In the groove of things

Haricharan goes digital, exploring a neo-Carnatic sound that is fresh yet classic

June 16, 2017 04:29 pm | Updated 04:29 pm IST

Maname kanavum maravadhe …,” a voice croons. It’s unmistakably reminiscent of yesteryear playback singer TM Soundararajan, the background muted to a solo mridangam stroke. That is, until a minor chord plays on an electric keyboard and the YouTube video brightens with colour. The music is classical to a fault, but the musicians, teacups in hand, are anything but.

“We’re presenting music with Carnatic roots, but giving it a twist without diluting the purity of it,” singer Haricharan tells me. The fusion concept (which went digital on June 10 and has already got 3,800 YouTube views and 7,500 Facebook views) is home-grown, having come to him during a concert opportunity in Chennai’s famed Margazhi season, in 2014. While performing at the Kamaraj Arangam auditorium, he broke convention by exploring the neo-Carnatic space with fellow musicians Ravi G (keyboard), Sumesh Narayanan ( mridangam and konnakol ), Aalaap Raju (bass guitar), Raghavasimhan Sankaranarayanan (electric violin), and Vikram Rozario (percussion, cajon and tabla ). The response, he says, was unprecedented.

Music and innovation

“Everyone really got into it,” the Carnatic vocalist and playback singer reminisces. So much so that the group headed straight to the studio to jam, to record the set of songs they had just presented. “We didn’t really rehearse. It was very off-the-cuff, and I give the credit to my fellow musicians who are also some of my oldest friends,” Haricharan explains. The camaraderie is evident; it even gave him the name for the unique venture that he calls his guilty pleasure: GrooviDa.

The nicheness of Carnatic music, he says, is no secret: the average sabha -going crowd is still over the age of 50, though a surge of young and upcoming performers are flocking auditoriums now. So it is a welcome change to step out and try something new. An exponent of many schools of music, especially those propagated by gurus KV Narayanaswamy and PS Narayanaswamy, Haricharan is very clear that “the sanctity of the composition cannot be compromised”. And his fellow musicians know it — each one representing a different musical sensibility that makes them versatile as artists. “It’s important for us to have an understanding of sorts, and I wanted to collaborate with musicians who can innovate and keep me on my toes as well ” he adds.

Exploring mediums

Haricharan is eager to see his digital experience take flight, capitalising on the power of social media to put out music that he says is “very liberating”. However, the new project does beg a question: why? “I am a singer-composer. I deliver what a film’s composer asks for within the given parameters of a movie and the music director’s vision,” says the artiste, who is sought after by top music directors, including AR Rahman. And while he admits he enjoys the film space, he also wanted to channel his creative energy elsewhere. GrooviDa was the answer. He plans to work more in the studio and perform live around the country. “There’s no programming in what we do. I want to keep it as live as possible,” he says.

The singer is not oblivious to the other Carnatic-inspired ventures that have taken root in the city, from Karthick Iyer’s IndoSoul troupe to Navneeth Sundar and his dexterity on the iPad. He believes there’s room for everyone, calling GrooviDa’s sound “different in its own way”. It’s all about the groove, he shares, and as I nod my head to their first track, I’m surprised at how catchy this age-old Papanasam Sivan composition can really sound. Stating that the potential for fusion is boundless, he concludes, “While it is about having a good time, honestly through this I can challenge myself and my friends with one question: what else can I give the audience?”

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