A project to celebrate Ilayaraja's genius and adapt his songs in alternative genres with a healthy dose of improvisation thrown in while still retaining the feel of the original  
Collaborators: @mediumcoffee

Le Rogeur

Tracks I have collaborated with other folks led by @krishashok.  Other featured collaborators in this set include raghuthaatha, @suryaragunaathan, @indian_music_fan, @ashwinvinayan, @ranjani-shanker, @hariflute, @sarthakdev and @anu-mccartney

collab

d001

favs

tamil

Tamil Film Remixes

Krish Ashok gems

vocals – veetraag
guitar – bennet
lyrics – rafeeq ahmed
music – bennet-veetraag
movie – dr. patient

Mazha Njaan - Bennet-Veetraag Unplugged

A minimalist Piano and Violin version of Ilayaraja's How to Name it (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wz-MTrlIG_8). The violin recording was lying around for a while now so I added the piano score. This is an adaptation, so the opening interlude is extra and I've stopped where the Simhendramadhyamam stops and the Shanmukhapriya starts. 

Simhendramadhyamam is the raga (mode)the first part of this composition is set in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simhendramadhyamam. It then segues into Shanmukhapriya (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shanmukhapriya) in the original full version of this. 

How to Name it

A violin and cello version of AR Rahman's "Raasaathi" from the movie Thiruda Thiruda. There are 6 violin layers and 3 cello layers recorded separately. The accompanying violin layers were recorded on an electric violin but the lead melody was done on an acoustic violin to give it that folksy feel. 

Raasaathi

01 Naina

uncovered1-preview

white

shadows

Youtube link : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLNdRjCmfEI

This song is a song by Bharathidasan, called thunbam neergayil, in raag desh. Desh is one of my favourite raags. And this is one of those songs, that I heard, loved and searched for a long time, till youtube came along and gave me a version to listen to. Do please support by clicking the follow button, that is how you would get to know latest tracks I post and the music also gets a wider audience :)

You can also check my other works on youtube https://www.youtube.com/user/ganeshbharadwaj?sub_confirmation=1

Vocals: Ganesh Bharadwaj CV ( https://soundcloud.com/bharadwaj-cv/ )
Violin: https://soundcloud.com/durai-srinivasan 
Arrangement: Ganesh Bharadwaj CV ( https://soundcloud.com/bharadwaj-cv/ )
Recording: Raghav Avinash and Ganesh Bharadwaj CV
Mix: Abin

Thanks Aditya (  https://soundcloud.com/aytida88 ) for playing the piano at the start, during violin aalap.

Buy on CDbaby

Thunbam Nergayil (Carnatic Fusion: Raag Desh) - Bharadwaj | Durai Srinivasan | VIDEO LINK BELOW

A Bromance Waltz adaptation of the Tamil film classic. 

Flutes, vocals - @indian_music_fan
Strings, vocals, arrangement - @krishashok

Lyrics
Pon ondru kanden peN angu illai 
ennendru naan sollalaaguma 
(I only saw Gold, I didn’t see a girl
How do I explain what I saw?)
ennendru naan sollavenduma 
(Is it necessary that I explain?)
poo ondru kanden mugam kanavillai 
(I saw a flower, but I didn’t see any face)
yen endru naan sollalaguma 
(How do I say why is that?)
yen endru nana solla venduma 
(Is it necessary for me to say why?)

nadamaadum megam navanaagareegam 
alangara kinnam alai pola minnum 
(She is a walking cloud, very modern
She glows like a new flower vase, she glitters like waves)

nada maadum selvam panivana deivam 
pazhangala chinnam uyiraaga minunm 
(She is a walking treasure, a humble God
She is a sign of traditions, she is soulful)

thulli varum velli nila (2)
(She is like the bright moon)

thuvandhu vizhum kodi idayaaL (2)
(She is very delicate)

vinnodu vilayadum penn andha penn alavo 
(She is the girl who plays with the sky)
sendrEn (I went) hmhmhm 
kandEn (I saw) humhum 
vandhEn (I came)

naan partha pennai nee pArka villai 
nee partha pennai naan pArka villai 
(You haven’t seen the girl that I saw for you
I haven’t seen the girl that you saw for me)

un parvai polay en paarvai illai 
nana kanda katchi nee kaana villai 
(My viewing wasn’t anything like yours
You have no idea what I saw)

en vizhiyil nee irundhaai 
(You were there in my eyes)
un vadivil naan irundhane 
(I was there in your form)

nee indri naan illai 
naan indri nee illaiye
(I don’t exist without you 
You don’t exist without me)

Pon Ondru Kanden

Now available on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/5s4K799M4AgKPr2NkfCK3x
and Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/in/album/nilavinte-neelabhasma-feat-cv-bharadwaj-single/1628903101

An adaptation of the Malayalam song from Agnidevan (1995) originally sung by MG Sreekumar. 

