Today I took off early from work and went to hang out at Guitarville. I love that place and they have some really good quality used guitars as compared to Guitar Center in Seattle and real friendly people too.They buy used good guitars from people around. I hang out there, play some pentatonics on highly unaffordable guitars and think, am not good enough for this machine here. Today I played Louis Armstrong's famous What a wonderful world on a Gibson Custom Shop Les Paul Black Beauty . Damn was it a guitar or a piece of cheesecake???
Now let me come to what I wanted to post about. I am usually not taken away by cheesy stories, but there was this guy who came into Guitarville,to sell his nice custom fender telecaster. He looked like he was in his early twenties. A nice smile. I was thinking, why would someone sell a guitar like that, probably he needs cash really bad. Then I saw the cast on the whole of his left hand.
Damn, now I heard him speak to the guy who buys guitars there. I was almost in tears. This guy works for a lawn mover company, and cleans lawn mover blades. He plays( or used to) in a grunge rock band (did I say he's from seattle? lol). And yesterday evening, he had a gig somewhere and he was running late from his last client. As you might expect, he rushed up on cleaning the mover blades, and did something hastily. And bang !!! All his four fingers of his left hand fell like pieces of wood on the lawn.
Now the doctors, have told him that, they were able to save only his pinky. Now what about the rest??? So he came into the shop today, to sell his guitar. I was thinking so bad for him, guitaring is history. Every one in the store lost steam, they turned down the radio and basically dint know what to do. Now how much can a person take?? For someone who loves music, who loves guitaring, who is so young and good at it, and could have had a great musical career, this is ridiculous.
When I was almost going to empathise this guy, seeing me struggling with my chords, he really hit me hard in my head saying, "dude i love it more than you can think . I am takin lessons from next week using a thumbpick and going to use my right hand on my fretboard. So I am probably going to get a lefty tele and also thinking of getting on the drums". I almost wanted to worship him no matter what.
People like this dude here, after an accident usually rock on more. I then had a casual conversation with him. Told him about various artists who had accidents like these and became jaw droppers for the world later. Here's some people I can think of, if you know more, feel free to comment on.
Django Reindhart - The mother and creator of Gypsy jazz aka guitar god.
"At the age of 18 Reinhardt was injured in a fire that ravaged the caravan he shared with Bella, his first wife. They were very poor, and to supplement their income Bella made imitation flowers out of celluloid and paper. Consequently, their home was full of this highly flammable material. Returning from a performance late one night, Django apparently knocked over a candle on his way to bed. While his family and neighbors were quick to pull him to safety, he received first- and second-degree burns over half his body. His right leg was paralyzed and the third and fourth fingers of his left hand were badly burnt. Doctors believed that he would never play guitar again and intended to amputate one of his legs. Reinhardt refused to have the surgery and left the hospital after a short time; he was able to walk within a year with the aid of a cane.
His brother Joseph Reinhardt, an accomplished guitarist himself, bought Django a new guitar. With painful rehabilitation and practice Django relearned his craft in a completely new way, even as his third and fourth fingers remained partially paralyzed. Hence, he played all of his guitar solos with only two fingers, and managed to use the two injured digits only for chord work."
Tommy Iommi - The inventor and mother of heavy metal guitaring, lead guitarist of Black Sabbath.
In an industrial accident at the age of 17 on his last day of work in a sheet metal factory, he lost the tips of the middle and ring finger of his right hand. Iommi considered abandoning music, but his boss (who knew of Iommi's "night job" as a pub band guitar player) encouraged him to reconsider by playing a record by jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt, who earned wide acclaim despite limited use of his fretting hand.
After attempting to learn to play right-handed, Iommi strung his guitars with extra-light strings (using banjo strings, which were a lighter gauge than even the lightest guitar-strings of the time) and wore plastic covers over the two damaged fingers. He fashioned the latter himself, by melting plastic liquid-soap bottles into a ball and then using a soldering iron to make holes into this ball, putting his fingers in while the plastic was still soft enough to be shaped. He then trimmed and sanded away the excess plastic to leave himself with two thimbles, which he then covered with leather, to provide better grip on the strings. Subsequent tips have been custom-made.
