Pahan Silu
Encyclopedia
Pahan Silu is the name of a band formed in late 2002 by American-born musician Priyan Weerappuli.
Pahan Silu began performing publicly at the April 2003 Sri Lankan New Year celebration held in Detroit, Michigan
, and within two years, had begun performing their original compositions alongside those of classically trained Sri Lankan musicians - including Sangeet
Nipun Sanath Nandasiri
during his 2005 tour of the United States. In addition to Nandasiri, they have also performed with Walter Fernando (brother of the late baila
singer M.S. Fernando), and female vocalist Malkanthi Nandasiri, during their tours of the United States.
The success Pahan Silu has enjoyed in recent years is owed primarily to the unique sound they have introduced to Sri Lankan music. In an era when many Sri Lankan performers (including pop-R&B duo Bathiya and Santhush
) have drawn influence from urban and techno musicians in England and the United States, Pahan Silu turned, instead, to the rich, blended, harmonies of Africa
n music, and the acoustic rhythms of Latin America
n music.
Their first single, "Siripāda", a song recounting the story of a group of friends who climb to the top of Srī Pāda (also referred to as Adam's Peak
) thru its dense pre-dawn fog, debuted on March 10, 2007 on The Asian Broadcasting Company's Sri Lankan affiliate Hiru FM
.
Their second single, "Mīrayèn Èha Thalè", a song which describes Priyan's memory of the 2000 concert given by Pandith Amaradeva
in the US, debuted on December 2, 2007 simultaneously on both the BBC
and SLBC.
In December 2008, Pahan Silu collaborated with the Sudanese Gospel Choir to perform in a special edition of SirasaTV's "Looks Like" program broadcast in early 2009.
Among others, founding member Priyan Weerappuli credits Ladysmith Black Mambazo
, Sting, Papa Wemba
, Pandith Amaradeva, John Denver
, Clarence Wijewardane
, James Taylor
, Carlos Vives
, Juanes
and Aventura as the influences behind Pahan Silu's sound.
Siripāda (S.Fernando/Weerappuli 2007)
Mīrayèn Èha Thalè (Weerappuli 2007)
Mihirakī Oba (Kannangara/Weerappuli 2008)
Yala (Weerappuli 2009)
Gamanak Yanowa (Weerappuli 2011)
Iura Dhige (Weerappuli/Jayasekera 2011)
Venura Jayasekera (Acoustic Guitar, Bass Guitar, Keyboard)
Shirantha Kannangara (Vocals)
Pramod Nugaliyadda (Sound Engineer)
Lochana Talagala (Acoustic Guitar, Bass Guitar)
Priyan Weerappuli (Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Bass Guitar, Keyboard, Percussion, Thammátama
, Vocals)
Guest Performers (In Alphabetical Order)
Umanga deSilva (Acoustic Guitar, Vocals)
Jacob Falk (Djembe, Congas)
Brian Rishi Fernando (Acoustic Guitar)
Shripal Fernando (Vocals)
Praveen Fernandopulle (Vocals)
Chinthana Herath (Flute, Violin)
K. Jayawardene (Tabla
)
Ruwan Jayaweera (Vocals)
Samadhi Liyanage (Vocals)
Chandratilaka Liyanarachchi (Vocals)
Deepthi Weerappuli (Keyboard)
Sujit Weerasinghe (Percussion)
Alumni (In Alphabetical Order)
Sanjaya Abeysirigunawardena (Vocals)
Chinthaka Weerappuli (Tabla
)
Pahan Silu began performing publicly at the April 2003 Sri Lankan New Year celebration held in Detroit, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, and within two years, had begun performing their original compositions alongside those of classically trained Sri Lankan musicians - including Sangeet
Sangeet
The term sangeet is Sanskrit which may be translated into English as sung together, or singing with instrumental accompaniment and has several definitions - all of which are derived from its origins.-Classical music study:...