Vocals: @bharadwaj-cv
Piano, violin, cello & bass: Krish Ashok

You can hear the original here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d14ROIPH2Mw

Nilavinte Neelabhasma

VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lMW4-jO3Wk
Arnab Goswami is a man of depth. He unleashes rationality and factuality by assembling 5-6 experts every day night and interrupting them at every step. Subramaniam Swamy is a professional Dream Stealer whose task is to infiltrate the subconscious realm of Arnab's own kingdom and interrupt the interruptor, name-call the name-caller and implant the idea that it is possible to reduce prime time news to even more unimaginable depths of ridiculousness

To capture the essence of his genius, we have adapted Hans Zimmer's Time from Inception. 

The source material is largely from this - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FykqCkDDrW0

Interrupception

There is a political battle in India on whether or not to replace German with Sanskrit in schools. My response to that is a Sanskrit adaptation of Rammstein's Du Hast with lyrics by the brilliant Vaishnavi S

The guitar used is a BC Rich Kerry King Special 

Lyrics

त्वम्
माम्
त्वम् माम् नीतवती

त्वम्
माम्
त्वम् माम् नीतवती

त्वम्
माम्
त्वम् माम् पृष्टवती
त्वम् माम् पृष्टवती
त्वम् माम् पृष्टवती
अहम् च किमपि न उक्तवान्

आमरणम् त्वम् तदीय भविष्यति वा?
न
न
यावत् सा उद्युक्ता तावत् त्वम् तदीय भविष्यति वा? 
न
न
यावत् सा सुष्ठुः तावत् त्वम् तदीय भविष्यति वा?
न
न

Tvam

A Sanskrit adaptation of Blue Oyster Cult's "Don't Fear the Reaper" with lyrics by Vaishnavi S (http://twitter.com/utprekshaa) & SP Suresh (https://twitter.com/vajrabhrt)

The guitar parts were recorded in 6 separate layers and panned left and right. In the interlude, there is a key change from A to G and the raga playing there is Hemavathi. 

And oh, the wife did some of the backing vocals

Lyrics

All our times have come आगता अस्माकं कालाः 
Here but now they're gone आगम्य गता अधुना
Seasons don't fear the reaper ऋतवो मरणान्न त्रस्यन्ति  
Nor do the wind, the sun or the rain नापि वायुस्सूर्यो वर्षाणि च

Come on baby... Don't fear the Reaper आगच्छ प्रिये ... मृत्युम् मा भैषीः 
Baby take my hand... Don't fear the Reaper करमादत्स्व... मृत्युम् मा भैषीः
We'll be able to fly... Don't fear the Reaper उद्गच्छाव ... मृत्युम् मा भैषीः
Baby I'm your man अहं तवास्मि 

Valentine is done  मन्मथोत्सवस्तु नः 
Here but now they're gone परंतु तौ दूरं गतौ
Romeo and Juliet प्रेमलोकं प्राप्य
Are together in eternity... अनन्तसहवासः

Repeat chorus

Artwork credits: http://heylookadistraction.deviantart.com/art/Yama-jii-84521336

Mrityum Ma

G Saraswathi, my 74-old grand aunt, taught me more about the finer nuances of Carnatic music than my violin teachers & a collaboration with her has been long pending. This is a Trip Hop adaptation of Muthuswami Dikshathar's Sree Kanthimatheem set in Raga Hemavathi. The vocals were recorded in a single take. 

