Entertainment

Elegant in performance

by Mahes Perera

[email protected]

A few years back November Rain was Warren and Rozette's tour de force. Since then the duo moved from strength to strength enriching their repertoire and simultaneously gathering fans as they progressed. Today Warren and Rozette are in a niche of their own - elegant entertainers of a calibre that is hard to match, and a joy to listen to. They know how to lift you out of a cloudy mood and put you in a happy step with life.

"We returned from Oman after completing a successful contract at Flavours a chain of fine dining restaurants. This was our third trip to Oman. It is a nice country and living is good.

The music is progressive but the cosmopolitan crowd they continue to go crazy over the music of Bob Marley, Bon Jovi and Bryan Adams says the friendly Warren the keyboardist and arranger of the duo.

"The cosmopolitan guests enjoyed the covers we played and of course the baila was danced to by the many Sri Lankans and Goans who patronised the restaurants. Now here in Sri Lanka we are performing on Friday nights at the refurbished California Grill, of the Galadari Hotel and we are looking forward to meeting up with our fans "chips in Rozette.

The duo perform a variety of music ranging from Pop, dance, R+B, slow rock, jazz fank, country music and old favourites. Warren has the experience and versatility to make alive the hits of Robbie Williams, Bryan Adams, Ronan Keating, Billy Joel, Bon Jovi, Eagles to name a few of them.On the other hand Rozette's sultry vocal artistry adds enchantment to their performance when she sings songs by Sade, Norah Jones, Shakira, Sherly Crow and Randy Crawford.

"Sri Lankan musicians now have the opportunity to perform on cruise ships that ply the Indian Waters with a full house of tourists. We were fortunate to perform on one of these trips. What the guests want music wise is evergreens and oldies and this was just up our street" continues Warren.

When you were in Oman were you able to perform on Oman radio? "Actually we were invited for a studio radio programme but our schedule was heavy and we were unable to make it we had to refuse the invitation. But we had newspaper interviews with the "Times of Oman" and "The Week" of Oman."

Quite enterprising Warren manages two bands Extreme and Transit and both performed in the Middle East. What about the future? "Hopefully by the end of this year I intend releasing a CD containing some covers and a few of my original compositions in English. I have already started working on them" answers Warren.

If you missed Wanen and Rozette these past few months then catch their scintillating performance at the California Grill on Fridays - the dance night.

The French Conxion unwinds

by Mahes Perera

If you revel in a volume decibel that hits the red on the metre then you are sure going to enjoy the sounds of The French Conxion when they stage their performance on February 29 at the Alliance Francaise.

This group comprising French and Sri Lankan musicians will play classic Anglo-American and French rock songs from the Sixties, Seventies and the Eightees.

They pride themselves that although they are no more teenagers still their repetoire contains a wealth of rock, R&B and soul which no other Sri Lankan band can boast of. They claim that it is unique and confess that whatever time, place or audience, they always play their music loud.

The Sri Lankan musicians are Richard Simon - guitar and Suresh Ganeshan - drums. The group is led by the keyboardist - Pascal Algier while the lead voice and percussionist is Denis Duffant.The trumpeter is Frederic Cherdon, the bassist is Francois Goulut while Neil Winston plays rhythm guitar.