Pradeep Ratnayake releases his latest CD Mee Amba Vanaye:

Instrumental version of C. T. Fernando’s songs

The latest Compact Disc by sitarist Pradeep Ratnayake containing the work done just before he left for Columbia University, New York, on a Fulbright scholarship to study music, was recently released in Sri Lanka. It is an instrumental version of the beloved songs of Sri Lankan singer, songwriter and composer C.T. Fernando, titled Mee Amba Vanaye, produced by Wijaya Ramanayake of Tharanga Enterprises.

“It had always been my wish to capture old Sri Lankan songs on my instrument,” says Pradeep. “My very first CD was Sitar Gee Rava where I played very old melodies that are part of our collective memory. That was about twenty years ago.

Then I composed my own work and was busy with that but I had always wanted to pay a tribute to the old masters of this country in my own way too. And this is the first of that attempt that has come out - a tribute to C.T. Fernando.”

Leading musicians of Sri Lanka who have always been a part of Pradeep’s music have given their talent to make this CD too what it is: Harsha Makalanda, Lakshman Joseph de Saram, Alston Joachim, Soundari David, Upula Madhushanka, Mahendra Pasquel, Shiraz Noor Amith, Christopher Prins, Sangeet Wickramasinghe, Jananath Warakagoda, Janaka Bogoda, Mervin Priyantha, Jayantha Dissanayake, Dhananjaya Somasiri, Sajeewa Gurusinghe, Rohan Silva, Sujeewa Ranasinghe, Ashoka Pieris, Nuwan Vithanage, Navin Hemantha, Ajith Kodikara, Rasika Hewage, Ruwan Rakhitha, Niresh Perera and Ranjith Silva. The music was recorded at the Penguin Studio and digitally mastered by Batangala.

Pradeep’s scope both as a performer and a composer is sweeping. His excellence in classical music, his innovations in modern fusion music, his compositions for film and ballet all speak of the fluency and seamlessness of his instrument and musical thought.

Sri Lankan audiences are aware of his Pradeepanjalee concerts which have earned him an international reputation. Between the first instrumental CD and this, Pradeep has made four music disks of his own compositions, Indrakeelaya, Roots, Visva and Sithijaya and a DVD featuring the most popular pieces of his Pradeepanjalee music concert series.

Pradeep is one of the few musicians trained in Eastern music to have been given a chance to study at the prestigious University of Columbia.

On a ‘Professional Development’ scholarship from the United States - Sri Lanka Fulbright Commission, he has learnt Jazz under Professor Ben Waltzer and Modern Music under Professor Arthur Kampella with whom he has performed a few times in New York.

His current interest is in computer music and he is working with Professor Bradford Garton, Terence Pender and Daniel Iglesia to see how the sitar can be adapted to it. He is also studying studio sound engineering and hopes to use all the knowledge he gathers for the benefit of his students at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura when he returns.

Pradeep’s uniqueness lies in the fact that while he moves forward, he also reaches out to his own past, as evidenced by his latest release. Mee Amba Vanaye has all the sweet nostalgia that is associated with CT Fernando. It also has Pradeep’s own brand of energy with his new arrangements in styles ranging from jazz to country music. All in all, it should hold a treat for lovers of all types of music.

PR