Virtuoso musician
 

by Mahes Perera

Unparalleled in his lifetime M.K. Rocksamy was a virtuoso musician, a violinist with a lustrous tone, impeccable in his technique and a music director with more than a touch of the genius. His wife Indra tells us that this brilliant musician significantly was born on a Wednesday (September 13, 1932) he married her on a Wednesday and he passed away on a Wednesday on November 30, 1988.

Rocksamy hailed from a family of excellent musicians. His mother played the seraphina and violin professionally and his father too was into music. Thus he had a rich inheritance of music which developed to a pitch that he could play professionally with no rehearsals, as endorsed by many of his colleagues and witnessed by audiences.

A multi-instrumentalist Rocksamy 'Rocky' (as he was fondly called) played the tabla, and saxophone. Initially he was a saxophonist and was responsible for introducing the sax to the Sinhala Oriental Music Orchestra at SLBC. The switch to violin came about after intensive studies of Carnatic music under Mr. Sangaralingam. A master of his craft Rocksamy's halcyon days began when he joined the SLBC orchestra and was a key musician at the countless number of 'Live' music programmes broadcast over the Sinhala and Tamil services. No programme was complete without Rocky.

His musical rapport with the Orchestra members was an inspiration to them - a word of advice on the notation, or a display of light and shade in the expression of the phrase to bring out the emotion of the tune were well received by the members. To them he was a friend guiding them on the correct path to bring out the best in them and in the tune.

During his fifteen year stay at SLBC (he joined in the 60s) violinist Rocksamy was a familiar figure at live music programmes on ITN and also on Rupavahini. His artistry was in demand by famous artistes like Sunil Shantha, Dr. W.D. Amaradeva, Nanda Malini, Mohideen Baig, Sujatha Athanayake, Victor Ratnayake, G.S.B. Rani, Lata Walpola and more.

Rocksamy's fame and success escalated when he decided to branch off as a music director for Sinhala and Tamil films. The Vijaya Studio Wattala, the Government Film Unit, Narahenpita, Ceylon Studios, Thimbirigasyaya, SPM Studios Kandana, Sarasavi Studios Kelaniya, echoed to the music of Rocky and to his voice calling out the beats, or giving quick, last minute instructions before recording which always happened throughout the night until the early hours of morn. This was a regular music feature for all the seventy odd Sinhala and Tamil films he directed.

Some of Rocksamy's famous films were Sansara, Dheewarayo, Chandalee, Deviyane Oba Koida, Ra Manamalee, Maha-Ra Hamuwa Stree, Ran Rasa, Sri Pathula, Mage Amma, Ratharan Kanda, Rathathin Ratham Maniyar Veedu, Naan Ungul Tholan to name a few.

Working along with Rocksamy in his compositions were the acknowledged lyrics writers Karunaratne Abeysekera and Dharmasiri Gamage.

There were no barriers in music for Rocksamy. His consistent creativity and artistic integrity saw him not only at Oriental shows including Carnatic music, but also at Jazz Festivals playing fusion, which he did with the Adrian Ferdinands Combo, as well as Rock concerts, in Rock Fusion with guitarist Kumar Navaratnam that were held at John de Silva Theatre. He was a master at letting his music thoughts unfurl with eloquence, his prowess was indisputable. His son Jeevan does play keyboards, guitar and drums, we hope he will be on stage one day. His daughters Anna and Angela unfortunately are not into music fully.

A humble man with no avid interest in money, who helped many a musician in the industry, Rocksamy was a legend in his own time, his music well ahead of the times and he deserved all the honours showered on him. If you are a believer in horoscopes maybe his fame was 'pre-ordained' from birth.