Entertainment

Peace messengers a la reggae

by Mahes Perera

Keeping the Sri Lankan flag flying high in Austria with their special brand of Sinhala reggae songs is the group Jayasri who was featured at the World Music Festival in Vienna - the Danube Island Open Air on August 5.

Writing to us Rohitha says that these were many international bands from Africa, Caribbean and Europe some of the well-known being Sigi Finkel and African Heart, Ras and Roots, Ghettoman and the Believers and Family Kuti. All the bands that performed projected their ethnic themes in the lyrics.

Reggae Jam 2007 which opened last month saw many events taking off especially the Open Air Festival in Reinsberg, Roz World Music Open Air Festivals in Slowenca on the Austrian border, the Summer Jam 2007 and these kept Jayasri on the hop moving from one to another event. Jayasri, the Peace Messengers, have successfully established themselves in Vienna and their Saamaya - Peace Tour has seen them touring Austria, Italy, Slowenca and recently to an Open Air Festival in South Korea.

"The coming months tours will be to South Korea again, Ansan City in mid September and end of September of Verona, Milano and Lekko in North Italy. In mid October we go to North America for performances in Canada Toronto, Vancouver and hopefully, a continuation to USA for which we are awaiting the confirmation, informs Rohitha.

Toronto has now become a popular concert stage for Jayasri what with the many Sri Lankans living in this town who are always eager to hear their unique reggae vibes which are also lapped up by the Caribbeans, Latinos and the Canadians living there. The group's popularity has resulted in them being booked for performances in Holland, UK, Cyprus and the Middle East in the coming months till the end of this year.

Jayasri Live in Europe a DVD with tracks from their performances at the Reggae Jam Festivals is in the making so too, new video clips for their songs Situkumariye , Ay May , See Dewi .

VIDC Moving Cultures an Austrian organisation which works to bring different cultures and music together for worldwide distribution has featured their latest songs Saamaya and Situkumariye in the new World Music Compilation CD, while Maha Muhuda , Tsunami Song and Ay May are being aired on the Asian Underground Channels worldwide. Good wishes Jayasri for your September tour to South Korea!

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Lets Save Sajee:

Super Stars in action

The university students of the Department of Mathematics Faculty of Applied Science are banding together to raise funds for an absolutely worthy cause. One of their colleagues a third year undergraduate student Sajendra Weeratunge is suffering from the dreaded Leukaemia, and the treatment, so painful, is extremely costly.

To raise the funds the students are staging a musical show on August 18, titled 'Let's Save Sajee' at which nine 'Super Stars' have volunteered to perform backed by Mahesh & Friends.Don't miss out on the music of Shihan Mihiranga, Theekshana Anuradha, Varuna, Dharshana, Mohan, Nishantha, Anupama, Minoli, Erandhi and Gayan.

The event will be held at the National Youth Centre and the electronic media will be Sirasa FM/TV.The students send out a special appeal to all music lovers to support this worthy cause. Tickets are available at Cargills Food City at Maharagama, Wijerama, Majestic City, Kiribathgoda and Staples Street.

Golden melodies

Songs that were popular in the '70s will be revived at the musical show Golden Melodies of the '70s next Friday (August 18) staged at the Bishop's College Auditorium. This will be an entertainment at its best says the presenter Annesley Malawana who is keen that the audience be in their seats by 6.30 p.m.

Leading lights in the '70s will sing their big hits and the stars include Annesley, Indrani Perera, Mariazelle, Christopher Paul, Joe B. Perera, the Dharmaratne Brothers, Priya Pieris and Anil Bharati. The singers will be backed by Annesley's band Super Chimes.

Adding extra colour to this show will be the enthralling Channa Wijewardene's Troupe and threading the show together will be the veteran emcee Vijaya Corea. The Ceylinco Savings Bank Sports Club will present the show in association with Annesley Malawana.

Indunil proud winner of Arts Festival award

Talented Asela Indunil Gunasekera was the winner in the Mask Dance and Song Competition held at the Arts Festival on April 5 at the Elphinstone Theatre. He is the son of Upali Gunasekara,DIG Trincomalee.

The Festival was presented in collaboration with IDM Colombo and The Rotrac Club, and he received his award from the IDM Chairman Bandu Ranasinghe. A student of Ananda College Indunil learnt the rudiments of Kandyan Dancing from his teachers Sanath and Mrs. Anne and also Wijeratne Dissanayake of the Ananda College tutorial staff.

He is grateful to them for making him into a good dancer. A third year graduate student of IDM Indunil hopes to achieve success in higher computer studies with the IDM Institute which has several branches islandwide.