KOCHI:
In the week of the 14th death anniversary of composer Raveendran Master, musicians around Kochi gathered today to render some of his popular songs that have enriched Malayalam cinema for a quarter century from the late 1970s.
At the ‘Arts and Medicine’ programme at the Government General hospital here, three vocalists strung together 15 items that yet again reminded the stature of Raveendran as a master of orchestration who was also a singer.
The combined initiative of the Kochi Biennale Foundation in association with Mehboob Memorial Orchestra saw Naushad Sulaiman, Nisha Varma and Yahiya Azeez also coming up with three duets. This was the 258th edition of the series that strives to provide solace to patients through therapeutic music.
Naushad, primarily a ghazal singer, is particularly fond of vintage Malayalam and Hindi film songs. Nisha, a lead singer at Kalabhavan in Kochi and a native of suburban Tripunithura, has performed on stages with celebrated playback singers. Yahiya, a singer with Mehboob Memorial Orchestra, has earlier too participated in several ‘Arts and Medicine’ programmes. He comes from a family which has strong roots in music and is a regular singer of Kerala Fine Arts Society.
Yahiya’s Souparnika was the opener at today’s recital. It was followed by Tharake mizhithalil kaneerumayi. Nisha chipped in with melody and devotion, singing Kaarmukil varnante. Naushad was particularly impressive with Innumente kannuneeril.
The singers paired in duets: Azhake nin mizhineer from the movie ‘Amaram’, Endinu veroru soorodhayam from Mazha Ethum Munpe and Tu Badi Maasha Allah from ‘His Highness Abdullah’. One ditty (by Nisha) that won special appreciation was Thenum Vayambum, which had accelerated the career of Raveendran Master (1943-2005).
The programme ran parallel to the fourth edition of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale, which has three weeks to conclusion.
