CHENNAI: For those party hoppers who stopped by at Chipstead, Taj Coromandel on Sunday night, it was evident that with Usha Uthup in the house, ‘hoppin’ was not a part of the agenda. The lady with the big voice was dressed to kill in her trademark black and gold sari, accessorised with her large bindi (this time matched with her sari, and a sassy gold border), “I've been wearing this combination quite a lot these days,”she laughs admittedly. Yes, divas certainly know how to work a wardrobe, and as usual, Uthup worked her magic with the crowd, but that goes without saying.She has a touch of nostalgia as she gears up to sing at the Taj again, 42 years after she landed up here for the first time, “It all started right here at the Coromandel in 1974. I was in the audience and there were some great musicians like Stan Getz and Charlie Byrd, and I got the opportunity to sing with them,” she said and then added in an undertone laced with her distinct hint of humour, “Of course, I was not in their league at the time.”With some classic favourites on the set list such as Stand by Me (Bob Marley), Fever (Madonna) and Big Spender (Peggy Lee), this trip down memory lane with a much respected artist drew enthusiastic applause from the gathered. Also, the lounge ambience did call for a few crowd choruses along the way, a must mention was when everyone joined in to chorus I Just Called To Say I Love You, drawing a flattering “I think we’d have to call AR Rahman here to talent scout soon," from Uthup.Incidentally, while belting out some heavy duty notes of Sway, Uthup took a moment to quite literally pause all the music and then broke into an unexpected Paartha Nyabagam Illaiyo...then quickly back to Sway on the same riff. “Eppadi?” she asked to be met with a chorus of cheers, loudest from choreographer, Kala master. Sadly, the one song that was a tad unmatched in voice was Hello (Lionel Richie). And while there might be a few fans of Uthup who beg to differ, it must be stated that the song was originally sung to a blind girl (in the video) and was meant to be mellow and reassuring in tempo, unlike her particularly bold rendition.Overall, an evening spent with one of the country’s most versatile voices, not to mention in the company of celebrities like Khushboo and husband, Sundar C, music enthusiasts and ‘big spenders’ who certainly got their money’s worth.
Comments
0 comment