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U Srinivas

Mandolin U.Srinivas

Eternal Sublime -who can describe it

mandolin u. srinivas kaliyugavaradana

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Srinivas

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Lalgudi Jayaraman-kanjadalayatakshi

Nenarunchara - U Srinivas 1992

Paripalaya Raghunatha

Anuragamule - Saraswati

Vathapi Ganapathim Electric Guitar

The genius Carnatic vocalist Madurai Mani Iyer (1912-1968), possibly the greatest exponent of live improvisation in Carnatic classical music, popularized this "English Note" composed by Harikesanallur Mutthiah Bhagavathar (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNjl5w8Prw0) to showcase his autodidactic (self teaching) talent in expanding beyond his strictly classical training. This piece was extremely popular with an independence era audience that felt pride in one of their own "getting" western music while no Englishman could perform a Thodi alapana. 

Obviously as a Indian classical musician, Mutthiah Bhagavathar only composed the main melody, an incredibly catchy and hummable tune that would have worked in the best courts of Vienna. But Western classical music is about harmony layered over the melody and I was surprised that no one had taken a crack at taking this really catch melody and writing a String quartet around it. 

There were some interesting challenges. Mani Iyer clearly did not keep harmony in mind when he wrote the piece so there are places where the melodic sequence presents quite a hard challenge to harmonize, but all in all, I think it turned out okayish. 

Again, I am quite an amateur and It will be great if more talented musicians take this melody and set it to even better background scores :)

English Note (by Madurai Mani Iyer) - String Quartet

India's classical music is deeply bound to the country's ancient mystical traditions. This unique Rough Guide brings together the greatest names in Indian Classical music, performing some of the most beautiful ragas of India’s classical legacy. Enjoy the musical artistry of legendary performers such as Shivkumar Sharma, Hari Prasad Chaurasia, Zakir Hussain and Ravi Shankar.

For more information, visit www.worldmusic.net/indianclassical

THE ROUGH GUIDE TO INDIAN CLASSICAL MUSIC

India's classical music is deeply bound to the country's mystical ancient traditions. Stretching back  through time to the Vedic period musical historians encounter the Rigveda, an ancient collection of Sanskrit hymns, and the Sama Veda, a text which begins to discuss the origin of seven shruti (notes) from the sounds of nature. The practice of combining tones in certain sequences and the notation system that was developed during this era is connected to the development of the Indian classical raga form. 'Raga' literally translates as a 'hue' of colour and is a musical method of constructing melody through prescribed conventions. Ragas are linked to different moods and times of the day. Amjad Ali Khan's ‘Raga Chhaya Nat’ is in the Hindustani (North Indian) chhayanat mode and illuminates his crystalline prowess on the sarod, a stringed lute that is played with a plectrum. Uppalapu Srinivas' song 'Sankari Sankuru' is played on his mandolin in saveri raga, which is said to bring about the mood of pity and was originally composed by one of Carnatic (South Indian) music’s greatest figures Syama Sastri (1762-1827). 

Indian Classical Legends Shivkumar Sharma, Hari Prasad Chaurasia and Brij Bhushan Kabra are heard delicately delivering a Hindustani bhairav raga on ‘Ahir Bhairav’. This raga is related to Sikh tradition from northern India and appears in the Guru Granth Sahib (the central religious text of Sikhism). Ravi Shankar’s radiant sitar shines bright on the fast-paced track ‘Devgiri Bilawal Dhun’. Shankar’s name and ascendant international career is now synonymous with Indian classical music. Widely regarded as a musical sage or pandit, his definition of raga touched upon its vast and complex nature, describing it as a ‘scientific, precise, subtle and aesthetic melodic form’. Another sitar scholar, Vilayat Khan is heard on ‘Dhun Punjabi Ang’. The Khan musical lineage traces all the way back to the court musicians of the Mughal Empire.

