Rukshan set to wow audience

Starting the year on a musical note, talented musician Rukshan Perera is all set to wow the audience with his jazzy music and catchy tunes. Known as the ‘man of many tones’, Perera will perform a number of songs to all his own compositions in a variety of styles that includes pop, jazz, acapella and jazz fusion.

By Cheranka Mendis

 This versatile musician, who broadly claims “I am a singer, a guitarist, composer and an arranger”, will bring on years of flair and experience in his upcoming performance.

 Speaking to the Weekend FT while on his way to practice, Perera said that music has had a constant presence in his life since he was a kid. Crediting his mother Trila Perera, a music teacher and a church organist for 50 years for his talents, he thanked his lucky stars for his early fame and exposure.

 His first step into the world of music was when he began his piano lessons at the age of five. Learning the scales from his mother, Perera went on to form his first ever band at the age of ten along with his cousins.

 The band comprised of five members. Talking about the days gone by, he remembers his first ever performance. “I was 12 when I got the opportunity to perform at a program in Radio Ceylon. I remember singing a hit Sinhala children’s song ‘kanamadiriyo’ (fireflies) along with ‘samanalayo’ (butterfly) and other songs,” Perera asserted.

 Golden Chimes of Clarence Wijewardena’s fame called him to join their entourage when he was a schoolboy of 14 to play the role of a lead guitarist and at 16 he joined the Super Golden Chimes, playing the keyboard to their hit tunes. That was just the beginning, said Perera, and down the years he has been part of many bands; that also includes Esquire Set and Serendib through which he traveled around Asia and Europe.

 Taking a break from all things musical, Perera went on to pursue his higher education in the USA and then headed out to New York to complete a degree in Information Systems and later a MBA. He was involved in the college jazz band as lead guitarist and even got the opportunity to study jazz under the famous Milt Hinton and performed at a number of jazz and pop concerts in New York, Los Angeles, Washington, New Jersey, Boston, Chicago, Texas, Minnesota, Toronoto, Perth, Melbourne and Sydney.

 Heading back to Sri Lanka a year ago, Perera was adamant that the time was now right for a jazz concert. His first live concert in Sri Lanka since his return, Perera is enthused to make it exciting and an experience to cherish. Along with his own compositions, his famous ‘harmony whistle’ will also be featured at the event. ‘Harmony whistle’ in essence is a rare talent that he possesses where he whistles the harmony and melody together. Owing to the uniqueness of this, he has even been proposed to the Guinness Book of World Records by his fans, the Weekend FT found out.

 At the event staged tomorrow, the songbird Natasha Ratnayake along with De Lanerolle Brothers, Voice Print and his family will join him in song. Voice Print is to join Perera in a special acapella performance of what he has titled ‘nursery rhapsody,’ he revealed. A tribute to the late Micheal Jackson that he wrote, composed and arranged will also be performed at tomorrow’s show backed by his family members. “The tribute was recorded and presented on DVD to MJ’s brother Jermaine Jackson in Los Angeles,” he said.

 Perera’s music CD with English compositions titled ‘coming home to you’ will also be launched at the concert. The song ‘coming home to you’ which is included in the album, was written on the day he decided to fly back home, he said.

 Downstairs tickets have all been sold out; a happy Perera confirmed, adding that balcony tickets priced at Rs. 500 will be available at the entrance.

The show is set to start at 7.00 pm. For further information please call 077 3057220. Proceeds from the concert will be donated to ‘Samutthana’- a charity in aid of the traumatized, displaced and mental health needs of children and adults of Sri Lanka.