I have been a fan of Sursudha and their music for some time now, and it was with anticipation that I attended their recent concert at the Lanka Oberoi recently, when they were flown in for a peace concert, and also to release their newest CD , entitled "The Third Eye". It is supposed to represent their love of Buddhism and especially evoke memories of Lumbini , the birthplace of the Lord Buddha. Sursudha com. surprises three musicians : Prem Rana "Autari" on flute , Surendra Shreshtha on tabla and Bijaya Vaidya on sitar. The three of them have been playing together for around eleven years ago and have performed around the world , touring albums like "Festivals of Nepal" , "Images of Nepal" and "The Himalayan Lores".
As musical ambassadors for Nepal they perform their job admirably. Their music is steeped in the myths of the mountains and valleys of the country, managing to create pictures in the head of the places that they visit in their songs.
Their album "The Third Eye" comprises nine tracks, with titles like "Nirvana", "Shanti" , "Chaitya" and "Bodhimarga - The Path of Enlightenment".
Drawing heavily on images and concepts of Buddhism , this is a musical meditation , a contemplation of the component parts that make up the faith.
Track 3 , entitled "Vihara" is actually recorded live in a monastery, with the sound of monks performing devotional exercises and brisk chants . Lithe and flowing , "The Third Eye" is indeed a rewarding and refreshing break from the hustle of daily life.
The English Lakes Touring Company is soon to perform at the Colombo Hilton's Serendib Ballroom where they will present the play "The Time of My Life" by Alan Ayckbourn.
"The Time of My Life" charts the decline and fall of a successful family business founded and nurtured by Gerry and Laura Stratton.
It is Laura's fifty-fourth birthday and Gerry has organised a small family dinner at their favourite restaurant. Domestically, all seems well. Glyn, their eldest son has patched up his marriage with Stephanie, younger son Adam has a new girlfriend and is deeply in love.
But, as we suspect all this is surface stuff. For as their evening proceeds the play reveals skeletons from the past and a spectre of the future.
The play will take the form of a dinner theatre on June 30, 1997 at 7.30 pm.
This event is sponsored by the House of Maliban, Gulf Air, Walkers Tours Limited and Keells Hotels.
Decadence my dear I murmured gently, fingering the purple ruffles on my shirt, an exact replica of the one Tom Jones wore on his triumphant return to the Palm Room in Vegas in 1979. That's the name of the game. I was watching veteran rock group Cancer play an elegantly wasted set under the light of a single red bulb - tres rive gauche and how chic. Their perfomance included such originals as Footboard Feeling, Uptown Downtown , Waiting for the train and another possibly incendiary tune which advocates the torching of a well known hotel in Colombo. A notable absentee was their revolutionary single Constipated Bandicoot (I kid you not) , a gem which brings together the best traditions of Seventies and Sixties rock and a lyrical sensibility which is firmly rooted in this remarkable island of ours. Then after months of persistent boycotting, the Chunk had to give in to fate and finally hear Brassface in action , lead vocals and guitars being shared between the lanky Richard Simon (whose wife Dinny plays bass) and the goateed Kumar Mirchandani . Highlights of a bluesy set were the Santana version of Sensitive Kind (though the Chunk is a fan of the John Mayall version) and also an elegiac Candle in the Wind. Long live garage bands in Colombo and watch out for many more activities at Arts Centre . The upshot of this extended lounging at the club was that the Chunked One missed Ground Zero play at Rock Saturday , but by all accounts it was (to use popular parlance) pretty harsh. ......Speaking of things rocky, the Single of the Week award has to go to that Blur single Song 2 which is just the biggest adrenalin rush, a funky, distorted jam with space cadet lyrics that are eminently memorable .I got my head shaved./by a jumbo jet/it wasnt easy/but nothing is. Whooo-hoooo indeed............Coming up on the boards soon, Mohamed Adamaly, the man behind all those farcical, er, farces that we saw last year , plans to hit a serious note with the suspenseful play The Deathtrap, by Ira Levin, one of the mainstays of Broadway over the past few decades. (That's Deathtrap, not Mousetrap. Agatha Christie fans, chill out) That's coming up in July or so, watch this space for more details The Chunkaroma had seen the flashing Moshi Moshi restaurant sign in Kollupitiya enough times before deciding to take a chance and go there for dinner with Klepto. Walking up, we heard the sounds of Japanese pop being sung through the walls very loudly . Inspired, I grabbed a napkin and scribbled down an impromptun haiku. Rigours of a salary man life, My prison garb, Corporate grey, Ok, so it's not Matsuo Basho but I gave it a shot. We were escorted onto a cool breezy balcony that provided a spectacular view of the old DASA building and proffered menus. The Moshi Moshi prides itself on its okonomiyaki which after some investigation turned out to be some form of Japanese pizza . This cross cultural mix isnt as strange as something else I noticed out on the menu - the Teppanyaki a la calito. Foregoing the chance to sample some international cross breed , we started off with a simple moriawase , a mixed sushi platter . My dining partner chose the Tori Yakisoba , the Japanese dry noodles while I went for the tasty and nutritious Yasaitakiwase , a thick Ramen stew featuring chicken, prawns and vegetables. One very reasonable bill later we were heading down the stairs feeling full and satiated. Next time maybe I'll pluck up the courage and do some karaoke.
Continue to Mirror Magazine page 2 - * Courage to Love, * Winners All
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