For Hindustani vocalist Sanjeev Abhyankar and Carnatic singer Sriram Parthasarathy, the presence of maestro Illayaraja at their concert was a rare honour. The musicians collaborated in a jugalbandi at Bharat Kalachar on Sunday. The approach was refreshingly unique and the music, of a strong devotional flavour, flowed seamlessly. “We are not here to overpower each other, we are here to build an innings together with the same kind of aesthetics,” said Sanjeev. “We chose haunting ragas such as Purya Kalyan/Poorvikalyani, Desh and Sindhu Bhairavi today. Our voices blend well and we seem to inspire each other,” said Sriram. Both artists have sung for films — Sanjeev has won a National award for the film ‘Godmother’ and Sriram, the State award for ‘Best Singer’. Maestro Illayaraja honoured the artists. U.S. Consul General Andrew T. Simkin was also present at the concert.
