Orchestra lives on

Orchestra

How many times have you been to marriage receptions lately. Unless you have a gang, it becomes a real yawn!. The same place hosts generations to generations of events that transpires over our lifetime. Whatever be it you can't miss out on the orchestra. The singers never show any emotion or joy in their face, utter professionalism. It seems a tough job, after all you can't really call it a working team, since each of them are busy with their own life until they meet for a stage. Some seem to feed of each other, enjoying what the others do, some seem to be standing like a lamp post with their mouth stuck to the microphone - being oversized doesn't help either. I appreciate the very fact that it is a job opportunity for music artists. How many gonna hit it big time, but there is talent a plenty. So atleast there are numerous bands like these doing a steady job of hosting local artists.

So what? Nothing really, this post is about a few interesting things that transpires generally during such events. Almost all bands have a male singer who
can do female voice. This was a necessity when they have to sing gilma songs in the yesteryears. I dont really mean that coz, they all are good sensuous songs which require a bit of emotion in the voices and ladies find it hard doing that amongst a crowd. They are damn good, sometimes I wonder whether they really have two voices or if it is a synthesizer job. I bet you they could sing in two voices.


With SPB and Mano having sung many yesteryear hits it becomes an absolute necessity for male singers who could at least try hit that range. Mostly the orchestra owner or lead will be donning that voice. The instruments arrangements are the characteristics of each band. Some ride on Keyboardists with 2,3 doing the entire job. Some have traditional arrangements like mirudhangam, thavil, naadhaswaram. In one strange such classical encounter, there were 2 saxophones playing lead to mirudhangam. Found it to be quirky but it was good. I am a percussionist and the last such reception had my toes tapping with 6 different drummers hitting it over latest tamil songs. I found that transition for latest songs and old songs to be amazing. Just how much of practice and foresight does one need to get it going.

Guess you all remember "Uyirin uyire", the beats that make up the songs are disco beats very fast and lots of drums. A single loop burnt over and over for that song. Though the singer sucked, the drums elevated the song to a different level. The next song was a retro number "Pani vizhum malar vanam", which had some drums as well. The point being I enjoyed the noise though I was left gaping alone. As I type in this my friend starts another argument, "Why the hell do we need receptions in our community". It sounded radical, so I said I'd deal with it in afterlife. For now I am still reminiscing many a moments lost in photos and videos.