Volume - I
Side A: Shobhillu Sapthaswara - Jaghan Mohini
Naedayaraada - Vasantha Bhairavi

Side B: Sri Venkatagirisham - Sruti
Bhavapriye - Bhavani
Kamboji (Ragam only)

Volume - II
Side A: Thiruvadicharanam - Kamboji

Side B: Ragam Tanam Pallavi - Lathangi
Theerada Vilayattu Pillai - Ragamalika
Venkatachalayam - Sindhu Bhairavi

The Indian Record Manufacturing Co Ltd, India (INRECO) has made an album of a concert of Unnikrishnan, performed in Singapore. It is a full-blown, very traditional-type concert, designed to thrill the orthodox and puritanical lovers of Carnatic music. It is a double-cassette album, priced at Rs 120. A hard-core Carnatic lover may be well advised to choose this album for this month's purchase.

The highlight of the album is the Vasantha Bhairavi piece, Needaya Raada, which has been rendered in such a way as to do justice to Unnikrishnan's rich reputation. It is a great alapana, done in considerable detail, at the end of which the artiste plucks the song at its anupallavi (kadanay var evaru)--and the effect is great. In the alapana there are obvious traces of Jesudas' style, but that in no way devalues Unnikrishnan's grip over the raga.

Coming to the swara part of it, here's a little advice to a student of music. Do transcribe the kalpana swaras (certainly not an easy task, but possible), sing them along with Unni and learn them by-heart. This is the easiest way to gain a grip over a rare raga as Vasantha Bhairavi. The swaras are indeed brilliant. It is interesting to note that Unni has successfully attempted a gimmick, touching the upper 'da', and the note comes without a falter.

The Vasantha Bhairavi piece alone is worth the Rs 120 a buyer would pay for the album.

All the rest is bonus. The best part of this bonus is the opening song, Sobhillu Saptaswara (Jaganmohini), where again the artiste's dalliance with the swaras does credit to his reputation.

The album also features a detailed Kambhoji, followed by a Gopalakrishna Bharati piece, Tiruvadi Charaman. As is well known, Gopalakrishna Bharati's compositions are in easy, simple Tamil, and yet rich in content. Add to that the majesty of Kambhoji and the technical excellence of Unnikrishnan, you have a heady cocktail.

Another elaborate rendition is that of the Suruti piece, Sri Venkata Girisham. This requires comment. Usually, Suruti is relegated to the end of the concert and hence does not enjoy an alapana or swaras. In this respect, Suruti, one must say, is less fortunate than Madhyamavati, which is also a towards-the-end piece, yet frequently taken up for detailed treatment. Therefore, an alap-prefaced Suruti is very welcome, which is yet another happy feature of the album.

The rest in the album is unwanted by-catch. Including the ragam-tanam-pallavi in Lathangi. As has been mentioned in these columns before, something like a 20-minute RTP helps only devalue the very essence of RTPs and hence deserves to be censured than applauded. In fact, there is nothing in Side B of the second cassette to excite the listener, and can be used for recording something else at home, perhaps some other piece of Unnikrishnan, why not ? It can be done--the piece of plastic at the bottom has not been broken.