Originally billed as a quintet, Rajiv Jayaweera’s band became a quartet at short notice after one of the musicians pulled out due to illness a few hours before Sunday’s gig. COVID, of course, has made jazz musicians (already improvisers at heart) even more adept at mutation and adaptation.

In this case, Jayaweera had only a brief rehearsal with his specially assembled group, along with some quick discussions to reshape the music for a quartet setting. The rest came together on the bandstand, thanks to the clarity of Jayaweera’s writing and the palpable rapport among the players.

Jayaweera (an Australian drummer now based mainly in Europe) shares a deep bond with bassist Sam Anning, the pair having played together for years in New York. Their intuitive empathy allowed the nimble rhythms on Sunday night to dance back and forth between them, giving Jayaweera the freedom to add textural accents while Anning tended to the supple pulse.

Trumpeter Mat Jodrell brought the leader’s appealing melodies to life with precision and vitality, while Brett Williams (an American pianist who had never played with Jayaweera before this gig) slotted into the ensemble’s dynamics with remarkable ease.

Just over half the tunes in the program were drawn from the drummer’s latest album Pistils, inspired by his grandparents and his Sri Lankan heritage. Hirimbura was pinned to an irresistibly cruisy strut; The Elephant moved between precise, skipping lines and a more emphatic flow; and Pistils was delicate and atmospheric, filled with vibrato-laden trumpet, feathery brushwork and rippling piano.

A handful of newer compositions paid tribute to the drummer’s current home in Malaga, Spain, including the warmly inviting Sierra and the Latin-tinged Calle Quitapenas. Throughout, Jayaweera was a master of understatement, shaping the contours of each piece without resorting to showy gestures, and gently guiding this freshly formed group that somehow radiated the assurance of a seasoned ensemble.

"Jayaweera was a master of understatement, shaping the contours of each piece without resorting to showy gestures, and gently guiding this freshly formed group that somehow radiated the assurance of a seasoned ensemble." 

Julien Wilson - tenor saxophone/bass clarinet

Rajiv Jayaweera - Denmark Tour August 2021

I'm happy to be playing a week of gigs in Copenhagen with Shannon Barnett, Jakob Dinesen, Chris Tanner, Charles Turner and my own band!

Happy to be travelling back to Denmark to play a week of gigs in Copenhagen with some of my favourite musicians and people.

Happy to be giving some workshops/courses at Emmdat (Conservatorio Alhaurín de la TorreEscuela de Música) in July!

Drummer/Composer Rajiv Jayaweera Presents Pistils

This collection of original compositions by New York-based Rajiv Jayaweera is a deeply personal reflection of his strong South Asian culture and identity that is dear to his heart.

Featuring Chris Cheek (soprano & tenor saxophones), Aaron Parks (piano), Hugh Stuckey (guitar), Sam Anning (double bass), Rajiv Jayaweera (drums, cymbals, thammattama, caxixi), Lara Bello (voice).

 Available June 5, 2020 on Outside in Music / Earshift Music (Australia/Asia)

Pistils is the debut recording from Sri Lankan/Australian jazz drummer and composer, Rajiv Jayaweera. The album showcases eight compelling, thoughtful originals, which draw inspiration from Sri Lanka. Jayaweera’s compositions feature strong melodies and beauty, coupled with intricate bass lines and rhythmic interplay. His band of Chris Cheek (soprano & tenor saxophones), Aaron Parks (piano), Hugh Stuckey (guitar) and Sam Anning (double bass), truly display why they are amongst the most revered and sought-after musicians on the scene today.

The album is bookended by two different versions of the title track, Pistils. The first is sparse and free of time, with the profoundly emotive vocals of special guest, Lara Bello. It closes with a stripped back trio take with guitar, saxophone and drums playing the “Pistils” theme, with the style of the great Paul Motian trio in mind. The melody of Pistils is a monumental achievement, and the centerpiece of this wonderful debut from an artist overflowing with potential and possibilities. One of the most special characteristics in Sri Lanka is the variety of flowers that exist there. In trying to get to the essence of these flowers, you find the seed-bearing organs, collectively known as “pistils.” Jayaweera was drawn to the word pistils because it took him to the heart of these flowers.

"Ellstandissa", featuring the relatively unknown Thammattama drum (also known as a temple drum), a two-headed traditional drum played with a pair of fascinating curly wooden sticks and most commonly used in cultural ceremonies, incorporates rhythms from a Sri Lankan dance entitled Gajaga Wannama, or dance of the elephant, in 7/8 time. The main melody of the song is circular and haunting, and is played over a counter melody that superimposes a polyrhythmic figure. Ellstandissa is a made up word combining the names of the composer’s grandparents.

