ARCHIVED PROGRAMS

WFDU is now archiving the programs at WFDU.FM The programs will be available for 2 weeks from their air date. If you missed any of the TRADITIONS or SUNDAY SIMCHA programs you can now hear them at your convenience---provided a two week period is convenient.

One caveat. When you tune in the program you will hear is the final 2 minutes of the previous program---so, just hang in there!!

A SLIP SLIDING SUGGESTION AGAIN

Which is to scoot over to The Almost Daily Rooster. Just click on the name or the link at the right.

This is sort of like the guy with the cane dragging you into the clothing store of yore. So---get your ass, rear-end, or tuchas over there. I promise it will be of interest.

ROY TALBOT--A REMEMBRANCE OF THE TALBOT BROTHERS

An era ended on May 15 in Paget, Bermuda. The last surviving member of the hugely popular and groundbreaking Calypso group "The Talbot Brothers" died at the age of 94. This Sunday I shall remember them with some of their music and commentary on TRADITIONS.




In the picture above Roy Talbot is on the far right playing his trademark instrument (which he built from meat packing crates---think the origins of steel drums---oil cans) named "Bermudavarius" and had only one string. He was also the resounding bass singer of the group.

The brothers---though a cousin was also in the group---grew up in Tuckertown but their family was moved to another section of Bermuda to allow for the development of Tuckertown into very posh residential community that now has homes owned by Mayor Bloomberg, Ross Perot among others. Like so many people we have played on TRADITIONS their roots started in Church music and led them to such great heights. They appeared in worldwide venues including TV in the US including appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show.

A few personal recollections now of the group. My wife and I had the delight of finding the group while visiting Bermuda in the late 1950s. They along with artists like Erskine Zuill were exciting discoveries to us---and an aside here--Bermuda at that time was totally segregated and that also included hotels in which Jewish visitors were not allowed. Elbow Beach comes to mind. Castle Harbour was one of the few that did permit Jews. People like the Talbots had it harder since they, just as in the U S, were precluded from spending nights in the venues in which they performed. That could be an entire different topic---the evolvement of Bermuda.

We found The Talbot Brothers, as I said. Found them with such wonderful pieces as "Yellow Bird", "Trimmingham and Trott", "Back To Back--Belly to Belly"and many more--including "Jane Jane Jane" ( more about that later). One had to reserve quite some time in advance to get into their performances---as one did for people like Zuill and Hubert Smith. The music was rhythmic and topical in that it covered political situations in Bermuda and the U S (Atomic Nightmare---I'm Going to run like a son of a gun).

A word here about some of the topical material---which you will hear a bit of on Sunday. Atomic Nightmare is fairly self explanatory. Trimmingham and Trott is a wonderful piece about a retail establishment in the WW2 years that catered to U S Navy personnel with some feelings of taking advantage. I am not certain if it was recorded by The Talbot Brothers (though they performed it) but it was recorded by Hubert Smith. Back To Back (Belly to Belly) was not their composition and had been covered by many---including some 5 or so versions by Harry Belafonte---I thought theirs the best. It was composed by Lord Intruder-----aka Winston O'Connor. You have to love those names.

The Talbot Brothers consisted of Roy, Archie, Austin, Bryan, Ross, and cousin Cromwell Mandres and used a different instrument line-up than the more typical Trinidadian calypso instrumentation---
Fast forward now to the 1970s. The Talbot Brothers had achieved world wide fame appearing on major TV shows in NY and touring the world. Being, not only, the toast of Bermuda but, given the segregation there in the earlier years much demanded at private parties at the very wealthy. Not only appearing their but being totally trusted entertainers ---as they say--what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. So it was with them and the society types that invited--hired--them.

The personal reminiscences---the later 1970s. My wife and I once again went to Bermuda and hoped to see the Talbots. It seemed sad---an Irish troupe of performers which included dancers, singers, and an alleged comic were headlining and the Talbot Brothers were relegated to being an opening act and playing dance music afterwards. At one point, my wife asked if they might be able to perform "Jane Jane Jane" and they said that the brother who was the lead on that had died---but if she knew the words to please join them on the stage for it. She did. A memorable and nostalgic (now) moment.

Fame may well be fleeting but sincerity and loyalty are not. On the way back to the airport I overheard one of the passengers on the bus say to his wife or fiance---"..hey, was this not great---just like NY". Sad!! You were supposed to open yourself to the great local talent and not hope you were home with the touring Irish Troupe of performers doing what was homogenized entertainment.

More on Sunday on TRADITIONS when we shall hear a bit of their music---and more if I can receive music from the author---Roy Talbot's nephew --of material I do not have. He is the author of a new book celebrating and commemorating his family-"Bermuda's Famous Talbot Brothers---A Celebration in Pictures and Song". It includes 2 CDs.

For more information on that go to http://www.talbotborthersbermuda.com/ If you want to know about Bermuda and segregation in the earlier years let me know and I will discuss it.

Might as well close with a nice shot of Bermuda- on second thought let us close with the Talbots since Bermuda is not the Bermuda that made them who they were anymore and would, probably, not appreciate what they have let slip away from them:

Roy Talbot---long and productive life---you and your era will be missed.

What is Racist and what is not

Originally I was going to have you scoot over to the ALMOST DAILY ROOSTER but I realized that the video that I would have presented there now appears on the right side. So, let me give you some thoughts pertaining to the evolution of our culture and the "folk" music hook is that it too has evolved over the years---thank heavens.