Dave Mustaine - Lead singer and guitarist of multi platinum band Megadeth . Pioneer of trash metal.
"Mustaine suffered a compressed radial nerve, normally referred to as "Saturday Night Palsy," in his left hand and arm by hanging his arm over a chair while sleeping. This accident, which happened while Mustaine was in a waiting room at a hospital where he was being treated for kidney stones, made it impossible for him to play guitar. Consequently, Mustaine disbanded Megadeth in April 2002. Sanctuary released a collection called "Still Alive... And Well?"
Mustaine went through physical therapy for his arm injury. During his recovery, he explored other areas of the music industry, including production. Contrary to what doctors had predicted, within a short time he fully recovered. However, all was mostly quiet on the Megadeth front for the better part of 2003. Mustaine left Jackson guitars, did a solo acoustic performance at a benefit show, unveiled his new ESP model at the NAMM convention, and oversaw the release of Peace Sells... But Who’s Buying? as an audio DVD presented in Dolby 5.1 surround. He also remixed and remastered all of Megadeth's albums, releasing them through Capitol Records in 2004.
It was during this period that Mustaine became a Christian."
Jerry Garcia - Father of the hippie era guitaring, leader of Grateful Dead. Psychedelic sixties.
At age four, Garcia experienced the amputation of two-thirds of his right middle finger. While vacationing in the Santa Cruz Mountains, Garcia was given the chore of steadying wood while his elder brother chopped, when he inadvertently put his finger in the way of the falling axe. Garcia's father drove him, after his mother wrapped his hand in a towel, over thirty miles away to the nearest hospital. A few weeks later, Garcia, who immediately after the accident never looked at his finger, was surprised to discover that a majority of his finger was missing when the bandage he was wearing came off during a bath.Garcia later confided that he often used it to his advantage in his youth, showing it off to other children in his neighborhood.
Garcia had several traumatic or tragic events occur during his youth. Less than a year after losing a segment of his finger, his father died. While on vacation with his family near Arcata in Northern California in 1947, his father went fly-fishing in the Trinity River, part of the Six Rivers National Forest. His father, not long after entering, slipped on a rock underfoot, plunging into the deep rapids of the river. The incident was witnessed by a group of boys who immediately sought help, beckoning a pair of nearby fishermen. By the time they pulled Jose from the water, he had already drowned. Following the accident, Garcia's mother took over their late father's bar, buying out his partner for full ownership. As a result, Ruth began working full-time and sent Garcia and his brother to live with their maternal grandparents, Tillie and William Clifford, just down the road. It was at this point that Garcia started playing the banjo, his first stringed instrument.
Now back to the story, there are indeed many more people, with many more physical and emotional setbacks, but still continue to rock on. An amazing inspirational story. Hope our guy, too one day becomes a grunge star. And me, better play good, because I have no excuse not to do so. These guys don't even want to use one.
Rock On !!!
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Good ol' Joe Pass
Born to a steel mill worker, he is one of the best jazz guitarists that kindled my fancy to drop down my strat, pickup my les paul and put some flat wounds on them. Most of the great musicians of the day, have had some sort of music in their family or somewhere.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=zR1bG14ipFo
This genius, just picked up the guitar when he was 11 years old. Excellent use of basslines, counterpoints, so much expertise that Epiphone has a signature Joe Pass edition of an archtop available for die hard worshippers like me.