It’s fitting that the next track is "Welikadawatte", translating to Welikada Gardens in Sinhalese. It is an area in central Colombo (the commercial capital and largest city in Sri Lanka), originally home to many large cinnamon and coconut plantations. For over forty years this was where Rajiv’s grandparents lived and a place he would visit each year. Musically, this piece is reminiscent of Ahmad Jamal’s famous tune, Poinciana. The "Elephant", once again incorporating the Thammattama drum, conjures up the image of anelephant walking through the jungle.

Hirimbura is Rajiv’s Grandfather’s hometown in the south of Sri Lanka. The piece has ‘stompy’ Charles Mingus-esque feel that is simultaneously modern and traditional in nature. The strong quarter-note pulse instinctively makes you want to tap your foot or click your fingers along to it. A "Malkoha Bird" is a tropical bird endemic to Sri Lanka with a long graduated tail. This is the only song on the album where saxophonist Chris Cheek switches from tenor to soprano, singing the melody like a bird.

Press Enquiries on RAJIV JAYAWEERA & PISTILS: Contact Jason Paul Harman Byrne @ Red Cat Publicity Tel +1 646 259 2105, Email redcatjazz@mac.com

Excited to have two good friends in Spain for some concerts with my band in July, 2021. Italian saxophonist, Francesco Geminiani will travel from Paris for the shows and Berlin-based Australian guitarist, Carl Morgan from Germany. Completing the quartet with will be Bori Albero on bass.

Playing a short run of concerts in the south of Spain with Francesco Geminiani (Paris), Carl Morgan (Berlin) and Bori Albero. We will play in Almería, Granada and Malaga! 

Rajiv Jayaweera - drums

2014 - Mack Avenue Records

Rajiv Jayaweera Draws From Sri Lankan Heritage on Debut Album, Pistils. It’s atypical for a drummer-led debut to open with a contemplative, rubato tune shaded by hushed, minimal brushwork. But jazz drummer/composer Rajiv Jayaweera favors attention to sound and ensemble voice over bluster.

On Pistils (Outside in Music), Jayaweera’s superb touch yields dancing interplay and dramatic dynamics, calling to mind Paul Motian and Jon Christensen circa their ECM days. On several numbers, Rajiv draws from his Sri Lankan heritage, as on “Ellstandissa,” where he interprets a traditional dance rhythm. In addition, his kit is augmented with the thammattama, a ceremonial drum pair played with curved-end sticks.

Artful at creating contrasting textures, Jayaweera often alternates seamlessly between various combinations of sticks, brushes, mallets, and rods. And though his rhythmic drive is fluid and breathing, it’s potently propulsive, as on “Galadari,” where he generates an effortless joy ride from shifting odd meters. In a set intended to evoke nature, this outstanding quintet’s patient, lyrical, and finely detailed tapestry undeniably succeeds. We wanted to know more.

MD: You integrate Sri Lankan elements in your music. How is that specifically present in your composing or drumming?

RAJIV: In general, I tried to use images and memories from Sri Lanka that I had in my mind as inspiration for the compositions. I wanted to try to capture and convey the beauty that exists there through the songs.

MD: Could you explain and breakdown the traditional dance rhythm you’re applying in “Ellstandissa”?

RAJIV: The introduction to “Ellstandissa” is based on a dance in 7/8. The opening phrases are rubato, but when the time begins I play parts of the same rhythm as triplets grouped in seven, counting in 3/4. The bass line is also related, and groupings of three in 9/8 shift back by two 8th notes each time [2223, 2232, 2322, 3222]. This creates a rhythmic pattern in seven, but the harmonic rate remains in 9/8 or 3/4.

I was drawn to the thammattama drum because it’s played with sticks, so I could utilize my technique from playing the drumset. The sticks themselves are really interesting, and the end that strikes the drum has a hollow circle instead of a small bead like a conventional drumstick. This helps to create a warm tone and also protects the drumhead. I actually pierced a skin once trying to play it with a regular stick!

MD: You grew up in Melbourne and were busy on the jazz scene there. What prompted you to pull up stakes and move to New York?

RAJIV: I had wanted to move to New York ever since I spent three months here in 2002. During that trip I saw multiple shows every single night and really fell for the city. I knew I wanted to move here but didn’t know how. Ten years later, I finally decided to audition for some schools to do my master’s, and that’s what ultimately brought me to the city in 2011. I completed my master’s in jazz studies at SUNY Purchase, New York, in 2013.

MD: Though this is a drummer-led debut, it’s certainly not a drum-centric record. Even when you’re allowed your one solo break on “Galadari,” it’s kept brief.

