with Chamikara Weerasinghe IN TUNE SATURDAY, AUGUST 8, 2009 DN Suriyakumar I’m just the bass player the quiet music educator

CHAMIKARA WEERASINGHE To give you an idea of the answer to the problem, “I character of Suriyakumar, teach them how to teach in the band - Bryan Adams he asked me during an themselves.” He also had had my best of inter- interview I had with him original ideas about other views on music with for these columns, “ subjects. ith a career span- send them to Governments I Suriyakumar Veerasing- Chamikara , do you go to On being asked whether ning over 20 opposed to the sanctuary. ham, a brilliant key- see bad musicians per- he believed in God or not, W years and world- Most recently, Bryan’s boardist, composer, music form?” Suri answered thus: “Yes. I wide album sales that rival focus has been on support- teacher and singer, who “No .Suri , why should I believe there is God. But I the biggest recording ing breast cancer. passed away at the age of go to see bad ones in con- don’t believe that the God artists in the world, Bryan After contributing a song 56 about a year ago. He cert when there are good as people say is looking Adams’s “” attitude seems to an album and campaign died of a heart attack at his ones?,” I replied. down upon the humans to rather simple, compared to to help find a cure for residence in Colombo, “ But I would go to see help their troubles and sor- his career achievements, breast cancer with Self where he lived with his wife not-so good musicians,and rows because I think the but that’s just how he is. Magazine in America, he Prinita. He quietly served would listen to them, “ the God has more important His songs have achieved went on to organizing a his country by playing and musician said. I however things to do in this universe #1 status all over the world, benefit concert in Canada teaching music to hundreds knen that he was just about than to set his eyes on and his career has seen early in 1998 and raised of local students. to come out with some- every human being on this some amazing recordings over a million dollars to thing special. I asked him planet.” One thing about with other music legends build a breast-screening why? He grimaced with sat- Suri, he never uttered a from around the world. center at the St. Catherine’s isfaction and leaned back word against Prinie, his He holds the record for General Hospital with on his chair in a rocking wife. He would dare criti- the longest running #1 sin- supermodel Linda Evange- movement and said, “ I go cize anybody on the planet, gle in British music history lista. to see not-so good musi- but he would not criticize with his hit “(Everything I That led to the release of decade greatest hits collec- cians so that I learn what Prinie. She still bursts into Do) I Do It For You” and “Made In Canada,” a best tion that includes two new not to play.” tears upon remembering has topped the charts in the selling book of his black songs, the beatley title Suriyakumar can be her husband. USA four times with hits and white photographs of track ‘The Best Of Me’ and entertaining in many ways. “who is a music “Heaven”, “(Everything I Award Wins Nominations Canadian women including the trippy dance track And he gets his way one genius?,”. When I asked Do) I Do It For You”, “All Celine Dion, Alanis Mor- ‘Don’t Give Up’. The future way or the other. He had Suriyakumar has this to For Love” (with Rod Stew- American Music Awards 1 3 risette, Joni Mitchell and seems clear that Adams is been a music administrator say: , ‘A genius in music is a art and Sting) and “Have many others. All royalties unstoppable. Grammy Awards 2 13 to the Maldives Govern- person who knows what is You Ever Really Loved A from this book went to the In 1999, Adams and his ment Academy of Perform- going to happen next Woman?”. Juno Awards 18 54 Canadian Breast Cancer power trio of Keith Scott on ing Arts. because he knows the sys- In addition to these MTV Video Music Awards 1 10 Foundation. guitar and Mickey Curry on He played with bands tem of sounds in and out. recordings he has been Academy Awards 0 3 Awards have been drums, completed over 120 such as Savage during his He always maintained awarded the Order Of numerous with a Grammy, concerts in Europe, Africa Suriyakumar Veerasingham Total active years behind as a that to be talented in music Canada from the country he Awards won - 22 an American Music Award, and the Middle East. keyboardist from 1968 to is to have great amount of was born in, which is the countless industry and They are touring Canada Nominations - 84 1970. He had performed aptitude. “Great deal of tal- Canadian equivalent of the songwriting awards and in January 2000 with con- with Raj Seneviratna, ent makes one a genius.” British MBE. accolades including three cert dates booked well into Evans Balasuriya, Calvin “We often mistake a per- His honest live perfor- years. Some examples are world tour of 92/93/94 he Academy Award nomina- the first year of this new van Granberg and Elmo son with aptitude for tal- mances and concerts are The Prince’s Trust, Live helped created the South- tions for his music and millennium. Wijesundara and The ent. If you go to a restau- well documented, making Aid and The Concert for ern Ocean Whale Sanctu- lyrics in film soundtracks. Look for concerts in To be talented in Clan(1970) with Upali Fer- rant you may see a waiter him one of the most excit- Freedom for Nelson Man- ary, by issuing over half a Universal Records has just America, Australia, Japan nando on drums, Brian carrying a glass of water on ing live acts in the world. dela, Greenpeace, Amnesty