Kadambawa

About

Kadambawa is the original project and forthcoming debut album of Melbourne-based drummer and composer Jerush Perera , bringing together contemporary jazz, improvisation, and the rhythmic traditions of Sri Lanka into a deeply personal and immersive musical experience. Drawing from his Sri Lankan heritage alongside Melbourne’s vibrant improvised music scene, Perera’s compositions explore identity, cultural fragmentation, migration, memory, and community. The music moves fluidly between intricate rhythmic landscapes, lyrical melodies, open improvisation, and moments of explosive collective energy, creating a sound that is both deeply rooted in tradition and unmistakably contemporary. The name Kadambawa , meaning “a collection” in Sinhala, reflects the project’s central idea: a gathering of cultures, stories and musical voices. Each composition forms part of a larger narrative inspired by family history, lived experience and the evolving relationship between heritage and modern life. A defining feature of the ensemble is its collaboration between contemporary jazz and South Asian musical