[1] He played in a group that broadcast on Sri Lankan radio backing among others, singer Yolande Bavan.
Dave Brubeck later arranged for a scholarship for de Silva to study jazz compositions at Berklee College in the United States.
[2] Moving on to Paris, France, in March 1967, he was one of the pianists—the others being Joe "Stride" Turner, Errol Parker, Claude Bolling, Michel Sardaby, and Aaron Bridgers, accompanied on some tracks by bassist John Lamb, among others—who recorded the 90-minute session known as Tape for Billy, dedicated to Billy Strayhorn, who was in hospital.
[4] From Paris, de Silva went on to Barcelona backing Ruth Brown as part of a trio with Ron Jefferson, who had just left the West Coast.
[5] In 1970, de Silva starred as supporting character Ranji in the controversial film Tropic of Cancer.