Vani Jayaram's songs

[Naaz]

Neel D -

Thanks for the link. I had to struggle to get my font thing going, but it worked! Vaamanan's writing is both lucid and brisk, and he does a great job with context/discography. The mid bits on V-R are particularly noteworthy. Is this a series on VJ songs or a one-off? (weekly? bimonthly? please inform!)
There is one paragraph in there where he paraphrases the recording / studio engineers' summation of VJs voice. What a priceless compliment it must for an artiste!

[Neel D]

Naaz,
Cinema Express online issue is updated on the 1st and 16th of every month. If you see (thodarum) at the bottom it is a series. Vaamanan has written very nicely with a lot of background information that I never knew before, such as K.R.Vijaya requesting VJ be her voice for "Malligai En Mannan". Now I would like to make a list of all VJ songs for KRV.

[balaji]

AV

Thanks for the advise on Taj Mahal. What a relief from the current crop of hindi songs. Veer zara, less said the beter.

Apni Zulfein is good no doubt. However all songs sound like 'Engeyo Ketta Padalgal Raagams'.

May be the lyrics make the difference. Lack of sound Urdu knowledge prevents me to appreciate the lyrics.

Didn't Naushad give a film in the 90s with SPB-Anuradha Paudwal singing all the songs (some Payal film?). Any one remember the film name..

Neel D: I was also surprised to read that KRV wanted VJ to sing the song.

5 gems of KRV-VJ song that I can think of.. Sure the vanijairam website can provide more numbers..

1. Malai raani Mundhanai - OVOB
2. Thathi chellum Muthu -- TP
3. Kannan Kovil - Akka
4. Kodivitta chirumullai - Mayor Meenatshi
5. Mazhaikaala megam - Kasthuri Vijayam

Thanks
Bala

[Naaz]

Neel D -

I am glad that it is "thodarum" (it was the number 131 or something in the corner that threw me. I thought Vaamanan picked a new artiste for each instalment!) and I look forward to reading his views.

VJ songs for KRV (adding to Balaji's list):
Mangalappoo Mazhai (OVOB)
Sapthaswaram Punnagaiyil (NU)
Kadhirvel Naayagane (from Nangooram...did it feature KRV or Lakshmi?)

There might be a few more, I can't recall them rightaway.

[AV]

Didn't Naushad give a film in the 90s with SPB-Anuradha Paudwal singing all the songs (some Payal film?).

Its Teri Paayal Mere Geet. It stars Govinda (!!) and Meenakshi Seshadri.

About the lyrics of Taj Mahal - they are good but not great as such. Maybe I have missed something. IMO, its Hariharan who is the best part of the track. And of course, the classical piece by Ajoy Chakraborty is very nice.

[madhu]

Hi Naaz!

Nangooram song is for Lakshmi.. No KRV in the film.

BTW a nice song "sugamana ragangaLE" from "mirudhanga chakravarthi" is by VJ for KRV.

[Naaz]

Madhu -

My memory is Nangooram-less these days....Thanks for reigning it in with that confirmation. VJ has sung most of her memorable solos for KRV / Lakshmi / Sujatha. Songs with great character. I have seen Nangooram, but remember nothing about it (although I remember Gaamini Fonseka's face!!)
Sugamaana Raagangale is a solo with VJs mastery writ large. I also find her swaras/humming in Abinaya Sundari (with SSC) to be done with great relish and panache.

This comment:


"With age started appreciating the singer and soon started feeling....(the) great injustice to this wonderful Tamil Singer."

is rather perceptive. VJ is not everybody's singer, and definitely not a singer appreciated by the "populist" listeners. Like great art & literature that only reveals itself uniquely anew with age (think Thirukural, Paavai, Vaasagam...Shakespeare, Proust, Milton, Dickinson...) VJ is a connoisseur's delight. Those who know nuance and finesse (these come with age?) will always find VJs songs to be superlative studies in excellence. A wonderful "Tamil Singer" she undeniably is...but sadly wasted on a people that don't know the value of High Art.
Thanks for the comment. It was exactly the kind of response I was anticipating (and have been for years) from a tamizh listener.

