It may not have been the best of venues in terms of infrastructure. Yet, it brings out better than the best in an artiste. The reasons are not far to seek. There is something very deceptive about the audience who frequents this sabha. Behind this deceptive façade lies a latent musical acumen. An experienced artiste understands this very well. Not surprisingly, they come fully prepared to win not just a few applauses but the minds and hearts of the scores of unsung rasikas. Well, Bombay Jayashri gave an inspiring concert for the Mylapore Fine Arts Club on December 24, 2008. She was in her element. There was bonhomie. And, the rapport with the audience was harmonious.

With the opening Bilahari kriti "Ekadantam" of Dikshitar, Jayashri instantly created an impact on the audience. She made a crisp alap in Chandrajyothi and presented a Tyagaraja kriti "Bagayanayya ". It was sung gracefully. The concert gained momentum as she took up the rakthi raga Kanada for a fine alapana. She elegantly explored the raga with some smooth sancharas at the upper and middle octaves, caressing it with her exquisite voice. "Suki Evvaro" was lovely. The neraval line "Sukhi Yevvaro Sumukhi Evvaro Akila Saramagu Taraka Nama" was beautified with striking swaras. Tyagaraja's "Sujana Jeevana" (Kamas) got a welcome nod from everybody. The next few minutes saw Jayashri made the audience ecstatic with her zestful rendering of this fine piece. The Kalyani alap was expansive. She made it richer with some classical prayogas.

Violinist H.N.Bhaskar followed Jayashri closely and proved a good match with his neat bowing. Dikshitar's "Bhajare Rechita" is wonderful for handsome lyrics. Jayashri was classy as she rendered this kriti. The niraval line "Devim Sakthi Bijothbhava Matrukaarna Sharinim" was peppered with some arresting swaras. Jayashri's strong point lies in her unhurried approach to music and raga bhavam. She perked up the concert with Papanasam Sivan kritis such as Karuna Nidiye (Bowli) and Ka Va (Varali) before the RTP. Jayashri took raga Malayamarutham for ragam, tanam and pallavi. RTP is her forte. She engages rasikas fully with her creative rendering. After a fine alap in the rakti raga, she sang tanam in ragas Abhogi and Natakurinji. She took the pallavi as "Va Guha Muruga Shanmugha Unadu Padame Tunai" set to Adi talam. Jayashri ran her imagination wild in the creative singing, as she shifted to ragas with incredible swaras in Amirthavarshini, Yaman Kalyan, Parameshwari and Manolayam. She made it lot more interesting to the discerning rasikas by introducing two rare ragas. The RTP generated quite an enthusiasm all around and SMSs (short messaging services) via mobile phones were going back and forth to identify the rages.

She sang a composition made popular by late Maharajapuram Santhanam in Bagesri "Hey Govinda Hey Gopala" with melody. She followed it up with her favourite Madhuvanti piece "Kanna Va", before signing the concert off with a tillana. J. Vaidyanathan and ghatam S.Karthick played remarkably and held a sway over the audience during the tani avarthanam phase.



A perfect blend of style and voice

Bombay Jayashri weaves a civilizing influence

Bombay Jayashri's concert evokes contemplative mood

A celebration concert for Bombay Jayashri and T.M. Krishna