Anthony Lis` Excellent article on John ( 17 - 21)

Transcription

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June 2008
Vol. 6. Issue 2.
Contents
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“Blue Moon ”
Contents Page
Welcome. The Editor’s usual platitudal dispensations
The Music of Taniela Latu
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/ Taniela’s Family History
Taniela’s Family History
Lawrie Adam’s Hawaiian Carnival Show
The Devil’s Candy - Lawrie’s Other Story
Frank Leadon Bows Out
Basil’s Steelin’ Tricks of the Trade (The Bear Facts)
The Keli Manu Waltz tab.
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My Hawaiian History by Ted Bluck
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The Steel Guitar in Early Country Music by Anthony Lis: Part 2 Chapter 2
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The 15 Brecon Convention
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Readers Letters
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Shustoke 3 Annual Hawaiian Steel Guitar Convention
All ads and enquires to :-
Editorial and design:Pat and Basil Henriques
Honorary members
Pat Jones (Wales.)
Keith Grant (Japan)
----------------------------Hawaiian Musicologist
John Marsden (U.K.)
Pat Henrick
Morgan & Thorne
28-30 The Square
Aldridge
Walsall WS9 8QS
West Midlands.
Phone No:- 0182 770 4110.
E Mail - [email protected]
web page www.waikiki-islanders.com
Subscriptions:U.K. £16:00 per year
Europe €25:00
Overseas $35:00
(U.S. dollars or equivalent)
All include P+P (S+H)
Payment by UK cheque, cash or
money order payable to:“Pat Henrick”
Published in the U.K. by Waikiki Islanders
Aloha Dream Magazine Copyright 2008
2
Aloha
to you all
Firstly I’d like to thank all of you that phoned, and sent letters of support regarding the magazine.
At this point we are considering carrying on but printing less issues per year, we will let you know at
the end off the year what we intend to do.
Sorry my birthday party was cancelled, this was due to the venue refurbishment not being completed
in time. We may be having one for Basil’s 65th in December, once again we will let you know nearer
the time.
Another Brecon has come and gone the years just fly by, Basil and I unfortunately missed it, Basil
has a frozen shoulder which is giving him a lot of pain, so with the drive and having to carry the
equipment up stairs we decided to give it a miss this year. This is only the second one I’ve missed
since the Brecon convention began. I certainly missed everyone; hope to see you all at the
Shustoke gathering in September. (Brecon report by Beryl on page 22.)
Sheila and Deryck hope a few more will attend Shustoke, as Brecon was a little sparse this year,
quite a few regulars didn’t attend for one reason or another.
Details of Shustoke are on the back cover as usual.
We have received a couple of ‘guess who’ photos for the next issue, if any other members have a
photo of themselves not easily recognisable please sent it to us, we have also received some C.D.s
from Bruce Clarke (Cumquat Records) for review, with some interesting news from Bruce.
There are a few other things people have sent in but are not in this issue, if yours is one of them it
will be in the next issue.
The article on page 4 from Taniela Latu, or Daniel as we knew him, certainly brought back a few
memories, especially seeing the photo of Danny Tigilau who joined us on quite a few bookings in the
past with one group or another performing his fire and knife dances, which in those days was quite
something to see as we had not seen the like live. I wonder what happened to him or where he is
now. I think I will have to really get down and write about those days with the Waikiki Islanders and
beyond.
<We’d like to thank John M. for his help with Daniel’s article.>
One funny incident (not at the time though) was when Frank, Maureen (our dancer) and myself
drove up to Sheffield in the early 1970’s, can’t remember whether it was for just a visit or a gig with
John Marsden. At the end of the evening the three of us - joined by Danny Tigilau were, I believe
going back to Danny’s place, when we were stopped by the Police. As the car had not got a current
vehicle license, we were promptly arrested and taken to the local police station, all put in separate
rooms and questioned. Eventually we were released and sent on our way, I will have to tell the
whole story in a later issue, it was quite an experience.
Basil and I are playing at a charity event on Friday 15th August at the Armillary Coffee Room, the
Antiques Adventure, Rugby Road Coventry CV3 2AW.
There are a few tickets available at £10.00 each, the proceeds are going to : Cure Leukaemia,
Birmingham Children’s Hospital, Prostate Cancer & The Renal Unit (Walsgrave).
If anyone is interested in going, phone us on 0182-770-4110 or 0121-844-1077
Thanks for all the input, keep it coming this is your mag.
3
Ma h a lo Nu i L o a
Pat and Baz.
The Music of
Taniela Latu
By 1952 they had become the No. 1 group in
Tonga, playing at nightclubs etc., and also regularly
for the late Queen Salote, at the Royal Palace.
I met Taniela in October 1969 on a
gig we did at an American Air Base, if my memory
serves me correctly we had quite a large show put
together including, Arthur Jones, Frank Leadon,
dancers and numerous backing musicians.
I’m sure a lot of our members will know of Taniela
or Daniel as he is known in the music world.
This is his musical and life story as told to us by
Taniela Latu...
Pat.
When group member Tu Peini decided to leave
and join the Tongan police force, Nasio Latu,
Taniela’s brother was brought in. Nasio was a
teacher at the Catholic College 'Apifo'ou
Ma'ufanga, in Tonga, as well as singing and playing many instruments.
In 1956 Sione Tu'ifua took over as steel guitarist,
and by 1958 they had become a four piece:
T aniela Latu was born in Tonga Friendly Islands, Taniela banjo and guitars, Pita Liutai vocals and
guitar, Sione Tu'ifua, known as Joshua, steel guiin the South Pacific Ocean, on 15th May 1930.
tar,
guitar and vocals, Sione Vakameilalo, lead
Most of his life Taniela has been a professional
musician playing a variety of different instruments singer, guitar, violin and also the band leader.
including Hawaiian Steel Guitar, guitar, banjo and
They came to England in 1961 hoping to make a
ukulele.
name for themselves and also their country Tonga
Friendly Island, following the visit of Queen
Salote, putting the little-known Tonga in the limelight of the world’s attention, when she attended
the 1953 Coronation of Queen Elizabeth ll in
London. She won the admiration of many when
she rode through the streets in an open carriage
in the pouring rain.
This was a symbol of her respect to the Queen,
illustrating that no one is more important than the
Queen on the day of her coronation.
Queen Salote was a keen writer and an author of
countless dance songs and love poems, among
them Hiva Kakala and Majestic Lakalaka well
known in Tonga. The Islanders played lots of the
songs composed by the Queen.
Taniela with his daughter Lilly Blake.
They played regularly at the Beachcomber, Mayfair
Hotel, in London; also doing BBC Radio, Granada lTV,
University of Showbusiness, American Film, TV from
Europe, etc.
He began playing guitar at the age of eight.
In 1944 he played guitar with a Tongan band at an
Amerian Navy base in Ma’ufanga beach Tonga.
While training to be a Navy cadet officer, he also
took up boxing.
Taniela Latu first formed The Friendly Islanders in
Tonga with the late Sione Vakameilalo, in 1950.
Sione was an excellent singer, guitar and violin
player. Sione had also played with his father
Tevita Vakameilalo in the top bands in Tonga.
Other members of the group were Tu Peini, also
a violin player, Pita and Finau Tu’ifua; all were
proficient on guitars and vocals.
4
Taniela’s instruments
The Friendly Islanders at the Beachcomber. 1963.
Taniela,
Pita Liutai,
Sione Tu’ifua, Sione Vakameilalo.
They also had their own programme on radio
called “Swingsong”, and achieved fame on radio
one night a week for 17 months, and British titles
with the song called ('Oi auve ‘ae Ma'ile) whichmeans “So Many Miles To Walk Home”.
Doreena (Tahni) Sugondo joined the Friendly
Islanders at the Beachcomber in 1962 as a singer
and dancer; also her daughter Camille.
In 1965 he moved
from London to
Chesterfield,
joining his now best
friend’s group, Stan
Turner Islanders.
Stan helped Taniela
to get the musicians
together to form his
own new band. 1969
saw the start of the
South Pacific Show,
Taniela and Stan Turner.
the line up including
Taniela playing a twin neck 8 string Hawaiian
Steel Guitar, also doubling on other instruments,
plus his friend Danny Tigilau from Samoa, fire
dancer, guitar and vocals, and from Chesterfield,
dancer Margaret Bower.
1970 saw the addition of John Marsden and
Karen Wright from Sheffield to the line up; also
Tony Marsden on drums (no relation to John).
Sione Vakameilalo who had moved up from
London filled in on a couple of gigs. Finally Taniela
had the top line group he had aimed for.
During 1969 Taniela played steel guitar along with
others at an Hawaiian show at the American Air
Base in South Ruislip, West London. (I believe this
was when I meet Taniela, see photo... Pat. )
During a get together at John Marsden’s, January
1968, Basil met Taniela. John was lucky enough
to be recording when Taniela played guitar for
Basil while he played Steel Guitar.
South Pacific Show
Danny Tigilau and Taniela.
Chesterfield 1970
By 1964 Taniela was not happy with the direction
that The Friendly Islanders were going, so he
decided to leave the group and try something
new, forming his own group called Tongan
Serenaders with Henry Latu.
They started at the University of Showbusiness in
London, and then to the Beachcomber, Mayfair
John Marsden,
Danny Tigilau,
Hotel, replacing The Friendly Islanders, who had Margaret Bower, Taniela,
Karen Wright, Tony Marsden
by this time disbanded, proving that his decision
In 1972 Taniela started a full time job as a
to leave the Islanders was the right one.
Security
Officer at Chesterfield's top nightclub,
Later, when Henry and the band decided to move
to America, Taniela preferred to stay in England The Aquarius, and also took a training course with
and was to later form an Hawaiian Show Band the police force, passing as a Supervisor Security
Officer in the Chesterfield Police Division C.
called ‘South Pacific Show.’
5
Taniela’s Family History.
Robert Skeen, Stella Skeen, Henry Latu, Taniela, Semisi
Fonua. Beachcomber Mayfair Hotel London. 1965.
The owner of the Aquarius then handed Taniela
the full responsibility of the club’s security.
Taniela also trained and passed a government
engineering training course as a skilled machine
operator, making machines for cars, lorries, ships,
and aeroplanes, etc.
1996 saw the closing of the Aquarius nightclub, so
he continued with the registered Police work till he
retired in May 2000 on his 70th Birthday.
After a short break Taniela joined a Government
free computer course at Chesterfield College.
Taniela then took a well earned rest when his children and grandchildren came to England to visit
him, which they do every year.