http://epiphone.com/default.asp?ProductID=9&CollectionID=1
Soloing over a complex chord construct is the primary skillset of a jazz guitarist. But the use of bass lines, almost requires the brain to work in three to four sepearate threads. One of them focussing on the primary chord changes, next one soloing in the chord relative notes, and the third one focussing on the bass lines and the final one keeping up with time signatures. This gives an idea of how much of practise, reading and mastery of theory is required.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=2xo-GgNve4k
Comping with bass lines is his forte, that made people drop their jaws.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=lcUhJbkTwDc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oE5ZhBHy6Rs
Joe Pass, was a great repository of theory, and a great control of dexterity and speed simeltaneously. His rhythm changes are speechless.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JuvN1Z9ZfMM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtDcavcuTXQ
He is one of the most influential jazz guitarists next to Wes Montgomery, Charlie Christian, and Django Reindhart. His style and influence will always be in my inspiration list. Long live his spirit !!!
http://youtube.com/watch?v=zR1bG14ipFo
This genius, just picked up the guitar when he was 11 years old. Excellent use of basslines, counterpoints, so much expertise that Epiphone has a signature Joe Pass edition of an archtop available for die hard worshippers like me.
http://epiphone.com/default.asp?ProductID=9&CollectionID=1
Soloing over a complex chord construct is the primary skillset of a jazz guitarist. But the use of bass lines, almost requires the brain to work in three to four sepearate threads. One of them focussing on the primary chord changes, next one soloing in the chord relative notes, and the third one focussing on the bass lines and the final one keeping up with time signatures. This gives an idea of how much of practise, reading and mastery of theory is required.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=2xo-GgNve4k
Comping with bass lines is his forte, that made people drop their jaws.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=lcUhJbkTwDc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oE5ZhBHy6Rs
Joe Pass, was a great repository of theory, and a great control of dexterity and speed simeltaneously. His rhythm changes are speechless.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JuvN1Z9ZfMM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtDcavcuTXQ
He is one of the most influential jazz guitarists next to Wes Montgomery, Charlie Christian, and Django Reindhart. His style and influence will always be in my inspiration list. Long live his spirit !!!
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Yo Yo Ma and his Strad
Who exactly is a prodigy?? This chinese born , french , buddist cello player , played for John F Kennedy when he was only 7. I find him one of the most influential persons to play Bach's majority of works for the Cello.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yo_yo_ma
http://youtube.com/watch?v=9NaVpv9jsTo
His charm, probably lies in his form of expression by adding soul in the form of vibratos and slides. They say the finger vibratos are a direct connection to the heart's feelings. But not only that, he has also worked on major projects of improvisation. Bobby McFerrin whose second name is improvisation has worked with this genius in creating some of the best pieces written of the voice and cello. Yo yo ma has worked with great personalities such as Hollywood genius Ennio Morricone and many more.
Yo yo ma plays a strad cello. Now strads are a post by themselves, but they are the finest pieces of acoustic instruments ever created. A strad may cost upto 6 million dollars if available on an auction. They were manufactured by Antonio Stradiveri, one of the best luthiers from the luthier town of Cremona, Italy in the 16th century.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=zDGphZaQoSw
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stradivarius
Strads seem to have a lot of mystery around their excellence. There is lot of research and a whole field of study.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=vy1LD2oxVjU
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Nphg4YVm37I
http://youtube.com/watch?v=JqbsEZI6lPw
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Xfl8J1yCO7g
This man and machine will live through his music forever.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yo_yo_ma
http://youtube.com/watch?v=9NaVpv9jsTo
His charm, probably lies in his form of expression by adding soul in the form of vibratos and slides. They say the finger vibratos are a direct connection to the heart's feelings. But not only that, he has also worked on major projects of improvisation. Bobby McFerrin whose second name is improvisation has worked with this genius in creating some of the best pieces written of the voice and cello. Yo yo ma has worked with great personalities such as Hollywood genius Ennio Morricone and many more.
Yo yo ma plays a strad cello. Now strads are a post by themselves, but they are the finest pieces of acoustic instruments ever created. A strad may cost upto 6 million dollars if available on an auction. They were manufactured by Antonio Stradiveri, one of the best luthiers from the luthier town of Cremona, Italy in the 16th century.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=zDGphZaQoSw
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stradivarius
Strads seem to have a lot of mystery around their excellence. There is lot of research and a whole field of study.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=vy1LD2oxVjU
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Nphg4YVm37I
http://youtube.com/watch?v=JqbsEZI6lPw
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Xfl8J1yCO7g
This man and machine will live through his music forever.