RAJIV: My goal was to showcase the melodies and harmony of each song, and to try to create honest music as a band. I wanted to serve the songs but didn’t feel the need to feature the drums or play more just because it was a drummer-led album, except for when the music called for it. In general, I like the approach of leaving space and seeing what happens, and I think that gave [saxophonist] Chris Cheek, [pianist] Aaron Parks, [vocalist] Lara Bello, [guitarist] Hugh Stuckey, and [bassist] Sam Anning the freedom to bring their own interpretations and personalities to the music. After I had written the songs, I actually sometimes found it challenging to know what to play myself on the drums. I even considered having songs without drums on them at all.

MD: You’re able to exert strong rhythmic power with a light touch and within soft to moderate volumes. Was that a conscious development?

RAJIV: I have always naturally gravitated to playing at a softer dynamic. I mostly play in acoustic settings, so I’m usually paying close attention to the overall balance of the band and to dynamics in general. I don’t feel as though the drums necessarily have to be at the front of the mix for the music to be powerful.

https://www.moderndrummer.com/rajiv-jayaweera 

It’s atypical for a drummer-led debut to open with a contemplative, rubato tune shaded by hushed, minimal brushwork. But jazz drummer/composer Rajiv Jayaweera favors attention to sound and ensemble voice over bluster. On Pistils (Outside in Music), Jayaweera’s superb touch yields dancing interplay and dramatic dynamics, calling to mind..

"On Pistils (Outside in Music), Jayaweera’s superb touch yields dancing interplay and dramatic dynamics, calling to mind Paul Motian and Jon Christensen circa their ECM days."

Recorded at ABC Studios, Southbank, Australia

Recorded by Mal Stanley at the ABC Studio, Southbank, Australia, November 2007

06. I’ve never been in love before (Loesser)

10. Is it OK if I call you mine (McCrane)

Thailand International Jazz Conference, 2020

photo: W. Skibinski - Trio Kleine Ahnung, Jazz Lab, Melbourne, Jan 2020

The term Pistils refers to the seed-bearing part of the flower - depicted on the sleeve - from which the beauty springs. The track Welikadawatta, Sinhala for "Welikada Gardens" refers to this.

The structure of the disc is circular oriental: Pistils is both opener and closer. The opener is lyrical and sung in a non-existent language, the shutter is played in trio (sax, guitar, drums). In between are 7 other compositions by the drummer, all very melodic with a strikingly beautiful playing bass and with refined rhythmic accents.

The drummer is quite modest in his compositions. His interventions are therefore all the more beautiful and impressive. In his breaks he shows himself from a more energetic side, technically strong too.

The tunes are more mainstream, and the oriental influence is there, but it is especially evident in the smoothly constructed beauty of the melody lines. A record that moved us.

Jazz at Lincoln Centre, Doha, Qatar, 2014

Pistils is Rajiv Jayaweera’s debut album. A New-York-based drummer of Sri Lankan origins raised in Australia, Jayaweera finds inspiration in his family history but also present-day New York. His is a delicate approach, almost intimate, as evident in the two versions of the title track—the first one benefitting from Lara Bello singing in an undecipherable language and the second relying on Chris Cheek’s fluid tenor saxophone. Jayaweera does not take any solos, except for a brief temple drum introduction and an interlude in “Ellstandissa”. But the relentless, shifting and yet almost understated pulse is certainly at the center of his project. Subtlety is the defining quality of Jayaweera’s approach to percussion and is reminiscent of Paul Motian. The musicians could not be more sympathetic to Jayaweera’s vision. Of note are Cheek’s numerous and enjoyable solos along with his blending and conversing with Hugh Stuckey’s guitar. Parks displays his personal approach as he seems particularly at ease with the material; “Galadari” and “The Elephant”, which denote a jazzier flavor, could have been composed by Parks himself to the extent that rather complex rhythmic figurations are delivered with utter fluidity and simplicity. A very promising debut.

Trio Kleine Ahnung, MONA, Hobart, Jan 2020

Freedman Fellowship Finals Sydney Opera House, 2013

Trio Kleine Ahnung (Carl Morgan, Rajiv Jayaweera, Sam Anning) release their debut album, Laniakea

Laniakea is the new album from Trio Kleine Ahnung, a collaboration between guitarist Carl Morgan, bassist Sam Anning and drummer Raj Jayaweera. Spawned from a week off from a busy European tour schedule, the members contribute stand-out compositions and performances that draw inspiration from indie- rock, Radiohead and German folk-song, creating an impressive album that stands on the shoulders of guitar greats such as Bill Frisell and Kurt Rosenwinkel.