Nipun Sanath Nandasiri
Sanath Nandasiri
Professor Sanath Nandasiri is a critically acclaimed Sri Lankan classical musician.Nandasiri has received several awards for his compositions; he composed the music to Sandamalige Kathawa, the first TV serial on Rupavahini.-Early life and education:Nandasiri was born to businessman and building...
during his 2005 tour of the United States. In addition to Nandasiri, they have also performed with Walter Fernando (brother of the late baila
Baila
Baila is a form of dance music popular on the island of Sri Lanka. The genre originated centuries ago among the 'kaffir' or Afro-Sinhalese communities and was later amalgamated with European instruments and eastern and western rhythms, especially rhythms found in Spain and northern European folk...
singer M.S. Fernando), and female vocalist Malkanthi Nandasiri, during their tours of the United States.
The success Pahan Silu has enjoyed in recent years is owed primarily to the unique sound they have introduced to Sri Lankan music. In an era when many Sri Lankan performers (including pop-R&B duo Bathiya and Santhush
Bathiya and Santhush
Bathiya & Santhush are one of the biggest names in the Sri Lankan music industry who were pop/rap duo composed of Bathiya Jayakody and Santhush Weeraman, who met while at Mary Anne David's school for singing in Colombo .Bathiya Jayakody was educated at Ananda College Colombo while his partner,...
) have drawn influence from urban and techno musicians in England and the United States, Pahan Silu turned, instead, to the rich, blended, harmonies of Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
n music, and the acoustic rhythms of Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
n music.
Their first single, "Siripāda", a song recounting the story of a group of friends who climb to the top of Srī Pāda (also referred to as Adam's Peak
Adam's Peak
Sri Pada , is a tall conical mountain located in central Sri Lanka...
) thru its dense pre-dawn fog, debuted on March 10, 2007 on The Asian Broadcasting Company's Sri Lankan affiliate Hiru FM
Hiru FM
Hiru FM is the most popular radio station in Sri Lanka., which is a privately owned Sinhala radio station in Sri Lanka by ABC Radio Networks started in 1998. It covers whole island...
.
Their second single, "Mīrayèn Èha Thalè", a song which describes Priyan's memory of the 2000 concert given by Pandith Amaradeva
Pandith Amaradeva
Wannakuwatta Mitiwaduge Don Albert Perera , better known by his adopted name Amaradeva, is a Sri Lankan vocalist and musical composer...
in the US, debuted on December 2, 2007 simultaneously on both the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
and SLBC.
In December 2008, Pahan Silu collaborated with the Sudanese Gospel Choir to perform in a special edition of SirasaTV's "Looks Like" program broadcast in early 2009.
Among others, founding member Priyan Weerappuli credits Ladysmith Black Mambazo
Ladysmith Black Mambazo
Ladysmith Black Mambazo is a male choral group from South Africa that sings in the vocal styles of isicathamiya and mbube. They rose to worldwide prominence as a result of singing with Paul Simon on his album, Graceland and have won multiple awards, including three Grammy Awards...
, Sting, Papa Wemba
Papa Wemba
Papa Wemba was born Jules Shungu Wembadio Pene Kikumba in 1949 in Lubefu . He is a Congolese rumba musician, one of Africa's most popular musicians, and prominent in World music.-Zaiko Langa Langa:...
, Pandith Amaradeva, John Denver
John Denver
Henry John Deutschendorf, Jr. , known professionally as John Denver, was an American singer/songwriter, activist, and humanitarian. After growing up in numerous locations with his military family, Denver began his music career in folk music groups in the late 1960s. His greatest commercial success...
, Clarence Wijewardane
Clarence Wijewardane
Clarence Wijewardana was a Sri Lankan musician who pioneered the use of electric guitar in Sinhala music. He is said to have revolutionized Sri Lankan music in the 1960s and is often named as the father of Sri Lankan pop music - having influenced performers in ranging from W D Amaradewa, Premasiri...
, James Taylor
James Taylor
James Vernon Taylor is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. A five-time Grammy Award winner, Taylor was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2000....
