Jazz for a Cauzz

by Mahes Perera

The famed Pianist, Singer, Composer and Music Educator in Singapore Jeremy Monteiro will be featured in a concert in Sri Lanka in aid of the National Cancer Institute, Maharagama.

Jeremy Monteiro

The concert arranged by the Singapore Club in Sri Lanka, will be held on February 23 at 7.30 p.m at the Park Street Mews.

Jeremy Monteiro recognised as Singapore's King of Swing has won acclaim in many countries and was recently awarded the Cultural Medallion in Singapore.

Jeremy will be performing with his trio and will feature an amazing singer Claressa Monteiro who performed with him at a fabulous concert to commemorate saxophonist James Mordy's 80th birthday.

In a recent interview he said that one of his best moments was when he performed at the prestigious Montreux Jazz Festival with his all star band which included Eldee Young and Redd Holt. Eldee Young is a brother to him and he confessed that when he was young he told himself that he would grow up like Eldee following his exemplary lessons on how to love life, be humble and warm towards people. Eldee continues to amaze him.

Apart from being a sensitive and creative pianist, Jeremy Monteiro as a singer has won praises. According to a critic. "Monteiro has an appealing and expressive voice...... You don't expect such a technically dazzling pianist to have such an intimate and wistful vocal sound...... He is a consistently excellent vocalist...." Jazz for a Cauzz is in aid of a worthy cause.

Ragamalika Carnatic Vocal Concert

The Indian Cutlral Centre, Colombo in association with COMAL is organising a Carnatic Vocal Concert entitled Ragamalika by renowned musician Kavalam Sreekumar from India at 5.30 pm on February 23 at the auditorium of Indian Cultural Centre, Colombo 7. The concert will be followed by a Recital of Malayalam poems. He will be accompanied on Violin by Gobithas and on Mridangam by Thivyarooba Sarma.

Kavalam Sreekumar

Kavalam Sreekumar is the son of Padmabhushan Kavalam Narayana Panikkar, well known poet and theatre director. Sreekumar started learning Carnatic music at the age of five. He learned music under the Masters Ambalappuzha Sivasankara Panikkar, Trichur Vaidyanathan, Mavelikkara Prabhakara Varma and Ambalappuzha Thulasi. He received advanced training in Carnatic music and Sopana music under B.Sasikumar. As a performer he has held concerts all over India and in many countries such as Russia, Japan, England, France, Singapore, America and the Gulf.

He also conducted voice culture workshops with upcoming music students. He composed several songs for Mohiniyattam and some of them are in the repertoire of Kanak Rele, Bharathi Sivaji and other famous dancers.

Sreekumar has a distinctive style of rendering that gives importance to voice culture, expression and clarity of lyrics.

He has anchored for four years a popular music program titled Ragolsavam, based on classical ragas in the Kairali Channel. He received many awards for his singing including the Kerala Sangeeth Natak Akademi Award for 2012.

The concert is organised with the support of State Bank of India, Colombo, Bluescope Lysaght, Taj Samudra, and Asian Paints.

Tharumalee, the shining star

Tharumalee, the shining star is telecast on Swarnavahini at 9.30 p.m. daily from Monday to Friday. Tharumalee is an innocent, poor, good looking teenager. Her parents Kusumawathi and Jayaratne live in a village called Ittepana.

Kusumawathi works under Edward Rajawansa, who owns large tea estates. Jayaratne runs a small boutique in the village. Tharumalee engages in education despite all hurdles and shortcomings. Whenever Edward Rajawansa visits the bungalow in this tea estate frequently, Kusumawathi's family attends to the needs of their boss and his family. The story unfolds with Edward Rajawansa, his wife Srimathi and son Suraj coming to reside permanently in the estate bungalow after eight years. Estate clerk Kuruwita assigns Kusumawathi and Tharumalee to help in the household chores in the bungalow. Colombo's well known building contractor, Senaka Wijenayake's eldest son Nirmal Wijenayake travels past the Ittepana village. He is being waylaid and assaulted by two gangsters Raja and Dharme. He is found unconscious near a deserted road. Suraj meets Tharumalee in the bungalow. Unable to control himself by Tharumalee's attractiveness Suraj tries to be funny with Tharumalee who scuffs Suraj's face and gets away. Suraj develops vengeance against Tharumalee hereafter. The cast includes: Vinu Siriwardana, Suraj Mapa, Kavinga Perera, Udayanthi Kulathunga, Kanchana Kodituwakku, Chamupa Godage Rajawansa, Buddhadasa Vithanachchi, Meena Kumari, Janaka Kumbukage, Kumari Munasinghe, Ajith Lokuge, Prasannajith Abeysuriya, Nirosha Herath, Nimal Anthony, Richard Weerakkody, Susila Kottage and Lakshman Amarasekara.

Semage's paintings on display in Melbourne

Kalasuri Jayasiri Semage.

Kalasuri Jayasiri Semage's three large oil paintings depicting the Kandy Esala pageant are now on permanent display at the Cinnamon Hall in Melbourne, Australia.

Sasara Gamana at Ampitiya

Vasantha Namaskara's 117th art exhibition entitled Sasara Gamana will be held at the Gemson International Meditation Centre, Ampitiya from February 25 to March 17.

Vasantha Namaskara	One of the exhibits

Lankan film producer at US Presidential Ball

Jeff Goonewardena, well known hotelier and former Consul General in Los Angeles was invited by the Joint Congressional Presidential Inaugural Committee to be present as a guest at the US Presidential Ball on Monday, January 21. He was the only Sri Lankan invited to this important event. The Presidential Ball was attended by the US Armed Forces, Top Military Officials and Special Guests. This is where President Obama danced with the first lady. Alicia Keys sang "Obama's On Fire", Smoky Robinson, Usher and many other well known artistes performed. Picture shows Jeff with the Presidential Inauguaral Committee Co-Chairman at the Grand Ball.

Jeff Goonewardena is the co-producer in Navin Gooneratne's production of Sri Siddhartha Gauthama, which is breaking records at the box office in Sri Lanka. Unfortunately, Jeff was unable to attend the premiere of the movie in Colombo, as the date clashed with the US Presidential inauguration.

According to Jeff, one of his main goals is "putting Sri Lanka on the map, in America."

Balloth Ekka Be at Punchi Theatre

A scene from the play

Ravindra Ariyaratne's popular play Balloth Ekka Be will be staged at the Namel Malini Punchi theatre today at 3.30 p.m. and 6.45 p.m. The cast includes Wijaya Nandasiri, Kumara Thirimadura, Roshan Pilapitiya, Gihan Fernando and Anusha Dissanayaka.

Visithma Craft exhibition at Lionel Wendt

The National Crafts Council will hold an exhibition of craft entitled Visithma at the Lionel Wendt Art Gallery, from March 19 to 21. Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa will open the exhibition on March 19 at 4 p.m. Indian High Commissioner Ashok K. Kanth will be the chief guest.