Available June 5, 2020 on Outside in Music / Earshift Music (Australia/Asia)

Having performed in a variety of settings over the past ten years, the individuals have long wanted to collaborate in a deeper way. All raised in Australia, the members currently live in different parts of the world – Morgan in Berlin, Jayaweera in New York and Anning in Melbourne. It was only until an act of serendipity in 2019 brought them together in Berlin together. The trio spent a week in Morgan’s studio jamming, in between sessions of eating, drinking, and debating at the local Imren Grill. The music captures their informal spirit and yet enshrines the seriousness and dedication to their art.

From the tough and intrepid ‘Intro’, ‘Datameta’ slowly divulges into an epic anthem. ‘Kleine Ahnung’ hints at 60’s Miles with the contemporary twist of special guest synthesizer soloist, Sean Wayland. ‘Laniakea’ is a harmonically intelligent song-like tune that hints at a multitude of influences yet stands alone. ‘Ripples’ invokes a Seattle grunge soundscape against a backdrop of future alien terra firma. ‘Gott Liebt Diese Welt’ is a clever reharmonisation of the hymn by Walter Schulz that tips its hat to Radiohead. ‘Losdy’ is a chorale inspired piece with a spiral-like feeling as each repeat moves onto an altered trajectory. ‘Outro’ gives the sense of more to come with its high energy brevity leaving us wanting more.

Carl Morgan is a guitarist-composer from Sydney, currently based in Berlin. Winner of the 2014 National Jazz Awards for guitar, Carl has performed with a wide variety of musicians including Maria Schneider, Chris Potter, Jim McNeely, Bob Mintzer, Charlie Watts, Barney McAll, Mike Nock, Kristin Berardi, and the Jazzgroove Mothership Orchestra.

Rajiv Jayaweera is a highly sought-after drummer, having toured and recorded with some of Australia’s premiere musicians including Joe Chindamo, The Bennett’s Lane Big Band, Bopstretch and The Australian Art Orchestra. Since moving to New York, he has performed at many of the city’s jazz clubs including Jazz at Lincoln Centre, Doha, The Cotton Club, as well as around the world including Tokyo, The London Jazz Festival and throughout Europe. He currently leads his own quintet and will release his debut album Pistils this year.

Sam Anning is a major force in Australian jazz, being a prolific recording artist and performer and first-call bassist for many of the country’s premiere jazz ensembles. He studied and lived in New York City for a number of years before returning to Melbourne. His recent release, Across a Field As Vast As One, was short-listed for the Australian Music Prize and won both The Age Music Victoria Awards for Jazz and a Jazz Bell Award.

Album: Laniakea Release: 10/01/2020 Label: Earshift Music distributed by MGM Personnel: Carl Morgan (guitar, voice), Sam Anning (double bass & acoustic guitars), Rajiv Jayaweera (drums), guest Sean Wayland (synthesizer)

Peter Knight - trumpet, prepared, flugel horn, jaw harp, found objects

Dung Nguyen - dan tranh, dan nguyet, modified electric guitar

Howard Cairns - double bass, found objects

Rajiv Jayaweera - drum kit, found objects

Recorded by Robin Gray at Allan Eaton Studio, Melbourne.

Mastered by Adam Dempsey at Deluxe Mastering.

Recorded at Kindred Studio in Neukölln, Berlin in April, 2019.

Laniakea is the new album from Trio Kleine Ahnung, a collaboration between guitarist Carl Morgan, bassist Sam Anning and drummer Rajiv Jayaweera. 

Rajiv Jayaweera - drums, thammattama, caxixi

Chris Cheek – tenor and soprano saxophone

All songs composed by Rajiv Jayaweera. Produced by Rajiv Jayaweera.

Mixing by James Farber. Mastering by Mark Wilder.

Artwork, "Garden of Earthly Delights" by Dr. Priyantha Udagedera. 

Featuring Chris Cheek, Aaron Parks, Sam Anning, Hugh Stuckey and Lara Bello..

Paul Jones with Leon Boykins and Rajiv Jayaweera

Peter Knight - trumpet/laptop electronics/organ

Ray Pereira - congas/djembe/balafon/bass drum/cowbells/shekere

Lucas Michailidis - guitar/balafon on track 4

Howard Cairns - double bass/concertina on track 5

Kanchana Karunaratna - Kandyan drum on track 2

Recorded 2nd and 3rd May 2014 at Allan Eaton Studios St Kilda by Robin Gray

Mastered by Adam Dempsey at Deluxe Mastering

Single release "Ellstandissa" from the upcoming record "Pistils".

Sri Lankan jazz drummer in the New York scene

New video just released on YouTube - Hirimbura featuring Mark Turner!

A new song from Rajiv Jayaweera's album release show at Soapbox Gallery in August 2020, featuring Mark Turner (saxophone), Can Olgun, and Rick Rosato.