In 2006 Manu Skeen, from Tonga, visited his family in England; he is a guitarist and singer, and
they recorded two songs on audio tapes, video &
DVD. The recordngs were done by long time
friend Stan Turner, on 27th January 2006.
Last year 2007 Taniela again decided to join a
computer and internet course at an Adult
Education Centre, trying for more qualifications so
he could work from home.
Taniela had nine brothers and four sisters, but two
brothers and two sisters have passed away;
Metui, Nasio, Teleisia, Niumoefa; also his mother
and father, Sione, and Fapiola.
His late father, Sione Latu, was a Chief Prison
Governor in Tonga,
His late mother, Fapiola is the daughter of Leh’a
Poto, of Lapaha, and her uncle, late first
Kavapele, of' Lapaha, is related to the first late
King of Tonga, and her late mother Teleisia,
known as Tele, is
the late Kavapele’s only sister. She also is from a
family of musicians and dancers.
Taniela has five children, four with his late wife
Seini Ahotau, of Lapaha; they are Kipisoni, Lilly,
Rusty, and baby Malia Teleisia Pofitu.
Seini, is the daughter of Sonasi Ahotau, of
Lapaha; he was a caretaker for the late first
Catholic Bishop Tipanio, of Tonga. Seini, passed
away in 1956, followed by their baby daughter
Malia, only seven nights apart.
His eldest son, Kipisoni Latu, was a Captain for a
Shipping Company in Singapore; he returned to
Tonga, after the ship was sold. He became an
Inspector of Police at the Tongan Police Force,
and was promoted to Acting Assistant Chief
Inspector of Police. He took his retirement in May
2004. Police Regulations say every Police Officer
must retire at age of 55-years old due to fitness.
Taniela got remarried to Lavinia, daughter of the late
Noble Tulilakepa Fakatoufifita; they have one daughter,
Malia. She can't have the title because she's a girl; she
was married to Alipate Tu'ihalamaka; they had six children. When Alipate passed away in 1997 her eldest son
Maka, became Tu'ihalamaka; they all live in America.
Taniela’s daughter Lilly, lives
in Australia with her husband
Paul Blake; also their children
and grandchildren.
Clive Morton, Sione Vakameilalo, Frank Leadon, Pat, Arthur Jones, Taniela Latu,
Drummer John Fisher. Amercan Air Base, South Ruislip, London. October 1969.
6
Paul is the son of the late John
Blake of Fasi moe 'Afi; he was
a big businessman and also a
promoter and manager for
Tongan boxer, Paul Mum Sau
Blake and lived in New
Zealand with her family.
Taniela’s eldest son Kipisoni lived in Tonga
with his second wife Ngahauoma, daughter
of Toutai Tupou, first cousin of late King of
Tonga; they have no children, but Kipisoni,
has a son named Kipisoni Si'i with his exwife. He lives in Australia, has two sons,
but is now separated from his wife.
Kipisoni, also has a daughter Lilly Si'i, who
lives in New Zealand with her husband and
children.
Kipisoni Latu.
Rusty Latu
Taniela’s son Rusty also lives in New
Zealand, with wife Dorothy, children and
grandchildren: he is a Supervisor for a
brewery Company, and Dorothy is a boss
caretaker/teacher.
Malia Tu’ihalamaka, Taniels’s daugher.
Taniela has eighteen grandchildren
and twenty five
great-grandchildren, and he
hopes there are
more to come, as
they are God’s
gifts.
His children and grandchildren come to visit him
in England, and they keep in contact with each
other regularly by phone, letter. E-mail, etc.,
making sure he is well cared for here in England.
Taniela would like to say a big big thank to each of
them and God bless them all. He says, “I don’t plan
my life-it’s in God’s hands; he directs and I follow”.
He says he always helps them as much as he can
and prays for them day and night, and also for all
his family all over the world.
He goes to church regularly and gives donations
to the poor, sick and starving children of the world;
also for the homeless and to help with the upkeep
of the church.
Taniela with his 8-string twin neck Hawaiian Guitar. 1969. U.K.
Sadly due to Tongan law, Taniela as a British
Citizen was not allowed to stay in Tonga for
more than three months at a time, and therefore
could not go back to Tonga to live.
(We now believe this law has been changed).
Taniela still finds time to regularly practice his
Hawaiian Guitar and his other instruments.
We hope maybe he will be able to make it to one
of our meetings in the near future.
Taniela’s grandaughter Charlotte,
cousin Mary, and niece Doris in Australia.
7
Thanks Tanny for a very interesting article. Pat.
TH E HAWAIIAN CARNIVAL SHOW
Lawrie Adam, born in a small coal-mining town
called Lochgelly in Fifeshire Scotland, decided at
an early age that he wanted to be a professional
'Magician'. That was going fine, until his father
bought him a small accordion for a £1. He was 14
years old and showed a natural talent and so a
larger one was bought and he was packed off for
lessons. At 17 years of age he was running his
own dance band and arranging concerts. He
passed an audition for the 'Carol Levis Discovery
Show'. The show was in Edinburgh and he won.
The prize was a Radio show in London. He won
again. This time the prize was a TV appearance.
He was spotted by Scottish star Andy Stewart and
invited to turn professional. He did.
Photo taken from a B.M.G. article on Ray Kirkwood, we
haven’t heard of Ray if there is any one who has, let us know.
skirts, audience participation and humour and we
had a unique show. As the audience arrived they
heard the Hawaiian music drifting towards them and
were greeted by two lovely girls, one placing a flower
in the ladies hair, and the other gently placing a
Hawaiian lei over the gentlemen's neck".
Lawrie Adam and His Hawaiian Carnival Show
He ventured south to England and made that his
base. -Lawrie toured Europe, Canada and America
and has the honour of twice appearing at the famous
Carnegie Hall in New York. He released two L.P.
Albums, an E.P. Album and a single. He married a
pretty blonde dancer called Wendy, they had two children, Fiona and Tracey (now a London Film producer) and he graduated to being a comedian and later
a producer and entrepreneur.
Whilst appearing at the Central Pier Blackpool, he
was asked to produce and present a show in
Douglas, Isle of Man at a huge venue (9,000
seater) called 'Summerland'. That was 1973 and
in the August, disaster struck. Two teenagers set
it on fire. It was soon ablaze end to end and 52
people perished in the flames. Lawrie and his
family had a narrow escape.
However, Lawrie always believes that out of every
crisis possibilities arise, and they did. He was in
demand to present touring shows. He had 5 different shows but the one that excelled was the
'Hawaiian Carnival Show'. He says, "I think first of
all, it was the music. I have always loved this typeof music. Mix this with beautiful leggy girls in grass
"Finding a really good Hawaiian Guitarist was the
most difficult part. I found a truly excellent one
playing quietly in a bar in the Metropole Hotel in
Blackpool: I stole him, his name was Ray
Kirkwood.
Ray stayed with me until the show finally came to
an end 6 years later! I suppose the pinnacle was
when I was invited to put the summer show in at
the prestigious 'Horse-Shoe Showbar' for the
Blackpool Pleasure Beach. We drew record audiences and the management were quite peeved
that I had negotiated a really good percentage
deal (I am a Scot remember!) on the season".
"I never saw any of the company again and I
heard that Ray had died. He and his charming
devoted wife will always remain in my 'golden
memories' treasure chest. I returned to the I.O.M.
in 1976 to appear with Ken Dodd. I had a conversion experience and 4 years later was ordained
as a minister in the Church of England, but that's
another story!"
Lawrie spent 25 years in the entertainment business, and has served over 25 years as a vicar.
This article was sent to us by Ted Horgan via John Marsden,
photo of Ray Kirkwood copied from B.M.G. cover 1955.
supplied by John.
8
Thank you both. Pat
Out of interest I decided to search the internet for information
on Lawrie or Ray Kirkwood, I found nothing on Ray, but I did
find the article (below) on Lawrie’s work on a video to help
people with drug problems. I believe this was around 1996.
It was the only information I found.
While searching for the Lawrie and Ray information I did
come across the interesting story (opposite). It's amazing
what you find by accident... Pat.
Lori Anne Holland.
Lori Anne Holland joined Voulez Vous in September
2005 and is Voulez Vous Vocal Understudy to Frida,
Voulez Vous is a tribute band to Abba.
The Devil's Candy - Lawrie’s Other Story.
A CRUSADING clergyman from Padiham has
made a hard-hitting film to teach young people
about the evils of drugs.
The Rev Lawrie Adam interviewed drug addicts
and dealers to produce a gritty campaign video
which will be used by prisons, schools, colleges,
churches and the probation service.
Titled The Devil's Candy, the film is so moving that
even some drug users have found it painful to
watch.
Apart from a few basic facts, the 15-minute video
is devoted to the story of the devastation caused
to seven addicts' lives, as told by the addicts
themselves.
Mr Adam, of Burnley Road, is video production
co-ordinator for the Church of England in
Lancashire.He told the Citizen: "The impact of the
video is designed to be on people's emotions, not
primarily on an intellectual level.
"All those interviewed were incredibly open.
Perhaps this was because I am a priest and not
simply a producer."
Filming was not without risk. One interviewee was
seriously injured in an attack just before he was
due to speak with Mr Adam.
But the finished product is already having a big
impact. It will appear on a government list of recommended resources and has been sanctioned
for use in churches across the North West.
From the Lancashire Evening Telegraph,
first published Thursday 28th Mar 1996.
Lori was born into a long family line of entertainers going back as far as Vesta Tilley and Dame
Nellie Melba.
Lori Holland first performed on stage at the age of
8 years old. This was with her sister Lisa in 'Th e
Lawrie Adam's Hawaiian Carnival Show', in
which their brother david played the keyboards
and their mum Bev was the lead vocalist.
Started singing at the age of 10 in her mums
shows, Lori spent the next few years touring the
UK supporting top acts such as the Mersey Beats,
Don Estelle and Emile Ford.
After leaving school, she spent 2 years singing for
Mecca Entertainments and in various cabaret
bands touring at the time.
At the age of 18, the family group known as
'Genetix' was formed appearing on Les Dawson's
Opportunity Knocks' in 1990.
Around 1993 Lori met the members of another
family band 'Voulez Vous' and both families have
been good friends ever since. Lori is now enjoying
working with them as a member of the group.
The return of Dave Rowlands -
Castaways
Do we
know
who
this
happy
couple
is?
“I’m homesick” The surf
sounds just like the traffic
on the M-1.