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Gramiya effect ... Pastures, Goats, Palm Trees, Paddy Fields
This is a very famous scene for a rich tamil movie subject. The hero and heroine running around, or the hero missing the heroine and singing. Such movies usually have a low budget hero like ramarajan, raj kiran and rarely someone like captain chinna gownder, or devar magan trying a new draw of the dice.
Here comes our music director, where only music can be the scaffolding, basement, and the curb appeal for the movie. Now there are some music directors, who try and make it a village subject, but a song like "Then merku paruva kaatru..." or "Uppu karvadu...", as much as try to be village songs, just don't have the feel.
Now leaving duets alone, sorrow songs are also hard. Because all that can be shown on the screen, is a drunk hero, walking on AVM studio's groves, in bad drenched clothing. Heroine usually is not around or even if she is, she is dead and walking around with a white saree bought in bulk.
Given, this repeated scenario, the director is given a challenge to show his creativity, of course adding the lyricist too. Directors, who usually make such village topics, don't show a high technical expertise in lighting, camera angles or editing. They cater to all IQs.
Let's take this sad song. Hero is sad, heroine is sad. Instruments used are a dilruba to replace the coconut shell makeshift fiddle, violin, a single tabla( to show melancholy) and a sad voice. A rhythm 12 string acoustic to fill up the empty spaces. Now how creative can you get. If you haven't guessed the song yet, here it is.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=2uChga7B-ts
Now gangai amaran aint a great singer, and suseela amma makes up for it. But hero sucks, heroine just got started. I would think a production website deployment has lesser challenges than this. This song made the movie a hit go. I mean a super hit and the song is still around.
Lets take the classic duet case. Lipstick hero, wannabe heroine-with-no-sense-of-camera , no expression of romance. A 12 string chromatic intro, included with a flute melody, that the bass plays in the lower octave. A bell joins the "boom" of the tabla. The counterpointed flute.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gttqdf13GGk
Songs like these made movies like these watchable. Without even seeing the video, one would be able to recognise that it's in a village pasture, with the flute simulating the breeze of the wind over the thick filled corn fields. Writing a string ensemble for a pastural effect requires some sweat. This whole movie was a major musical hit. Of course maan kuyile, a karagatam song to depict love. A hard attempt. The lyrics are good too.The thavil of all of the loud instruments, adds flavour here.
This one's more interesting. Chinnapadas, Jennifer teacher, cuddalore beach, aatukutti, nothing more nothing less. Bass, violins with harmony, pitch bending keyboard solo. A single tabla for the uncomplicated village love. Nice lyrics for a change, but pretty composition. A mega hit. A village effect with western instruments alone. The much loved flute solo, but not many ethnic indian instruments other than the tabla.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0PSSXbNTDI
I could write pages and pages more about the music making up for the hero and heroine. Raaja just rocks !!! Love him. Here's more videos. Would love your comments.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=9KBCde50pIg - The whole movie. Dhaadi captain. All mega hit songs. Revathi in white saari. Raasathi Onna, needs a page on it's own. But the rhythm guitar is the money making trick there.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Iclv2Sg5j6c . Again the whole movie. Dry subject. Bhaarathiraaja made a bet than anyone else couldn't make more a villagest movie. The tamil in the movie, the makeup. Takes you right there. Shivaji, doesn't fall into the crappy hero genre though. But every song is another hit. A perfect pastural effect in this movie is this song. Takes u amongst the rice fields surrounded by hills near theni district.
New heroine. Wannabe hero. Crushy scenario. Bass guitar and tabla, take the prize away. I would love to play the bass for this song. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88lmdr7KSFo .The video is well made though.
