During just a couple of weeks in December, three bands from Norway visit Sri Lanka. That marks the start of a music cooperation between Norway and Sri Lanka.
- This is only the beginning of what we hope to be a longlasting cooperation, Tom Gravlie, Director of International Cooperation, says.
The first bands to go to Sri Lanka, are Nils-Olav Johansen Quartet, The Indian Core, and Ras Nas. The cooperation between the two countries is supported by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Nils Olav Johansen, photo: Marit Lystad Johansen
Stimulate the musical performing arts
The goal of the project is to stimulate and strengthen the musical performing arts in Sri Lanka, by for instance helping international exchange and contribute to learning opportunities as well as respect for musical heritage.
-We’ll send musicians to Sri Lanka in order to give public and school concerts, workshops and seminars, and artists from Sri Lanka will visit Norway and do the same. In that way knowledge and respect for different musical expressions will grow, Gravlie says.
As part of the cooperation, there are plans to digitalize Sri Lankan music and make it available to the public in a Documentation Center. Here one can listen and learn about the country’s music.
Another important goal is the hope that the musical cooperation can be a small contribution to the country’s process of reconciliation.
- Music has a way of building bridges between people. That is why it is so important to create arenas for people from international milieus as well as for the different ethnic groups of Sri Lanka. An arena where everybody is equal, Gravlie says.
New festival
For the first time, as part of the cooperation, a festival in the cities of Galle and Colombo is to be held from December 1-6. Prior to the festival, a lot of auditions where held all over the island, in Jaffna as well as Batticaloa, in order to involve bands from different milieus. The best ones where chosen to take part in the festival.
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Nasibu Mwanukuzi, photo: Fernando Sallum
From Norway, Ras Nas, alias Nasibu Mwanukuzi, takes part. His band consists of six nationalities - Tanzania, Ivory Coast, Martinique, Sweden, Norway and USA. Mwanukuzi plays an important role in the Oslo music milieu. His music can be characterized as a mix between reggae and Congolese rumba – soukous. Mwanukuzi looks forward to visiting Sri Lanka for the first time:
-I’m very excited to go, and I really appreciate that we can present the cultural diversity in Norway today.
-The best we can do
Ras Nas is going to give three concerts, two in Galle and one in Colombo. In addition, Ras Nas will join a workshop for local musicians.
-The best part of the trip, is giving concerts, it’s really the best thing one can do. I don’t think the audience in Sri Lanka will respond differently to our music than for instance a Norwegian or an African. Music is a universal language that hits the individual wherever you are, whoever you are. That’s why music is so important, Mwanukuzi says.
In addition to Ras Nas, the jazzgroup Nils-Olav Johansen Quartet is giving seminars and workshops in Colombo. The Indian Core, consisting of four Norwegian and three Indian musicians, visit Sri Lanka in the beginning of December. Their music is characterized as an energetic, groovy fusion between Norwegian Coltrain-inspired jazz and Indian classic music.