Bhadraji’s Sinhala song collection on DVD
Bhadraji Mahinda Jayatilaka’s "Battiththa" a 14-song DVD – the first of its kind for a Sinhala singer is to be released on September 8, at 5.00 p.m. during the Colombo International Book Fair, at the BMICH Cinema Hall.
The Executive Producer of the DVD is H.D. Premasiri of the Sarasavi Book Shop, Nugegoda in collaboration with some well-wishers of Bhadraji, both here and abroad.
The novel feature is that two visual directors has directed the visual interpretations of the songs. Ralex Ranasinghe, veteran visual director has directed four songs of Bhadraji while young film director Priyantha Colombage has directed the rest of the songs. Some novel techniques have been introduced in picturing the songs – Priyantha told us.
Bhadraji began his singing career after migrating to the United States in 1973. With a Spanish guitar which he bought from a pawn shop in Los Angeles, Bhadraji began creating his lyrics and tunes as he strummed his guitar in his solitude.
"Battiththa" the most popular of all his songs, was recorded to the music direction of late Stanley Peris in 1978. It became a hit overnight. The song expresses the feelings of a lonely lover at the famed Peradeniya University. Its attraction is the whistle of a thrush.
Apart from that maestro Rohana Weerasinghe, Upali Kannangara and Jagath Wickramasinghe has directed music for another three of the songs. Bhadraji introduces young and upcoming music director Achala Solomons who has rendered a musical score blended with computer music.
Apart from the DVD, Chandana Amaratunga and several other admirers of Bhadraji’s artistic talents from Australia have produced a CD of 16 songs which will be released on the September 16 at the Elphinstone Theatre. It is a collection of some songs by Bhadraji, which were recorded last year under the music direction of Achala Solomons.
Bhadraji will sing live at the event and a video presentation is also on the schedule.
Source: http://www.dailynews.lk/2004/09/04/fea07.html