This is a special one because it describes the beauty of the village. So no romance, but two fat people running around. The beauty of the song lies in creating sounds of water falling or birds chirping. The rhythm guitar fills the village part and bass adds when she sings "Kaalum Yaavum". Swarnaltha rocks this show. Napolean flute solo has nothing less. Very simple but powerful composition.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgGEZuc3aDg Every song in this movie is a class except one. But my person fav is aracha santhanam, describing the coming of age which is still a BIG deal in the villages.
One more hero heroine, running around fields. But the class in this movie is the potri paadadi penne, which has ethnic village rhythm beats. Hard to get the santham in the first take. Personally this one can't get anymore original.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34dUpdJuRNc . The phrasing of ilayaraja, is beautiful to duplicate the village crude uncivilized tamil. A very well made, acted, done song. Shivaji does what he does best. Act. Love the scene where people get up even while eating when the "Devar" comes around.
A lullaby is an essential village thing. This whole movie was another village hit. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_aMqUilfXH4 .Revathi is such a sweet heart in this song. Makes anyone yawn. Beautiful lyrics. An almost perfect song. The other songs in this movie, many of them for many other scenarios, aren't the best. Not everyone is good all the time. And not my person favs.
Young girl. Ready to fall in love. Stops and smells the roses. Has time to sing and enjoy nature. Yet to face life's hurricanes. Fresh and positive. Hasn't been duped yet. Looking for love, thinks love is divine before being dumped. Flute, coconut fiddle, daffali, bass guitar, 12 string picking and everything.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=EM5bF3WhN-o
Mad hero. Dope selling heroine. Duper side hero, expressionless side heroine. Happiness. Village. Romance in a stoned heart. Karum Parai Manasula, Oru mayil thogai virikuthe.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=sfvMM8tGaaw . Ilayaraja's trade stamp on this one after a long time. Bass guitar, Tenor flute. Synth to perfection. Flute of course.
"Netru thanimaiyile pochu, yaarum thunai illai". Showing the loneliness of the psyched hero's mind.
Late night village road. Dead dark. Sounds of a sporadic mini bus or TATA 407, hero heorine on a TVS-50. Really authentic. Good heorine, great heroine. Very well made. Newly wed romance. A nice water splash, goats yelling. Bells, bulls, Dreams talked in silence, counterpoint dialogue deliveries. Makes us live this scenario. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtwoVaU5yoc. Shreya and kamal, ilayaraja, napolean. Cinematography, Screenplay. Perfection.
"Ithukku peyar than mokshama"
There are many more videos and songs and nuances to be discussed in thsi topic. Chinna thayee, En rasavin manasula, blazing hits with this theme. Couldn't love him anymore.
Here comes our music director, where only music can be the scaffolding, basement, and the curb appeal for the movie. Now there are some music directors, who try and make it a village subject, but a song like "Then merku paruva kaatru..." or "Uppu karvadu...", as much as try to be village songs, just don't have the feel.
Now leaving duets alone, sorrow songs are also hard. Because all that can be shown on the screen, is a drunk hero, walking on AVM studio's groves, in bad drenched clothing. Heroine usually is not around or even if she is, she is dead and walking around with a white saree bought in bulk.
Given, this repeated scenario, the director is given a challenge to show his creativity, of course adding the lyricist too. Directors, who usually make such village topics, don't show a high technical expertise in lighting, camera angles or editing. They cater to all IQs.
Let's take this sad song. Hero is sad, heroine is sad. Instruments used are a dilruba to replace the coconut shell makeshift fiddle, violin, a single tabla( to show melancholy) and a sad voice. A rhythm 12 string acoustic to fill up the empty spaces. Now how creative can you get. If you haven't guessed the song yet, here it is.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=2uChga7B-ts
Now gangai amaran aint a great singer, and suseela amma makes up for it. But hero sucks, heroine just got started. I would think a production website deployment has lesser challenges than this. This song made the movie a hit go. I mean a super hit and the song is still around.