9
B i r m i n g h a m A m e r i c a n Fo o t b a l l s h o p o w n e r
Frank Leadon
bows out
A TINY slice of the States is about to vanish forever from Birmingham as Frank Leadon, the godfather
of great American sportswear, finally hangs up his baseball cap.
Frank's shop Great American Sports, an Aladdin's cave of National Football League gear, has
become something of a Birmingham institution for more than three decades.
But now the New York Jets
fan and his wife Sue, a lifelong
Miami Dolphins supporter,
make their last touch-down
today as they close for good
at their base at Five Ways,
Edgbaston.
Their shop, along with many
others in Auchinleck Square, is
being bulldozed to make way
for the £100 million transformation of the 1960s shopping centre off Broad Street. But even
though there will be a tearful
farewell, Frank and Sue, who
have been married 32 years,
have no regrets about their lifelong love affair with American
football.
Known as Frank the Yank, the 75-year-old helped to put American football on the map in Birmingham as founder
member of the Birmingham Bulls American football club.
He went on to become Great Britain manager, winning the European championship back in the early
1990s.
"I'm always proud of setting up the first American football game at Villa Park," said great-grandfather
Frank, who was born in India and brought up in Oregon before he decided to make his fortune in
Birmingham at the age of 25.
As the owner of Britain's only walk-in National Football League shop, many people tried to lure
Frank and his business to London.
"I never wanted to leave Birmingham because I love the place so much. A business like this has to
have a personal hands-on touch and I could do that here," said Frank, who launched his first shop in
Corporation Street's Oasis in 1970 before moving to Auchinleck Square eight years ago.
"We would love someone to carry it on, but we will continue to run part of the business online."
Crooner Frank, with his mellow Transatlantic accent, now plans to spend more time on his first love big band singing - and has already appeared alongside jazz legend Andy Hamilton at Symphony
Hall. He hopes to sing his way through various American classics at venues across Birmingham.
Frank's website is www.greatamericansports.co.uk
Article from the Birmingham Mail
By Poppy Brady
Mar 31 2008
I thought you would all enjoy seeing this article about Frank and Sue’s retirement as most of you know Frank who
sang with us, and occasionally still does.
We would all like to wish you a very happy retirement.
10
The Be ar Fact s
Aloha.....
The tab. this time is for beginners and advanced
players alike. The Arrangement is of an original
composition “The Keli Manu Waltz” done for the
C6/A7 tuning There are versions of it and a backing track to study, on my web site and to download as mp3’s :www.waikiki-islanders/assets/manu/
There is an odd bar of 4/4 every now and then
just to confuse the issue !! Bars 7 and 23..
It’s actually a standard length tune, 8 bars initial
melody, middle 8 section and last 8 as a “Reprise”
of the fist 8.
For those of you “Au Fait” with the innuendo of the
title, I’ll say no more, for others not so familiar with
the Hawaiian language, I’ll let the runs and slants
guide you as to the origin of my inspiration for the
tune..
The Clifford Essex Music Company is to be resurrected, albeit just as an “On-Line” company.
Clem Vickery, David W. Wade and Jonathan
Vickery are delighted to announce that - after a
long absence of more than 30 years - the Clifford
Essex Music Co Ltd will be opening again for
business in Spring 2009...Suggestions as to what
makes of strings, picks, tone bars etc. they should
carry as stock would be welcome, e-mail David
Wade; [email protected]
More info in the next issue..
As some of our closer friends will be aware, the
Waikiki Islanders have been our family group
since 1937 when Pat’s dad formed the group with
his brother Archie, and two others, well, the history of the group then, and later when Pat and I resurrected it, is being chronicled. Any recollections
from our members would be most welcome as to
helping with the time-line of occurrences.
We ARE working on a new album of material and
the results of our re-working of some of the “Old
Favourites” will be heard on our forthcoming
shows, like the Coventry one or even the one in
France in September.
Also, I am compiling a DVD of instructional material for beginners and more advanced players.
The contents will be instructions on technique
and video clips of how to play all the “Tab” that’s
been in the mag from day one. Accompanied by a
reprint of all the tab. and the relevant ‘Steelin’
Tricks’ pages, the complete tutorial will cost £25
including post and packing, (UK) and the Dollar equivalent plus $6 S&H for overseas orders.
The Good News
There have been many requests for a SIMPLE
outline of the rudiments of music theory, also on
the internet forums there has been a series of
similar requests, so, from the next issue, I’ll start
on the path of music theory and understanding,
not as the usual vitriolic and sceptical “Basil’s
EVIL Twin,” but as someone imparting knowledge
gleaned from years of trying to understand..
My eagerness to “Pass it On” can be sometimes
misunderstood and taken as “Pontificating” or
“Lecturing”, this is far from the truth, my eagerness to impart leads me to be somewhat hasty in
my approach at times. Being as Pat has pointed
this out to me, (and I’m grateful for that) I’ll “cut
the cloth” etc..
Pat and I are playing at an Hawaiian Night in
Coventry on Friday August 15th, (See page 3).
The main charity is “Cure Leukaemia” but the
other one is close to my heart, The Birmingham
Children’s Hospital. That’s where as a child struck
down with poliomyelitis, I was confined in an isolation ward in an “Iron Lung” , missing most of my
schooling bar 18 months. Everything I learned as
a child was from reading books via the two mir- Bill Wynne, a good friend of mine (winner of the
rors above my head whist flat on by back. The falsetto contest a couple of years ago), said, “if
nurses (occupied in their common room) had to we don't keep playing the melody of Hawaiian
turn the pages for me, so obviously I managed to classics as they were written, nobody will ever
read most pages a dozen or more times!! The know how these songs were supposed to sound.”
consequence of which is that I learned just a little, I have elaborated on this theme on the internet
but I do know a lot about the little I learned !!
forums, some of which I’ve copied on page 13.
(Figure that one)
Basil Henriques
11
Tempo 68
The Keli M anu Waltz
Basil Henriques
Gm
Gm
12
Gm7b5
Gm7b5
Tempo 68
Th e Keli M anu Waltz
Page 2
Regarding “Due Diligence” in playing.
As well as Trad. Hawaiian Melodies, the Tin Pan Alley/Hollywood and Hapa Haole ones need to be
preserved.
The Hula and Chant are retelling old time History and are passed down with meticulous care and
attention to the accuracy of the interpretation, so that history will not be distorted.
We MUST do the same with the Music of Hawaii and Polynesia in general, the music of Henry
Berger or Lilli' in the 1800's is part, but so is the Harry Owens, Jack Pitman et al era.
Most of the rest of the world has a perception of Hawaii that isn't as trad. as the purists play, the
Electric Hawaiian Guitar, Bing Crosby, Dorothy Lamour, Webley Edwards and the likes, have purveyed a Utopian Hawaii around the globe, and to ignore the importance of THIS form of Hawaiian
music is to close ones eyes to the image Hawaii has elsewhere.
Its tourist industry was founded on its music and dance plus its awesome scenery, these are inextricably linked, and whilst the "Slack Key" revolution is the current vogue IN Hawaii, the Electric
Hawaiian Guitar is STILL considered to be the most discernible signature sound elsewhere.
The earlier acoustic Hawaiian guitars were by necessity used in the more up-tempo numbers
because of their lack of sustain, and slower tunes played utilising smaller combos or duos, whereas
the Electric Hawaiian Guitar with its longer sustain and more mellow sound tended to be used in a
more expressive way in a musically soft and legato environment conjuring up Tropical Paradise
images to those so far away from the Islands.
The reason for all of the above is to set the scene for this fact and observation, the fact that the
Trad. Musicians wouldn't dream of altering the melody of an established tune, and the observation
that there are some who would somehow see the correct interpretation of a melody as something to
be avoided and somehow in their minds "Improved upon"
I belong to the former school, and even when it MAY cause upset or friction by my saying it, I WILL
point out to people if they play an incorrect melody, and what I consider to be the failing of such an
approach. If I never had learned to play, I would still be able to hear, and hearing is what I base my
judgment on, NOT what I can DO myself. (As I believe my shortcomings on the instrument preclude
that standpoint)
13
My Ha w a i i an
History
I t was 1996 when our good friends Bel Blood and Stewart
Moffat invited my wife Nora, and I, to our first Hawaiian Luau
in Brecon, so by comparison with most of you people we are
complete novice's, however from that thoroughly enjoyable
weekend, sprang an almost insatiable appetite for the music,
as well as some of the characters that played in those days,
quite a number not with us any more I'm sorry to say, so
much so that when it was suggested a little later that year
that a trip to the 1997 biannual convention in Hawaii might
be a good idea, we needed very little persuading, we spent
three wonderful weeks there, none of us had never been to
an international convention before, or Hawaii for that matter,
so it was quite exciting to listen to so many really good musicians on Hawaiian guitars as well as some pretty lively guys
backing them, quite often the same people, as a none player in those days, little did I realize what a gut retching experience it can be, to play at the Kapiolani hotel, it would be four
more years in 2001 before I managed it. .
players, with five or six backers, and they all had a ball, so
did we, because it turned into the most sustained jam session I think I have ever heard, each steel player taking a
nod from the guy before him in the line, to give his interpretation of whatever it was they were playing, it was
absolute class.
A couple of days later we moved to the big island for a
week and stayed at the in Kona at the Keahou hotel,
which was a gorgeous spot, partly built out on stilts
into the bay, where at night you could watch the fish in
the bay by the light of the hotel’s flood lights, one day
while we were there we found an almost deserted
sandy beach where we were forced to swim in our
under ware, because we had stupidly forgotten our
bathing costumes, on another occasion we had a trip
to the rain forest to see Akaka falls amongst many
other things, the area lived up to its reputation and
rained most of the time, but at least the rain was warm,
then we went onto the volcano area, this is quite an
eerie place especially when the day is cloudy, as it
was on this occasion, with old, but not entirely extinct
volcano’s still bubbling away with quite a strong smell
of sulphur, that whole day was stunning in its content,
add to this the friendly Hawaiian people, and it
becomes a place you just want to get back
to as often as possible, you could of
course say it was a holiday where everything seemed to happened to please all of
us, of course it was our first time there, and
that's always special, but we've been three
times since, and believe me they’ve all
been very special.
