 Enchanting music vibes
by Mahes Perera
Ever since she made her first
appearance on the stage performing Elvis Presley's Blue Suede Shoes at
the young age of nine years, Dalreen has stayed in the race of the music
industry. She has kept active throughout all the highs and lows the
industry had to face and by staying in the race has been able to make
things work for herself.
 Her music never ceased to excite and elevate the spirit of her fans
and has taken her around the world, the impact she has made resulted in
many returns to the stages here in Sri Lanka as well abroad.
Now to celebrate her successful years in music Dalreen will stage a
memorable show Life of Song - Part 2. The Music in Me.
"My last concert was in 2004 and I called it 'Then to Now' and I told
myself that a second concert would be a good idea at this time. As a
matter of fact I've been planning it for sometime and having my
discussions with those who will be performing with me.
The show will be on October 18 at the Ballroom of the Hotel Galadari
and will feature singers and bands I have been associated with during my
career" says Dalreen when we spoke with her to get the low down on the
concert.
Last time you had a varied programme what will it be like this time?
"The music backing will again be by the Gypsies and my guest
performers will be singers I truly admire. Aquarius led by Benjy will
feature Shiran Moonasinghe, Dhanu, Ray de Silva on vocals and also
Geoffrey Fernando, Gavin Senn, Melantha Perera, Mariazelle, Shyami
Fonseka, Kevin Almeida and Rajitha of Misty. Last time I featured solo
singers, this time I'm featuring lead singers of bands."
Covers of the Beatles, Tina Turner, Barry White, Michael Jackson,
Shaggy, Shirley Bassey and Abba will float around for the enjoyment of
pop music lovers plus Sinhala songs old and new which Dalreen will duet
with Sunil of the Gypsies. The duets and songs have been specially
selected to ensure that the audience enjoy a sizzling and tightly
arranged programme. Dalreen hopes to release her new CD of Sinhala songs
on which she is working and the secret of her success has always been
her simplicity in her rapport with her fans and her peers.
A new focus on choral music
September, the choral presentation by Choro Benedicte and Contempo
had its savoury and disappointing moments. Billed as a major production
with a contemporary twist to choral music and with a diverse range of
songs including the current choirs of St. Bridget’s Convent and St.
Benedicts’ as guests supported by the Colombo Brass Ensemble and Triloka,
the programme showcased the extent of talent among the participants and
if honed with commitment the results could be amazing.
The directors Krishan Rodrigo and Eshantha Pieris together with the
respective choral directors have to be congratulated for putting
together this performance which we imagine would have had many ups and
downs that had to be solved.
 The performance on Saturday September 26 opened with the strong ‘O
Fortuna’ sung by Choro Benedicte and Contempo which set the pace for
what followed in the first half of the programme. Choro Benedicte rose
to the occasion with five choral selections which included Fields of
Gold solo by Rajendra Ronald and Sounds of Silence which focused the
veteran singers Denzil and Bosco Perera.
The Bridgetine Choir directed by Priyanthi Seneviratne Vandort sang a
well controlled Ave Verum and Rejoice Sing Aloud followed by an
enthusiastic Medley of well known pop songs.
Contempo made their appearance under the direction of Eshantha Pieris
and his fluid conducting movements, with the haunting fishermen’s Hoiya
chant and added the Musaladi Vannama with its interesting rhythm
patterns. The liner notes fed us that the arrangement was in
collaboration with percussionist Pabulu Wijegoonewardena. The other
three selections Proud Mary, Natasha Beddingfield’s Unwritten and Joyful
reflected the creative expression of the director which gave many
moments of joy.
The second half unfortunately petered out. The Benedictine Choir
comprising young singers were billed too late. Looking at it impartially
the Choir should have been accommodated in the first half or made to
open the second half. It is unfair to keep young singers waiting.
Yet they made their impact with their rendition of the Swahili Baba
Yetu, Sting’s Desert Rose and the Jackson Medley with Dilan Lakshman in
the spotlight whose voice was strong and reminiscent of the young
Michael Jackson. It was left to Choro Benedicte and Contempo to bring
the concert to a close and they did so with three selections which
included the theme song September the big hit of Earth Wind and Fire.
When planning such concert performances it is important to avoid the
many appearances of the participants because then there is the tendency
to lose the impact and the audience are robbed of going home on a high
memorable note.
Warm French Jazz with St. Germain
by Nilma Dole
Even though his hit ‘Alabama Blues’ was renowned all over the world,
St.
Germain or the man known as Ludovic Navarre, pays homage to his
artistic roots of Boulevard Saint-Germain in Paris, France. His style
has been described as being a combination of house and nu jazz music
which is just ideal for relaxing and chilling on the Pont D’Art on a
lazy Sunday afternoon.
 Navarre’s album ‘Boulevard’ which was released in July 1995 sold over
350,000 copies worldwide and was elected Record of the Year in England
and was also nominated for the Dance Music Awards in London alongside
artists like Goldie, D’Angelo and Michael Jackson.
Certainly a mighty achievement for a ‘naughty Frenchie’.It was in his
private home studio in Paris where in 1991 he created his brand of
fusion music blending techno with jazz and blues, and ambient, house and
dub. Far from being a simple slapdash commercial sound collage, it
became a gradual matured blend, just like French wine that matured with
time.
Harnessing an eclectic and dexterous mix of machines and instruments,
roots and modernity, St.Germain is definitely a force to reckon with.
His United States debut, ‘Tourist’ that was released in 2000 sold
300,000 copies in the USA and 4 million copies world wide.
Bob Marley, Toots & the Maytals, Miles Davis and Kool and the Gang
are among Ludovic’s early influences. He composed his first work under
the name of Sub System with friend Guy Rabiller. He has released EPs
under a number of aliases, among them Deepside, LN’S, Modus Vivendi,
Nuages and Soofle. In the era gone by, the court of Louis XV in 18th
century France had a character who amazed everyone by pretending to be
several centuries old and it was he who went by the name of Saint
Germain.
As we enter into the 21st century, the person we’re concerned with
today is just as impressive, but claims to be only 30 years old and is
neither a swindler nor an aristocrat, but rather a maestro and a
handyman. Ludovic Navarre, alias Saint Germain, pioneer of the French
Touch, the new electronic music of France, has become an indisputable
and respected reference on the international music scene.
Without him, Daft Punk, Air and Dimitri From Paris would probably
still be playing parties out in the French sticks and doing mimes near
the River Seine.
Ludovic got into computers and worked as a DJ at the occasional
party. With a friend, Guy Rabiller, and then composed his first pieces
under the name of Sub System. Even at this stage, his overriding concern
was to avoid sounding like anyone else.
“At that time, techno rhythms were invariably played at 150 bpm
[beats per minute]; this tempo had become a straight jacket. So I began
taking everything more slowly” he said. He is accompanied by his jazz
outfit as Saint Germain, and since the album Boulevard, the group has
permanently featured Pascal Ohsé on trumpet, Edouard Labor on saxophone
and flute, Alexandre Destrez on keyboards and Edmondo Carneiro on
percussion.
“I’m not a musician,” says Ludo modestly. “I’m best with a computer
mouse.
After Boulevard in fact, I was thinking about giving up music. I felt
I’d got it all wrong.” Ludovic Navarre’s music transcends fashions and
trends and it definitely has to do with the name: The counts of St.
Germain simple never age. |