Pallavi:
Sri Kanthimathim Shankara Yuvathim
Shree Guruguha Jananeem Vandeham
 
Anupallavi:
Hreemkaara Beejaakaara Vadanaam Hiranya Manimaya Shobaa Sadanaam
Paaka Shaasanaadi Deva Vinutham Parashuraama Natha Hima Shaila Suthaam
Shuka Shounakaadi Sadaaraadhithaam Shuddha Thaamraparnee Thatasthithaam
Shankadyashtotthara Sahasra Kalashaabhisheekha Modaam Surahithaam
 
Meaning: (From T.K Govinda Rao’s book)
I prostrate before goddess Kantimati, the young (“Yuvathim”) bride of Sankara. I prostrate (“Vandeham”) before the mother (“Jananeem”) of Guruguha. Her face (“vadana”) is of the form (“akaara”) of mystic Bijakshara – Hreem. She is established in the lustrous (“shoba”) golden (“Hiranya”) mansion (“sadanam”) studded (“maya”) with gems (“mani”).She is extolled (“vinutham”) by Indra (“paaka shasanaa”) and other celestials (“deva”). She, the daughter (“suthaam”) of Himavan, is worshipped (“natha”) by Parashurama. She is always venerated (“araadhitham”) by Suka, Saunaka and others (“aadi”). She dwells (“sthithaam”) on the banks (“Thata”) of the crystal-clear (“shuddha”)  river Tamra Parni. She is anointed with holy waters from 108 (“Shankadyashtotthara”)  pitchers (“Kalasha”) and conches. She is benevolent (“modam”) to the celestials.  

Sree Kanthimatheem

elanfx

Thought I might improvise on and extend the delightful little dubstep version of Annamacharya's Bhavamulona that was featured in Mani Ratnam's OK Kanmani

Lyrics

bhAvamulOna bAhayamulandunu 
gOvindA gOvindA ani koluvavO manasA

hari avatAramulE akhila dEvatalu hari lOni vE brahmANDambulu
hari nAmamulE anni mantramulu hari hari hari hari anavO manasA
(bhAvamu)

viSNuni mahimalE vihita karmamulu viSNuni pogaDeDi vEdambulu
viSNudokkadE vishvAntarAdamuDu viSNuvu viSNuvani vedakavO manasA
(bhAvamu)


Bhavamulona

A cover of the Late M S Viswanathan - Ramamurthy - Kannadaasan Masterpiece from Pasamalar.

Credits:
Main Melody Originally composed by Late MS Viswanathan and T K Ramamurthy
Lyrics by Late Kannadaasan
Arrangement, Vocals, Flute, Mix and Master - Vijay Kannan (@indian_music_fan)
Vocals, Violin, Acoustic Guitar, Slide Guitar, Cello - Krish Ashok (@krishashok)

.
YT: https://youtube.com/AboutIndianMusic

Malarndhum Malaraadha - Vijay Kannan And Krish Ashok

An adaptation of Ilayaraja's "En Iniya Pon" from the film Moodu Pani with fellow Raja enthusiast @mediumcoffee . This project is called "Le Rogeur" and the idea was not to do a literal cover but improvise liberally while still retaining the semblance of the original song. Here we take Raja's original harmony/chord structure & use more jazzy variants. The other improv happens in the interludes, where we start out sounding like the original interlude but wander off into different territories. We hope to do a few more of these under the "Le Rogeur" moniker over the next few weeks. And oh, another thing. For this project, in recognition of the technical challenges of Ilayaraja's golden years (the 80s), we will only use real instruments live-recorded without any software programming. 

Piano, Tonewheel organ - @Mediumcoffee
Vocals, Cello, Guitar, Bass - @krishashok

En Iniya Pon

A moderately Chennai tamil revolutionary adaptation of Nirvana's Smells like Teen Spirit 

Lyrics: Raghuthaatha (https://twitter.com/raghuthaatha) & @krishashok
Drums & percussion sequencing: @mediumcoffee & @krishashok
Violin, guitars, bass, vocals: @krishashok

Ration arisi, queue la ninnu (Ration rice, we stand in a queue)
Vaangarom, vera vazhi illa (to buy, we have no choice)
Fulla Kushtu, black la ticket (fully drunk, tickets in black)
eduthu, padam paatha (we buy & when we watch the movie...)