Hirimbura from Rajiv Jayaweera's Album Release Show at Soapbox Gallery featuring Mark Turner just released on YouTube!

Hirimbura from Rajiv Jayaweera's Album Release Show at Soapbox Gallery

The fastest musical connection between New York and South Asia with a stopover in Australia nowadays runs through drummer and percussionist Rajiv Jayaweera. Together with Aaron Parks and Chris Cheek, among others, he provides VIP treatment along the way.

Today things are less vibrant than a few months ago, but in the pre-corona era, New York's appeal as a jazz hub was undisputed. Rajiv Jayaweera couldn't resist the temptation either. Born in London, raised in Melbourne and now a resident of The Big Apple.

'Pistils' is his debut. Jayaweera lets the New York influences sink in but doesn't forget his Sri Lankan roots. He incorporates this colorful mixture into the eight compositions he wrote for this album. He brought in Chris Cheek, Aaron Parks, Hugh Stuckey, Sam Anning and Lara Bello to work everything out expertly. Fortunately, it was not a meaningless fusion or crossover. All the classic basic elements from western jazz are ingeniously woven into the songs. The Asian influences remain extremely limited but are always very functional, such as the use of the thammattama drum or temple drum in 'Ellstandissa' and 'The Elephant'.

The emphasis is now on a lyrical approach with a strong focus on smooth melody lines, then on an adapted rhythm pattern to obtain a (feather) light trance effect. This balancing act keeps the whole thing interesting and engaging. Most different is 'Hirimbura', a semi-blues shuffle. To give an interesting insight into the whole potential, the CD starts and ends with the title track, albeit each time with a different soloist. At the beginning it is vocalist Lara Bello and at the end Chris Cheek gets to do his thing.

A CD without dominant characteristics, but with a dispersed dynamic and enough compelling staging anchored in various origins.

"Jayaweera lets the New York influences sink in but doesn't forget his Sri Lankan roots. ...All the classic basic elements from western jazz are ingeniously woven into the songs."

"Pistils" LP pressed at Nordsø Records, Copenhagen, June, 2020.

New York-based Sri Lankan/Australian drummer and composer Rajiv Jayaweera presents a wonderful set of original compositions on his commendable debut album, Pistils. Establishing a deep and intimate musical connection with the virtuosic members of the combo he leads - saxophonist Chris Cheek, pianist Aaron Parks, guitarist Hugh Stuckey, and bassist Sam Anning - the drummer pays tribute to his Sri Lankan roots, devising nine elegant tunes with unobtrusive arrangements that allows the music to flow with charm and beauty.

Bookending the album are two different versions of “Pistils”, whose title evokes the huge variety of flowers in Sri Lanka. On both of them, the group cruises tranquil waters, with the difference that the opening tune features the voice of guest vocalist Lara Bello, who sings in an improvised language, while the closing version displays the emotionally rich melodies of Cheek - on tenor saxophone - floating above the surface.

“Ellstandisa” is a made up word that resulted from the combination of Jayaweera’s grandparents’ names. The piece is introduced by temple drum, and then embraces a contemporary 7/8 coolness replete with ample harmonic sophistication and enchanting motivic melody delivered in unison. The rhythm section provides a fertile terrain for pleasurable improvisations from Cheek and Parks, and while the former draws attention as he binds attractive jazz idioms and soul-nourishing tones, the latter cooks up a delightful solo that feels, by turns, playful and momentous.

Denoting a gentle polyrhythmic feel and folk intonations, the carefully sculpted “Welikadawatte” also showcases an understated bossa groove embedded in the bottom layer. Delivered in six, the piece thrives with superior statements by the usual suspects, namely Cheek and Parks.

If the two pieces I’ve just described - and we can add the sharply percussive “The Elephant” to the assemblage - spiral upward into the sky in a balancing act between lyrical folk and fresh contemporary jazz, then “Galadari” and “Hirimbura” grounds us a bit more, showing that the group is capable of muscling up when the music calls for it.The former number denotes bold shifts in tempo and has Cheek and Stuckey trading bars with keenness; the latter piece, on the other hand, swings uncompromisingly with hard - bop ardor, stepping into more familiar territory.

Eschewing any type of fireworks in favor of a relaxed, smooth flowing, the set of songs proposed by Jayaweera - his rhythmic sensibilities are reminiscent of Paul Motian, Brian Blade and Peter Erskine - is fruitful, generous and transparent in its purest form.

New York-based Sri Lankan/Australian drummer and composer Rajiv Jayaweera presents a wonderful set of original compositions on his commendable debut album, Pistils. Establishing a deep and intimate musical connection with the virtuosic members of the combo he leads - saxophonist Chris Cheek, pianist Aaron Parks, guitarist Hugh..