The Brecon convention that followed our
Hawaiian holiday was another watch and listen weekend as was the following year, but it
was at the Brecon convention in 1998 that I
voiced my desire to 'have a go at playing one
of these guitars' to Steve Hancocks, who I
didn't know very well at the time, but has
since become a very good friend, along with
his wife Kath, his response to my casual
remark was a very positive, "If you feel like
Ted, Beryl, Stewart and Nora. Akaka Falls in the background.
that come over to my house, I'll lend you a guiThen there was the May day celebrations in the park with tar, and give you some lessons" my bluff had really been
the Kodak Hula show, the stands all along the road selling called, but because I was still working full time, it took
all sorts of things including ‘leis’ which you could watch about three months before I was able to take him up on
being made for you, from real flowers, the marquee's his offer, not that that mattered, he was as good as his
where musicians were playing, all forms of dance being word, and did exactly what he said he would, and visits on
performed by troupes of people of all ages, children we almost a weekly basis went on until just before Christmas,
believe from as young a three, to adults doing Hawaiian, when on a visit to Steve's house I was introduced to
Hula, and ritual dances, all taking place on the old band- Maurice Hipkiss who I soon discovered was a very fine
stand, it was wonderful, the day was warm and sunny until musician as well as an excellent steel player, and he was
the early evening when it started to rain, this was rather playing a Bennett eight string lap steel which I thought
unfortunate because there was to be about an hour or so sounded very good, and said so.
of steel guitar music, played by a number of the leading The following January to my delight, Maurice put it up
players of that period who had been in town for the con- for sale, so that was my first guitar, the lessons continvention, but of course people started to move away, at ued with Steve, but progress my was slow, and it
least until Alan Akaka in person came off the stage and became obvious that I was not going to be an overnight
invited us all onto the stage out of the rain, to watch and sensation, so we again set off to the Hawaiian islands
listen to these guys, there were about seven or eight steel to watch and marvel at some very fine players from all
14
the only way, and between them, they set about my
musical education, and at turned seventy years of age
this was going to be no mean achievement. I still can't
sight read music, but at least through their efforts I
understand what minims, crochets, and quavers are,
and their value's, a tacit, rests, and repeat signs, also
the structure of chords, and that all important bit which
Bel taught me first, where to strike C on the piano,
because after first buying a good quality Peavey amp.
The piano was the next thing I bought, a Roland electric piano, a great asset, and something I would definitely recommend any aspiring guitarist to get hold of.
Ted at Brecon this year (2008)
over the world at the 99 convention, so by the time the
Brecon meeting in June 1999, we had only been home
for about two weeks, not really long enough to get over
jetlag, but because I had owned a guitar for six months,
and had borrowed one for three months prior to that, it
seemed to be a forgone conclusion that I would perform, and no matter how much I protested my ineptitude with the instrument, it was brushed aside with the
all to common phrase, 'Don't be silly Ted, you're
amongst friends' so I very reluctantly took my Bennett
to Brecon, to play for about ten minutes, after a frantic
two weeks after my Hawaiian holiday of sleepless
nights and stomach churning days, practicing three
tunes.
The Brecon weekend eventually loomed large, and in
my minds eye it was like ‘High Noon’ I don't think I've
ever had a more exhilarating, nauseating, nerve racking, toilet visiting afternoon, in my life, and of course I
played wrong notes because my nerves made the fret
board, and most of the strings disappear, all the backer's
were sympathetic, though at the time I thought it was
their fault, they were so loud and unremitting, it was like
being charged down by a steam roller, after only practicing at home to a walkman audio tape through a 15
watt practice amp. Then still sweating and shaking with
all the adrenaline my body had consumed, I threw the
guitar into its case in disgust, watched by some cheery
wag, who, with a straight face said,' You'll give us
another tune tomorrow then Ted' My God, I'd forgotten
that everyone played on Sunday as well, I well remember looking up at him, and with a half smile, and without sound, mouthed the word NO, but at the same
time immediately started to shake, just at the thought
of his suggestion of doing it all again, and I didn't. It
was Bel & Stewart, who by the way are both fine
pianists, on the way home managed to talk me out of
giving it all up and burning the Bennett, after all they
said, "It sounded great when Maurice played it" Of
course it did I thought, but then he could make a comb
and paper sound better than me. But I was eventually
convinced that lots of study, and hours of practice, was
For the next twelve months I practiced hard, two hours
a day, and I eventually started to sound reasonable, at
least with people I new, or with Steve, who I still visited
occasionally, an audience however, was quite another
matter, as was any recording device, I was obviously
not a performer, which was unfortunate because Bel
had promised to sing with me as I improved. And this
appealed to me because I thought for a short time on
stage, she became the centre of attention not me, my
god how she's suffered, with my wrong notes, but so
did I, because my thoughts of hiding behind the singer
were in vane, you immediately become centre stage,
like a steel playing Les Dawson without the humor.
Brecon 2000 came and went and while it wasn't bad,
there was still much to be done to improve things,
mainly in conquering my nerves, and since it was
decided to visit the Hawaii convention again in 2001,
only this time to play, then the sooner we got started
the better, we picked six tunes as the main programme
with spares 'in case', and the practice sessions
became frantic, along with visits to parties or gatherings, where I could play in front of other people, but
nothing can prepare you for your stage debut at the
Queen Kapiolani, especially when you sit for a day or
so listening to the guys who've been playing for years,
however my name was down for Tuesday after lunch
so until then with the help of Hal Smith who very kindly lent me a practice amp. I practiced relentlessly, so
much so that two hours before we were due on stage
my thumb pick split in half, and I hadn't got a spare,
there happened to be quite a number of people there
from our group, so I managed to get one from a friend,
but I’m afraid pick's are like a pair of gloves, or the wife,
you get very attached to them, so it didn't feel quite the
same, add to this the announcement by Stewart that he
had asked Ina Smith, Hal’s wife, to dance a couple of
numbers with us, and I began to fear the worst. Luckily
I'd seen my doctor before I came away and he gave me
a few pills that he said are sometimes given to people
who's nerves drop apart before taking a driving test, or
an exam, I thought I've been there done that, and got
the tee shirt, his instructions were quite specific, take
one tablet, and only one, half an hour before going on
stage, no earlier because it would probably make me
sleepy, so this I did, in my room, and promptly went
back down to the show, only to find the programme was
now running three quarters of an hour late, so now I'm
15
more concerned about falling
up in good time, and sorting out
asleep on stage than playing
the music for backers in the right
wrong notes. Crikey what a day it
play order, this helps to keep my
was turning out to be, but the
mind occupied, at least that's the
adrenaline kicked in as soon as
way I try to cope with the situaArt Ruymar announced us, the
tion.
programme went without a hitch,
We visited Hawaii again in 2004
and at the end I got kind words
for the convention, and again we
from L.T. Zinn who played rhythm
performed, the amazing thing
for us, a high five from my singer
about the second time I played is
Bel, a well done from Stewart, a
that I can hardly remember the
kiss from Aina Smith, and when I
occasion, I think I must have
got home, a post card and a photaken two tablets that time and
tograph from Betty & Bo Bahret
played in my sleep, however its
thanking us for a lovely spot, I
doubtful that we will ever make
treasure that card, and the photo
the trip again, we would love to of
is still on our sideboard to this
course, but it's a very long way to
day, what encouragement. I have
go to play guitar on stage for
met quite a number of good, interabout 30 minutes, and getting
esting, Hawaiian guitarists in the
into, and out of, the U.S. through
short time I've been playing, and
customs & immigration with a
Akaka Falls - Photo taken by Ted.
almost without exception they've
guitar can be such a drag, secuall been very approachable, friendly and helpful, both rity there seem to be paranoid about an instrument
here in UK as well as in Hawaii, it must be something case, I think it must date back to the gangs in the proto do with the music, I just wish we could get the world hibition days when a violin case quite often contained a
playing it, I say this because in 2001 at the Brecon sub machine gun, I was asked that question on a numconvention one of the most accomplished musicians, ber of occasions. I said no, its just a guitar, but they
steel player, and any other type of guitar, player, you opened it anyway.
can think of, I have ever met, burst onto our scene in However largely due to Pat and Basil producing the
no uncertain way.
magazine you are now reading, we find that there are
I speak of course of Basil Henrick, he brought with him quite a number of steel players in the U.K. who get the
what appeared to be a lorry load of equipment, and opportunity to strut there stuff at least four times a year
about seven guitars, then proceeded to play about ten if they want to, so why bother to go abroad, you can get
numbers from his album, 'My guitars and I' and just equally as frightened performing here as anywhere in
blew us all away, it was marvellous, I mention this the world, it just costs less to do it here, add to this the
because he is another great player who was then, and fact that I started making guitars, and winding pickups
still is, very approachable, and I feel like the cat that like many guys do, but the frustration when they don’t
got the cream because he gave me lessons for about sound like you think they should, can be quite unbear18 months, and what a boost that was to my playing. able, its then that you begin to realize the complexities
involved in trying to produce a musical
instrument of any merit, oddly enough
the first one I made plays beautifully, but
the last two, while OK, don’t quite hit the
heights I was expecting.
You can no doubt see my problem, I don’t
know when to stop writing, so now might
be a good time to do just that, but not
before one other person that has helped
to make my Hawaiian experience even
more enjoyable, I refer of course to my
wife Nora, my God how she’s suffered, I
mean this lady has heard more wrong
notes and expletives from me over the
past nine years than in the whole of our
Aina Smith, Beryl, Ted, Stewart, L.T. Zinn & Bernie at the H.S.G.A. Hawaii 2004 married life, but she insists she’s
enjoyed it all, and I’m inclined to believe
I'm now eighty years old, I still practice every day with- her, at least its been one activity we’ve been able to
out fail and love doing it, my nerves are still there before enjoy together, unlike all the motor cycling, cricket, and
performing, but far more under control than the were, sailing I’ve done in the past, and its certainly been a
this I think, comes with confidence both in playing abili- wonderful ten years of my life, Thank you to you all.
ty, and getting prepared to perform, like, getting tuned
Ted Bluck
16
The Steel Guitar in Early Country Music
Part Two: Jimmie Rodgers’s Steel Guitarists
Chapter Two: John James Westbrook, Jr.
Chapter one of this ongoing series of articles on the ten steel guitarists who recorded behind Jimmie Rodgers
(which appeared in the March 2008 issue) discussed Rodgers’s important role in popularizing the steel guitar, through his
thirty-one sides featuring the instrument. The chapter also discussed Ellsworth Thomas Cozzens (the first steel guitarist
to record with Rodgers), and the four recordings on which he backed Rodgers with the instrument in February 1928.
