There’s something for everybody in Rukshan’s DVD
“A treasure box, you never know what is next.” That’s what the critics are saying about Rukshan Perera’s latest initiative, a DVD entitled ‘Rukshan Perera Live In Concert’.
Rukshan is an internationally renowned musician, who has acquired a dedicated fan base over more than 30 years in the music business and the crowd gathered at the Park Street Mews Café early on a Monday morning for his DVD launch was testimony to this.
Truly a jack of all trades, Rukshan has mastered a number of instruments and musical styles. Listen to his songs and you will hear the fusion of sound which includes Rukshan playing guitar, piano and harmonica. Listen closely and you may even hear Rukshan’s own musical creation, the split whistle, which boasts one man whistling both harmony and melody. “Some will say that no man has done it before,” he says.
From a musical background which mainly stems from his mother, Trila Perera, a music teacher and church organist, Rukshan paved a way for himself in music from a young age. At 10, he formed his first band and went on to perform for the Super Golden Chimes under Clarence Wijewardena and later with the Esquire Set and Serendib not only in Asia but also Europe. After moving to the United States, Rukshan cultivated his love for jazz.
Having studied under the esteemed Jazz Bassist, Milt Hilton, his talent was taken abroad whilst he toured the United States, Canada and Australia, through a series of jazz/pop concerts.
January 2011 marked Rukshan’s much anticipated return to Sri Lanka and the launch of his debut CD of English songs and a sell-out concert, ‘Rukshan Perera Live In Concert’ which will be taken to the US and Denmark later this year.
The DVD includes a personal interview with Noeline Honter and 18 compositions by Rukshan. They vary in style and theme, ranging from jazz, blues and acapella numbers to a rhapsody of popular Sri Lankan nursery rhymes and a stirring song on peace and reconciliation written at the end of the war. Among the most moving of the songs which Rukshan himself says “often makes people cry when I perform live” is ‘Coming Home to you’, written about Rukshan’s return to Sri Lanka. A number of exciting collaborations with other inspirational musicians such as Natasha Ratnayake and Ishan de Lanerolle make this DVD a treat for music lovers.
Rukshan’s concerts have been in aid of a charity and his DVD is no different. All profits from the DVD sales will go to Unity Mission Trust which works with children primarily in the north, the Wanni and the east of Sri Lanka.
The DVD is available for sale at Park Street Mews, Commons and BayLeaf restaurant.
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