"Eschewing any type of fireworks in favor of a relaxed, smooth flowing, the set of songs proposed by Jayaweera - his rhythmic sensibilities are reminiscent of Paul Motian, Brian Blade and Peter Erskine - is fruitful, generous and transparent in its purest form."

This is such a lovely album that it's difficult to know where to start. Drummer - percussionist Rajiv Jayaweera now lives in New York, where this album Pistils was recorded. Born in London of Sri Lankan parents, he grew up in Melbourne and graduated from the Victorian College of the Arts in 2000.

His nine compositions on Pistils explore an array of contemporary time-feels and feature two Americans, Chris Cheek (saxophones) and Aaron Parks (piano), plus two Australians in Hugh Stuckey (guitar) and Sam Anning (double bass). Spaniard Lara Bello sings on the title track. The basic character of the music is determined by Jayaweera, a drummer of unusual subtlety and good taste, always alive to punctuating the music but never intrusive. Anning's bass lines, beautifully recorded, can be felt as well as heard. It's such a pleasure to know there are modern jazz musicians in the world playing like this.

His nine compositions on Pistils explore an array of contemporary time-feels and feature two Americans, Chris Cheek (saxophones) and Aaron Parks..

"The basic character of the music is determined by Jayaweera, a drummer of unusual subtlety and good taste, always alive to punctuating the music but never intrusive... It's such a pleasure to know there are modern jazz musicians in the world playing like this."

Excited to be artists in residence for a week at the Thailand International Jazz Conference in Bangkok, and presenting a set of my music with a great band featuring Chris Cheek, Adam Birnbaum, Carl Morgan and Sam Anning.

Until now, the musician of Sri Lankan origin has only appeared in our reviews once, and then as a sideman. So, composer, band leader and drummer Rajiv Jayaweera is the first Lankan to be featured on the site with an author's work. True, Rajiv has only Sri Lankan roots, but he was born in London, grew up in Melbourne and received his first musical education in Australia. By the way, the album Pistlis, the debut for Rajiv, was created with the assistance of the Australian Council for the Arts. But Jayaweera has lived and worked for the last ten years in New York and is in great demand in the jazz capital of the world: he played here with many famous musicians and performed on the stages of the most prestigious clubs. Rajiv also played at many major jazz festivals in different countries - in Tokyo, London, Montreux, Copenhagen.

Rajiv Jayaweera recorded his debut album in April 2019 in New York. The program of nine tracks is entirely his own music. Experienced New York musicians took part in the recording of the album with him, and on two tracks the vocals are performed by the Spaniard Lara Bello. The already bright "tropical" cover suggests that the main theme of Jayaweera work was the memories of the ancestral homeland - Beautiful Lanka: this is how the name Sri Lanka sounds in translation. One might assume that ethnicity predominates in music as well. However, with the exception of the fact that Rajiv himself used several ethnic percussion instruments when recording, including the Sri Lankan thammattama or temple drum, and the names of most of the compositions, you do not feel a significant influence of ethnic motives in the music itself. The ensemble under the direction of Rajiv Jayaweera plays music close to the modern mainstream, with a solo saxophone (Chris Chick), piano, guitar and rhythm group. At the same time, the leader of the band does not overuse some solo improvisations. Jayaweera is more busy thinking about the coherence of the ensemble sound and the accurate transfer of his composing ideas. The program of the album is built in the form of a kind of rondo, beginning and ending with the piece Pistils, only in the opening version Lara Bello sings, and in the purely instrumental finish track Chris Chick comes to the fore. For me, a kind of peak of the album fell in the middle: I especially note such compositions as Nilus and The Elephant. However, there is plenty to choose from: the album shows that in the person of Rajiv Jayaweera we are meeting a very interesting and creative master.

"...the album shows that in the person of Rajiv Jayaweera we are meeting a very interesting and creative master."

While London-born, Melbourne-reared, New York-based drummer Rajiv Jayaweera's work is naturally colored by his experiences spanning those points on the map, it's his Sri Lankan heritage that most greatly informs and influences this debut. Drawing inspiration from memories of nature, sounds and scents surrounding his grandparents' garden there, Jayaweera creates a musical sanctuary and wonderland painted in vivid colors.

Pistils, a title referencing the seed-bearing, reproductive portion of a flower, plays on blooming beauty at its first glances and in its final form. Opening and closing with different versions of the title track—the former featuring guest vocalist Lara Bello's enchantments, the latter saxophonist Chris Cheek's mellifluous lines—Jayaweera uses rubato fantasies to bookend his vision. The tracks between the "Pistils" prove just as meaningful and fascinating in their unfolding of grace. "Ellstandissa," starting on a solo performance of the Thammattama drum(s) and working with a more direct rhythmic thrust, deals with cycling melodic ideals and dancing time. "Welikadawatte," nodding to a region in Colombo, Sri Lanka, where Jayaweera's grandparents lived for four decades, rides on a Vernel Fournier-esque groove and a sweeping current. "Galadari," a gorgeously dizzying latticework, proves to be a showcase for serious solo work. And "Nilus," with its slow, stately stride, speaks in measured yet decorative language.

