DOWN MEMORY LANE 2012
“GOLDEN OLDIES SING – A – LONG”
The musical City of Moratuwa will come alive singing when the Moratuwa Arts Forum (MAF) present ‘Down Memory Lane’ on November 18, at the newly refurbished Ranmal (air conditioned) Holiday Resort Gorakana Moratuwa.
As most music lovers are aware, this sing –a – long concert has come to be known as the prime Golden Oldies event in Sri Lanka. This year’s event is the 15th programme in the annual series and as in previous years, this event will feature vintage songs from the British Isles, American Cowboy andPlantation hits, Dixiland songs and Negro Sprituals, Calypsos, old Favourites, from many lands, songs from the 60’s, 70’s & 80’s era along with Sinhala favourites. An attractive songbook comprising all songs performed at the sing-a-long session plus many other oldies making a total of 100 songs will be given to every ticket holder at the gate
The Project Committee for ‘Down Memory Lane’ this year is headed by former bassist Brian Coorey and singer and percussionist Suranga Fernando along with Hiran Fernando, Laksiri Fernando, Delvin Pereira and Jagath Peiris and the ex-officio members MAF President Lincoln de Silva of Super Pink N Purple, Secretary Priya Peiris of Labambas fame and treasure Ivan de Silva of Pink N Purple and Peddlers fame. The Project Chairman stated that songs such as ‘Old folks at home’, ‘Red River Valley’, ‘ Your are my Sunshine’, ‘Isle of Capri’, ‘Roses are Red’. ‘Irish Eyes’, Eidelweiss’ would be featured together with more recent oldies such as ‘Obladi, Oblada’, ‘Judy, ‘Oh my Darling’, Words’, ‘Paper Roses’ at this 2 ½ hour concert. Similar to previous years, there would be raffle draws on tickets with many prizes given away. The best singing Vintage couple also will receive a special gift.
The well known singing stars of the Forum (MAF) will be there in full strength urging you to sing a – long while Super Pink N Purple led by Lincoln de Silva will provide the backup music for the singing. Tickets are moderately priced at Rupees 750/- and are now available at Milk House Idama, MultiPhamacy Rawatawatte, Leonards & Fairdeals Holy Cross Junction, Chamine Music Parlour 27A Mendis Avenue or Call Lankika; 077 7782848 or Mala; 077 7411491.
Tributting his late father Gratian Ananda who was gifted with an unmatchable cinema screen voice, young singer Mario Ananda will bring ‘Mario Anandaneeya Geetha Rathriya’ at 6.30 pm on December 1, 2012, at Musaeus College Auditorium, Colombo.
The show will feature a number of Gration’s ever popular hits sung by Mario with Kalasoori Latha Walpola, Uresha Ravihari, Nathasha Perera and Anuradha Nandasiri to the music of Athula Adhikari. The show will be compered by Saranga Disasekara.
Like many singers, Gration’s initial apprenticeship was as a chorister at All Saint’s Church, Borella where he talked fondly of the support given to him by the parish priest Rev. Fr.John Herath. He has not looked back since his mother gifted him a mouth organ. From then onwards, his life reads like a page from the history of contemporary popular culture. As a teenager, he was the lead guitarist of ‘The Fortunes’ in that heady era of Sinhala ‘pop’ music initiated by the likes of Clarence Wijewardene and Milton Mallawarachchi. Since then he has worked with music directors as diverse as the late Stanley Pieris and Amaradeva and was an indispensable part of the popular cinema mills presid- ed over by Yasapalitha alitha Nanayakkara and Sena Samarasinghe, the two great magicians of the popular Sinhala cinema. Well-known as a musician with a beauti-beautiful heart and soul, Gration’s gifted voice matched a range different superstars including Gamini Fonseka, Joe Abeywickrama, Ravindra Randeniya, Sanath Goonathilake, Jeevan Kumarathunga, Priyankara Perera, Ranjan Ramanayake, Wimal Kumara De costa, Damith Foneka, Ajith Jinadasa, Channa Perera, Palitha Silva, Kamal Addaraarachchi, Rodger Senevirathne and many more.
Inheriting the harmonious, the unique, yet versatile voice and the amazing talent in creating original music pieces as a music director, Mario Ananda Abeykoon he takes up after his father, in his journey of life which they were going to walk together…
Mario displayed his undoubted amazing talents gifted by the Almighty Father, at the tender kindergarten age, when he played the piano, drums and guitars excelling in singingsinging hhis fathers’ versatiletile ssong for religious rerecordings, and vari ious commercial advertisements, and also winning t the best vocalist’s tittitle at various singinging ccompetitions. Being a 21 year old, winning the hearts of his father’s fans he has proved to be the son, bringing hope to all who were saddened by the unexpected loss of late Gration Ananda, there is hope for all who love music, who knows the value of beautiful music, the music which talks to you, talk to your heart and feelings, music which brings tears to your eyes, music which truly makes you happy relieves you from your stress or which makes you stretch your arms wide apart and turn in circles… after the loss of great musicians as late Sarath Dasanayake, guru of Gratian Aanada, and many others after that. It is not a secret the Sri Lankan music industry is trying hard to crawl up the ladder to where it used to be back in the 70s 80s and 90s, the times when audiences flocked to the cinema just to listen to the music and
unforgettable melodies.