Since its inception, Country & Eastern documented some of the greatest masters in the Indian Hindustani and Carnatic music as sitar player Nikhil Banerjee, rudra-vina player Ustad Zia Mohiuddin Dagar, sarangi player Pandit Ram Narayan, sarod players Ustad Amjad Ali Khan and K. Sridhar and tabla player Pandit Ravi Bellare. Sangeetha Kalanidhi Sri Nedunuri Krishnamurthy is another of such unique masters. He was one of the greatest vocalists from the golden period of South-Indian Carnatic music. Unfortunately, he died on last December when he was 87 years old, two weeks before the official release of this historic release.
This 3-discs album, almost four hours long, captures a full evening concert of the master vocalist from 1968 when he was at the height of his powers in Nagercoil in Tamil Nadu, the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula. Nedunuri Sir is accompanied in this high-quality recording by two excellent musicians – Pudukottai R. Ramanathan on violin and Nellai P.S. Devarajan on mridangam. It is heartfelt tribute to the virtuosity, soulful and playful artistry of Nedunuri Sir and a rare document that feature the depth and the richness of the Carnatic music in its glorious beauty.
Eyal Hareuveni
Sangeetha Kalanidhi Sri Nedunuri Krishnamurthy (v); Pudukottai R. Ramanathan (vio); Nellai P.S. Devarajan (mridangam)