million postcards to the released his 12th album this and more dates in Europe music is to have Felthman on bass. Played a tray with both his hands, He has used his concerts to International, NetAid/Lon- fans at the shows, encour- fall entitled “The Best Of later this year and into the great amount with Spitfires from 1973 You may also see another benefit others over the don and others. On his aging them to write and Me” - Adams’s end of the next. with Maxi Rozairo, Raja waiter carrying a glass of of aptitude. Jalaldeen, Noeline Honter, water on a tray balancing it Priyanthi Manamperi. I beautifully with one hand, Here I am - Bryan Adams “Great deal have the opportunity to you will be tempted to Stars at Radio City Music Hall of talent makes associate him, first as a believe that the second Intro: journalist, secondly as a waiter is talented . Chorus I one a genius.” music enthusiast, and third- On the contrary, he is not E B “We often ly as a music student for talented. What has hap- Here I am, this is me three or four months, and pened here is that the latter A E mistake a person lastly as a friend. Suri was has raised his aptitude to There’s nowhere else on earth I’d rather be an interesting conversation- balance the tray in that A E with aptitude alist. He was a brilliant fashion. He is neither tal- Here I am, just me and you for talent music educator who a can ented nor is he a genius.” D B make anybody play a musi- He never went after Tonight we’ll make our dream come true cal instrument in a very politicians and always Chorus II short time. Once when I demanded a fair price to E A E B asked him about his teach- render his music.Suri kept It’s a new world, it’s a new start ing method , Suri gave the his dignity as a musician E A E B most simplest and striking until his death. It’s a life with the beating of young hearts E A E B It’s a new day, it’s a new plan A B I’ve been waiting for you A musician par excellence Here I am |here i am riff rom way back I an interesting conversa- he joined a group of E B would check to see tionalist, albeit a trifle friends on a Friday Here we are, we’ve just begun F where Kumar was dogmatic on certain top- evening usually to play A E playing and follow him ics. However, discussions poker. And after all this time, my time has come there of an evening, with a never became heated argu- For some unknown rea- A E Brandon Boyd of Incubus performs at Radio group of friends, just to lis- ments. son he just couldn’t get his Yeah here we are, still going strong City Music Hall on August 4, 2009 in New ten to his inimitable wiz- Kumar was inherently a act together and would sit D B York City. AFP Liela Moss of Duke Spirit. AFP ardry on the piano or key- simple man, with simple staring at the cards in his Right here in the place where we belong board. He had the ability needs. He was also deeply hand, totally preoccupied, Repeat Chorus II to listen to any tune, par- but privately, spiritual. He whilst everybody around Solo Jackson’s mother granted custody of children ticularly jazz classics and often said to me that if not the table would become A B give it his own brilliant that he had to sustain a exasperated and yell at Waiting for you A Los Angeles judge of Pop’s ex-wife Debbie when an attorney for Jack- rendition. It would irritate wife and son, he required him “Kumar, are you in or Repeat Chorus I named Michael Jackson’s Rowe had last week agreed son’s Beverly Hills derma- me sometimes to watch only basic bodily suste- out?”!! For sure, the game Repeat Chorus II (twice) mother as permanent details of custody arrange- tologist, Arnold Klein, him play with such ease, nance and a tree to sit of poker was not his forte! Play E/A/B regularly guardian of the star’s chil- ments concerning children appeared at the hearing. not even looking at the under! Having said that, There are many of us Here I am (twice) dren Monday, ignoring a Prince Michael, 12, Paris, Lawyer Mark Vincent keyboard, his thoughts a Kumar loved his food and who miss Kumar. Prinita Right next to you surprise late bid by the 11 and Prince Michael II, 7. Kaplan said Klein wanted million miles away! Sheer his wife, Prinita had to, on especially gets tearful Here I am singer’s dermatologist to But what was expected to to “have a voice” in issues talent and so utterly effort- occasion, curb his enthusi- when she hears certain And suddenly the world is all brand new have a say in their upbring- be a straightforward hear- concerning the children’s less. He was truly blessed asm for large helpings of strains of music, but then Here I am (twice) ing. Lawyers for Katherine ing to approve the agree- “education, healthcare and with this God-given gift. rice and curry!! Kumar there’s no let up, because I am going to stay Jackson, 79, and the King ment took a bizarre turn welfare.” AFP Kumar was a fund of would sit as far from Prini- it seems that every melody And nothing’s standing in our way knowledge, interested in ta as possible at lunch or that was ever composed Oh here i am all manner of things, not dinner parties so that, Kumar knew and played. = just music. with a bit of luck, his Better for us to listen to Requested by Nirosha Hettiarachchi, Damien, A man of many parts ample servings of food the music, remember him Hobby ,Suchitra and Poshita Pathirana indeed, who could address would go unnoticed!! with gladness and happy his mind to anything and For all his brilliance memories that will always everything. His enquiring there was one area in live on. May his soul rest and sharp mind made him which he fell short - when in peace. - Lorraine Bibile