Maestro ilaiyaraaja news & titbits

[irir123]

my question(s):

1. what is the science/art behind infusing a local flavor to a given song/album ? there are many tracks of IR, which even without the lyrics, if you hum and add the instrumental tracks, will give you the native feel that track is composed for! many malayalam songs, as well as telugu songs (rooted in east godavari district, such as 'swathi muthyam' or even 'ponnar shankar') have that regional flavor/aura ? this is akin to what Kamal refers to as the 'higg boson' effect of IR's music! - but how does IR manage to do that with such perfection, as compared to others ?

[sakaLAKALAKAlaa Vallavar]

A Suggestion. If ppl are hesitant to buy individual albums of BGM, i guess Box Set with Bulk no of tracks in few 100s, somewhat discounted price will help more sales!

[irir123]

skv - pls check ur feee emmm

[KV]

Ramki, here's another one from my side:

One of the stand-out features of your music has been your usage of the electric bass guitar, which, quite possibly, no other Indian composer appears to have used so extensively, in so many varied forms and styles (featuring diverse techniques like tapping, plucking, sliding, etc). The bass has made appearance in almost all genres of songs you’ve composed, be it folk or classical or rock or jazz or pop, which I think is very unique to Raaja the composer. Fans like me yearn to learn more about this aspect in your music.
a) Firstly, the idea of incorporating the electric bass in your music - can you share some insights on the genesis of this idea? What/who inspired you in this regard?
a) Folk songs in particular could make an interesting case study on your usage of instruments like guitars and bass (that are completely alien to the genre) without any loss in authenticity. On a very high level, can you share your approach and perspective on composing bass lines?
c) Playing the bass lines on keyboard versus playing it on electric bass guitar - is it possible to produce on the keyboard/synthesizer, the impact and effect of the various techniques that the electric bass allows?

[KV]

ramki, please check your pm.

[layman10]

marubadiyum modhallendhaa?
sari vitruvom.. my jimpil koschans.
1. Why Jazz and Why now?
2. When 4000 divya prabandhams ?
3. Why has the baton passing chain of instruments that we heard in 80s and 90s stopped now?
(eg: In ennai thottu aLLikkonda song from UNPP, the stream of violins begin a melody - but it is completed by sections where
there is a musical conversation between folk flute, santoor (or bulbul tara in keyboard) and then back to violins again to
end up in swarnalatha's silken voice - indha roller coaster is not there anymore in today's songs - it is more like functional
interlude with some ambient string section in background) is it bcoz of synth and multi track?
or philosophically there is nothing left to do in that area?
4. Not much of singer aalaaps or a human voice singing an instrument notes these days??? - does S.Jaanaki's vocals in "idhayam oru koyil" ring a bell?
5. when can we hear the psychedelic rock stuff that we heard in "uravenum" or "DeepangaLe " (from Dooraththu pachchai) or " Kanavu ondru thoandrudhe" ?

Sorry if the koschans were more of "cribs" by some one longing for nostalgia...

+1 on 3 and 4.

[sakaLAKALAKAlaa Vallavar]

MumbaiRamki, Here is a list of questions from my Twitter friends @mayilSK & @ezharai They both are as ardent raja fans like us

http://www.twitlonger.com/show/it70po

Questions from @ezharai

1) Who owns the Rights to all his Songs and BGM Tracks.
There are Fans Who are willing to buy his entire Discography including Unreleased Film Soundtracks, Non-Film Albums and BGMs but they're NOT AVAILABLE to Buy

2) All The TFM Radios Play His Music at-least 20-30% in its Airtime, Is he even paid anything for this?

3) How does IR choose his RAGAMs?

4) Any News about the IR School of Music?

5) Why is IR not active online? When will the website begin to function?

Questions of @mayilSK

1) ’பேரிசைவகைகளை நோக்கிச் செல்வேன்’ என்று ‘98 பேட்டியில் சொல்லியிருக்கிறீர்கள், இப்போது அதற்குரிய சூழ்நிலை வந்துவிட்டதாக நினைக்கிறீர்களா?

2) திருவாசகம், Music Messiah போன்று மேலும் பல தொகுதிகள் செய்யும் எண்ணமுள்ளதா?

[baroque]

Jai, KV Qs are beautiful but what can he answer?

His works are spontaneous! 'WHATEVER HAPPENS ON THE SPOT, THE TIME HE LEARNS THE SITUATION...'
I don't think that he plans 'oh...let's dazzle this composition with refined bassline'.
yedho annikku vandhadhu!

**************
This part from GVM-IR chat bothers me...
VOICE MATTUM RECORD PANNALAAMNU SONNEENGA... THEN WE DECIDED TO TAKE IT TO LONDON TO DO MUSIC PART!
neenga edhukku ok sonneenga?
I KNOW THE QUALITY OF MUSICIANS!
PAA ..PEE... NNU,VAASICHU,
ILLAIYAA FEEL VARALAIYAANNU SOLLI VAASIKKARADHU VERA!
appadi our sentence in the bhadhil!
so composers like Raja finds hard to locate quality instrumentalists in India now? (his early yrs masterpieces are worked by local artists, MEGA JOB THEY HAVE DONE! prelude of anandha raagaam...... or even Embar Kannan's IVAN violin passage gone greater hts!)
adhu kku munnadi
YENNA IDHUVARAI NAAN PANNALAI ILLAYA!
appadi oru sentence vera!
************
dearth of quality instrumentalists appadingara feeling erukkulla, Rajakku
this MUSIC SCHOOL PROJECT is a relevant, important question!

[teja]

so composers like Raja finds hard to locate quality instrumentalists in India now? (his early yrs masterpieces are worked by local artists, MEGA JOB THEY HAVE DONE! prelude of anandha raagaam...... or even Embar Kannan's IVAN violin passage gone greater hts!)
adhu kku munnadi
YENNA IDHUVARAI NAAN PANNALAI ILLAYA!
appadi oru sentence vera!

baroque,

In a recent Telugu program, SPB stated that most of the talented instrumentalists in Chennai are not active any more. (Blame it on synth invasion in mid-90s). It's been getting increasingly difficult to find quality instrumentalists. Situation in Hyderabad is far more worse. Raja seems to be hinting at the same thing.

[baroque]

yeah... I got the feeling from his chat!
I think MUSIC SCHOOL PROJECT is an important question!

remember reading a news on MUSIC COLLEGE at Trupathi!
what is the status on that project?