Tamil folk music, after being relegated as B-grade affair during the 60s and 70s (it also had a caste-based angle, incidentally), got a massive fillip when Ilayaraja entered the scene in 1975. Raja’s brand of filmy folk music was true to the roots and was enhanced for phenomenal mass appeal. Besides him, occasional Doordarshan-led efforts like Pushpavanam Kuppusamy and Subbu Arumgam, among others, managed to make a mark. In such a background, La Pongal’s effort is absolutely brilliant! Vandiyila nellu, Oru kodam, Naan dhaan veeran mix incredibly catchy Tamil folk percussion with fabulous native tunes, while Pongal Parai goes the whole hog on folk + mod percussion fusion with manic energy. Yeleh yeleh and Kiliyamma are largely filmy, but the guitar mix in the latter is mesmerizing! Paaradi parambamedu and Thalattu are mellow, with beautiful, earthy lyrics; the choice of instruments and background vocals in the latter, a lullaby, is superb! Vandiyooru kammayila is the odd one out, mauling a folk tune beyond recognition, but Koopitadhu kuthamilla does the reverse – takes a familiar folk tune and adds the mod layer really well. Darbuka Siva’s La Pongal is a great step ahead in broadening the appeal of Tamil folk music!
Sample La Pongal’s music and buy them from .
Credits:
1. La Vanakkam
Introduction by: Anthony Daasan
2. Vandiyila nellu varum
Vocals- Anthony Daasan; naadhaswaram- Selvaraj; Thappattam- Samar thappattam group; electric guitars- Keba Jeremiah; drums, udukkai & bass guitar- ‘Darbuka’ Siva; acoustic guitar- Pradeep
3. Yeleh yeleh
Electric guitar- Keba Jeremiah; drums & bass guitar- ‘Darbuka’ Siva; acoustic guitar, kazoo & vocals- Pradeep; Thavil- Saravanan; Thappattam- Samar thappattam group
4. Naan dhaan veeran
Periya melam- Periya Mela Jama Kuzhu; electric guitar- Keba Jeremiah; vocals & acoustic guitar- Pradeep; drums & bass guitar- ‘Darbuka’ Siva
5. Kiliyamma
Drums & bass guitar- ‘Darbuka’ Siva; vocals, kazoo and acoustic guitar-Pradeep; electric guitar- Keba Jeremiah, thavil- Saravanan; thappattam- Samar thappattam group
6. Oru kodam
Kids chorus: A.Theresa, A.Abhi, S. Angayarkanni, J. Sujitha, A. Jencia, M. Devika, S. Bouli.
Thudumbattam- Cheran Thudumbaatam Kuzhu; drums, backing vocals, mridangam & bass guitar- ‘Darbuka’ Siva; vocals, kazoo & acoustic guitar- Pradeep; electric guitar- Keba Jeremiah; naadhaswaram: Selvaraj; thappattam- Samar thappattam group; thavil- Saravanan
7. Paaradi parambamedu
Vocals- Anthony Daasan & A Reetha; Morsing- V. Sai Subramaniam; Bengali vocals and khomok- Kartik Das Baul; acoustic guitar- Pradeep; bass guitar- ‘Darbuka’ Siva; urumee- K. Paraman
8. Thalattu
Acoustic guitar & vocals- Pradeep; bass guitar- ‘Darbuka’ Siva; khomok: Bonnie Chakraborty; do taara- Neil Mukherjee; thappattam- Samar thappattam group; Bengali vocals: written, composed & sung by Bonnie Chakraborty
9. Vandiyooru kammayila
Electric guitar- Keba Jeremiah; thavil- Saravanan; acoustic guitar & vocals- Pradeep; harmonium- Sean Roldan; drums & bass guitar- ‘Darbuka’ Siva.
10. Koopitadhu kuthamilla
Vocals- Anthony Daasan & A.Reetha; drums & bass guitar- ‘Darbuka’ Siva; naadhaswaram-Selvaraj; acoustic guitar- Pradeep; electric guitar- Keba Jeremiah, Thavil- Saravanan
11. Pongal parai
Kombu Isai- Iyappan, Durai; Thappattam- Samar thappattam group; Periya Melam- Periya Mela Jama Kuzhu; Thudumbattam- Cheran Thudumbatta Kuzhu; Kombu Isai: Iyappan, Durai
Keywords: La Pongal, Antony Das, Darbuka Siva, Keba Jeremiah, 200