Chapter two will discuss the second person to play steel guitar behind Rodgers (a little over eight months after Cozzens),
the multi-instrumentalist and naturalist John James Westbrook, Jr. (1901-1974), who recorded with Rodgers at two Victor
“field-recording sessions” in Atlanta in late-October 1928, which yielded the popular “Waiting For a Train”.
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Westbrook was born in Danville, Virginia (an important early-twentieth-century tobacco-trading and cotton-manufacturing
center c. 205 miles southwest of Washington, DC). Westbrook’s father’s side of the family had been involved with the
establishment of the W. J. Westbrook Elevator Manufacturing Company in Danville in the early 1900s.1
As a youth, Westbrook was interested in both music and nature, collecting bird eggs, butterflies, and moths from an early
age,2 and also teaching himself to play the steel guitar, as well as the standard guitar, ukelele, and piano.3
By February 1922, Westbrook had formed Westbrook’s Orchestra,4 a dance band which — over the next thirty-eight
months — performed at venues such as Danville’s then-new Masonic Temple, the local golf club, and the Park Springs
Beach resort south of town.5 By early-March 1922, Westbrook had a studio in a central-Danville music store and was taking pupils for the steel guitar, guitar, mandolin, ukelele, banjo, tenor banjo, and saxophone.6
Westbrook gained exposure outside the Danville area during the first half of 1923 when he undertook a lengthy tour of the
South with Vaughan’s Virginians (apparently the re-named Westbrook Orchestra?).7 With Westbrook billed as a “star” of
the group,8 the Virginians performed in Atlanta (appearing on WSB radio in late-January 1923)9 and served a three-month
engagement in Texas (from c. April-July 1923).10
Westbrook left the Virginians in July 1923 to return to Danville,11 where — by November — he had formed the Westbrook
Concert Company12 with a local pianist, violinist, and guitarist/baritone.13 (Over the next six months, the quartet — with
Westbrook on steel guitar — played benefits, concerts, and school performances in southwest Virginia and neighboring
northern North Carolina.)14
Westbrook performed an eclectic variety of pieces in varied settings with the Company. For a 1924 Valentine’s Day benefit in Danville, Westbrook played the Irish ballad “Mother Machree” as a steel-guitar solo, the parlor song “The Rosary”
as a steel-guitar duet, and — for a grand finale — performed “Aloha Oe” with the entire ensemble. The concert also included Westbrook’s harmonization and arrangement of a melody by the Company’s violinist.15 (Glen Williamson — who first
met Westbrook as a child in c. 1943 — relates that he went on to arrange [and compose] “hundreds of songs over his lifetime.”)16
At a March 1924 concert in Lynchburg (60 miles northeast), Westbrook performed the “Miserere” from Verdi’s Il Trovatore
and the popular song “Smiling Through” as steel solos, “Whispering Hope” as a steel-and-standard-guitar duet, and “The
Sweetheart of Sigma Chi” in a setting for two steel guitars and standard guitar.17
Reviews of Company performances praised not only Westbrook’s steel-guitar playing, but also the (then-relatively-new)
timbre of his instrument. (“Westbrook’s selections on the Hawaiian guitar were beautiful in the extreme,” relayed one
columnist,18 while another gushed that his steel guitar “brought out the melodies as only that instrument is capable of
doing.”)19
During the spring or summer of 1926, Westbrook moved from Danville to Atlanta;20 in late October, he appeared again on
WSB, playing steel guitar.21
In the fall of 1927, Westbrook married Adelaide Blanche Overbey (1908-1993), from Chatham, Virginia (north of
Danville).22 Blanche played the piano23 and standard guitar, and also sang;24 in late-January 1928, she accompanied
Westbrook on piano during another WSB steel-guitar performance.25
By July 1928 (c. three months before Westbrook crossed paths with Jimmie Rodgers in Atlanta), Westbrook was hosting
his own half-hour, Saturday-evening WSB program, “Johnny Westbrook’s Concert Hawaiians”. (In an article promoting this
17
“new and attractive” feature [which apparently ran through early November], the Atlanta Journal relayed that — after c.
two years in Atlanta — Westbrook had “established himself firmly as a teacher and soloist,” was also “widely known as a
teacher of steel [sic] instruments [and] . . . a master of fretted technique . . . [as well] as the originator of a system of instruction acknowledged by leading musicians to be extraordinary.”)26
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While Westbrook was establishing himself in Atlanta, Jimmie Rodgers’s recording career had begun to take off. By July
1928, Rodgers had become one of the top-selling recording artists in America, fueling a need at Victor Records for more
and more Rodgers recordings.27 Plans were made for Rodgers to meet Victor field representative Ralph Peer in Atlanta
in mid-October, as part of an extended field-recording expedition Peer was undertaking to Georgia and Tennessee to
record various blues and “hillbilly” musicians.28
Rodgers arrived in Atlanta nearly a week before his scheduled sessions to allow himself time to — in the words of his biographer Nolan Porterfield — tour the local “clubs, dancehalls, and ‘speaks’” (speakeasys) and survey the local talent.29 It
was during one round of clubbing that Rodgers met Westbrook, who was performing as part of a dixieland quintet including a full-time gigging clarinettist and cornettist (James A. Rikard and Clarence L. Hutchison, respectively), a string bassist
working as a steamfitter (a
heating-systems-installer) (George L. MacMillan), and a guitarist (Dean Bryan).30
Rodgers talked the quintet into letting him “sit in” to try out several songs he envisioned recording; satisfied with the results,
Rodgers invited the group to his recording sessions.31
Rodgers recorded the following four sides during two sessions in Atlanta, at a makeshift studio somewhere on Peachtree
Road in the central part of the city. (All sides featured the full quintet [including Westbrook].)
“My Carolina Sunshine Girl” (Vi V-40096)
“Blue Yodel No. 4” (“California Blues”) (Vi V-40014)
“Waiting For a Train” (Vi V-40014)
“I’m Lonely and Blue” (Vi V-40054)
(recorded 20 October, 1928)
(recorded 22 October, 1928)32
Porterfield deems these recordings as “among [Rodger’s] . . . very best,”praising the way Westbrook and his colleagues
“wor[k] . . . to reinforce Rodgers’s vocals, shoring him up at every strategic point, floating in strong and solid [between choruses] yet with just the proper restraint.”33
Curiously, although a quite-capable steel player, Westbrook is accorded no solos, his primary function being — as David
Joyner has noted — to “pad” the texture of the quintet, providing a fuller sound with his sustained chords and slides.34
Rodgers conceived “My Carolina Sunshine Girl” while he was apparently travelling through the Carolinas.35 As Porterfield
notes, the song puts a new spin on traditional Tin Pan Alley laments “over
the . . . heartlessness of some Southern belle” via a protagonist who realizes by the end of the song’s chorus it’s time to
stop sitting and crying about his unfaithful sweetheart and start laughing at her photograph instead.36 Westbrook’s steel
fills and slides can be heard intermingling with the ensemble during the song’s verse and first chorus (and also the second, abbreviated chorus), as well as the
“dixieland”-style instrumental break in mid-recording.
“Blue Yodel No. 4” (“California Blues”) — another Rodgers creation — is a braggadocio-laden twelve-bar blues about a
“do-right papa” leaving for California because his woman refuses to treat him right. The
song — an instant hit — was one of the most-popular of Rodgers’s thirteen “Blue Yodels”.37 In its original Columbia
release, the song was paired with “Waiting For a Train”; the coupling became Rodgers’s
second-best-selling record.38
Westbrook — taking a more-active role here — can be clearly heard “responding” to Rodgers’s “calls” at the end of the
first two lines of the first, second, third, and sixth choruses (with glissandos, triplets, and rising and falling lines); he also
contributes to the musical texture during the fifth, instrumental chorus.
“Waiting For a Train” — the best-known recording to emerge from the Atlanta sessions — was Rodgers’s adaptation of a
hoboing song with lyrics rooted in a mid-nineteenth-century stage recitation.39 (The song concerns a drifter making his
way back to the South from California by “hopping trains”; unable to pay off a hostile brakeman, the drifter ends up stranded in the middle of Texas, where — despite his empty pocketbook and pained heart — he can take some solace in the state’s wide-open spaces and moon- and star-lit nights.)
Westbrook’s sustained steel chords, slides, and obbligato lines are clearly heard ringing above the ensemble during the
two verses, as well the “dixieland”-style instrumental break separating the verses.
18
“I’m Lonely and Blue” was another collaboration between Rodgers his sister-in-law, Elsie McWilliams (1897-1985) (as was
“The Sailor’s Plea”, discussed in chapter one). Westbrook’s steel slides and fills (mostly descending lines) are once again
heard throughout the two verses of this slow waltz (particularly during the frequent rests in Rodgers’s vocal line).
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Westbrook participated in two more recording sessions following his Rodgers recordings. Sometime in 1929, he and his
wife recorded nine sides for Paramount, possibly in New York City, as — perhaps wishfully-thinking at this point — the
Westbrook Conservatory Entertainers. The sides featured Westbrook on vocals/steel guitar and Blanche on
vocals/standard guitar, along with an unidentified male vocalist; songs recorded (in arrangements by Westbrook?) included gospel numbers, a humming-laced version of “Silent Night”, and instrumental renditions of two early-twentieth-century
parlor songs.40
As evidence of Westbrook’s continued Hawaiian-music interest, the Entertainers also recorded “Memories of Hawaii” and
“Indiana March” (coupled and released on Broadway as by The Hawaiian Trio).41
In the session’s most-surprising recording, Westbrook and his wife waxed an early cover of black Mississippi bluesman
Bo Chatmon’s “Corrine Corrina” (recorded by Chatmon the previous November),42 with Westbrook on lead vocals/steel
guitar and Blanche singing descant and playing guitar. (As on Westbrook’s Rodgers sides, his triplet-based steel-guitar fills
permeate the recording, answering each line of the song’s seven choruses.)
According to Michael Radano and Philip Vilas Bohlman, Paramount “apparently decided to try a crossover gambit” with
the cover, creating a pseudonym for the Westbrooks (The Too Bad Boys) and releasing their version in Paramount’s
12/13000 “race record” series in December 1929 (in a rare instance of 1920s cross-promotion, whereby the Westbrooks
were presented as black musicians).43
By c.1930, the Westbrook Conservatory had become a reality, with Westbrook appropriating part of the third floor of an
office building on Peachtree Street Northwest in north-central Atlanta for his school.44
The conservatory moved a few blocks down Peachtree sometime in 1931.45
In November 1931, the renamed Westbrook Conservatory Players recorded four religious songs (including “Tell Mother
I’ll Be There,” “The Old Rugged Cross,” and “I Would Walk With My Savior”) for Columbia in Atlanta. Westbrook again
played steel, assisted by the conservatory’s registrar on vocals, an unknown ukelele-player, and possibly Blanche on guitar. “Rugged Cross” b/w “I Would Walk” was issued domestically in c. April 1932, while “Rugged Cross” b/w “Tell Mother”
was issued in Australia that November (in Graphophone Regal’s G20000 series, as by the Westbrook Gospel Players
and Soloist;46 presumably, the latter two sides feature Westbrook in a more-soloistic role?).
