|
|
|
| Sunday, 18 September 2005 |
 |
|
 |
Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
|
Happenings / People Exciting drum language by Mahes Perera
In town recently was drummer Hassen Musafer, of the famousJetliners who is now a freelance drummer in Hong Kong. Noted for his exciting drum language he is a member of the Latin jazz quintet Red Taurus in which Dylan Lye is the guitarist and Bubu Wijesinghe (affectionately called DC) is the drummer, Hassen Musafer was happy to be back and meet up with his musician friends of the past years and also young drummers who have not heard nor experienced his artistry at the drum stool. In fact a workshop was held to enable these drummers to meet up and exchange ideas and techniques to help them to develop their drumming skills. About twenty drummers gathered at this clinic. It was an interesting pow wow we had with Hassen Musafer as he reminisced over his early years, relating humorous moments during his career which always gives spice to a musician's life. A drummer with the legendary Jetliners from '72-'80, Hassen toured with the group when they played in Bombay, Hawaii and their final stay in Hong Kong in which country they had an unbelievable life span of more than ten years at the Regent before the band split up.
Hassen was also a member of Amazing Grace, Serendib and Lotus, this group that found unusual success led by Raja and Priyanthi Jalaldeen. In his smiling, unassuming quiet manner Hassen was a gentle force in introducing a new style in drumming in Sri Lanka which was soon followed by other drummers.Now in Hong Kong how's his music career going? "Since I'm a free lance drummer, this gives me more scope to sit in with different groupings which makes it interesting for me. Besides Red Taurus, I also play with a Chinese pianist Ted Lo and his quintet. Ted Lo has played with bassist Ron Carter and also with Herbie Hancock as the second pianist. Then I work with Sylvain Gagnon a bassist from Canada who leads a quartet. besides playing drums and percussion, I'm into tabla and the full Latin percussion - which is soul satisfying!" The influence of Shanghanese music? "Actually it is amazing. Anthony Leung a recording engineer and arranger has taken many Shanghanese songs and turned them into the jazz and Latin field. " Ganges - exclusively Indian A delightful surprise awaits you at the Ganges an exclusive Indian restaurant which was launched last week. Located at Independence Avenue, the restaurant specialises in North Indian cuisine and has joined the fast growing restaurant industry of Colombo.
As you step through the brass-studded wooden door, you are struck by the elegant decor in shades of blue and purple augmented by cleverly placed mirrors which give the restaurant that exciting sense of spaciousness and depth. An interesting feature is the bar counter which is a 22 feet aquarium. A huge painting of the river Ganges by Palitha Aluwane dominates almost an entire wall. Cuisinewise Ganges offers you the best in traditional Moghalai cooking, Paya Nahari a soup speciality, from Uttar Pradesh, Pasanda Boti kebab from the kitchen of the Nawabs of Lucknoor and more. The Nawabi Crab Masala are for those who enjoy crab meat but not tackling
the shell! There's Kadai lamb, Butter Chicken, Sarhan Khorma, an array of
Indian cottage cheese dishes Paneer, biriyanis in clay pots and desserts
tastefully Indian, all prepared by Chefs from India. Experience a
gastronomical journey as the Ganges gives you a taste of the traditional
food of the regions the river flows through. |
|
| News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security
| Produced by Lake House |