, Carlos Vives
Carlos Vives
Carlos Alberto Vives Restrepo is a Grammy Award and three-time Latin Grammy Award winning-Colombian singer, composer and actor.-Biography:...
, Juanes
Juanes
Juan Esteban Aristizábal Vásquez , better known as Juanes is a Colombian musician who was a member of heavy metal band Ekhymosis and is now a solo artist. In 2000, his solo debut album Fíjate Bien won three Latin Grammy Awards.Juanes has sold more than 13 million albums...
and Aventura as the influences behind Pahan Silu's sound.
Discography
Dayani's Theme (Weerappuli 2007)Siripāda (S.Fernando/Weerappuli 2007)
Mīrayèn Èha Thalè (Weerappuli 2007)
Mihirakī Oba (Kannangara/Weerappuli 2008)
Yala (Weerappuli 2009)
Gamanak Yanowa (Weerappuli 2011)
Iura Dhige (Weerappuli/Jayasekera 2011)
Additional Notes
- The name "Pahan Silu" was given to the group by Priyan's father, and was drawn from a passage in the "Guttila" story written by Vàeththàeve Himi - later incorporated into the song "Ru Rase Andhina Lese" by lyricist Sisira Sénaratne.
- Priyan composed the music for the song "Siripada" based on his memory of a hike upon Virginia's "Old Rag MountainOld Rag MountainOld Rag Mountain is a popular hiking destination with a summit elevation of , located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of the Shenandoah National Park in Virginia's Madison County, near Sperryville....
" - he has yet to visit Sri Lanka's fabled peak. - The song "Mīrayèn Èha Thalè" was written by Priyan for a BBC tribute celebrating the 80th birthday of Sri Lankan artist Pandith W. D. Amaradeva.
- The song "Yala" was written about a hike Priyan took in the Blue Ridge Mountains of northern Virginia - he has yet to visit Sri Lanka's famed national park.
Members (In Alphabetical Order)
Current Members (In Alphabetical Order)Venura Jayasekera (Acoustic Guitar, Bass Guitar, Keyboard)
Shirantha Kannangara (Vocals)
Pramod Nugaliyadda (Sound Engineer)
Lochana Talagala (Acoustic Guitar, Bass Guitar)
Priyan Weerappuli (Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Bass Guitar, Keyboard, Percussion, Thammátama
Music of Sri Lanka
The music of Sri Lanka originates in cultural traditions deriving from three influences: the religious practices of Buddhism, the aftereffects of Portuguese colonization, and the commercial and historical influence of Indian culture - specifically, Bollywood cinema...
, Vocals)
Guest Performers (In Alphabetical Order)
Umanga deSilva (Acoustic Guitar, Vocals)
Jacob Falk (Djembe, Congas)
Brian Rishi Fernando (Acoustic Guitar)
Shripal Fernando (Vocals)
Praveen Fernandopulle (Vocals)
Chinthana Herath (Flute, Violin)
K. Jayawardene (Tabla
Tabla
The tabla is a popular Indian percussion instrument used in Hindustani classical music and in popular and devotional music of the Indian subcontinent. The instrument consists of a pair of hand drums of contrasting sizes and timbres...
)
Ruwan Jayaweera (Vocals)
Samadhi Liyanage (Vocals)
Chandratilaka Liyanarachchi (Vocals)
Deepthi Weerappuli (Keyboard)
Sujit Weerasinghe (Percussion)
Alumni (In Alphabetical Order)
Sanjaya Abeysirigunawardena (Vocals)
Chinthaka Weerappuli (Tabla
Tabla
The tabla is a popular Indian percussion instrument used in Hindustani classical music and in popular and devotional music of the Indian subcontinent. The instrument consists of a pair of hand drums of contrasting sizes and timbres...
)
External Links and Sources
- Official Homepage
- Pahan Silu on Hi5
- Pahan Silu Instrumentals on Sinhala Jukebox
- BBC Broadcast Link for the Himaw Arana program that featured the music of Pahan Silu.