Entertainment

Internationally acclaimed percussionist

by Mahes Perera

Call him a genius in rhythm and you are spot on. Watching him playing intricate beats with terrific speed on his beloved congas you wonder whether his wrists will fly off his arms. To Sri Lankan Sunil de Silva percussion is his life.

He has achieved acclaimed heights in Australia which no other Sri Lankan has, to date, through sheer skill and humility. He doesn't believe in showing off his technical prowess on stage to drown off the other instrumentalists.

He knows that he is an important cog in the whole wheel of music and he knows how to give that special thrust to a band and to the performers to make the music sound extraordinary.

That is why he is a much sought after percussionist in Australia who has sat in for more than four hundred CD sessions, a thousand commercials and about five hundred tours with Australian and international artistes.

"I came back home after a tour with Australia's leading trumpeter James Morrison's called "On The Edge." He is my favourite musician. Each member of his band is hand picked and their music is of a high standard.

On tour there are no rehearsals, you read the music put in front of you. The tour took us to Switzerland, Germany, France, Italy, England and it was memorable," says Sunil whose music roots come from Moratuwa famous for musicians and fishermen.

How did the endorsement for LP instruments come about? "I was playing a gig for a band in the Sydney Basement and there was this guy who was Sergio Mendis' percussionist, Ron Powell by name, he was listening to me and he advised LP to contact me for endorsement. I was overwhelmed. I guess I was there at the right time to receive this recognition.

The focus on percussion has come to stay in the music scene."

Long before he left our shores, Sunil de Silva played with Savages led by Raj Senewiratne. In fact he says he was influenced by Raj and his music. "I came from a poor background, I used to bicycle my way from Moratuwa to come and play with the Savages, I used to look up to them.

I learnt from Harris Jurangpathy and Upali Fernando and I'm grateful to Raj for giving me the break to play in Singapore with the Savages which triggered off my international career," expresses Sunil. A lot of our young musicians feel they can play the congas, what would your advice be to them?

"You've got to try and learn from the best percussionists of today, through CDs or VCDs. Today Giovanni Hidalgo is considered the best, so listen to him often and learn off him. I spent five days with him in Sydney and Canberra, it was so refreshing. I'm hoping to comeback to Sri Lanka and teach the youth the correct technique of playing percussion.

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Crossfade in focus

Four years in existence and Crossfade have had their fair share of success. Headed by keyboardist / vocalist Lucky Kulatunge the trio includes Ishani his wife on vocals and Aruna Bandujeewa - guitar / vocals.

Speaking with Lucky the other day, he informed us that when necessary Crossfade becomes a one man band with him handling the music. "I started my career with Charade, Super Pink 'N Purple and Pioneers and I have more than twenty five years experience in the music scene.

We were featured at all the five star hotels in Colombo like at the Breeze Bar and the Intercontinental Barbeque. We have also performed in the Southern circuit at Bentota, Ahungalla and Kalutara and in hotels in Negombo.

I find that with a three piece band you get a good balanced output that does not disturb the pleasure of guests at weddings, corporate functions and at lobbies, and we've performed at many such events.

Our repertoire is wide. We sing songs of 50's to 80's and also famous Sinhala songs of Clarence, Milton, Jothi, CT Fernando, the songs of Bathiya & Santhush and Chamara Silva." With the festive season round the corner you are going to hear more of Crossfade for sure!

Mary Wilson of Supremes in performance

Mary Wilson of the Supremes fame will be in Sri Lanka for an exclusive performance at a Black & White Evening on November 3 at the Oak Room, Cinnamon Grand.

The Supremes with Diana Ross, Mary Wilson and Florence Ballard burst into the music scene with their famous Motown sound and rocked the global charts in the 70's with their many golden hits.

It was an era that was innovative, creative and laid the foundation for the development of music with that special 'black' identity. Mary Wilson will be backed by a seven member band and all proceeds will go towards charities working with Sri Lanka's landmine victims, primarily children who become the unfortunate victims.

Her mission to Sri Lanka is for Humpty Dumpty Institute and the host hotel is Cinnamon Grand. A world renowned performer she was appointed Cultural Ambassador by US Secretary of State Colin Powell in 2003 and undertook missions to Botswana, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Bosnia, Mozambique, Oman, Uruguay and Argentina.

She authored the best seller "Dreamgirl: My Life As A Supreme," which inspired the Oscar winning film "Dreamgirls." She is in Sri Lanka to raise awareness about landmines and unexploded ordnance.

M.P.

German melodies a la Bavarian Band

Music lovers who enjoy the melodies of marches, waltzes, old waltzes and evergreen favourites have the opportunity to savour their favourite tunes played and sung by the Bavarian Band now featured at the Oktoberfest at the Hilton Colombo.

The Band has been flown in by Sri Lankan Airlines and will be performing till November 4.

What was once a royal wedding festivity in Munich is now an yearly entertainment and besides the large spread of Bavarian traditional and authentic food, in which sausages play a prominent role, the Oktoberfest has a programme of interesting games and spectator participation is invited.

If you haven't tried it before, then here's your chance to show off your prowess in the traditional games like power hammer, wrestling, dancing on tables. The Bavarian Band is a nine piece outfit with trumpets, saxes, trombones, clarinet, piano, accordion and with the rhythm section, the music is dynamic, powerful and irresistible!

M.P.