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| Sunday, 7 November 2004 |
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Jayasri - Da best Summer by Mahes Perera
"When we were young and listening and learning music in Sri Lanka our idols were Bob Marley, Alpha Blondy, Third World....and now suddenly we find we are playing on the same stage they played a few hours ago....sharing the same backstage, talking, greeting them like friends....It is a great feeling...difficult to explain....these are like dreams come true!!! writes Rohitha of Jayasri based in Vienna, Austria. Jaysri the colourful Sri Lankan reggae band were kept on their toes with summer tours and contracts which have resulted in positive feedback from different audiences in different countries so much so that the group is proud to present their 'Jayasri Sri Lankan' music on international stages. Successful musical ambassadors for Sri Lanka, the band opened their summer performances end of May when they participated in the 'Moving Cultures World Music Festival' in Vienna along with Habib Koite (Mali) Bongo Maffin (South Africa) Tatro Trono (Bolvein) to name a few of the groups who performed that day. Jaysri represented Sri Lanka with their 'Jayasri special' as they term it. In early June, Rohitha continues his thoughts on paper, the group was featured along with the Reggae superstar Alpha Blondy and Solar System at the annual Reggae Mountain Festival held in the Alps mountain region Tirol in Austria. "We Remember Bob Marley Tour' featuring Exodus, P.A.T. Yardman, Anthony Locks and Inna Valley was the other reggae happening that turned out to be stupenduous. At the Danube Island Festival 2004, Europe's biggest Open Air festival in Vienna, more than three million people caught the performances which went on for three days. The festival saw international figures like Scorpions, Elton John, Ronan Keating, Rasmus and Opus on stage. And Jayasri as the main act on a Saturday played a full program featuring songs and traditional Sri Lankan dancing acts which kept the attention of the audience, and as Rohitha says "they received loud applause." Always eager to do something different Jayasri's compositions with English and Sinhala lyrics, reggae and funk beat, their striking Sri Lankan influenced costumes, gave them easy access to perform for many World Music Festivals. In July the group toured Canada organised by Entertainment Unlimited and Voice of Lanka in Toronto, with a definite promise to return for more concert gigs. At the end of July this year, they were in the midst of another great happening, which gave them the opportunity to meet with their teenage idols - the living legends of reggae music 'Third World'. It was a performance live to Europe from Jamiaca at the Reggae Beach Party in Guntramsdorf for a packed Irie reggae crowd. Jayasri went all out to impress the audience with their Asian reggae vibration and later when they were backstage talking to the brothers Ruggs, Cat and Rupton, Rohitha says he was bursting with joy - to be able to meet and pow wow with Third World! "Man that was something" writes Rohitha! Jayasri's summer tours came to a close with a performance in Nicosia, Cyprus this August where they entertained the large Sri Lankan community there working hard to send back monies for their families. With the festive season in Sri Lanka now moving into top gear, Jayasri hope to be here in December. If the whole band -Rohitha, Rohan, Anura, Parvez, Sumal and Moses - cannot make it, then the trio Rohitha, Rohan and Aruna are certain of being with their Sri Lankan fans. A third Jayasri CD will be recorded here...and who knows a performance as well....so until then from Jayasri "it's Da best to all our readers!!!" |
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