Still fun to sit on that old front porch and sing those songs but most performers today call themselves "folk musicians" so we can stretch it, as they do, here and talk about a rare TV gem and do some explaining and thinking about it.

There was a time in the late 1930s and the 1940s when there was a radio program created and performed by two white men that captured the imagination of the country. Amos and Andy" as created by Freeman Gosden and Charles Correl. The water pressure, as recorded by various water companies, rose during commercials when this show was on the air. The nation was listening. Decidedly so. Was it racist? We will get into that a bit later. First watch something from their TV version on the right side of the screen.

OK --that is the TV version and I also hoped you saw the introduction of the Black (African American--being PC here) actors. They truly captured Amos, Andy, Kingfish, and all the rest.

Admittedly the parts were created and played on radio by two white men of great talent and insight. They also had the foresight to realize this could be transferred to Television and they did it admirably. The actors--if you watched the video of their introduction on the right side of the screen---shows how they truly captured the characters.

At this point let me make a few comparisons to what, I feel, would encompass, at this time, a "racist" presentation or a presentation of totally annoying people that create stereotypes. Think of The Jeffersons. A spinoff of All In The Family. From satire to stereotype is all I can think of regarding this inane program.

Amos And Andy had the distinction of being a program before its time. A program that was, not only, clever and funny but also satirical and gave much needed work to Black actors (who were superb in their roles).

Think about a few things that you may not recall or may be too young to know of in this era. There was a time when (Chrysler was the sponsor--when it could still dictate things) and cancelled a show because Harry Belafonte touched the female artist on the program--hard to believe. Yes, it was a different and a hard to believe time.

Amos and Andy ---after the radio years--came up with a truly wonderful program---now it would be called a sit-com---but best definition is a filmed version of a brilliant comedic enterprise with actors that truly encompassed their roles.

Let us realize that these were brilliant actors performing in well written pieces in the likes of many ethnic and well done pieces of that era. The Goldbergs, Abie's Irish Rose, Duffy's Tavern, and many more. Harmless fun that gave us insight to other ethnicities in an inoffensive way.

A picture of the star of Amos and Andy probably should follow:

TIM MOORE aka KINGFISH

SCOOT ON OVER

I do believe I have not paid attention to the 3d page of the blog--THE ALMOST DAILY ROOSTER . Well, if you scoot on over there---I could have put this here but thought you might find it interesting in that location.

Frankly, this site gets many more visits and if it remains so I shall cancel The Almost Daily Rooster and put everything on this page and on the Playlist page. Sort of the like the newspapers---combining and cutting back for efficiency and savings. That page was always intended for the non-folk items and should you decide not to visit it often then I shall use this page for both the folk and other items that I think might be of interest.

So,if you scoot on over there now---the link is above and on the right---you will see something that will either astonish you or you will appreciate a remembrance of an artist that was truly unique.

FIND OUT ON THE ALMOST DAILY ROOSTER

One last thing---the Harmonica. Tune in to Sunday Simcha in the next few weeks and you will find some amazing Harmonica works---in the Yiddish tradition---not only this person but the amazing Israeli trio---THE ADLER TRIO.

The Year of Icons

It has certainly been starting out as a year when we celebrate and commemorate some wonderful icons ---Pete Seeger with a wonderful 90th birthday tribute featuring an amazing and star studded line-up to benefit Clearwater at Madison Square Garden.

Theodore Bikel turned 85 on May 2---and as I said earlier that is the only thing we have in common--other than our birthplace--Vienna, Austria (to distinguish it from Virginia). On June 15 there will be a gala ---and a gala it will be, at Carnegie Hall. More on that in a moment

I am delighted to tell you that Theodore Bikel will be my guest on Traditions on May 17 and again on Sunday Simcha (the following week). Hopefully you will be tuning in to hear what this icon will have to say when we talk about this event, his career, and also have some of his timeless music---folk, Yiddish, show-tunes, and, perhaps, some segments of his dramatic roles. There were many.

Now back this gala event which will be a benefit for the Juvenile Law Center --- a cause that Mr. Bikel espouses and we shall talk about when we have our conversation next week.

The nice part of these events is that these icons have arrived at a time where they can support such good works--be it this or, in Pete Seeger's case, Clearwater. In addition, we are blessed to have them with us still to be able to do their good works as well as still see their dynamism on the stage---in this case supported by a bevy of wonderful artists from Theodore Bikel's past and present---and, in the case of Susan Werner--I would have to say the future. Or, as I say on

Sunday Simcha

--the eclectic sound of ---in this case Theodore Bikel at Carnegie Hall.

Here is a list of some of the performers and those of you who listen to both TRADITIONS and

SUNDAY SIMCHA will recognize many from the different programs===

TOM PAXTON
NOEL PAUL STOOKEY
PETER YARROW

SUSAN WERNER

DAVID AMRAM---Both programs
ARLO GUTHRIE--Both Programs

BEYOND THE PALE---Sunday Simcha
and from other areas:
ALAN ALDA
MICHAEL WEX (should have him on Simcha---you will see why)
and a whole bevy of surprises to celebrate the 85th birthday of another icon.

I am honored to be a small---a very small--part by having Mr. Bikel on the programs and that WFDU and the management supports these presentations.

A few pictures of the artists that will be appearing on June 15 at Carnegie Hall:

Tom Paxton

Noel Paul Stookey

Alan Alda

I hope that you will be there and also tuned in on the dates mentioned above on WFDU---89.1 FM--You know--the eclectic weekend sound of WFDU where you hear the interesting people sing and talk of interesting items that intrigue us all.