Entertainment

A singer with a rare voice

by Mahes Perera

Coming back home to perform on stage as a special guest at the Hits of Yesteryear concert last Saturday week was wonderful, says Joey Lewis, whose performance of the hits of Neil Diamond had the audience in an ecstatic mood.

Joey singer/guitarist for the popular groups Amazing Grace and the Jetliners was in true form, his vibrant voice making that compelling impact with his fans who knew him in Sri Lanka and also with the newer group of music lovers who were hearing him for the first time.

"It made me happy meeting up with the guys and having come back and performed has re-kindled the desire to come back again. Damayantha Kuruppu hopefully will be in touch with me," voices Joey with that forthright camaraderie we all knew so well.

In London Joey Lewis tells us that his singing is confined to selective work. "Most of the time I'm handling production, writing and producing music for others and that takes a good portion off my work hours.

I have two children who are also involved in music. My daughter Lauren, she is into recordings, she's a fabulous blues soul singer, and also sings jazz and hip hop. She's got a wide range. With her music interests she's studying for a law degree.

Luke my son is basically a rock oriented guitarist and is just sixteen years old. He joined me on stage at the show to play for 'Feeling Alright' and the audience reaction made all of us happy," says the proud father. Sixteen years old Luke will be in the East Sussex Music Academy, next month to study guitar, musicology, maths and physics.

Joe Satriano is one of his guitar idols. An old boy of St. Peter's College, Colombo Joey was featured last Saturday at a St. Peter's College celebration that was held at the Trans Asia. On September 2 he will making an appearance at the jazz session along with the other musicians.

Music certainly runs in the family of Joey. His mother Myfanwy, an acknowledged and well-known singer, performed with many leading bands in Sri Lanka and as a soloist was quite in demand at numerous formal concerts and musical shows.

With her brothers the Pompeus clan - Desmond the pianist, Frankie the clarinettist and Eden the trumpeter/drummer they rocked the music scene then. Joey carried on the tradition with the gifted rich voice of his, and now his children Lauren and Luke are taking the music on to a different level.

"Hopefully I will be back next year to sing in a show for Malcolm Andre whose contribution to the music scene as a presenter in the early years was invaluable. I'm also hoping to make a tour in Europe, so keep your fingers crossed." On that forward spool thought we parted.

Children's ballet moves into the ant world

After a short hiatus which followed the loss of the doyen of dancing Chitrasena, his school the Kalayathanaya is in the throes of rehearsals for the novel Kumbi Kathawa (Ants Story) a children's ballet which will go on board on September 7, 8 and 9 at the Bishop's College, Auditorium.

There will be two shows on Friday 7 and Saturday 8 at 6 pm and 8.00 pm and Sunday 9 at 5.30 pm and 7.30 pm.

The story of the ballet is based on a Russian children's story and the ballet itself was created by Anjalika, the second daughter of Chitrasena and Vajira and the music is a mix of Indian music and African drums. The colourful costumes have been created with a great deal of thought, to enable freedom of movement for the child dancers. Tickets are reasonably priced.

Daily News is the media sponsor for the show.

Musical mix

Well-known singers such as Sohan Weerasinghe, Mariazelle Gunatilleke, Rukshan Perera, Primal Liyanage, Shanelle, Chandral Fonseka will gather to entertain music lovers at the Musical Band Wagon - show organised by the Moratuwa Arts Forum.

The event will be held on September 9 and will also feature singers and musicians like Channa Galapaththi, Lincoln de Silva, Lankika and Chanaka Perera, Manella Joseph, Robinson Ferdinando, Priya Peiris, Lucky Deva, Chandam Silva to name a few.

The musical backing will be by Super Pink and Purple. A extensive programme of entertainment is on the cards at Hotel Ranmuthu with a session of sing-a-long thrown in, plus exciting Latin dance routines for a visual impact. A souvenir and ticket draw during the show will offer many prizes to the audience.

Creating cultural bridges

The Goethe-Institute Sri Lanka is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year and accordingly has lined up a series of musical festivities with the intention of creating cultural bridges between the two countries.

The first of these is a gala concert with German and Sri Lankan musicians who will perform new music and old music, and we are given to understand, that the music will be interpreted in a novel way. The programme will feature music by Johann Sebastian Bach, Pradeep Ratnayake, Ludwig van Beethoven and Felix Mendelssohn - Bartholdy.

The performers are the German Cellist Ramon Jaffe, Sri Lankan pianist Ramya Perera and - The Sri Lankan satirist Pradeep Ratnayake. The Gala Concert will be held at the Auditorium of the Colombo International School, Gregory's Road, on September 8 at 7.00 pm.