The word percussion makes you think of names like Poncho Sanchez, Ray Baretto and Amando Peraza, to name a few. Latin American music would be nothing exciting without the congas, bongos, timbales, shekeres – the list is long. To Rasmar Lye playing percussion music is more than a spirit of fun and adventure. I had the opportunity to discuss more with him.
Q: The sounds of percussion is a fascination for both young and old. No doubt you would have been drawn towards it. Were you quite young when it all began?
Yes, at a very young age I was interested in playing drums. My younger brother Dylan started playing the ukulele and I decided to play a different instrument. I used to thump on cardboard boxes until I was big enough to sit on a drum set which Lahan Samsoodeen – my cousin used to bring home to practice. After leaving school my Dylan, Reza Deane and Ameen Deane formed a group called Spiritual Recipe. We played mostly at socials and weddings.
Q: Somewhere down the line, you had a spell overseas?
Dylan was requested to play with Mignonne & the Jetliners for their contract at the Taj Intercontinental Hotel, Bombay and Reza joined Amazing Grace. I took off to Australia to follow a course in Graphic Art Design. During my stay in Australia, the Amit siblings of the legendary guitarist Ghazali Amit invited me to play drums for their band MISTY. On my return from Australia, I used to jam with Noeline Honter’s band Galaxy. Armed with a cowbell and shaker on Friday nights at the Little Hut, I had fun. When my daughter Merissca was born my wife requested me to refrain from going out at night and so I took a break from music. It was the late Joe Thambimuttu – the music director of Legends Night Club who encouraged me to get back on stage and play percussion. Aruna Siriwardhana and Jehan Kumara too encouraged me.
Q: I’m curious to know if you style your playing on a recognised global artiste or is this your own style of playing? Did you have formal study?
I was a great fan of the Cuban percussionist Giovanni Hidalgo and followed the Afro Latin style of percussion. You might say I was a self-taught percussionist and in addition to Giovanni, I also followed the Santana percussionist Karl Perazzo and the late Raul Rekow. I had the opportunity to rehearse with a Brazilian percussion group in Dubai which broadened my style of play. I always feel it’s good to follow global percussionists and take some ideas from them but one should create one’s own style. Percussionists are generally not tied down to follow the arrangements but are free to give their ideas as long as they sync in with the music.
Q: Do you indulge in playing solo?
I have played solo with many DJ’s and one of my favourite venues was the Sugar Lounge performing alongside. As a percussionist performing solo, it gives you the opportunity to express your talent with various instruments. In my percussion setup, I use the congas, timbales, talking drum, cuica, cowbells, shekeres, shakers, guiros, berimbau, tambourines, pandeiro, rainstick, angklung, washboard and many other hand percussion instruments. I sometimes pick items from the kitchenware section at supermarkets, anything that makes a rhythmic sound. My prime instrument is the Shekere which was custom-made by me.
Q: As a percussionist I’m sure you would have had more opportunities to perform, so walk us through your career?
After the Millennium I seriously decided to continue music as a percussionist and got the opportunity to perform with Mignonne and Jetliners at a Travel Trade Ball in Colombo. Later I joined PHASE3 led by Alston Joachim with Jude Thiagarajh, Dilukshi Sirimane and the Jamaican vocalist Sussane Wallace at the Crescat Food Court.
PHASE3 was originally formed as a promotional band for a leading beverage company. After Sussane left Sri Lanka the band disbanded. Sometime later the management requested me to reform the band with Debbie Arnolda (vocals/keyboards), Trevin Joseph (vocals), Iqbal Assan (Bass), Mangala Weerasekera (lead guitar)) and Reza Fazi (drums) with myself playing percussion. We used to perform at the Echelon Pub on Friday nights to a packed house.
The Hilton then invited the band to perform three nights at the Thorana Lobby and got permission from the beverage company for us to be released from their management but allowed us to keep the name PHASE3. The band drew crowds at the lobby too and as a result we were invited by Cinnamon Grand, Continental, Hiltion Jaic and the Delimarket to perform one night a week. PHASE3 went through many changes to the line up. Donald Pieris, Revel Crake, Tilak Dias, Udaya Welikala, Royle de Andrews, Asela Gunewardena, Clifford de Andrews, Patrick Davidson, Nishantha Pieris, Sampath Kuruwita are some of the musicians who worked with PHASE3 at some stage. Whenever I’m in Colombo I sit in with one of my favourite bands FLAME and was also part of their backing ensemble for the Trini Lopez concert.
Q: Now in Dubai, I know you are in touch with our music scene and musicians. Are you are a regular with a band there?
In Dubai I teamed up with a multicultural percussion group called Dubai Drums. Dubai Drums is a leading percussion outfit in Dubai performing many acts at events in addition to conducting team building and facilitating sessions for the corporate sector. One of the most popular acts is called Drums of the World where drums of many cultures are featured. Dubai Drums was picked by Carlos Santana to perform the opening act for its performance in the Dubai JazzFest 2014. I have also played percussion with many Sri Lanka bands that come to perform at events in Dubai.
Q: You and I know that percussion is an all-time favourite with young music lovers, so what would be your advice to them to be successful in our music scene?
My advice to up-and-coming percussionists is to practice and whenever you get the opportunity try and jam with a band to improve your skills. I still have a lot to learn.
– Daily News Sri Lanka
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