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Beach At Bali Bali

Attention Music Lovers!

May 4, 2017 by admin
Bill Forbes, Music, Priya Peiris

Did you know the history and the origin about “Pun Sanda Paaya” and “Hai Hooi Bubby Achchi”: Two of the most popular old songs in the country? Maybe not! So here it is….

 

“Pun Sanda Paaya” is derived directly from the song titled “Beach at Bali Bali” composed in the 1930s and sung by various artistes. This is not ‘breaking news’ material and is common knowledge to the folk who follow old favourites (or vintage songs). I remember my parents and my aunt singing this song during my childhood days. Latterly I found the ‘Grand Old Brigade’ of my club; Catamarans Sports Club or simply ‘Cats’ (most of whom have gone beyond the sunset), singing this song with much gusto.

Repaz Band March

But in that era, music lovers re-arranged such songs with Sinhala lyrics to sing at parties etc. for their own pleasure. They did so purely for the love of the original song and not as to ‘copy’ as such, unlike the dirty musical trend nowadays.

Beach At Bali Bali 2

Somewhat similarly, Bubby Achchi too was transposed from the ‘Repasz Band March’. The Repasz Band was founded in 1831 in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, USA. The march was composed by Charles C. Sweeley, as I gather via the internet.

The late great ‘Baila King’ Wally Bastiansz, with his background in the field of music and as a Police serviceman had obviously been inspired by the magnetism of the original ‘Rapasz March’ to compose his famous baila music.

So, the above could now give lie to the common belief that, Bill Forbes also known as Kal Kaan composed his hit song “Atcha England” inspired by Wally!

I was informed about the ‘Repasz Band March’ – ‘Bubby Achchi’ connection by Jude Goonewardene domiciled in London and also doing research about songs and music. You will notice that the beginning few lines of both original songs carry the identical melody of the Sinhala versions.

Many versions of both above songs could be viewed on YouTube by any interested party to gather information first hand.

More info:

http://elanka.com.au/repasz-band-march-has-international-popularity/?COLLCC=3499124079

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1W8_A4Jko7k

http://repaszband.org/our-march/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgXjv-wcX_k

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACL0TanOoJ8

Saybhan Samat – from jazz to therapy music

Saybhan Samat – from jazz to therapy music

November 18, 2016 by admin
Fazli Sameer, Jazz Musician, Music, Therapy Music

Saybhan Samat – from jazz to therapy music

Big band sounds in the 50’s and 60’s were usually heard at weddings and other events when any of the military bands were in attendance. They played a great variety of Jazz, Latin, and dance music tracks that entertained the audiences.

Then came the many dance bands that were formed by such greats like Papa Menezes, Harold Seneviratne, Peter Prins and Sam the Man.

Initially, Sam and Saybhan performed for a band called The Esquire Set. Later they joined up with Tony Fernando’s band, The Jetliners, to form the Jet 8, dishing out dance music to the revelers.

Saybhan Samat was a true Clarinet and Sax player and Sam teamed up with him, once again, to form the band “Sam the Man & his Gaylords”. They played at many events and dances in town and dished out a fresh brand of sounds that delighted every music lover. Gabo Pieris played drums for them until he left to form Gabo & The Breakaways.

Later Saybhan also broke away from Sam and formed his own band, “Saybhan & the Tempo”. During the latter part of his life Saybhan gave up his music and took a more serious path into religion and journalism, dabbling in political writing and activism. His writings were very much sought after by readers of the local news media.

Towards the last phase of his life Saybhan went back to music of a different kind. He formed a band with his wife (keyboards) and family and a few others which was called “Saybhan and the Society Band”. They chose to plays a special brand of therapeutic music designed to provide relief to mental patients, sickly people, depressed prisoners, injured soldiers and alcoholics.

The band went from place to place and played, especially, for children living in orphanages, residents in elder’s homes, school children and also at social occasions such as weddings and get together.

The band included Louise Anandappa, daughter of the inimitable and immortal Gerry Crake, herself a very talented musician, Roy De Silva, a very talented musician and a key board specialist and guitar specialist as well as the outstanding Darlene Perera on guitar and vocals.

Saybhans contribution to jazz music and the alleviation of suffering to disabled and homeless people was amazing.

He passed away in 2012. May he Rest in Peace!

Desmond Kelly

THE MEANING OF “SONG”

July 14, 2016 by admin
Bird Songs, Des Kelly, Desmond Kelly, Music, song

MILLIONS OF THEM HAVE BEEN WRITTEN,
PLAYED BY INSTRUMENTS, OR BEEN SUNG
TRILLIONS OF WORDS IN THEIR LYRICS,
COMPOSED FOR THE OLD AND THE YOUNG
WHAT’S THE TRUE MEANING OF “MUSIC”,
HOW COULD IT EVER BE WRONG?
READING MY WORDS WILL NOW TELL YOU,
EXACTLY, THE MEANING OF “SONG”.

“Music” is the only TRUE International Language in this World of ours. Even the tiniest corner of the Globe will, at some time, during its day or night, feature the music, song or dance common to that particular area and although the word “dance” is the odd one out, to do this, one MUST have “music” of some sort, even if it is just the beating of a drum or tom-tom.

It is said that music originated in Africa. I beg to differ. Granted, ancient drums in Africa told their people, for miles around, exactly what was happening that could affect their lives in some way, shape or form. Africans originally used “drums” to pass on messages just as the “telephone” was used later on. But, in my own opinion, African drums themselves, came much later on in history. Indeed, there was MUSIC, long before Africa was even heard of.

The “first” Music was, in fact, “BIRD-SONG”. Birds small, large, & even some huge ones were created by The Almighty with one purpose in mind, and this was to provide HIS Humans with Music. True, the ones of the “dinosaur age” just “squawked” unmusically, simply to attract a “mate”. So, what’s new? , THIS is happening right now. There are many “unmusical musicians” out there who don’t even know the meaning of music. They THINK that they are making music but all they really do is, make a loud noise. Then, they think that they are “the bees’ knees” because thousands of unmusical “fans” at their “concerts”, (mostly female) scream their little heads off at what I would term “MUSICK”, and it is quite possible that, as a result of all this “noise”, these “makers of musick” think that they are the best band in the Land. I certainly do not think so. WHO IS FOOLING WHOM?!

Getting back to the first “Music-Makers”. Our little feathered friends like the “Robins” in England, the “Bell-birds”, in Australia, “The Nightingale that “sang” in Barclay Square”, the Starlings, Thrushes & thousands of other little birds who sing so sweetly for us, lucky listeners, are, in fact, the “originators” of music, as far as I am concerned. These little makers of music give us a reason to live. There is NOTHING BETTER than to wake up on a spring morning to the sound of “bird-song” and I challenge anyone to beat that. Because I absolutely LOVE good music, I have decided to give you, my readers:-

“THE MEANING OF SONG”

(THINK ABOUT IT)

S stands for STORY, musically told
O stands for ORIGINALS, both brand new & old
N stands for NOSTALGIA, they often will bring
G stands for GREATNESS, some-thing you can sing

Desmond (Kelly From Colombo)

 

Source: http://elanka.com.au/desmond-kelly/

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