Music has a powerful impact on people and if you missed the performance of guitarist, bassist, vocalist Dylan Lye and his band PROTEUS in Colombo, then you have only yourself to blame. The band in their performance exhibited a tight, fresh, original and unified sound which undoubtedly comes from playing together night after night.
As one of Hong Kong’s most accomplished guitarist, bassist and vocalist Dylan Lye has built an illustrious career spanning over decades. Whether vocalising or improvising on guitar, Dylan’s performances showcase his deep passion for music and his remarkable skills.
The last time Dylan Lye was in Sri Lanka meeting up with him for a chat, was out of my reach. This time Lady Luck was with me.
Q: It must have been a happy moment for you when you were aware that you had to go to Hong Kong for performances. Did you go to play along with a band from Sri Lanka or were you invited to play in that country?
Dylan Lye – bassist, guitarist and vocalist
A: I was very happy when the late Tony Fernando invited me to join Mignonne and the Jetliners in the early seventies and was told that we would be going to Bombay to perform at the “Rendezvous Supper Club” in the Taj Hotel. While performing in Bombay the Jetliners got a six- month contract to play in Hawaii at the ‘New Tokyo Restaurant”. On the way back from Hawaii we had a stopover in Hong Kong and were contracted to play at the “Talk of the Town” at the Excelsior Hotel in Hong Kong. On completing this contract after a year we returned to Sri Lanka and in 1980 performed at the Regent Hotel, Hong Kong for 17 years.
Q: Now heading your own band PROTEUS, we must say that music lovers in Sri Lanka miss your high level artistry. What exactly is the repertoire of your band?
A: The Jetliners were disbanded after completing 17years at the Regent and I decided to stay back and explore opportunities of performing as a freelancer in Hong Kong. I teamed up with Adonis De Jesus (a keyboardist, composer and arranger) and the late drummer Hassan Musafer and performed as a trio. After a while we decided to become a foursome and added extra musicians as and when needed. This was the beginning of PROTEUS and my switching from playing lead guitar to bass. The members of PROTEUS are Adonis de Jesus (keboards), Mariano “Balu” Casi (guitar), Miguel “Mike” Inot (saxophone), Charith “Bubu’’ Wijesinhe (drums) and myself on bass. Umara Sinhawansa later joined Proteus as the vocalist and performed with us until she decided to go back in Sri Lanka but sings with us whenever she visits Hong Kong. For our performance in Colombo Rasmar Lye flew in from Dubai to be our percussionist.
We have a wide repertoire of songs to meet different clients needs such as Pops, Jazz, Rock n roll, RnB, Hip Pop, Latin and Blues. Also Golden oldies from the 40’ 50 ‘60’s till the present day.”
Q: When you look back, music in today’s modern scene has changed in leaps and bounds, so to speak. You grew up in an era of pop, swing, latin, reggae, jazz, rock and blues and today its pop, rap, hip-hop and what-have-you. Do you play today’s pop in your own way to personalise it?
A: Yes we try and do our own styling of the songs so as to make it different from the original. We try to avoid rap because some of the lyrics are not suitable for some audiences. We concentrate on retro as much as possible.
Q: Now a permanent figure in Hong Kong you must have watched, experienced and appreciated many global musicians and bands on tour. Who in your opinion made a lasting impression?
A: As for who impressed me most, it’s not easy to focus on just one artiste. I was fortunate to have seen many outstanding talented musicians perform in Hong Kong. Chicken Corea, Herbie Hancock, Marcus Miller, Lee Ritenour and John Schofield to name a few.
Q: In your years in your homeland, there’s no doubt that you would have listened and watched the guitar maestro Gazzali Amit in action. He performed with is band at the Mascarilla, Galle Face Hotel. Give us your thoughts of him and his artistry.
A: I was pretty young when I saw him perform at Hotel Taprobane at a wedding and then he happened to be one of the judges at the finals of the Observer Talent Quest of which I was a finalist. However, I was lucky to be able to jam with him when the Jetliners toured Australia in the year 2000. It was a such a privilege to share ideas whilst jamming with such a personality as the famous Gazzali Amit.
Exchanging choruses with Dylan Lye, like a walk in the park are Adonis de Jesus an accomplished keyboardist, arranger and composer who has made a name for himself in the Asian music scene over the past 40 years. As the music director his versatility and gift for fusing genres is remarkable.
Mariano ‘Balu’ Casi a prominent and prolific guitarist whose love for music is evident in each note which allowed him to pursue a successful life long career. The drummer in PROTEUS is none other than the accomplished drummer and vocalist Dulip “DC” Wijesinghe a free lance drummer whose masterful musicianship and vocal stylings have captured the attention of critics and audiences alike. Before I leave you the saxophonist of PROTEUS is Miguel ‘Mike’ Inot whose artistry has taken him across the globe, from bustling metropolises in East Asia to world class concert halls in Europe.
The next time PROTEUS is in Sri Lanka make sure you are there to soak in their vibes.
