At the age of nine, Harikumar staged his debut violin concert at the Siva Temple near his house. Since then, he has been performing a number of violin concerts in different parts of the country and abroad. Harikumar has also collaborated with many renowned musicians like T.N. Shesha Gopalan, T.V. Sankaranarayanan, Pandit Kishan Maharaj, Annindo Chatterjee etc. and Jean Luc Ponty to name a few.
A few years ago, Harikumar worked as a staff artist in the New Delhi based Song and Drama division under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. During this time he gained a sound knowledge in Hindustani and Western Classical music, which later helped him innovate his own new band named 'Blue fire' in London with his friends and renowned musicians like Chris Haigh, Steve Taylor, Jeoff Castle and Viktor Oburst.
Nothing But Hari is a unique concept 1st time ever. The idea was conceived by Harikumar Sivan. It's a humble tribute to saint Thyagaraja and it is all about his 5 pancha ratna krithis (five diamonds).
Normally Thyagaraja pancha ratna keerthanas are sung during the Thyagaraja festival, conducted once in a year by different musicians and organizations. Thousands of devotes and reputed musicians will be participating, singing and playing instruments in a group. But here Hari has experimented a very different way.
He has played the 5 pancha ratna krithis only on a 6string barbera electro acoustic violin. The instrument has got a range from violin to double bass in a variable tuning. He has used the technical advantages and plus points of the instrument very brilliantly to make the full spectrum of the sound available to the maximum extend possible on that instrument.
Harikumar Sivan is one of the topmost violinists available today in indian classical music. In this album Hari attributes the five diamonds to five natural powers of this universe (pancha bhoothams), only with his 6 string violin. Not even a thampura is used to accompany the violin.
1. Jagada - Nattai 4/4 (EARTH).
Jagada is the 1st of the 5 pancha ratna krithis. In this composition Hari gives the power of the earth (jagad), in the universal tempo 4/4.
2. Dhuduko - Goula 6/8 (WATER).
In this krithi Hari gives the power of Water (jala, ocean) in 6/8 tempo
3. Sadinjane - Aarabi 5/8 (FIRE).
Here the power is agni (fire , Heat) in the tempo 5/8
4. Kana kana - Varali 7/8 (AIR).
The power of the air Vayu in the tempo 7/8
5. Entharo - Sree 9/8 (SKY).
The last diamond powers with the sky in 9/8 tempo.