Lets take the classic duet case. Lipstick hero, wannabe heroine-with-no-sense-of-camera , no expression of romance. A 12 string chromatic intro, included with a flute melody, that the bass plays in the lower octave. A bell joins the "boom" of the tabla. The counterpointed flute.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gttqdf13GGk
Songs like these made movies like these watchable. Without even seeing the video, one would be able to recognise that it's in a village pasture, with the flute simulating the breeze of the wind over the thick filled corn fields. Writing a string ensemble for a pastural effect requires some sweat. This whole movie was a major musical hit. Of course maan kuyile, a karagatam song to depict love. A hard attempt. The lyrics are good too.The thavil of all of the loud instruments, adds flavour here.
This one's more interesting. Chinnapadas, Jennifer teacher, cuddalore beach, aatukutti, nothing more nothing less. Bass, violins with harmony, pitch bending keyboard solo. A single tabla for the uncomplicated village love. Nice lyrics for a change, but pretty composition. A mega hit. A village effect with western instruments alone. The much loved flute solo, but not many ethnic indian instruments other than the tabla.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0PSSXbNTDI
I could write pages and pages more about the music making up for the hero and heroine. Raaja just rocks !!! Love him. Here's more videos. Would love your comments.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=9KBCde50pIg - The whole movie. Dhaadi captain. All mega hit songs. Revathi in white saari. Raasathi Onna, needs a page on it's own. But the rhythm guitar is the money making trick there.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Iclv2Sg5j6c . Again the whole movie. Dry subject. Bhaarathiraaja made a bet than anyone else couldn't make more a villagest movie. The tamil in the movie, the makeup. Takes you right there. Shivaji, doesn't fall into the crappy hero genre though. But every song is another hit. A perfect pastural effect in this movie is this song. Takes u amongst the rice fields surrounded by hills near theni district.
New heroine. Wannabe hero. Crushy scenario. Bass guitar and tabla, take the prize away. I would love to play the bass for this song. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88lmdr7KSFo .The video is well made though.
This is a special one because it describes the beauty of the village. So no romance, but two fat people running around. The beauty of the song lies in creating sounds of water falling or birds chirping. The rhythm guitar fills the village part and bass adds when she sings "Kaalum Yaavum". Swarnaltha rocks this show. Napolean flute solo has nothing less. Very simple but powerful composition.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgGEZuc3aDg Every song in this movie is a class except one. But my person fav is aracha santhanam, describing the coming of age which is still a BIG deal in the villages.
One more hero heroine, running around fields. But the class in this movie is the potri paadadi penne, which has ethnic village rhythm beats. Hard to get the santham in the first take. Personally this one can't get anymore original.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34dUpdJuRNc . The phrasing of ilayaraja, is beautiful to duplicate the village crude uncivilized tamil. A very well made, acted, done song. Shivaji does what he does best. Act. Love the scene where people get up even while eating when the "Devar" comes around.
A lullaby is an essential village thing. This whole movie was another village hit. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_aMqUilfXH4 .Revathi is such a sweet heart in this song. Makes anyone yawn. Beautiful lyrics. An almost perfect song. The other songs in this movie, many of them for many other scenarios, aren't the best. Not everyone is good all the time. And not my person favs.
Young girl. Ready to fall in love. Stops and smells the roses. Has time to sing and enjoy nature. Yet to face life's hurricanes. Fresh and positive. Hasn't been duped yet. Looking for love, thinks love is divine before being dumped. Flute, coconut fiddle, daffali, bass guitar, 12 string picking and everything.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=EM5bF3WhN-o
Mad hero. Dope selling heroine. Duper side hero, expressionless side heroine. Happiness. Village. Romance in a stoned heart. Karum Parai Manasula, Oru mayil thogai virikuthe.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=sfvMM8tGaaw . Ilayaraja's trade stamp on this one after a long time. Bass guitar, Tenor flute. Synth to perfection. Flute of course.
"Netru thanimaiyile pochu, yaarum thunai illai". Showing the loneliness of the psyched hero's mind.
