KOCHI:
In a career spanning a quarter century, playback singer Vibin Xavier has sung for over 30 films, but today’s concert before patients turned out to be special also because he was accompanied by his father V J Thomas.
The duo, along with vocalist Niya Joy, rendered a string of golden-era melodies at the Government General Hospital, Ernakulam, lending balm to a hot and humid session of the Arts and Medicine programme organised by the Kochi Biennale Foundation.
The 256th episode the joint initiative by the Kochi Biennale Foundation and Mehboob Memorial Orchestra featured a unique mélange of songs rendered by the trio to the applause and appreciation of the audience that included the unwell, their friends and relatives, doctors, nurses and bystanders.
“The faces in crowd have the brightness of the midday Sun,” said Vibin, who had performed at in this 2013-initiated series a couple of years ago. “I believe only music can bring it.”
Hailing from Mundamveli of West Kochi, his hit numbers include ‘Vasco da gama’ in the 2007 Malayalam action comedy Chotta Mumbai. Lollipop, Malabar Wedding (2008), Ivar Vivahithrayal (2009), Ghost House (2010), Traffic and Salt and Pepper are among other flicks for which he has sung.
As for co-singer Niya, she began singing from the age of eight and has shared the stage with several eminent singers. She is a familiar face on stage shows, seen along with celebrated mimicry artists and stars.
Nivya, who too had sung once at Arts and Medicine earlier, has been an anchor for ‘Ganamela’ a programme on a leading television channel for four-and-a-half years. She is currently doing video direction and editing, which she carries along with singing. She is trained under famed vocalist K M Udayan Master.
Thomas also pursues his fervor for music and never gives away an opportunity he gets to display his talent. At the show today, he crooned ‘Akele Hain Chale Aao’ and ‘Na Mein Sindhi Na Mein Marathi’, a super-hit by the iconic Mohammed Rafi.
Vibin began the concert with the the patriotic number ‘Vande Matharam’, followed by ‘Musaffir Hoon Yaaron’ from the 1972 film Parichay. In total, the trio delivered 17 songs.
Today’s episode ran parallel to the 108-day Kochi-Muziris Biennale, which is into its fourth edition and will run till March 29.
