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| Sunday, 18 May 2003 |
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Aptly titled 'A Celebration of Life' the living legend Mignonne describes her CD as 'a labour of love. A total experience of mind, body and soul." The fifteen tracks contained in the CD is a tribute from this extra ordinary pianist / keyboardist, composer / arranger, singer to all those who 'touched' her life through music and dedicated to the memory of her late husband Tony Fernando, the manager of her illuminating career and of her band the Jetliners, which she led from 1965, when the band was the talk of the town performing at the Coconut Grove, Galle Face Hotel, Colombo until The Jetliners contract ended at The Regent Hotel Hong Kong in 1997. You've come this far in your career was it hard going? "I would think I worked very hard, with a lot of enthusiasm and tremendous backing from my late husband Tony. In the early years as a teenager and even before, I had such an inordinate love for music, that I would look at poems and sing the verses through. It made me realise that I could compose and so I started writing songs. Looking back, I started my music career when I was seventeen years and realised the need to learn music formally, which I did in Western Classical Music, Speech and Drama. I didn't slog, the opportunities came and they came fast." The Jetliners enjoyed the distinction of being the only Sri Lankan band to play a 17 year unbroken contract at The Regent Hong Kong from 1980-1997 which escalated the popularity of Mignonne among a discerning cosmopolitan audience. Would you say that Hong Kong enhanced further your artistry in composing and arranging besides the norm with Jetliners. "Yes. Hong Kong was great. It gave me a lot of education in composing from the heart and soul. I had to handle countless formal occasions, and write different compositions and arrangements in the themes for the events. There were the Queen Elizabeth Balls, the Cruises' shows many presentations by leading global fashion houses of the calibre of Karl Lagerseld, Cartier and official functions at the Governor's House when Chris Patten was the Governor of Hong Kong. Composing became a joy. There was this special dinner event I recollect where I felt that the music I should write should suit the meal. So I had a dialogue with the Chef and found what the menu was going to be and when the meat course was brought in the music I felt needed to be exuberant and strong and so on. I had to arrange themes if needed - like light classical themes with ballet music. I do miss all that now - the writing the rehearsing - it was adrenalin to me. And my band members were extremely co-operative and so too the additional musicians I had to co-opt." Mignonne drew her early musical influences she tells us, from Franz Liszt, George Gershwin, Quincy Jones her favourite, Diana Ross and the many well known gospel singers. The music of the Motown World, Jazz and Dave Griusin hold a special place for her inspiration-wise. The highlights of your CD? "Mangala Mohotha, the lyrics for which as you know is by the late Karunaratne Abeysekera, I arranged and performed the song and introduced the flute by Sajeewa Gurusinghe. There's the song 'Proud to be Sri Lankan' for which the inspiration came fast after I saw the Imax film 'Blue Planet' - the journey of the space shuttle and when the astronauts said "there down below is beautiful Sri Lanka." It took me by surprise I was spurred to compose. The lyrics came equally fast like the melody. Our people are forgetting what a beautiful country we live in and I hope the message I'm projecting in the song will be a lasting one. There are other tracks like 'Den Nivadu Kale', my version of 'Somewhere Over The Rainbow' which was featured on VOA by Judy Massa and broadcast on Simultaneous Satellite Broadcast Worldwide." And of course the Overture which I wrote for the Mignonne and the Jetliners Australia 2000 tours. What about your career highpoints? "When I won the Matsushita Award and Special Jury Award for Composer/Performer for my song 'Someday My Love' at the World Popular Song Festival held in Tokyo 1972. Also my long season at Hong Kong composing and playing a wide spectrum of music." Now that you are happy with this 'Celebration of Life' CD and as you say, it will leave your Footprints on the Sands of Time, what can we look forward to from you in the future? "I am happy with my CD because with the resources we have here the product is good and I have no regrets. As for the future I can see myself composing and recording and performing concerts of my music - which will give me untold happiness." That certainly will be a memorable experience for all music lovers in our country. With so many credits behind her, as the liner notes reveal Mignonne's artistry in composing and arranging music is original and unparalleled today. The CD containing gems of her Sinhala and English songs is a must on your CD shelf. Be a proud Sri Lankan. |
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