[Neel D]

balaji/Naaz/madhu,
Thanks for listing KRV-VJ songs. Some more songs
pAlilE veNNai uNdu - Devi Sri Karumari Amman
cudarAga oLiyAga - Aval Sumangalithan
A duet with Manorama from Thaayaa Thaaramaa. I had an old copy of this song but lost it.

AV,
I listened to five songs from Taj Mahal. I really liked three of those. It will be nice if songs like these can set a new trend in the film industry at least for a short while. In Hindi they are still making historical movies such as Taj Mahal and Asoka, once in a while. Tamil film industry has totally given it up after Nayakkar Magal and Ilangeswaran in the early to mid 80s.

[AV]

It's so exciting to "discover" something that has been under your nose for quite a while. I am referring to the song "ek tatva naam" in the Hindi section, which I stumbled upon just now. It's a Marathi song, probably from a concert recording. The song is a Marathi abhang, written by Sant Dnyaneshwar, and is taken from the venerable saint poet's "Hari-paathh".

The Hari-paathh is an adjoiner to the Dnyaneshwari, which is considered till today to be the crowning glory of Marathi literature. As is well-known, the Dnyaneshwari is a lucid re-interpretation of the Geeta, written in the people's language (Marathi as opposed to Sanskrit) and for the common man. It was written by Sant Dnyaneshwar when he was in his early twenties (!!). Thereafter, it is believed that he attained samaadhi. Dyaneshwar's work has inspired Marathi saint-poets for centuries to come.

Dnyaneshwar's work has been translated into every language in the world. Even today, people from all over the world earn doctoral degrees on studying the nuances of just a few chapter's of the epic, at a time. The Hari-paathh was essentially an adjoiner to Dyaneshwar's work.

Coming back to the song, VJ's rendering is awesome. The song is long and quite difficult. I wonder who has set it to tune (my guess is Jitendra Abhisheki, but that's just a guess).

"ek tatva naam drudhh-dhari manaa, harichi karuNaa.....".

VJ stretches the word "karuNaa" and her breath control is amazing, right from the beginning to the end. The end of each stanza has small but very intricate taans and alaaps, and VJ just dazzles. I am just wondering how this song has never been discussed so far .

The complete lyrics of the song can be read from here (in Devanagari script): (abhang # 26)

http://www.tukaram.com/pages/haripath.asp

Another highlight of the song is stanza #4.

"dnyanadevaa mauna, mauna, japa maaLa antari...".

Listen to the steadiness of VJ's voice on the word "mauna.." followed by a graceful dive onto a very low note. And then, listen to the sudden glide to high notes, followed by a quick return to the middle octave. It's like a short sinusoidal pulse: a trough,a crest and back to DC . It's simply ethereal!

Naaz, can you please find out who the composer of this song is? I am curious to know.

[Naaz]

AV -

That was a very informative bit on the saint poet and his sway over the Marathas. Thank you for that short (but detailed) context to the song. It is precisely this kind of sharing that is priceless!

There are three reasons why I refrain (with a few exceptions) from discussing VJs Hindi/Marathi/Urdu songs in this forum:
a. This portal is devoted to TFM and I try my best to keep that context in mind.
b. Not too many posters are familiar with these languages and such a focus could be counterproductive.
c. I am not an expert in any of these languages and my knowledge of Saints (and their verses) is limited, bordering on negligible.

But I am glad that you discovered Ek Tatva Naam. It is a recording of a Live Concert in London (mid 90s). I believe the "album" version of this song was composed by Raghunaath Seth ( I am more or less certain.) There's another song in the same concert which is a big draw every time on the radio show: Sumiran Karle Mere Manaa
My sikh/punjabi bretheren in this town never fail to call me when this bhajan is played - they are so effusive in their gratitude!
Similarly, there is another song O Ri O Baansuri where VJ works the long and awesome pull of the Baansuri in her vocals (Baani wahi sunaadhe bansi) - and the ambient effect is...ek shabdh mein - swarg!

I will be glad to discuss these Bhajans if there was an equal rejoinder/sharing possibility in these parts. However, I wouldn't want to force feed others these little miracles of music and voice...the interest has to be genuine and voluntary. I will hold back 'til then.

The next time I get a chance to speak to VJ (maybe around tamil new year's day) I will ask her for a few more details on her work with JA and UM. If she can provide a few vital clues, you might be able to track these tracks, no problem? 8)