The Sri Guitar Jam is out tomorrow!

• Multi-cultural and diverse project unites foremost Sri Lankan guitarists from around the world as a collective
• Volume 1 – OM (Emanate) will be released on Sunday 27 September at 5 p.m.

The guitar’s ancestry can be traced back to the lute and the ancient Greek Kithara believed to be over 4,000 years old. There are those who attribute its origins to Spanish descent dating to the 15th century. Yet the guitar is a noble and ancient instrument which is widely loved because it is a polyphonic instrument that can be played solo or as part of an accompaniment. It is also portable, flexible and approachable. 

Playing and mastering an instrument takes great discipline, patience and dedication and the guitar is no exception. It is also known that playing guitar and bass can enhance verbal memory, spatial reasoning and literacy skills by making one use both sides of their brain. Consider also that you can bend, use vibrato, hammer one and pull offs that you can’t do on many other instruments making it truly unique as it is an innovative invention. 

Tenny

Whether you hear the names of guitar wielding icons like Tony Iommi, Jimmy Hendrix, Jimmy Page, Nita Strauss, Tosin Abbassi, Mark Knopfler, Steve Vai, Joe Bonamassa, Joe Satriani, Jason Becker, Dimebag Darrel, Chuck Shuldiner, Django Reinhart, Slash, Prince and George Benson or world class bass players Steve Harris, Geddy Lee, Les Claypool, Flea, Ron Carter, Jack Bruce, Billy Sheehan, Tina Waymouth, Paul Chambers, Sheldon D’Silva, Victor Wooten, Cliff Burton, Tal Wilkenfield and Esperenza Spalding… what they all have in common is their sheer commitment to their craft, the love and masterful prowess of their instruments and the joy they have brought millions of people through their music. 

Allan

Amesh

Let us make no mistake, the guitar is a powerful, sonorous and magnificent instrument. Its therapeutic value cannot be undermined. Yet guitars are also prolific vocal instruments, so close to the human voice that the best guitarists in the world can make their instruments ‘sing’, paint sonic pictures in our minds, tug at our heart strings, stir our very souls and tell stories that are emotionally stimulating, thought provoking and evoke joy, poignancy, purpose and harmony for the player and especially the listener. 

Multi-cultural and diverse project

The Sri Guitar Jam is a multi-cultural and diverse project uniting the foremost Sri Lankan guitarists from around the world as a collective. Sri Guitar Jam is special for a myriad of reasons. It is the first time something of such scope and magnitude has been conceptualised and brought to life. 

The idea for it originated and was given wings by Tennyson Napoleon, the guitarist and co-founder of Stigmata during lockdown, as a means to unite guitarists and bassists of all genres and styles to partake and collaborate on an epic musical journey unlike anything heard or seen before. 

Sri Guitar Jam comprises a star-studded line-up of musicians; veterans and household sensations intertwined with new blood and young rising talent, all of Lankan origin from around the globe. 

Lemuria

The first chapter of this momentous concept is titled Lemuria; inspired by a long lost continent fabled to have been a civilisation so advanced that it was rich with music, architecture, medicine, philosophy, sculpture, art, alchemy, magic, poetry and mathematics. Lemuria also known as Kumari Kandam is believed to have been located South of India in present day Sri Lanka. 

The first chapter: Lemuria is broken down into four expansive and elaborate volumes. 

Volume I – OM: Emanate 

Volume II – Lemuria: The Cradle of Civilisation 

Volume III – Kumari Kandam: The Aftermath 

Volume IV – Rebirth: Utopia 

What started as a very ambitious project for and in the name of guitar inspired music has grown into something so monumental that over 60 guitarists, male and female, have now joined to be a part of this milestone project. 

The power of music

“Each music piece is original and a marvel of its own. It is a masterpiece of each and every creator who has joined the Sri Guitar Jam and is a part of it. The way it has grown and the sheer scope of it is truly overwhelming. I am blessed to have so many talented musicians to work with me to make this project a reality. This is truly for the love of guitar based music but also to unite people through the power of music in these hard times to overcome and endure the pandemic and global crisis that has affected everyone from all walks of life,” remarked Tenny, who is a stalwart of originality in the country for 20 years, with a body of work consisting of four full length albums with Stigmata, over 70 recorded original singles, artist collaborations which include his wife female heavy metal sensation Shehara’s debut album ‘Fountain of Memory’, song collabs with Classical Baritone Sanjeev Niles, and he was also given the honour to compose ‘Forever Young’ with Stigmata frontman Suresh de Silva for the historic 100 years at Mount Lavinia anthem of S. Thomas’ College  by Warden Reverend Marc Billimoria in 2018. 

Tenny has toured around the world, performing and headlining festivals in Australia, New Zealand, Dubai, Malaysia, India, Maldives and Bangladesh has been featured on The Discovery Channel and currently working on Stigmata’s fifth album, recording it with Grammy nominated UK based Lankan production icon Romesh Dodangoda who himself has produced music for Motorhead, Architects, Funeral For a Friend and Bring Me the Horizon. He is happily married with two sons and professionally Tennyson is an Art Director in the advertising and the creative industry with 15 years of experience. 

Mammoth 50+ line-up

The mammoth 50+ line-up features guitarists and bassists from multiple genres and musical styles: Allan, Amaranath, Amesh, Angelo, Anton, Ashen, Ashane, Avon, Chanaka, Derek, Delaine, Dennis, Dihan, Duleep, Dylan, Gayan, Gihan, Hiruni, Izzy, Jaaga, Kamal, Kavin, Khazim, Sarani and Uvindu, Lakshika, Madara, Mikhail, Mirshad, Misha, Nathan, Neuvi, Nisha, Prabudda, Prasad, Praveen, Primal, Rakitha, Ravin, Revon, Rewan, Riyal, Rohan and Rohitha, Sangeeth, Savindu, Shalinda, Shanaka, Shane, Sharman, Shashika, Shobi, Tenny, Tilak and Thisara.  The beauty of Sri Guitar Jam is that every artist is on board to lend their support to this unique project with the goal of creating original music with each other to share a positive message and give hope to other musicians, inspiring them to support one another. The four Volumes of Chapter One: Lemuria will be released free online as a single and video across digital formats so that each guitarist featured could push and promote themselves and improve their livelihoods in this difficult time. 

Sri Guitar Jam would not have been possible if not for all the valuable Project Partners on board- Official Strategic Partner: Sandbox, Official Online Media Partner: Island Pulse and Pulse, Promotions and Online Partner: Decibel.lk, Podcast Partner: Channa Channa Channa, Promotions Partner: Sh3hara Sri Lankan Music, Promotions Partner: SL Bruh, Promotions Partner: Third Ear Productions, Promotions Partner: SL Metal Freak, Music Video Partner: Evil Cat Lab, Venue Partner: Wildchild Labz, Content Writer: Wordsmith.