Jayaweera's creative gifts with pen and sticks are apparent over the course of the first half of the album, but so, too, are his gifts in personnel selection. With Cheek, pianist Aaron Parks, guitarist Hugh Stuckey and bassist Sam Anning filling out the ranks, the drummer is never short on unique and pliant personalities. The remaining material simply furthers that fact. There's "The Elephant," evoking images of a pachyderm making its way across the jungle; "Hirimbura," a swinging geographical beacon pointing to Jayaweera's grandfather's hometown; and "Malkoha Bird," which finds Cheek moving to soprano to best reflect the song and shining spirit of one of Sri Lanka's feathered friends.

While drummer-composers often feel a need to make their mark through a show of force, Jayaweera takes a more fanciful approach. Preferring blossoming expressions over bombast, he separates himself from the pack with Pistils.

"While drummer-composers often feel a need to make their mark through a show of force, Jayaweera takes a more fanciful approach. Preferring blossoming expressions over bombast, he separates himself from the pack with 'Pistils'."

“ Pistils ” is the debut recording by Sri Lankan and Australian jazz drummer and composer Rajiv Jayaweera . The album features eight compelling and thoughtful originals, which draw inspiration from Sri Lanka. Rajiv Jayaweera's compositions are characterized by strong melodies and beauty, combined with complex bass lines and rhythmic playing. His band, made up of Chris Cheek (soprano and tenor saxophones), Aaron Parks (piano), Hugh Stuckey (guitar) and Sam Anning (double bass), really show why he is among the most in-demand musicians on today's scene.

Ellstandissa , which features the relatively little-known Thammattama drum (also called temple drum), a traditional two-headed drum played with a pair of fascinating curly wooden drumsticks and most often used in cultural ceremonies, incorporates the rhythms of a Sri Lankan dance called Gajaga Wannama, or elephant dance, in 7/8. The main melody of the song is circular and haunting, and is played over a counter melody that superimposes a polyrhythmic figure. Ellstandissa is an invented word that combines the names of the composer's grandparents.

Rajiv Jayaweera is truly a citizen of the world, a fact that permeates and weaves its way into his playing and composition. He was born in London, raised in Melbourne, is of Sri Lankan descent and is currently based in New York. He received his bachelor's degree in music from Victorian College of the Arts in 2000, and a master's degree in jazz studies from SUNY Purchase, New York, in 2013.

In Australia he has been a very active drummer, touring and recording with the country's top musicians including the Joe Chindamo Trio, Bennett's Lane Big Band, Sam Anning Quintet, Bopstretch, and the Crossing Roper Bar Project of the Australian Art Orchestra.

Since arriving in New York City, Rajiv Jayaweera has performed at legendary jazz clubs, Smalls, The Blue Note, Bar Next Door, Dizzy's (J @ LC), Birdland, and more. He received scholarships from the Australian Arts Council, the Ian Potter Cultural Trust and the US-Australian Foundation, and was a finalist for the prestigious scholarship Freedman Jazz Fellowship, occurring at the Sydney Opera House in 2013.

"Rajiv Jayaweera is truly a citizen of the world, a fact that permeates and weaves its way into his playing and composition."

New York-based drummer Rajiv Jayaweera had quite the international upbringing. Born in London to Sri Lankan parents, Jayaweera grew up in Melbourne, where he completed his Bachelor of Music at the Victorian College of the Arts before finishing his Masters in Jazz studies in New York in 2013. In the liner notes of his debut album Pistils, Jayaweera explains that the album is dedicated to his grandparents and the music on it draws inspiration from his Sri Lankan roots and culture. The vastness of Sri Lanka's flora is among the country's main characteristics and the reason why flowers grace the cover of the record and why pistils, a flower's seed-bearing organ, is the album's name and twice-featured title track. Opposite to what might be expected from a drummer's debut album, Pistils reveals a delightful pool of reflections in which Jayaweera paints contours around melody-driven meditations that are enclosed by comforting changes. The drummer's understated and nuanced approach to his instrument is a rare thing in the drummer landscape and his sense for melody in composition all the more exceptional.

