have launched a very interesting and educative program and i wish you all success. you have also made some interesting observations on the reasons for the spontaneity of the audience. i think that is the key for enjoying music wherever it comes from. i know of many people who enjoy kenny g's jazz music without even knowing the artist. that's music.
  
  the major reason for raja's compositions to appeal to their tastes is the feeling of familiarity it evokes thanks to the extensive use of western musical framework. may i suggest you do a program on the evolution of tfm on the lines suggested by other tfm surfers taking the audience thro the ages and get their feedback.
  
  wishing you all success
  
  

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