Remembering Sundowners 4
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Steve I enjoyed your article very much and again I'm thankful to all who made this MASTER PIECE possible. I remember the Cymbals as you stated for moving the pan racks along the road next to Wayne Hart on Tenor those "Crashes" certainly enhanced the performance. 1964 was another big year for the "Downers" and even in the Mas presentations we were well prepared for Monday it was " Holiday In Bermuda" and Tuesday it was "Fancy Sailor/FireMan". I've already informed Tony Joseph (Joe) to pull up the "Remembering Sundowners Vids" and as I do see a few of the folks of the Sundowners Family I'll inform them of it. For me this is a pleasure without measure and so I eagerly await Belve's GIFTS to us. Thanks.
Belve, Belve, what can I say but man o man. I really enjoyed listening to this. You did a really masterful job on it.
You took me back nearly 50 years, (49 to be exact) when we dropped this tune on the streets of San Fernando on Jour Overt morning. I sat here going right back and remembered the story of how we ended up playing this tune.
One of our players (Farts was is nick name) brought this old H.M.V. 78 record with one tune on each side and he did not even have a jacket over it.He asked me to listen to it and see if I wanted to arrange it for the road.You and I listened to it and we both liked it but had differences of opinion on if we could play it on the road. I liked it but felt that with all the movement in the tune would make it hard to play on the street but we could play it with the stage side. You felt that I should attempt it and the guys would be able to handle it.
After you bugged me for a couple days, I gave in and decided to give it a try. As I progressed, it started to sound better and better and I soon realized that we could make it. I also remember that because it was a classic,we needed crash cymbals to enhance certain parts and we made a little gadget and welded it on to the side of each tenor man's stand, then mounted a cymbal on each one for the tenor men to use at the right spot in the tune.This gave it the finishing touch.
I honestly did not get the full impact of that tune until Monday morning when we were able to set up the band properly on Mount Moriah Road. At practice, every thing was jammed up but on the street, I was able to place pans where we could get a good balance. After the band started to play, I took a walk to the front about 50 yards ahead and then walked 50yards to the back to listen and all I could think was gad dam we did it. Not me, not I, but WE. If it were not for people like you and the other members of the band who worked so hard at learning the tune, we could not have done it. Many of the guys are now deceased but I thank you all for the memories and you brought it all back with with this rendition. People like Steve Carter K and Glenroy Joseph who heard it live, still have so much to say about the bomb.
I actually remember some other bands that were passing in the opposite direction, stopped playing to listen to what we were playing and signaled their approval with a wave. No one that I spoke to during carnival was able to tell me the name of the tune or that they had herd it before.
Once again, thanks for the memories and I am waiting to here Mr.Lee and some of the others. Perhaps you can give us Skaters Waltz the way it was done for for the Music Festival when we placed third.
Just testing you.
Steve Regis
Can't wait to hear it Belve . You do such an amazing job of arranging and playing these songs. Some people actually thought Wedding Day was an original Sundowners recording. Btw I remember the. Movie of the same name if the band. I am sure it starred Deborah Kerr, not sure if it was Robert Mitchum was the leading man. I know they did Heaven knows Mr. Alison together which was rumoured to have been filmed in Tobago. Blessings.
Thanks for the remarks folks, and sorry for the misspelling of the name of the tune I was so hurry to post it that I forget to check correct spelling It took a lot of time to do this tune and I wanted to post before Christmas . I am now working on the two 1963 bomb tunes ."None but the lonely Heart" and "And this is my Beloved"
Ralph "Belve" Ryce
I GREW UP AROUND THIS BAND, PANCO LANE, SAN FERNANDO AND PURCELL STREET.
Ian I do not believe that this was recorded by Sundowners for back in 1964 when this was the Bomb Tune not many recordings were done. Listening to the Orchestral Version and Belve's music it tells me that it was Brilliant on the part of the Arranger Steve Regis to interpret it for the road and Belve's Brilliance just enhanced the entire performance. As GRJ would always say " In the South we were BIG TIME too. Thanks.
Blessings .
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpLbYxck2w0 .
Ian this is the link to the Orchestral Version.
Beautifully played. Thanks Aldwyn, for sharing this PAN treasure.
Nice tune Sundowners, Wedding day at troldhaugen by E Grieg. I picture taking ah wine on the side Jouvert morning
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