Jayaweera is joined by a number of household names. Chris Cheek on tenor and soprano and Aaron Parks, who belongs among today's most sought after sidemen on piano, join the Sri Lankan drummer with the addition of Hugh Stuckey's guitar highlighting the melodies and Sam Anning, who appears with Jayaweera on Carl Morgan's recent trio outing Laniakea (Earshift Records, 2020), adding the deep frequency grooves. Vocalist Lara Bello introduces the album as a guest on the title track, of which a different version reappears as a closer. The first vocal version of the track is a sparsely instrumented affair performed in rubato to dashing cymbals and playful melodic ornamentation accompanying Bello's fragile wordless musings. Rhythm arrives subtly but determinedly on "Ellstandissa," which builds on a downward moving phrase shared in unison between guitar and sax. The drums decide that the tune be counted in three after a couple of ambiguous minutes, but playfully reinvent themselves throughout the track, in accord with Parks' acrobatic harmonic sidesteps and lush chord spreads.

Swing, melodic motifs and solo excursions happen entirely naturally throughout a debut effort which breathes unexpectedly cool. Jayaweera doesn't feel the need to prove anything but tenderly accompany his sidemen, who's nimble contributions pour out of them with remarkable fluency. Still a rhythmical pulse often works as the driving force behind the band. "Welikadawette"'s laid-back dance six-time is a workout in cool jazz bound to a refined head, again introduced in unison by frets and keys, while "Galadari"'s uneven drive in eleven-time is skillfully subdivided in constantly alternating phrases of five and six. Other cuts follow suit.

Before long, "Pistils" returns to close the record on a quiet note, again performed in large rubato strides. This time around piano, bass and vocals aren't part of the equation, yet the elasticity shared between the trio of drums, guitar and sax is of similarly colorful breadth, ending this formidably tempered album on a humble, yet modestly virtuoso note. Jayaweera is not only a drummer to be reckoned with, but also an ace composer whose understated attitude and chops may deserve mentioning in the same breath with groove heavy-weights like Brian Blade before long.

"Jayaweera is not only a drummer to be reckoned with, but also an ace composer whose understated attitude and chops may deserve mentioning in the same breath with groove heavy-weights like Brian Blade before long."

"Pistils" is the debut album by Sri Lankan/Australian jazz drummer and composer, Rajiv Jayaweera. The album features eight original compositions by the New York-based Jayaweera that draw inspiration from Sri Lanka. Jayaweera, who plays drums, cymbals, thammattama, and caxixi, leads a band of Chris Cheek (soprano & tenor saxophones), Aaron Parks (piano), Hugh Stuckey (guitar), and Sam Anning (double bass). Lara Bello adds her voice as a special guest.

Two versions of the title track open and close this recording. The initial rendition of "Pistils" features Lara Bello's enchanting vocal set against a sparse setting. This composition illustrates Jayaweera's ability to compose beautiful melodies. "Ellstandissa," opens with the leader playing the relatively unknown Thammattama drum (also known as a temple drum), a two-headed traditional drum that is played with a pair of fascinating curly wooden sticks. It incorporates rhythms from a Sri Lankan dance entitled 'Gajaga Wannama' in 7/8 time. Again, we are given a memorable melody, which provides Cheek an opportunity to display his marvelous tone as well as the ensemble's intricate rhythmic interplay. Parks adds a choice piano solo here as well.

The next song, "Welikadawatte," translates to Welikada Gardens in Sinhalese. This title refers to an area in central Colombo (the commercial capital and largest city in Sri Lanka). Against the stately rhythm, it affords another opportunity for Cheek to display the warmth of his saxophone. At the same time, Stuckey accents with his chords, and the leader's deft drumming lightly pushes the performance along. Anning's bass hints at Ahmad Jamal's classic performance of "Poinciana." Cheek's tenor sax is at the fore of "Galadari" with an intriguing rhythm and bass riff along with some stop-time passages. Stuckey contributes a scintillating solo. The ballad "Nilus" is a scrumptious performance with Cheek playing with a sublime tone, while bassist Anning also solos strongly.

Jayaweera incorporates the Thammattama drum on the playful "The Elephant," with Parks playing in a bouncy fashion. There is a bluesy feel to "Hirimbura," which takes its title from Rajiv's Grandfather's hometown in the south of Sri Lanka, with Cheek's robust tenor at the forefront, with Parks adding a well-constructed solo as well. Cheek switches to soprano sax for "A Malkoha Bird," playing an appropriately flighty solo.

An instrumental version of the title track closes this recording with Cheek's sax set against Stuckey's lush chords. Jayaweera adds his rhythmic accents with a deft touch on the cymbals and the snare drum in an evocative performance. It caps an excellent recording of first-rate performances of memorable and engaging compositions.

"Jayaweera adds his rhythmic accents with a deft touch on the cymbals and the snare drum in an evocative performance. It caps an excellent recording of first-rate performances of memorable and engaging compositions."