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Notes of love and longing in Abhyankar's latest
By Ranjana Narayan, Indo-Asian News Service

Album: "Tum Bin"; Singer: Sanjeev Abhyankar; Produced by: Ninaad Music; Price: Rs.250
                          

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Talented Hindustani vocalist Sanjeev Abhyankar's mellifluous voice takes you over as he sings "Ras barase boondaniyan" - the opening piece of his latest offering "Tum Bin", a collection of small classical compositions.

Abhyankar's new release is eminently pleasing, even to those ignorant of the intricacies of Hindustani classical music. His renditions, while imbibing all the nuances of classical music, are not heavy and his 'taans' and 'vistaars' are brief and merge well with the composition - a plus point for today's young and impatient listeners.

The young singer - he is just 37 - belongs to the Mewati gharana and is a disciple of renowned vocalist Pandit Jasraj. 

His guru's influence shows up several times in the album. He sounds uncannily like Jasraj particularly in "Sej sada jare" and "Garaj badarwa dole manwa". He has the same way of rendering the 'taans', especially so when he takes on high notes - the image of Jasraj singing it in the same manner flashes across one's mind.

The album, brought out by Ninaad Music, focuses on love, longing and "various expressions of suffering emerging from separation of the beloved". 

While "Ras barase boondaniyan" is based on the raga Yaman, "Sej sada jare" and "Garaj badarwa dole manwa" are sung in the raga Malkauns. "Tum bin kal na pare" is in the raga Marubihag. 

"Ras barase" is sung with a lot of feeling and Abhyankar gives the right inflection to bring out the sadness and longing of a lover separated from his beloved. "Ja ja re pagal manwa", a very short composition in Yaman, follows soon after. It has a heavy dose of intricate 'taans', but is deftly rendered and very pleasing. 

The next piece "Chandra badan Radhika", which has been named "Bikal Bhaye aaj" on the album cover and is based on the raga Jaijaiwanti, is beautifully sung. It is a longish piece also with intricate 'taans'' but does not drag in the least.

"Garaj badarwa" is a brisk composition. "Tum Bin", the last number, is slow and not as impressive as the rest.

All in all, a good listen, especially in the evenings. Sit out in the balcony with a tall drink and just relax with Abhyankar singing in the background.