Sri Lankan Baila

Featuring The Gypsies . I Don’t know why . Kapirinna . Marians . Corean de Almeda . Gypsies . Rookantha Gunathilaka . Wally Bastian . Irene Josephene . The Balladeers . Redda Hatteyen Saraseela . Desmond De Silva . Manoharan . Ruhunu Yapane . St. Sebastian’s College . Olunelum .

Bailaman : Baila today isn’t the same Baila I listened to as a kid. A keyboard can never replace real instruments. To me Baila is a three, or four piece band. An acoustic guitar, a bongo drum, a Maraca/Rumba Shaker, and a Violin if you want to go all the way.

The Gypsies : Initially we performed for family occasions and get-togethers. However, my father’s driving force and his unending support helped us to transform ourselves into the professional band that we are today “THE GYPSIES”

World Music Central : Sri Lankan star, the London-based artiste Desmond De Silva presented a Lifetime Achievement Award to showbiz personality Vijaya Corea at a packed BMICH Conference Hall in Colombo on Saturday 6th August 2005. Desmond de Silva is known as the ‘King of Baila’ and has performed all over the world.

Wally Bastian on Wikipedia : Bastianz was a police officer attached to the Traffic division, who also played in the marching band when he began his music career. Drawing from his orchestral roots, he transformed the tunes of standards like “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” and “Inky Pinky Parlez Vouz” into classic baila songs.

Sinhala Jukebox Community : M. S. Fernando was star in the 70s. He is someone who took Baila into a new sphere giving it a Sinhala touch. A unique dance act added glamour to his performances. We admire and respect singers like Cliff Richard and Michael Jackson not only for their vocal proficiency but also for their mesmerizing dancing performances.

Daily News : Mariazelle Gunatilleke , perhaps is the most-demanded Sri Lankan female vocalist on stage in Sri Lankan pop. She has survived in the music industry for over three decades and she continues to maintain her stardom unaffected and singing lively as ever. If she did anything to baila , she attracted some decent Western audience into listening to Sinhala baila songs by singing them with a lot of discipline, which may have been the result of her knowledge in Western music.

Errachidia.org : Maxwell Mendis of Mendis Foursome group was a popular Baila singer in the 70s. Mage Surahtal Podi Duwa is a song that a father sings about his little daughter, one of Maxwell’s many popular Baila hits.

Srilankan old hits and more : Cyril Tudor Fernando (January 28, 1921 1977) was a popular Sri Lankan singer.Fernando entered music in the 1940s. He was praised by critics for the themes and wording of his songs like `Vana Bamaru,` `Bilinda Nelwa Ukule` and `Rosa Male.` His other popular songs include `Lo Ad Giles Male Tarawa` and `Mariya Mawu Kuse.`