Late night village road. Dead dark. Sounds of a sporadic mini bus or TATA 407, hero heorine on a TVS-50. Really authentic. Good heorine, great heroine. Very well made. Newly wed romance. A nice water splash, goats yelling. Bells, bulls, Dreams talked in silence, counterpoint dialogue deliveries. Makes us live this scenario. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtwoVaU5yoc. Shreya and kamal, ilayaraja, napolean. Cinematography, Screenplay. Perfection.
"Ithukku peyar than mokshama"
There are many more videos and songs and nuances to be discussed in thsi topic. Chinna thayee, En rasavin manasula, blazing hits with this theme. Couldn't love him anymore.
A musician is his form of expression with his music
His composition for an ensemble/ a whole set of orchestra instrumentalists are awe inspiring considering the remoteness of the Pannaiyapuram he was from. Just listen to the violin orchestrations in these numbers. Also the vocal harmonies...where a whole orchestra sets the mood, with a flute playing the main melody...something like the orange sun on a grey sky during sunset...making music to express moods is where the musician is...playing an instrument is a physical thing...but connecting the heart and the fingers...
Here are some of the songs...that I personally am baffled that how could someone come up with such creativity...
Notice how the singer says "la" for "La" in "Pillai"...:) But the orchestra needs a golden globe for this. Lovingmom, but also charming kids, happiness, and the hint of the upcoming sorrow is shown in the composition.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyZzxRstc8M
The mood of mystery, and the sorrow of SPBs voice of "lost"...Amala's joint eyebrows and mohan's overacting are the bad parts...but just another classic...
http://youtube.com/watch?v=jgPVn81e6CM
Of course, needless to describe...all thalaivars...The violin ensemble, the rhythm guitar working with the tabla and morapas,...
http://youtube.com/watch?v=51mi-u-6lDs
Suggest, not watching the video for this... But listen to the orchestration crescendo in the interludes ... creates such a romantic feeling...with the electronic beats...
http://youtube.com/watch?v=wlP8Z3gNpy8
Swarnalatha won a national award for this
http://youtube.com/watch?v=xzLCUEXY3q8
The keyboard arpeggios, the solo flute, the voice, the tabla and bass guitar...phew~...expresses the crushy romance in a girl's heart...don't forget the violin counterpoints when she sings "nenjame..." The sensuality in the voice ... Banupriya kinda makes a cheap look with her headlit eyes...
A simple riff in C minor ...made into a vocal ensemble...Listen to bass which walks along with the tenor voice...and the harmonies...raaja just rocks...the unknown hero, with the unknown heroine...both of them ugly...but voice...again...one of the underrated good singers...the violin interludes...sets the mood for a duped romance aimed at a carnal desire...which creates that ...what will happen now ...along with "i think i know"...
http://youtube.com/watch?v=0bwbW2jjY24 ... Don't forget the flute counterpoints by Napolean in the stanza...i get transposed to a different domain on these ones when listened with closed eyes...
This song has been explained and explained by so many experts in so many forums...
http://illusions-naresh.blogspot.com/2006/06/weekend-with-ilayaraaja.html
Many components in this song...like the initial vocal chord...heavy bass note...description of colors by a blind woman...describe colors wid music???? the violin paints...this song requires a page by tiself...
http://youtube.com/watch?v=CLtIWLBhfFY
The next one...
http://youtube.com/watch?v=nZzNkClW8aU
Shobana...droolsss...listen to the middle interlude...when the violent war is described by the violins...and then a sweet flute...comes in to describe...the mazhai peiinju oiinja effect...the bells at the start of the song... the horse neighing...I have no clue what part of his brain tells him this creativity...the trumpet...expressive saxophone...SPB loves this song in his own words...the remix was done in mumbai...listen to cello bass ...rich orchestration...when SPB sings "sernthathe nam jeevane"...the violins give that happiness in the background...the flute counterpoint when "kannal oru seidhi"...Napolean..."Very great lyrics too...Marappen endrae Ninaithayo???...this movie is my epitome of perfectness...!!!