In c. 1934, Westbrook’s conservatory became the Westbrook-Puckett Hawaiian School of Music (the result of a partnership with fellow-Atlantan William L. Puckett).47 (The enterprise proved to be short-lived, with Puckett forming his own
music school and Westbrook reverting to his old Westbrook Conservatory name within a year.)48
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
In October 1934, Westbrook and his wife had a son, John James Westbrook III (1934-1998), born in Danville.49 By c.
1935, Westbrook and his wife had apparently divorced, with Blanche awarded custody of young John.50 Westbrook
opened up a small conservatory in downtown Danville, which he ran for several years.51 By 1937, Westbrook had moved
to Washington, DC, where he similarly ran a short-lived music school; in 1943, he returned to Danville to stay.52
Once ensconced in Danville, Westbrook re-kindled his childhood nature interest; by 1944, he had secured a position with
the city’s Recreation Department as supervisor of a year-round nature program,53 organizing nature walks, hikes, and
specimen-hunting field trips for schoolchildren in the countryside west and south of Danville (and on into nearby North and
South Carolina), sometimes playing bass ukelele along the way.54 Westbrook also effected the construction of a Nature
Center in Danville’s largest park (to house specimens collected on his hikes and field-trips);55 he also gave talks on area
wildlife to schools, civic clubs, and churches, and addressed garden clubs in Danville and Richmond.56
Westbrook also wrote nature-lore columns for the Sunday Danville Register — “Nature Notes on Danville” (1943-45)
included detailed information on native birds and their songs, while “Trails and Treasures” (1945-47) included Westbrook’s
engaging descriptions of activities such as moth- and rock-collecting, creek-wading, and the observation of ducks and
migratory birds.57 For Danville’s semi-weekly Commercial Appeal, Westbrook also wrote a “Beyond the Beaten Path” feature “describ[ing] seasonal phenomena in the nature world.”58
Private music-lesson teaching remained Westbrook’s principal means of employment. (One of Westbrook’s students,
Steven Zdenek Eckels, has written columns for Fingerstyle Guitar magazine and guitar books for Mel Bay and Alfred pub
19
lications.)59 Westbrook also remained active as a steel guitarist, “present[ing] little musicales at various Danville schools”
with a friend on piano and her cousin (the former violinist in Westbrook’s Concert Company?).60 Towards the end of his
life, Westbrook joined the staff of Danville’s Leed’s Music Center, where he worked until his death.61
Westbrook died in his sleep at age seventy-two;62 upon his passing, his collection of butterflies, moths, stuffed birds,
seashells, rocks and minerals, and Native-American artifacts was — in accordance with his wishes — presented to
Danville Community College.63 In 1987, a natural-history museum (now the Estelle H. Womack Museum of Natural
History) opened on the DCC campus, providing a permanent home for Westbrook’s collection and preserving the legacy
of his lifelong enthusiasm for nature,64 just as the four sides Westbrook recorded with Jimmie Rodgers in Atlanta in autumn
1928 preserve the legacy of his youthful enthusiasm for the steel guitar.
Next — in Chapter Three — Rodgers’s August and October 1929 recordings with Honolulu-born steel guitarist Joe Kaipo
(including “Everybody Does It In Hawaii”), as well as Rodgers’s February 1932 recordings with Kansas-born ukelele-player-turned-standard-guitarist-turned steel-guitarist William T. (“Billy”) Burkes.
Notes
© 2008 Anthony Lis
1. Adrian O’Connor, “Westbrook’s Musical Bent the Stuff of Legends,” Danville (VA) Register and Bee, 9 Jul. 1992; Tom Goggin, “John James
Westbrook, Danville, Va” (query posted at Genealogy.com’s GenForm website, 30 Sept. 1998)
< www.genforum.familytreemaker.com/westbrook/messages/161.html >.
2. O’Connor, “Westbrook’s Musical Bent”.
3. Glen Williamson, “A Friend Remembered: John J. Westbrook” (tribute website) < www.williamson-labs.com/westbrook.htm >;
Nolan Porterfield, Jimmie Rodgers: The Life and Times of America’s Blue Yodeler, new ed. (Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 2007), 160.
4. “270 New Members Secured by Young Men’s Organization,” Danville (VA) Bee, 13 Feb. 1922.
5. Information gleaned from a perusal of various editions of the Danville Bee from 13 Feb. 1922 11 Apr. 1925 in Ancestry.com’s Historical Newspaper Collection
< http://www.ancestry.com/search/rectype/periodicals/news/default.aspx >.
6. Advertisement for the Frix Piano and Phonograph Co., Danville Bee, 2 Mar. 1922.
7. “Danville Boys to Play By Radio Monday,” Danville Bee, 29 Jan. 1923.
(. . . “‘Vaughan’s Virginians,’ better known perhaps, as Westbrook’s [O]rchestra . . . will play at the Atlanta Journal broadcasting station [WSB] on
Monday” [29 January].)
8. “Westbrook Hour At 9 Saturday Is New Feature,” Atlanta Journal, 7 Jul. 1928.
(. . . “Westbrook came to Atlanta some five years ago as a star of the famous Vaughan’s Virginians orchestra . . .”)
9. “Danville Boys”.
10. Untitled article, Danville Bee, 6 Jul. 1923.
11. Ibid.
12. “Social Activities: Social Calendar,”Danville Bee, 26 Nov. 1923.
13. “Social Activities: Danville Players Appreciated,” Danville Bee, 26 Mar. 1924.
14. Information gleaned from a perusal of various editions of the Danville Bee from 9 Nov. 1923 - 5 Apr. 1924 in Ancestry.com’s Historical
Newspaper Collection.
15. “Social Activities: Concert at High School,” Danville Bee, 14 Feb. 1924.
16. Glen Williamson, “A Friend Remembered” website.
17.“Westbrook Concert Delights Audience,” The (Lynchburg, VA) News, 22 Mar. 1924.
18. “Social Activities: Girl’s [sic] Council Have Musical,” Danville Bee, 11 Mar. 1924.
19. “Westbrook Concert Delights Audience”.
20. “Social Activities: Personals,”Danville Bee, 1 Sept. 1926.
21. “Daily Radio Program,” ibid., 1 Nov. 1926. (The feature lists the Atlanta radio station as “WSMB”, but this must be a typographical error.)
22. “Chatham Personals,” Danville Bee, 26 Dec. 1928; 1930 United States Federal Census (Atlanta, GA; 15 April 1930); “Chatham,”Danville
Bee, 22 Dec. 1930; “Social Activities,” ibid., 25 Aug. 1927; and “Social Activities,” ibid.,19 Dec. 1927.
23. “The Listening Post,” Danville Bee, 30 Jan. 1928.
24. Tony Russell, Country Music Records: A Discography, 1921-1942 (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004), 946-47.
25. “The Listening Post”.
26. “Westbrook Hour New Feature,” Atlanta Journal, 7 Jul. 1928.
20
27. Porterfield, 152.
28. Ibid., 158, 159.
29. Ibid., 159.
30. Ibid., 396; 1929 Atlanta City Directory (Atlanta: Atlanta City Directory Co., 1929), 1104, 725, and 862.
32. Ibid., 396-97.
33. Ibid., 160.
34. David Lee Joyner, American Popular Music (Dubuque, IA: William C. Brown, 1993), 153.
35. Porterfield, 160-61.
36. Ibid., 161.
37. Ibid.
Robert Santelli and Holly George-Warren’s American Roots Music defines Rodgers’s “Blue Yodels” as “white blues stanzas . . . featur[ing] a high,
falsetto keening [i.e., yodelling] (New York: Harry N. Abrams, 2002), 23.
39. Ibid.
40. Russell, 946-47, 18.
41. Ibid., 947.
42. Ronald Michael Radano and Philip Vilas Bohlman, Music and the Racial Imagination (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2001), 182;
Chris Smith, liner notes to Paramount Rare Blues: Complete Recorded Works in Chronological Order (1926-1929), Document DOCD-5277.
43. Radano and Bohlman, 182-83; Max E. Vreede, Paramount 12000/13000 Series (London: Sorryville, 1971), 12861.
44. 1931 Atlanta City Directory (Atlanta: Atlanta City Directory Co., 1931), 1765.
46. Russell 947; Guthrie T. Meade with Dick Spottswood and Douglas S. Meade, Country Music Sources: A Biblio-Discography of Commercially
Recorded Traditional Music (Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2002), 649, 326; Russell 29, 30.
47.1934 Atlanta City Directory (Atlanta: Atlanta City Directory Co., 1934), 1153.
49. “J[ohn] Westbrook III” (obituary), Newark (NJ) Star-Ledger, 22 Jun. 1998.
50. Williamson, “A Friend Remembered” website.
(“if I look for a common thread to the kids that received [Westbrook’s] . . . greatest attention, it was that they all . . . had a troubled home-life. I guess
that it may have helped him handle the fact that he could not be with his own son, from his failed marriage . . .”)
52. Ibid.; The Westbrook Society of Natural History, Observations of a Naturalist: Nature Notes on Danville & Trails and Treasures: A Collection
of Articles, 1943-1947, by John James Westbrook, Jr. (Danville, VA: McCain Printing, 1997), 63.
(Westbrook relates that he “became thoroughly familiar with [the] . . . habits [of Kentucky warblers] . . . while residing in Washington, D.C. for a period of seven years” [i.e., c. 1936-1943].)
53. Ellen Easterly Wood, “A Year-Round Nature Program,” Recreation 38 (Jun. 1944), 135.
54. Adrian O’Connor, “Pied Piper of Nature,” Danville Register and Bee, 8 Jul. 1992.
55. ————-, “Westbrook’s Musical Bent.”
56. Wood, “A Year-Round Nature Program,” 136; Observations of a Naturalist, 120.
57. Observations of a Naturalist, 155-56, 162-63, 152, 175, and 143.
58. Wood, “A Year-Round Nature Program,” 136.
59. “Steven Eckels” (biographical page at the Mel Bay Publications website) < www.melbay.com/authors.asp?author=41 >.
