Dinuk and Sumudu will jazz it all up for you
View(s):It will be a definite treat for local jazz lovers when two young performers making waves abroad join forces for a concert of contemporary jazz next Sunday. “Jazz Evening with Dinuk and Sumudu” features British-born jazz musician Sumudu Jayatilaka and Sri Lankan-born Canadian Dinuk Wijeratne at the Lionel Wendt theatre on February 17.
They will perform along with Patrick Bleakley from New Zealand on Double Bass and Dr. Sumudi Suraweera from Sri Lanka on Drums. For Sumudu who has gained a reputation as a multi-talented artiste in the UK- it will be her first appearance in Sri Lanka.
Sumudu and Dinuk: Rare appearance in Lanka
The show is organised by JC’s Entertainment with Colombo jazz lovers in mind. JC’s previous concerts, readers will recall, included jazz legend Yolande Bavan who performed a few times in Sri Lanka plus South African singer Kgmotso in 2009.
Sri Lankan by birth, Dinuk who is equally at home at the piano, behind the composer’s desk, or on the conductor’s podium, was recently praised by the Canadian Broadcasting Centre as an artiste “internationally respected for his virtuosity and sensitivity as a musician”. He made his Carnegie Hall debut as a conductor, composer and pianist, performing with Yo Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble. His most recent appearance was with tabla virtuoso Zakir Hussain, at the “Zakir Hussain Young Artists” concert at Carnegie hall, New York.
A graduate in composition, piano and conducting from the Royal Northern College of Music (UK), Mannes College and the Juilliard School (New York City) and currently the Music Director of the Nova Scotia Youth Orchestra, Dinuk is a former student of Oscar –winner John Corigliano.
Dinuk has composed specially for almost all of the artistes and ensembles with whom he has performed. His Chamber Concerto About Sankhara (2003) was commissioned by the New Juilliard Ensemble and was the first work by a Sri Lankan composer to be performed at the Lincoln Center.
Dinuk has conducted the National Arts Centre Orchestra (Ottawa) and served as Resident Conductor of Symphony Nova Scotia for three seasons. He is presently Music Director of the Nova Scotia Youth Orchestra.
The Canada Council for the Arts recently awarded Dinuk the 2008 Jean-Marie Beaudet award for orchestral conducting. His music and collaborative work embrace the great diversity of his international background and influences.
Sumudu who was born in England to Sri Lankan parents and now lives in London made her debut singing her own compositions on TV at the age of 15. Possessed of the rare ability to perform the piano, violin, guitar, flute and accordion, singing though is her best love.
Whilst studying medicine at Sheffield University she went on to become the singer for the UK’s National Youth Jazz Orchestra and toured the country, earning a reputation as a formidable singer.
She was chosen to sing live in front of Queen Elizabeth and millions of TV viewers worldwide for the Millennium countdown celebrations at the Dome in London. She sang the classic song ‘Alfie’ for Burt Bacharach and Hal David at a special Tribute Concert held at London’s Royal Albert Hall where she shared the bill with Dionne Warwick, Elvis Costello and Sir Bob Geldof.
Sumudu’s self-written debut album “Waiting for You” was produced in 2011 with Grammy award winning producer Kipper who also produced albums for Sting and James Taylor.
Sumudu is a featured artist on the soundtrack for the forthcoming film written by Fabrizio Ferri called ‘Anima’ in which she is also due to appear. She is also currently collaborating with the UK jazz piano giant Jason Rebello (Sting/Jeff Beck) as well as Level 42 founder members Mike Lindup and Phil Gould. She appears on Mike’s latest release ‘One the One’. Sumudu performs regularly at the famous Ronnie Scotts Jazz Club in London.
The concert begins at 7.30 p.m. and the Quartet will perform both some original jazz scores of Dinuk and Sumudu along with contemporary jazz music.
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