Biennale Music: Faizal Jose and Team Perform at General Hospital

KOCHI:
Having spent a quarter century in the music industry, Faizal Jose’s musical prowess was on full display today at the ‘Arts and Medicine’ programme at the Government General hospital where he and co-singers Praveena and Mehtab Azeem presented an invigorating performance.
The weekly music concert organised since 2014 by the Kochi Biennale Foundation aiming to provide solace for patients, has witnessed a variety of singers — from the amateur and professional — who have frequented the Biennale stage. Arts and Medicine, a joint initiative of the KBF and Mehboob Memorial Orchestra and sponsored by CAFS (Casino Air Caterers and Flight Services), entered its 203rd episode this week.
Faizal, a native of Ezhupunna in Alleppey district, took his maiden steps into music through Youth Festivals and for the past 25 years has been a radiant presence at “Ganamelas”. Praveena, hailing from Cherthala, won the best singer prize from Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi in the years 2011-2012. Praveena is a distinct presence in Ganamelas too.
Mehtab, a seventh grade student in Mattancherry, is musically motivated by parents, Azeem Sait and Sony Sait, and relative Mohamed Aslam Sait. A medley of sixteen songs featured in today’s episode, starting with ‘Pathi Mey Maranjathenthe’ by Faizal, followed by a Tamil number ‘Pacha Malar Poovu’. Praveena and Mehtab followed with ‘Ponnurukum Pookalam” , ‘Maanasa Manivenuvil’ and Hindi hit number, ‘Likhe Jo Khat Tujhe’. Two duets by Faizal and Praveena were intricately woven into the melodious mélange of songs that evoked resounding applause from the audience comprising patients, bystanders and medical staffers.
A singer from the audience, Rakhi Aji, bitten by the music bug , took to the stage to belt out ‘Sandhye Kaneeril Enthe’. “The initiative by KBF which channels therapeutic music for the solace of patients is a commendable gesture. It is highly rewarding to see the appreciative faces of the patients after a performance,” said Faizal.