Rap not round good oldies- Sarath

Chamikara WEERASINGHE

SARATH Gunasekera, oriental singer and Esraj player based in New Jersey, US, friend to the band named “Jersey Ceylonians” in US, is now in Sri Lanka to record some songs for a new CD.

Sarath has lived in New Jersey for 19 years.

The artist has already recorded a couple of songs with Nanda Malini . And one with vocalist Shashika Nisansala.

These songs were recorded at Ranga Dassanayaka’s Hit Factory at Bambalapitiya.

Ranga, the silent success story behind music of Bhatiya and Santhush, has composed several music tracks for Sarath’s voice.

Sarath remembered how Ranga’s father, late music director Sarath Dassanayaka had composed music for him. In fact he had been a student of Sarath Dassanayaka who did music for his first song Album, “Rosa Kelewa” released in August, 1998.

“What a turn out of events since then ,” he reflected.

“It was in the same year that we got the message from Sri Lanka that Sarath had passed away. Ranga was with us in the States during this time doing a course in sound engineering and his music degree.”

“We flew back to Sri Lanka with Ranga to pay our last respects to Sarath,” he said.

Sarath Gunasekera told this story in an interview with the In Tune last Thursday. The artist was met by In Tune at Lake House premises where he was present with his daughter Harini Dilma (9 years).

She has done a children’s song for his father’s CD, “She sang “Handa mama” by putting the Sinhala words into

 English. She has done a good job though,” said the father.

In Tune: How many songs you have done so far?

Sarath: I have done 30 songs so far with the two duets which I sang with Nanda Malini, one a patriotic song, “Sohoyuriyai Ma Obe, Sohoyuraya Ma Obe” and the other, a song about a mother’s love titled “Le Kiri Erune.” The lyrics are by Saman Chandranath Weerasinghe.

These two songs are special because this is the first time that Nanda Malini has sung lyrics of Saman.

I also did a duet with Shashika Nisansala. The song “Kandu Mudunata Yamu Tharu Ganinna”(“Let’s Go to the Mountain Top to Count the Stars”) written by Ajantha Ranasinghe. Ranga composed music for the songs, Prathama Premaya, Bethleheme E Bilindu Lene and Me Pem Mal Mawathe. Rohana Weerasinghe has composed music for most of the other songs.

In Tune: Your musical background

Sarath: I learned my music from late Sarath Dassanayaka. Improved my Western music knowledge in Europe and America.

In Tune: There is a good developing market for Western genres,Hi Hop and Rap music in Sri Lanka . Why don’t you follow that path ?

Sarath: I have my style in oriental music. But I cannot say that I like the way that some rap or hip hop songs are produced here making use of old time Sinhala favourites to rap on to.

In Tune: But they do it in the US. Don’t they?

Sarath: But most of them are originals. And some of them are made to show respect to the original artists.

In Tune: What do you think should happen?

Sarath: It is good for the future of the Sri Lankan rap scene that those who do them do their originals instead of agressively drawing old songs to rap around. They appear to do this for commercial reasons because they know very well they can sell the old melody save rap ingredients and powered beats they use on them.

In Tune: What if Harini , your daughter wanted to get along with rap music when she grew up?

Sarath: I don’t see any reason that I should discourage her as long as she is creative in that dimension:

In Tune from Harini: Don’t you like rap music Harini?

Harini: I like my dad’s music.

Sarath has a son in Penn State, Saman Gunasekera, who plays piano. He remembered his wife, Geethika commending the support she has given to him to be the singer he is today.

Shashika to face new music

Chamikara WEERASINGHE

Shashika Nisansala, a quiet character and a predominant singing sensation in Sri Lanka, is to face the music to the tune of her marriage in the foreground and her Drama and Theatre final exams at the Kelaniya University to be held shortly.

The nervous vocalist, who has passed many hurdles to become a star emerging from a distant township like Deraniyagala in the Kegalle District, beamed with smiles when the In Tune asked her if there was any reason behind her being more or less dormant in releasing any song albums for this year.

Nisansala had promised her fans through these columns last year that she would release a new CD and told us that she was in the process of collecting songs for the album.

This is how she responded to In Tune

“Well, I had to hold off some plans because I am studying for my Drama and Theatre final exams for MA,” she said.

So, have you stopped going for shows as well?

“No, I go for them.”

So, it is as usual?

Not really. No there are other things like I am thinking in terms of getting married.

So, you’ve made a choice.

Yes, but this will take some time, probably next year. As for the song album, it will be done in due course.

Commenting on her choice, Nisansala said that he was a biochemistry student from Kelaniya University who works in a private company.

August Chimes 2007 today

The 12th English Day programme ‘August Chimes 2007’ with song and dance will be stage today at 2 p.m. at the Youth Centre, Maharagama. The programme is specially designed to create a more vibrant environment for the students to use English situationally and more meaningfully.

It is an attempt to unearth the hidden talents of the students and an opportunity for the parents to witness the hidden talents and versatility of their children.

The programme will provide an opportunity for students to develop and enhance their communicative skills through role play, playlets, dramas, announcing and song.

Four dramas ‘The Mother’, ‘The Gossips’, ‘Bosom Friends’ and ‘The Dear Departed’ will be staged.

There are 16 dialogues. Each dialogue has a message. That is the message of importance and character development.

The chief guest will be Mrs. Marini Fernando, Head of English, Lyceum International School, Nugegoda.

Hits of Yesteryear by Wesley College at BMICH

Sunil Perera of Gypsies, Ronnie Leitch, Corrine, Annesley, Mariazell, Keerthi, Ricky B, Shanelle and Rajitha will perform at Hits of Yesteryear, a musical extravaganza organised by Wesley College Parent-Teacher Association and DK Promotions, to be held tomorrow (25) at BMICH, Colombo 7 from 7 pm.

The proceeds of this event will go to Wesley College Development Fund.

Music to remember Rukmani Devi

Mavila Penevi A musical evening to commemorate the 29th death anniversary of late Actress and singing icon Rukmani Devi will be held on August 26 at Rukmani Devi Hall, Negombo from 6.30 pm. Music will be provided by Seeduwe Sakura. Ravindra Randeniya, Upali Kannangara, Gration Ananda, Ronnie Leitch, H. R. Soyza, Divya Sonali will be the guest artists.

Carlos Santana

Birth name Carlos Augusto Alves Santana

Born July 20, 1947 (age 59)

Origin Autlán de Navarro, Jalisco, Mexico

Genre(s) Latin-Rock, Blues

Occupation(s) Guitarist

Instrument(s) Guitar

Years active 1966 - present

Carlos Augusto Alves Santana (born July 20 1947), known simply as Carlos Santana or Santana, is a Grammy Award-winning Mexican-born American Latin rock musician and guitarist.

He became famous in the late 1960s and early 1970s with his band, the Santana Blues Band, going mostly under the title “Santana,” which created a highly successful blend of salsa, rock, blues, and jazz fusion. Their sound featured his often high-pitched and distorted guitar lines set against Latin American instrumentation such as timbales and congas.

Santana continued to work in these forms over the following decades and experienced a sudden resurgence of popularity and critical acclaim in the late 1990s.

Over his career he has sold an estimated 80 million albums worldwide.