Fusion for charity

The Sunshine Charity is all set to provide an evening of entertainment on Tuesday November 14, with the greater goal of raising awareness on the impact the tsunami, conflict and poverty have had on children.

The concert for a cause, One Rhythm, will feature local and foreign artistes such as Anthony Surendra and his band Shakthi, Ravibandhu, Jerome Speldewinde and Indian Nikhil Narayan who promise an evening of electrifying entertainment with both an Eastern and Western flavour.

Founder and leader of ‘Shakthi’, and well-known musician, fusion artist and composer, Anthony Surendra has performed with many recognized musicians and singers at home and abroad. Shakthi has released four successful albums and received the Rasa Sammana Award. Surendra apart, the band comprises Jagath Wickramasinghe, Anthony Vijendra, Trevyn Joseph, Janath Warakagoda, Sarath Fernando and Benhur Fernando.

Colourful and entertaining was ‘Rasa Sayang 2006’, the Malay Cultural Show organized by the Department of Cultural Affairs and the Bangsa Malayu di Sri Lanka held at the John de Silva memorial hall last Sunday. Traditional Malay dances, folk dances and music kept the audience entertained. Well known Malay artistes, Fareena Lye, Tony Hassan, Tuan Shums Packeer, Stanley Omar, B.D.K. Saldin, Gnei Rahim Shaheed, M.H.N. Emrandeen, Kumala Soujah, Ruffin Saldin, Haroon Lantra and T.F. Latheef were also felicitated at the event.

A master drummer of the traditional Sri Lankan school of music, Ravibandu will also be performing at the concert. His orchestra consists of a combination of the complete range of traditional Sri Lankan drums.

Shuttling between Melbourne and Colombo, Jerome Speldewinde plays jazz, country, Latin and calypso and now has a leaning towards Spanish, Brazilian, Cuban music and the blues.

Bringing a wealth of experience from Australia where he and his band play at corporate functions and at regular weekends at night spots, Jerome is likely to give a different dimension to the music of the night.

The other artiste for the night will be Nikhil Narayan, who has performed across the United States and in his home country India.

Indu Dharmasena, known for putting together shows that impact on minds for a long time, will direct the production.

The trustees of the Sunshine Charity, the organizers of this fundraiser are Angelika Fernando, Director Paradise Road Company, and her two daughters Annika and Saskia Fernando, Sharadha De Saram- independent media consultant and member National Board, Habitat for Humanity and her two children, Tesali and Sergei Ishviyan De Saram.

Eighteen months after the tsunami, they constructed a permanent day care centre in Sambalthivu, Trincomalee to look after the needs of 25 children affected by both the tsunami and the ethnic conflict.

In spite of the sporadic fighting in Trincomalee, the Sunshine Charity was able to recently hold a three-day creative Muppet Theatre workshop at their day care centre in Sambalthivu.

Tickets are available at The Gallery Shop at The Gallery Cafe, 2 Alfred House Road, Colombo 3.