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| Sunday, 26 October 2003 |
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Each year Sri Lankan music lovers look forward to the arrival of the amazing singer/guitarist Jerome Speldewinde and his spectacular vocal act.
His impeccable phrasing of the song gives added thrust to his delivery. Furthermore he fulfils the wish of the great composers by singing the verses for the songs which most of our singers choose to ignore. As I watched him perform the other night at the JAIC what was more than evident was his dedication to music - his first love (due pardon to his wife Ranjini!) and his determination not to take short cuts in the approach to a song, and I guess there lies the secret to his phenomenal success. His song introductions and endings are spot on. Speaking with him during a break, Jerome revealed that coming back to his homeland is something he always looks forward to and he is happy to be here performing at the JAIC, another time around. "Apart from my Thursdays and Saturdays at the JAIC, I do a solo act at Clancy's on Wednesdays - guitar/vocals/and me! Then on Fridays at Clancy's I'm joined by Jazz Projekt and I'm over-joyed to spread happiness to my fans who are with me, like today. In Cairns, where I perform regularly at Cafe Azul I not only do a solo act I work a duo scene with this girl singer/percussionist Toni and we cover many corporate functions. I've come a long way in this profession. I've sung everything all forms of rock, blues, contemporary pop and now the only music that inspires one is the songs of the old and great composers like Gershwin, Cole Porter etc. Very recently, I'm into the music of Michel Legrand and I'm seriously thinking of an album of his songs. Actually I got interested in Legrand when I was here the last time and heard the groups play Summer of 42, and A Time For Us. I'm not a down-loading singer' so when I get back I'm going to work on this project. I'm a guy who is in art, for art's sake" concludes Jerome before he moved back to the stage to enchant his fans again with another fascinating and discerning set of songs. On Friday November 7 Jerome will be featured at the Barefoot Gallery as well and when his wife Ranjini and daughter Romani arrive in Sri Lanka for a holiday, Jerome will be off on a quick tour of the country, before he jets off to Cairns to pick up his gigs again and move into the Christmas season and New Year's Eve night. In the meantime catch him at the JAIC. |
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This year too Jerome didn't fail to send his fans home with pleasant
musical memories to treasure. Currently playing successful gigs at the
JAIC Hilton on Thursdays and Saturdays with Jazz Projekt led by Dilukshi
Sirimane, Jerome is one singer I know who, without exaggeration, sings all
the songs in the book of standards by the great composers, and what amazes
me each time I hear him is that the songs sound fresh and invigorating and
he never faults on the lyrics.