The standard lineup of musicians for raaja are Viji Manuel on Keys, Purushothaman on Drums, Sasi on Bass, Sadha on Guitar, Napolean on flute, R Chandrasekhar on tabla...V S Narasimhan on the lead violin...etc.,
When I was in my undergrad, I wanted to goto madras with my job at mascon, join musee musicals and graduate with a degree in classical guitaring, and before I die, play for this prodigy atleast in a track song. But life has taken me in a different direction. But my love, respect and dedication for this man will always be the same.
Here are some of the songs...that I personally am baffled that how could someone come up with such creativity...
Notice how the singer says "la" for "La" in "Pillai"...:) But the orchestra needs a golden globe for this. Lovingmom, but also charming kids, happiness, and the hint of the upcoming sorrow is shown in the composition.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyZzxRstc8M
The mood of mystery, and the sorrow of SPBs voice of "lost"...Amala's joint eyebrows and mohan's overacting are the bad parts...but just another classic...
http://youtube.com/watch?v=jgPVn81e6CM
Of course, needless to describe...all thalaivars...The violin ensemble, the rhythm guitar working with the tabla and morapas,...
http://youtube.com/watch?v=51mi-u-6lDs
Suggest, not watching the video for this... But listen to the orchestration crescendo in the interludes ... creates such a romantic feeling...with the electronic beats...
http://youtube.com/watch?v=wlP8Z3gNpy8
Swarnalatha won a national award for this
http://youtube.com/watch?v=xzLCUEXY3q8
The keyboard arpeggios, the solo flute, the voice, the tabla and bass guitar...phew~...expresses the crushy romance in a girl's heart...don't forget the violin counterpoints when she sings "nenjame..." The sensuality in the voice ... Banupriya kinda makes a cheap look with her headlit eyes...
A simple riff in C minor ...made into a vocal ensemble...Listen to bass which walks along with the tenor voice...and the harmonies...raaja just rocks...the unknown hero, with the unknown heroine...both of them ugly...but voice...again...one of the underrated good singers...the violin interludes...sets the mood for a duped romance aimed at a carnal desire...which creates that ...what will happen now ...along with "i think i know"...
http://youtube.com/watch?v=0bwbW2jjY24 ... Don't forget the flute counterpoints by Napolean in the stanza...i get transposed to a different domain on these ones when listened with closed eyes...
This song has been explained and explained by so many experts in so many forums...
http://illusions-naresh.blogspot.com/2006/06/weekend-with-ilayaraaja.html
Many components in this song...like the initial vocal chord...heavy bass note...description of colors by a blind woman...describe colors wid music???? the violin paints...this song requires a page by tiself...
http://youtube.com/watch?v=CLtIWLBhfFY
The next one...
http://youtube.com/watch?v=nZzNkClW8aU
Shobana...droolsss...listen to the middle interlude...when the violent war is described by the violins...and then a sweet flute...comes in to describe...the mazhai peiinju oiinja effect...the bells at the start of the song... the horse neighing...I have no clue what part of his brain tells him this creativity...the trumpet...expressive saxophone...SPB loves this song in his own words...the remix was done in mumbai...listen to cello bass ...rich orchestration...when SPB sings "sernthathe nam jeevane"...the violins give that happiness in the background...the flute counterpoint when "kannal oru seidhi"...Napolean..."Very great lyrics too...Marappen endrae Ninaithayo???...this movie is my epitome of perfectness...!!!
The standard lineup of musicians for raaja are Viji Manuel on Keys, Purushothaman on Drums, Sasi on Bass, Sadha on Guitar, Napolean on flute, R Chandrasekhar on tabla...V S Narasimhan on the lead violin...etc.,
When I was in my undergrad, I wanted to goto madras with my job at mascon, join musee musicals and graduate with a degree in classical guitaring, and before I die, play for this prodigy atleast in a track song. But life has taken me in a different direction. But my love, respect and dedication for this man will always be the same.
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