61. Preface to Observations of a Naturalist.
63. ————-, “Westbrook’s Respect for Nature Lives on in Natural History Museum,” Danville Register and Bee, 10 Jul. 1992.
64. “Museums USA” website, “Estelle H. Womack Museum of Natural History Danville, Virginia” webpage < http://www.museumsusa.org/museums/info/1162377 >.
To ascertain the birth and/or death dates of certain individuals, the author also consulted the Social Security Death Index.
21
TH E B RE C O N C O N V E N T I O N
JUNE 2008
difficulty in keeping their mouths closed
during his performances (their chins
were literally dropping in awe!).
Our usual stalwarts, Steve Hancock,
Deryck Hughes, Ted Bluck and Dave
Barnfield also Dave and Margaret
Botsford all 'did their stuff!.
Digby Hardy, Mike de Souza, Harry Thompson, Roly Spurgeon and Vic.
We once again heard Don Blakemore
playing his Harmonica (this makes a
pleasant break from Hawaiian occasionally). Our Backers as usual were
excellent - Digby plays virtually anything (wouldn't be surprised to see and
hear a kettle one day) mostly Stewart
Moffat on Uke. (sometimes Rod) Roly
and Vic previously mentioned, Mike de
Souza on bass - and Harry Thompson
on snare drum with brushes-very effective.
We went to the beautiful Beacons again! (official area
Brecon Beacons) and enjoyed our weekend once
more. Unfortunately, a number of our members were
unable to attend this year for varying reasons- mostly
illness or lack of necessary transport - therefore, we
were not as many as usual.
Baz. and Pat were not with us - Baz. had been 'gigging' for all of the previous week in Tenerife -he developed a frozen shoulder before his trip and the journey
home, carrying his load of gear with no help just about
'finished him off' and on Saturday morning he reluctantly decided he just couldn't make it - therefore, no
Pat and Baz. to everyone's disappointment.
HOWEVER, in spite of our reduced attendance we
had a great weekend.
Kath and Steve Hancocks.
The highlight of our show is when we 'jam'... THEN
...previously unknown talent emerges - extremely
enjoyable... many foot-stamping numbers are played
with many hands beating time on tables... we vary to
and fro' maybe Hawaiian first then some form of Jazz,
then maybe the Blues and back to... whatever... a few
'sing-a-long numbers are usually included - the delight
is to watch the sheer enthusiasm and enjoyment of the
performers and the audience.
Dave and Margaret Botsford.
Roly Spurgeon and his 'gigging mate' Vic. were
admirable and very obliging with rhythm backing too
(no Pat !!); Digby Hardy was his usual ebullient self and
treated us to all sorts of ad.lib. entertainment in addition
to his steel.. Homage must be paid to the sheer brilliance of Rod King (wife Rosemary on bass)... our
members who are not yet quite of his standard found
Long may we continue our differing sessions - we all
love them, which ensures a very pleasant atmosphere.
Many thanks to Pat Jones for arranging Brecon as
ever. Just before I finish I would mention that Pat has
a comparatively new friend known as 'Rosie' - we met
her briefly last year – and again this year she did a little stand-up comedy and a few partly comic songs - a
great personality and an added asset - she used to
play trombone with the R.A.F. band - some of us are
trying to persuade her. to "take it up again" - our wonderful backers will cope!.
Aloha once more to all of our readers where e'er you
may be, however near, however far away.
Beryl.
22
Digby Hardy.
Below,
Rosie and Harry.
Rod King.
Deryck Hughes.
Don Blakemore.
Steve Hancocks.
Stewart,
Rosemary,
Ted,
Roly,
Beryl.
Harry,
Roly,
Vic.
Right:- Digby’s home constructed twin eight guitar.
Many thanks Beryl for once again reporting on the
Brecon weekend for us.
Also to Ted for suppling all these great photos.
23
Pat.
Readers Letters
Dear Pat and Baz,
In the March 2008 issue of Aloha Dreams Basil states that this will likely be the last year for the magazine! This
is not bad news, it is terrible news! I can certainly understand becoming overwhelmed by the ever-increasing
workload but please do not think that the magazine is not appreciated. I am sure that there are many other people like myself that have been remiss in not telling you how much we enjoy the magazine. The fact is most of
us are reluctant to write letters because we lack the ability to express ourselves adequately and hope that someone else will do it!
The truth is the Aloha Dreams magazine in a real treasure and I know the issues will be prized collector's items.
The pictures, the artwork, the in-depth analysis of the articles, and the educated perspective that Baz provides
is worthy of being included amongst the material from any university. I will be telling my friends about the magazine and am donating a free subscription to our Halau's fund-raising silent auction next month. Hopefully, we
can increase the amount of subscribers and perhaps if we can get more people to submit articles the workload
for you will be more manageable and you will decide to continue. I am starting on an article today.
Duane Solley.
Dear Pat & Bas,
Reading John Marsden's review of Ron Whittaker's new CD was of particular interest because of the inclusion
of "Maui Waltz. " Just after the war we had to learn by listening, there was no Hawaiian music to speak of,
teachers were few and far between so the records became our mainstay. The usual method, listen, find it and
the crunch was to play with the record. I had learned Ray Kinney's Hawaiian Love and was surprised to find
Felix Mendelssohn's version in the shop, took this treasure home and found it was quite a different style. But,
when I played the flip side I fell in love with Maui Waltz. Different, almost haunting, beautiful. So, I worked on
that and finally got it, played with the record to fine tune it and was ready to play in front of my playmates.
We used to have Sunday evenings at a private home and these people were very generous with their hospitality, any body and every body was welcomed and you would eventually meet them all. I did not know anything
about chords, I just played the steel guitar, I knew which key I was in and away I went. I concentrated and was
quite happy with my effort, to me, it had gone well. The rhythm player asked me what it was, I told him and he
said not to play that again, it doesn't know where it is going. But I did, modifying to cut out the tricky bits and
used it at the dances. Today, I play it from time to time at our guitar club, modified version of course. I think I
must be the only one who bought the record, no one else has ever heard of it, but these days it is only a fun
thing, we do not have to impress anybody. But it is still one of the most interesting records I have heard.
Kindest, Mac McKenzie.
Many thanks Mac for your help getting that “Quantas” L.P. to me, much appreciated. Basil.
Dear Basil & Pat,
Nice to talk today, I remember many years ago a man who I had the utmost respect for, he died at an early
age of meningitis, he was Mike Leadbitter co editor along with Simon Napier of "Blues Unlimited" magazine.
Mike like yourselves strived through many many hours of hard work trying to keep his magazine going always
searching for new information, and discography to satisfy the hunger for information, he did not sit back like
many doing nothing, and criticising, he was someone who wanted changes, and to seek out the answers,
Mike said something I have never forgot, " Unless you's doin, don't dig who is", Like you, I was not content to
sit back and let others do all the work, but in this world we will have those who live off the backs of others,
they want all the information but wont spend a minute, or penny, in order to achieve that, everybody will say
yes lets have an Hawaiian Magazine, but it will be YOU doing the work. I see lots of things nowadays that are
the result of work that I have put in over the years, the finding of French Hawaiian musicians like Alex
Manara, and Ida Brun, along with my other research with Kanui & Lula and Kauni & Lulu, my mistaken belief
that Kanui was actually called David instead of William, many others agreed with me at the time, but when
the truth was finally discovered, the mistake was mine, and mine alone.
I understand how much work it takes for you both to put out a magazine as good as this one is, you will have
your critics, your moaners, your detractors, but I'll tell you something, it wont be me.
Best Wishes, Colin Bolton.
Dear Pat & Basil,
I really enjoy the magazine. Just wish it was monthly. One of these days I will be able to play steel guitar good
enough to show off a little.
24
Robert Jones
Hello Pat and Basil,
Thoroughly enjoyed the new issue of the mag and you did a great job with the Kanui piece ...it looked very good.
I sent my copy to David Kanui’s daughter in Texas before i had chance to read all the other articles in the magazine. When you have chance I’d like to order some extra copies ...for the rest of the Kanui family and also to
replace my own.
Mike Dexter and I would love to come to your birthday luau on the 23rd and would like to bring a uke player
named Ed who is starting to get interested in Hawaiian music. And of course we’d like the chance to play a couple of tunes.
Best wishes Les Cook
Hope the three of you will make the next gathering Pat.
Dear Basil & Pat,
Thanks very much for kindly sending "Aloha Dream Magazine" to Richard Wyszeaki,he received it Wednesday
9th April,and wishes to thank you,He told me he thought it made very interesting reading and lovely photographs, also he thought the tribute regarding his late father Henry was very nice indeed.... So thanks again Baz
and Pat.
With very best regards from Brian Sach.
Aloha Basil,
Thanks for the prompt reply!
Great that you can help this gentleman out, I am interested in the outcome. I have been suggesting to the BMG
Federation that they should make contact with the HSG world for sometime. Sadly, Barbara had to ask me what
an HSG was!
The Federation all but died, the Northern Section went a while back but the old "Southern Section" hung on and
reinvented itself as the British BMG Federation. Unfortunately it was mainly mandolinists and a few guitarists
that did this and they put pressure on the few, mainly finger style banjoists who turned up for Rallies. This is
where I came in, I'm a guitarist turned zither-banjoist and I was researching my local BMG Orchestra which folded in the '50s. I hoped the Federation may have had some historical records,
but sadly no and I ended up getting sucked in! I suppose I'm a closet HSG player, I took some correspondence
lessons from Bristol Bill back in '80s, corresponded extensively with Kealoha Life and was a member of John's
tape club.
I moved away from HSG playing in the '90s as the world of the zither-banjo seemed to need me more!
I probably should have been subscribing to Aloha Dream... for some time.
I'll follow up the links at lunchtime but here are some of my sites:
www.witchhazelmusic.co.uk
www.zither-banjo.org
www.cliffordessex.co.uk
I would like to get the HSG back on the Federation "map".
Best Regards, David Wade.
David is talking about the resurrected B.M.G. A newsletter after the style of the original B.M.G. I will find
out more for the next issue. Pat.
Dear Basil and Pat.
Just thought I'd drop you a message, I have just subscribed to your magazine... and I am really looking forward
to getting my first issue!
I am particularly interested in early recordings of acoustic steel guitar music, and the transition of the instrument
from Hawaiian musicians across to other genres. Where's the best place to get hold of stuff like, for example,
the "Bristol Sessions" and the other recordings mentioned in your article?
