Entertainment

Sanath Nandasiri launches new CD

A leading light and virtuoso in the Sinhala music field Prof. Sanath Nandasiri will launch his new CD Kala Mekulu at the New Town Hall Green Path on June 14 at 5 p.m.

This new CD which comes after a hiatus of five years will be launched with a concert performance arranged by Visharada Manoj Pieris. Professor Sanath Nandasiri will sing a selection of the new songs from the CD.

The CD contains sixteen songs - thirteen of them are new, three of them his popular hits. Thilak Gunarathne now residing in New Zealand is the producer of the CD and was responsible for the lyrics of eight of the songs.

The other lyricists are Rev. Rambukkana Sidhartha, Bandula Nanayakkarawasam, Dr. Praneeth Abeysundera and Wasantha Rohana. The music was composed by Rohana Weerasinghe, Manoj Pieris, Navarathna Gamage, Mahinda Bandara and Deepthi Hapuarachchi.

Prof. Sanath Nandasiri is the Dean of the Music Faculty, University of the Visual and Performing Arts.

Dalreen wins coveted award

by Mahes Perera

The celebration of Women's Day this year was significant to Dalreen and her scintillating career in music and entertainment.

Equal Ground was proud to announce her as the winner of this year's women of excellence award in the field of entertainment which was presented to her at the Annual Women on Top celebration.

The Trustees of Equal Ground had a tough time short listing the nominees for the awards. Besides Dalreen who won the award for Music and Entertainment the other women recipients for 2007 were Anoma Wijewardena for Art; Dr. Niloufer de Mel for Literature; Sunela Jayawardena for Environment; Sangeetha Weeraratne for Cinema Actress and Deana Jayasuriya for Dance.

To Dalreen the award is another feather in her cap. "Last year 2006 was a hectic year with many overseas tours. 31st night was in London, then I went over to Kuwait, Oman, Auckland and Wellington in New Zealand and also Melbourne and Perth. Came the Sinhala New Year celebrations and I was in Melbourne, flew over to Sydney for the Dark Tan revival show with Alston Koch.

Came next the Ananda College Dance and the Lions Club dance in Melbourne and I was invited to perform for both these occasions at Melbourne. Oh before I forget 2006 saw me also in Canada for shows in Toronto, Vancouver and Calgary and at the dawn of 2007 I was performing at the Taj Palace Hotel, Bombay".

Dalreen recounts with that characteristic smile of hers. This year Dalreen confesses is somewhat hectic. She was featured at all the top concerts including the successful Spitfires Reunion three concerts.

What's in store for the future? "There are overseas tours in the bag and in between I will be putting the finishing touches to my new CD, featuring my originals. I intend opening a music school to pass on my singing knowledge to those who wish to benefit from a formal voice training".

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Aquarius moves to Orion

A short holiday back home and Aquarius will return to Doha Qatar this week, to play at the new venue the Orion at the Ramada Hotel. Before this break Aquarius were hotting it up at Ramada's disco Cube and according to Benjy, the band was playing to groovers numbering two thousand which kept them inspired and on their toes.

Aquarius alternated with a Philipino band called Mocha and the hours of playing were long 8.00 p.m. to 2.30 p.m. but still they enjoyed dishing out the Top 40 favourites.

"When we go back we will be playing at the Orion which is a new venue in the hotel, a night club restaurant an upmarket one, where we have to provide retro music of the 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, and this is something we are looking forward to" expressed Benjy.

Aquarius has extended its personnel to include four Philipino girls - singers/dancers, which gives the band a striking visual impact. Aquarius will be back home for their annual vacation in September.

M.P.

Anura performs on French TV

A jubilant Anura Jayasinghe telephoned us the other day from Paris to give us the happy news that he was featured on TV Tele-sud in a half- hour programme of music performance and interview in English and French.

The broadcast date was June 01, Paris time 9.30 p.m. and the programme was telecast live to Africa, Cuba and Brazil. His video clip for Nidi Nethi Re Yama a track from his latest album Sri Lanka Sitting Pretty in the Ocean was aired as well. He played solo on the programme with no other accompaniment.

"Noel Ranasinghe of La Ceylonians and I play the guitar in a particular style, that gives a full sound to the music" commented Anura Jayasinghe. "The rhythm of the music has similarities with the music of Cuba and Brazil and as a result the CD has become popular here in Paris. It is recorded on my label the only Sri Lankan one registered in Europe", informs Anura.

The CD contains fifteen tracks with two compositions in French Don't Cry My Angel and Welcome to my Island composed by Marie-Lean Dardillac, while the others were authored by Stanley Welgampola and Anura Jayasinghe.

Anura was the first Sri Lankan musician to introduce Sinhala original songs to French radio and television, and is the first Sri Lankan member of SACEM, the French authors, composers and editors union.

The supporting musicians on the CD are Asoka Rathnapala and Nilantha Ariyaratne - vocal and bass; Rohan Silva - vocal, mandolin and guitar, Varuna Jayasinghe - percussion and Surangi and Buddhika - female vocalists. The CD is now available at Barefoot.

M.P.

The new league of gentlemen

Much to the delight of egoists the Male Icons Award Presentation will take place an June 14 at the Hilton Colombo - a gala event with a select audience. The occasion will recognise the top male personalities of the country a new league of gentlemen, with the objective of creating role models for the youth to follow.

Basically all the participants will be from the corporate, sports, art and the entertainment field from which the Top Ten will be selected. Coupons for participation were published in the newspapers, 2000 entries were received with 150 different names.

The judging criteria will be based on personality, dress sense, achievements, contribution to society and social acceptance. The panel of judges will comprise seven and the Chairman of the Jury will be Rosy Senanayake - which is logical because a woman, according to the organisers can assess the qualities of a man better!

The advisor to the panel will be Nimal Wirasekera, Executive Director of the Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing. Hameedia's is the exclusive sponsor of the event.