Father and son duo Allah Rakha and Zakir Hussain enter into percussive playoff on the live track ‘Ek Taal’. Tabla virtuouso Zakir Hussain remains grounded by the musical discipline and natural flair he inherited from his father who he regarded as ‘a spirit who was created to work for music by God’. Carnatic vocalist Dr M. Balamuralikrishna’s marvellously melodic instrument sparkles on ‘Sadhathava Pada’. His formidable range and versatile tone mark him out as a legendary singer. He is also credited with popularising the jugulbandi concept in Indian classical music – when two soloists of equal skill perform together. Riverboat Records artist Jyotsna Srikanth contributes ‘Annapoorne’, a work crafted by the famous Carnatic composer, Muttuswami Dikshitar. The subject matter concerns Annapoorne, the Hindu goddess of nourishment. The raga used is sama, one that denotes peace.

Uncover the mystery and beauty of India’s verdant classical tradition on this excellent introduction to one of the world’s most valuable musical repertoires. 

Jyotsna Srikanth: Annapoorne (taken from The Rough Guide To Indian Classical Music)

U. Srinivas and Rajesh at Thyagaraja Sangeetha Sabha 2013

U.Srinivas & U.Rajesh

A union between India's premier mandolin player and a renowned Canadian guitarist/producer, U Srinivas and Michael Brook's album 'Dream' (Real World Records) was constructed from recorded performances at Real World Studios.

U. Srinivas - Dream (Edit)

Entha Muddo - Bindumalini - U Srinivas

Morning Vedic Mantras

Maestro Mandolin U. Srinivas and  U. Rajesh's Musical Offering to Swami on 86th Birthday

If the word Lalgudi is synonymously identified with music and the violin, the entire credit goes to Sri.Lalgudi Jayaraman. It is the lives of legends like Sri.Lalgudi Jayaraman that gives a perspective to the popular adage “The lives of great men remind we can make our lives sublime”.  It is no exaggeration that the firmament of South Indian Music has been enriched by Lalgudi Jayaraman in more ways taht one , for he is an artist whose amazing vision has stirred the ocean of Carnatic music thereby introducing a wider, meaningful dimension have come to stay.  His innovation and geniusness elevating Carnatic violin to the new territorioes never seen before his times. 
Here is an elegant Arabhi Ragalap, in which we can see this maesto’s amazing vision and geniusness. 


The Elegant Arabhi By Lalgudi G Jayaramn

I have played different styles of music from traditional carnatic to film-pop. However something that I've always leaned towards is to explore the idea of propping up our beautiful classical music against various genres like pop, rock, jazz etc. So here is a song from my outfit Karthick Iyer Live. We have played Thyagaraja's krithi Manavyala in the raga Nalinakanthi.

Do share! :) 

Covers music got a lively twist with the entrance of Karthick Iyer Live. Karthick Iyer who has played with bands and in festivals spanning almost all the continents in the world, has contemporized the existing format to suit the ever changing needs of the audiences. His concerts are known to touch every single person in the crowd, from old to new and from the laymen to the learned. He spices up his concerts with medleys of English, Tamil and Carnatic songs rolled into one. Dressed in a dazzling Moghul costume, holding a blue electric violin and armed with a compelling selection of Tamil, Hindi, English and Carnatic songs, Karthick is ready to cast a spell!

For wedding, corporate and other gig bookings please email karthickiyer.music@gmail.com

Musician Credits
Electric Violin - Karthick Iyer
Guitars - Akshay Chakrapani
Mridangam - Sumesh Narayanan
Percussion - Varun
Live Sound - Ramprasad

Karthick Iyer Live’s 1st album "IndoSoul - Looking Within To Look Beyond" is now available on
OK Listen: https://www.oklisten.com/album/indosoul
iTunes: http://hyperurl.co/IndoSoul
Amazon: http://hyperurl.co/IndosoulAmazon

For Concert Bookings:
Email:  karthickiyer.music@gmail.com
Mobile Number: +91 77009 08966

Carnatic fusion music- Manavyalakim by Karthick Iyer Live

This was recorded on the occasion of the centenary celebrations of Guru Vellal Maharaj held at Coorg District of Karnataka, India.

Entha Muddo - Bindumalini - U Srinivas

Manjusha Pisharody