It would be nice to know that if I buy these from the right place I can give some support to the people concerned!
Also, do you know if there there any recordings made with the "hollownecked" guitars such as Weissenborns,
Hilos & Knutsens, that I could get hold of? Do recordings exist of this kind of instrument being used to play "nonHawaiian" styles early on?
Sorry for so many questions, but I am currently gathering info and material for a little website I'm making which
is dedicated to hollowneck guitars ( though obviously info regarding early acoustic steel guitar in general still
applies...)
Naturally I will post up a prominent link to your site and give your magazine a nice big plug! Any help or advice
you can offer will be much appreciated!
Best Regards, Chris Drew.
Welcome Chris,... I’m sure there are members who will only be to pleased to help you with information.
If you have any send it to us and we will pass it on to Chris. Pat.
25
Dear Pat and Basil.
I was delighted to receive my copy of the March issue of "Aloha Dream" and sat down to read it. This always
takes me a long time, as I always study it from cover to cover, but this time I was stopped dead in my tracks on
the third page by the horrible possibility that our magazine might be under threat! I continued reading, taking in
all that valuable information, until I reached page13, (surely a very unlucky number this time).
Here the extent of the threat was set out in stark terms. It began to look that this year may see the end of this
most valuable and entertaining publication.
I realise that the amount of work involved in compiling the magazine is considerable and that the response may
often seem to be disappointing but it provides a unique service to those of us living in isolation in "the sticks".
Without "Aloha Dream" I would not have any idea of what was going on. I would be unaware of German hula
festivals, Digby's French gatherings, and the Dutch Hawaiian festival and its untimely end. I would not even
have details of the Brecon or Shustoke shows or the various birthday celebrations. I would lose all contact with
things Hawaiian. Please continue to publish it, even if you cut down on the number of issues per year. I see that
you intend to produce a tutorial DVD of tablatures, and more recordings, but without "Aloha Dream" we will
never know when they become available.
Do not leave us in limbo!
Aloha Nui Loa. Mike Broad.
Thank you Mike for your kind remarks they are very much appreciated.
Mike has also sent another letter (see below) enclosing with it a complete arrangement of one of his own compositions. Unfortunately they would not scan into the computer and Basil hasn’t the time to re-write them. So what
we plan is if anyone would like a copy contact us and we will photo copy it (free of charge) for you.
Hope this is O.K. Mike, and once again many thanks. Pat.
I was looking in the back numbers of "Aloha Dream" for a particular reference the other day, and it occurred to
me that there have been many different contributions over the years, autobiographies, humorous tales "from the
road" by gigging musicians, reports on various functions at home and overseas,(Brecon, Droitwich, Shustoke,
German hula festivals, Hawaiian festivals in Holland etc.), news from the islands, reader's letters, Basil's tablature arrangements of well known Hawaiian/Tahitian tunes, sadly, far too many obituaries! (Time marches on,
unfortunately), and many other contributions. The one thing that has not appeared is an original composition by
a reader. I thought it is time to do something about it! Here is a Hawaiian march (Halakahihi) I wrote for inclusion on my "Ku'u Mau Mele" C.D. I have included a chord sheet and bass part with the manuscript, together
with my cassette recording of the tune for your information. The second chorus features..a synthesised brass
band on my recording, but, of course, a guitar chorus (or even a ukulele chorus) would do just as well. If all else
fails just repeat the first one. The tablature I use is unusual. The main numbers show the fret position, and the
subscripts show which strings to pick. I find this a bit easier to read as it is not necessary to count which strings
are to be played.
If you think my effort is suitable for publication in "Aloha Dream", please feel free to use it. Perhaps it will inspire
someone else to "follow suit". If anyone is a bit rusty in their knowledge of the Hawaiian language, a halakahihi is a pineapple. Once again mahalo no for all your efforts producing the magazIne.
Aloha Nui Loa. Mike Broad.
If you have been to Shustoke recently you will have heard Mike play this number. Pat.
Dear Pat and Baz,
Thanks very much for the March 2008 issue of Aloha Dream. I'm much satisfied with the full colour printing,
especially the cover paintings. They are worth the whole issue. Much of interest to me is the article on the
Steelplayers of Jimmie Rodgers by Anthony Lis. Looking forward for next chapter.
Also very sad the News from Hawaii about the passing of Genoa Keawe. Of course John Marsden did a fine
job on Felix Mendelssohn "Trade Winds". Also very fine the "Flowers and Colours of Hawaiian Islands" with all
the mounted ladies. Always interesting to me are the new CDs out like Ron Whittacker and Pete Lake. There
could be more of that stuff mentioned.
Of course I caught the Bad News on page 13. Being a former Editorial member of a German Country Music
Mag. in the late 60'S I'm quite aware of all the works to be done with a publication of an issue. Hats off to you!!
Of course I would prefer to reduce the issues to 2 or 3 times a year than to close it all down.
Please keep up the good work!
Best wishes to you all. Georg Hunkel.
Many thanks for the C.D. Georg, really enjoyed it.
26
50 Years Plus and Still There.
For those of you that possess the ‘Pathe Pictorial
Newsreels’ of Felix Mendelssohn’s Hawaiian Serenaders
may remember that it starts with Denmark Street (Tin Pan
Alley), depicting the stars and agents of that era.
It then goes to a party at ‘Ollivelli’s’ featuring many wellknown artists, including Felix. I said to John Marsden that
I would try to find the site of ‘Ollivelli’s’ to see what was
there now, it was just off Tottenham Court Road in
London’s West End.
Well, I couldn’t believe my eyes when I found it was still
there, just as it was over 50 years ago!
Its no longer a restaurant, but a bed and breakfast establishment, and still retains the same name.
Whether the current owner is related to the predecessors
is hard to say, (as there were security buttons on the door I was unable to gain entry.) It looks like part of the original ‘Ollivelli’s’ has been sold because I believe it occupied No 34 and 35, No 35 is now a pavement café called
‘Paradiso’ (rather an appropriate name don’t you think. Ed)
I also tried to locate the studio’s in Denmark Street (seen in the first part of the film) but all the old signs that would
have given me a clue have long gone, and none of the music shop owners knew, they would all be too young I don’t
doubt! However, I did venture into a few music shops in ‘Tin Pan Alley’, one of them in particular is called ‘Hanks’,
and is full of lap steels average price around £375, all different makes and in very good condition. I could have spent
a week in there trying them all out, but I don’t think the wife would approve! It’s a shame really all those lovely guitars and nobody interested in playing them any more, (except us old codgers!) Oh well, I’ll s l i d e off now, tea’s ready:
Best wishes to you all. Pete Lake.
Last but CERTAINLY not least, a letter from our ‘out and about’ reporters, many thanks to you both.
Dear Pat and Basil,
As always, on receiving the March 2008 issue of A.D., I looked forward to my usual delight at the various articles, letters, music, etc's, and it didn't disappoint. May I tell you how I tackle the mag? I read, quite quickly,
through everything - then a few hours later, it gets a more thorough read. After two or three days, out it comes
again with even more careful perusal. At this stage I will check out the tablature ( the tune will have been played
through on piano before this). You may wonder why I do this since I do not have a steel to play ...... I think it is
good to work out which note comes where on any fret.
I wasn't prepared for the 'bad news'. You have done a wonderful job on 'Aloha Dream' and I can hardly imagine being without it. It is a forum for all the news of past and coming events.
I have read accounts of the lives of people I thought I knew, but didn't really, and also have heard of so many
folk that I just would not have done otherwise. Also there have been so many articles on the history of Hawaii
that have intrigued me. So, my thoughts on your predicament........
Firstly, the mag. should not be a financial drain on you as well as absorbing many hours of your time. If you
have to reduce the number of issues I think three per year would still be enough to cover forthcoming events
and in this case the price could be maintained as it is - I think that two issues per year would leave a bit of a
gap.
Of course four issues per year is ideal and maybe the alarm bells that you are ringing will get you a better
response from our membership.
I was amused to learn of Basil being asked for a tab for a tune which had recently been published. Perhaps the
member had had a "senior lapse".
One way around this is to keep a list of each tune as it comes out .... then it is easy to go back to the relevant
issue; it's a kind of miniature library and takes only minutes to do- I find it very useful. (Same applies to tunes
from the HSGA Mag.)
Sorry Basil, even with the careful reading I missed your little "phrases" at the top of Page 2....I just had not
noticed that they were different each time - but I promise I will laugh each time in future. (Don’t worry Stewart
its only a dig at my terrable lak of the inglish langwich.. Pat.)
I was interested to read about Digby Hardy and his new Festival in France. I hope it works out well and if it is
repeated next year we'll make a big effort to be there. Unfortunately, we have a holiday booked and the time
clashes.
One last-.thought, if Aloha Dream ceased (dread the thought), then Beryl would not have the chance to Practise
her typing.
Best wishes etc. Stewart Moffat
Footnote from Beryl - I concur with all that Stewart has said (which is unusual) except the comment about the
typing -could it possibly be that he thinks I do not have enough to do??.
Thank you for all these great letters, keep them coming, if you haven’t written to us yet, drop us a line we would
all like to hear from you... Pat.
27
3rd Annual Hawaiian Steel
Guitar Convention
Shustoke 2008.
to be held at
Shustoke Parish Hall
on the Green Nr. Coleshill Warwickshire.
On Friday 12th September 7.pm to 11.30 pm.
Saturday 13th September 10.am to 11.30pm.
Sunday 14th September 10.am. to 3. pm.
Admission £4.50 to include tea, coffee and biscuits.
Amplification will be provided.
Bed and Breakfast Accomodation.
INNKEEPERS LODGE
(Swan Pub & Cavery)
High Street
Coleshill
Tel:- 01675 462212 - en suite
www.innkeeperslodge.com
BLYTHWOOD GUEST HOUSE
39 blythe Road
Coleshill
Warwickshire
Tel:- 01675 465863 - en suite
RAILWAY INN
Station Road
Whitacre Heath
Tel:- 01675 464227
MERRY MOLES
Back Lane
Shustoke
Tel:- 01675 481158 - en suite
SHUSTOKE COTTAGE
Back Lane
Shustoke
Tel:- 01675 481733 - en suite
YE OLD STATION GUEST HOUSE
Church Road
Shustoke
Tel:- 01675 481736 - en suite
For more information ring:Deryck & Sheila on 01675 463031.
email - [email protected]

Anthony Lis` Excellent article on John ( 17 - 21)

Transcription

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