It was a night to remember, a hacked cliché but so true.
There was no rush to get in. We found our seats with ease.
We were promised a night of pleasurable music...and you bet that’s what we got. The presentation was slick and quick. I could not believe I was being transported to a time of real music with such meaningful lyrics...every song performed by the bright lights of the night...and done so beautifully.
There was Biman Wimalaratne, who has returned to Sri Lanka after quite a time spent in Australia. Standing tall and strong was Doctor Gananath Dasanayaka who carried the show on his broad shoulders. No fancy clothing, just smart “Lounge” and looking suave, each one of them along with the lady of EnRoute, Debbie Arnolda, in a black & white outt. Opening with his rendition of the Johnny Mercer classic of 1937, “Too Marvelous”, Gananath set the mood for a nostalgic walk down memory lane. Gana as he loves to be called, went into his renditions of more Mercer, and Cole Porter.
After “At Long Last” Porter’s 1938 hit from the musical “You Never Know” we were enthralled by the keyboard magic of Dilip Seneviratne who played a pot paurri of melodies which included a part of “Amazing Grace” leading into a rendition of the Judy Garland hit from ‘Wizard of Oz’, ”Somewhere Over the Rainbow”. Then a surprise, another doctor on board. Kovindu de Seram with a rendition of the Roger Miller hit of 1964, “King of the Road”, followed by Dean Martin’s classic “That’s Amore”.
EnRoute with Dilip (Keyboard), Maxie Pietersz (Bass), Niroshan de Silva (Drums), Ramesh Nonis (Guitar) and Debbie Arnolda (Organ) and with the ever-smiling Gana took us through Lerner & Loewe’s “On the Street Where You Live” and Cole Porter’s “I Get a Kick Out of You”. Back in front of the mic came Kovindu with “Memories Are Made of This” with vocal backing from Gana and Dilip, vocal backing on Dean Martin’s hit.
After which the two doctors gave us their version of “Me and my Shadow” (Al Jolson - 1927) And then onto the stage walked the lovely Shermaine Willis to join Gana in Sinatra’s hit, “The Lady is a Tramp”. It was Biman’s turn to prove to us that he just cannot sing. But it was all a part of the show. And we enjoyed his “Blue Moon” with Kovindu holding a board with the lyrics. And as the evening drew to a close Gana swung through “Bad, Bad Leroy Brown” and “I Could Have Danced all Night” and to a refreshing end with “My Way” of which he just sang four lines, holding the mic to the audience to join him in the two words “My Way”. (great move) from which he moved smoothly to “New York, New York”. He left the audience wanting more. Let them be there for your next one. Did I have enough. No! Denitely not.
The vast majority of the concert was done beautifully
- Ishan Bahar