We all enjoy music in life rather in one form or the other. Whenever we listen to a song which becomes a hit or popular the credit goes to the Music Director (Which I do not deny, debate or discuss as he deserves it) but, actually the instrumentalists in the orchestra bring the song alive and make the music directors dream into reality. We probably dance to the rhythm of a song actually more often than for the melody. Rhythm is an important aspect of life & music. Rhythm and Raaga are inseparable; they are like 2 sides to a coin. One does not exist without the other.
My writing this blog is to showcase some of the best instrumentalists from India and their contribution to the world of music, in this quest I present to you today Anandan Sivamani, percussionist from Chennai who started his career as a 13 year old kid playing drums and facing the rotten eggs thrown at him & then going on to play for legendary Music composers like KV Mahadevan, Isaigyani Illayaraja, AR Rahman, and with International Percussionists Noel Grant & Billy Cobham. Our own Tabla Maestro Ustaad Zakir Hussain had this to say after a live performance with him, "Sivamani is a phenomenon that walks the planet but once or twice in a century".
I had the oppotunity of meeting him in person when he came to Hyderabad to perform at Ravindra Bharathi and friends I can tell you that he was so down to earth (thanks to his parents because he does not start a program before thanking them as he belives they are his GOD). & I believe every part of his body has a rhythm & he is somebody who can create rhythm with any animated or inanimate object.
I am sure that we would have all enjoyed Yeh Haseen Wadiyan from Roja, Chaiyya Chaiyya from DilSe, Dil Ye Bechain Ve & Ramta Jogi from Taal, Ganana Ganana from Lagaan, Mujhe Rang De, Yunhi Chala Chala Chal from Swades, barso re from Guru all composed by Oscar Award Winner AR Rahman, Sivamani has been the perussionist for all these movies. He has played for Isaigyani Illayaraja in innumerable movies as the percussionist.
Sivamani is widely recognised as India's best pair of hands in the world of percussion. He has already performed alongwith legendary Billy Cobham, Terry Bozzio, Freddy Santiago, Myanta, Wil Calhoun, Ranjit Barot, Vikku Vinayakaram, Rikki Ray, TK Murthy, & Dr. L. Subrahmaniam to name a few.
Pls find below some of his performances which I could find on the net for your or should I say our pleasure....
MAATA PITA GURU DEIVAM
Sivamani & AR Rahman - Connections