Ayyo Ayyo Ayyo ayyayo x 3
Ayyo Ayyo Ayyo

TASMAC kadaila, appan mabbu (Dad's drunk at the TASMAC bar)
Kelvi ketta, periya thappu (if we question, it's a problem)
Current cut, yeppo padippom (power outrage, when do we study?)
Kerosene light la padicchu mudippom (we will study in the light of a kerosene lamp)

Naanga ezhai (We are poor)
eppadi vaazha (How do we live)
Kelaya pudichu (holding on to a branch)
Yeri vaarom (we will rise up)
Yeah, hey, yay

College Saentu, edho padichi (we joined college, studied something)
kizhichi, kadla potu (hit on girls)
vela thedi, gaandayi, (searched for jobs, frustrated)
Ola cab ottina traffic jam (drove Ola cabs only to get stuck in traffic jams)

Ayyo Ayyo Ayyo ayyayo x 3
Ayyo Ayyo Ayyo

Nirutthi ottina, horn tholla (If we drive slowly, everyone honks)
rash-a ottna, mama tholla (if we drive rashly, the police trouble us)
adaki vaascha, pammureenga. (If we stay docile, we are oppressed)
nimundhu keta, amuthareenga (If we question that, we are oppressed)

road-u illa (there are few roads for us)
medu pallam (roads full of obstacles)
ellam thaandi (we will cross all those)
yeri vaarom (we will rise up)
Yeah, hey, yay

Mayila pudchu, kaala keela (if you catch a peacock)
odachu aada sonna (break its leg & ask it to dance)
Kuyila pudchu, goondla geendla (if you catch a songbird)
adachu, paada sonna (cage it and ask it to sing)

Ayyo Ayyo Ayyo ayyayo x 3
Ayyo Ayyo Ayyo


Aana ippo Murattu Kaala (But now we are raging bulls)
Seeri paanja, merusal aava (as we pounce, you will be dazed)
Cykil gap la, Auto pola (in a narrow gap for cycles, we will drive an auto)
nozhanju vaarom, odhungi nillu-a (and come through, give us way)

Vasadhi illa (We have no opportunities)
Asadhi illa (No laziness)
muyarchi senji (but we will try)
yeri vaarom (we will rise up)

Yeri Vaarom x 9 (we will rise up)

Smells Like Kerosene

An acoustic arrangement of "Raah mein bicchi", a thumri that originally featured in the soundtrack of the Shyam Benegal movie, Sardari Begum

Vocals: @suryaragunaathan
Acoustic Guitar: @mediumcoffee 
Classical Guitar: @krishashok
Flute: @indian_music_fan (Vijay Kannan)
Piano, Bass, Violin, Arrangement, Mixing & Mastering: @krishashok




Raah Mein

An alternative arrangement for James Vasanthan's hit "Kangal Irandaal" from Subramanyapuram. 

Vocals: @ashwin-vinayan
Percussion & backing vocals: @mediumcoffee
Guitar, Keyboard, Bass, Arrangement, Mixing, Mastering: @krishashok

Kangal Irandaal

JALASHAYYAYIL (Cover)

This track is dedicated to a good friend of mine who is driving from South Africa back to Berlin with his motorbike "DarkWing"at the moment. 
Follow your dreams, live your passion, never give up! That's what I've learned from him! Follow him on his channels over here
FB: https://www.facebook.com/FreezerBirdTravel/?fref=ts
YT: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZgCb_H9HFRMjQxISvycwpA

Noahs Boat: 
FB: https://www.facebook.com/noahsboatofficial/
YT: https://www.youtube.com/user/NoahsBoatOfficial
BC: https://noahsboat.bandcamp.com

Picture by Rich Jay

Much Love!

spotify

Noahs Boat - Freezer Bird

An ambient adaptation of Ilayaraja's "Mandram Vandha" (Cheeni kum hai in Hindi) from Mani Ratnam's Mouna Ragam 

@mediumcoffee - Electric guitar, Keyboards, backing vocals
@krishashok - Cello, classical guitar, bass & lead vocals

Mandram Vandha

An ambient adaptation of Ilayaraja's "Elangaathu Veesudhe" 

Keyboards, Bass, Cajon, Kanjira, Percussion Arrangement: @mediumcoffee
Vocals: Easwar Prasad
Guitar, Violin, Mixing & Mastering: @krishashok

Elangaathu Veesudhe

I take the ridiculous and the sublime, add cellos, violins, guitars and random internet collaborators to make music of sorts