The award-winning musician tells Rasika Ramesh about the magic of music.
Music is universal. Like the red of blood that runs through the veins of all people on the earth, music is one, despite the differences in language and races, says M Jayachandran, renowned music composer and singer.
A man of metaphors, M Jayachandran uses them to elucidate every point, every definition and every heartfelt statement about his views on music.
“Just because you know the alphabet A, you can never claim to know the English language. You have to integrate the alphabets, make words, and then form sentences. Those who form magical sentences have strength over the others. Ezhu swarangalkul ethanay paadalgal. String the swarams and form magical melodies. That’s music,” he says.
But even then, Jayachandran holds specific styles close to heart — the Western classical and the Hindustani styles. “Something about Hindustani music touches my heart. Western classical is another cup of tea altogether. It has its own sensitivity. A blend of symphony and harmony that makes you feel like you’re on a flight to the moon.”
He lists two songs that marked the turning points of his career. Manikuyyile... from the film 'Vaalkannadi' and, Innale ende nenjile... from 'Balettan' will top every Malayalee’s list of favourite songs.
“My mother always wanted me to be a singer,” he reminisces. During his years at the College of Engineering in Trivandrum, he won the prize for the Best Carnatic Singer for four consecutive years (from 1987-1990). He was part of the university choir headed by MB Sreenivasan, an acclaimed music director. “We shared a father-son relationship. We used to have lengthy conversations on music, and he used to answer my queries. I remember, he used to pat my back,” he recollects.
He was an assistant to music composer G Devarajan which also proved an immense learning experience. “He taught me that you have to unlearn first, and then learn. Unlearning is a very big process. You realise deficiencies and bring your ego down to a zero. From there you have to build. He was a disciplinarian,” he says.
Both (MBS and Devarajan) followed entirely different approaches, and Jayachandran got to learn the best of both.
Jayachandran is the recipient of many Kerala State Film and Asianet Film awards for playback as well as music direction. However, he holds one of them very dear - the state award for best male playback singer for the song Melle melle... from the movie 'Nottam' in 2005. “That day I saw the happiness in my mother’s eyes. It was her greatest dream come true. That award was for my mother.”
Jayachandran likens a composer’s mind to flying bird. A theme in hand, the mind is left free to fly. Flying in different directions develops different tunes and ideas. The direction of flight is decided by the composer. The playback singer, on the other hand, can afford no creativity. He must follow the instructions, and sing the tunes awarded by the music director. “Bandhanam kanjana kootilaanangilum, bandhanam banthanam thane paaril,” he says of playback singers. Creativity lies with the music director, and that’s what Jayachandran derives satisfaction from.
In between composing and singing, he has also been on the panel of judges for many reality shows such as 'Idea Star Singer '(Asianet) and 'Superstar' (Amrita TV). But he points out the lack of direction in the shows. “What is the purpose of the show? Is the show intended for the participants to sing for small audiences? For large audiences? For playback singing? None of them really makes good playback singers,” he adds.
“Playback singers need to learn a composition put forward by the composer quickly and deliver then and there. There’s no way to determine how fast they pick up a new song. There has to be some round where a composer makes a song and the participant is required to learn it quickly in a specified time period and deliver,” he says. “Chitra chechi finishes the learning and recording under an hour and a half,” he says with awe.
What is classical music?
Whatever’s classical is classical. Its greatness is unparalleled. All other forms are dilutions, and this includes film music. Proficient classical singers have to climb down from their level of greatness to sing film song. Chitra chechi, Yesudas, Shankar Mahadevan, Hariharan, etc. understood and practised classical music for many years before they tried a hand in playback singing. That’s what makes them great singers.
Favourite Carnatic Singers – M Balamurali Krishna, MD Ramanathan, Alathoor brothers, Sanjay Subramaniam, etc. The list is long.
Favourite playback singers – Yesudas and Lata Mangeshkar. “She (Lata) is timeless. Unparalleled. I see nuances of Lata in Shreya Ghosal, and that’s why I like her too.”
Dream Project – I want to compose an Indo-Arabic album, with an Indian orchestra and an Arabic orchestra. A fusion of Indian and Arabic styles. I want to do it in Dubai, say maybe 10 years down the line.”
The Trivandrum Magnetism - Trivandrum is very very dear to me. I have travelled every nook and corner of Trivandrum. I had a three-year stint at TKM Kollam (before his graduate studies in CET). I used to travel back every day to Trivandrum in spite of being at hostel. I love the food here, right from the thattu kadas to the expensive dine-outs. You can tell that by looking at me, (he says with a twinkle).
Advice to aspiring singers
Observe Yesudas. Dedication, passion, style... he has it all.
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