Tribute to the Legend Clive Bradley
Paying Respect to Clive Bradley at Desperadoes Pan Yard
November 28, 2005
Desiree Myers
"I am Desiree Myers from 'B.W.I.A. Invaders Steel Orchestra' and my little experience with Clive Bradley was really a nice one, seeing that his music was the only arranger's music that I had never played. We contacted him just last week to do some music for our band. He was working with us on Monday at our panyard and even though he was in pain with his headaches, (he had a bad migraine and he was complaining about pain on his neck and shoulder), he still did a verse on the chorus that we wanted with the intentions of coming back to do some harmonizing - because he was a perfectionist. Just that little piece of music that he did was really effective and we were really looking forward to him finishing our medley.
I always liked his music and the way in which he arranged. It is a great loss to the pan fraternity and of course I am very upset about it because he didn't get a chance to do what he really wanted to do for Invaders. Arranging for Invaders was an opportunity which he really wanted, but unfortunately he didn't get to finish it. I guess God knows what's best. The little time that he was with us he appreciated us and he was actually impressed with what we did. His music was excellent and he was a genius. He was one of my greatest arrangers along with Len 'Boogsie' Sharpe."
Michael Dinchong
"I am Michael Dinchong and I am the manager of the 'B.W.I.A. Invaders Steel Orchestra'. Clive was an ordinary person in terms of his personality and so on. We had the privilege of working with him only once. We had him twice in the yard. The first time was really a little discussion when he talked to the players and the second time was the just the music. Unfortunately, it was a bit stressful on him because he died.
Musically it was an experience especially for our young players because fifty percent of our players are young teenagers. They had the opportunity to meet and work with the icon Clive Bradley for the first time and that was an incredible experience for them. What I cherish most is that he had a few choice words to say to the players and the management. The things he said were very complimentary things. I guess the world knows that Invaders has been around from the inception which is sixty-five years. We never won a major competition and to have someone who has the record for arranging, means a lot to us. It is something we would always remember and it is something I would always use to motivate our players. It's like the Master himself saying you are good enough to do this thing and that is what Clive left with us which we would really cherish.
My views on Clive Bradley's music is that he was a gifted arranger and he stood above the rest. If I were to mention another name I would say Len 'Boogsie' Sharpe. They were the two people that are out of this world. The tune we were doing was really a medley of 'Baron' and when we thought about it, (the calypso music) I thought that the only person who could do justice to that would be Clive Bradley because Baron's music is a sweet medley sort of thing. That was the first time in history for Invaders. It wasn't the first time we approached him, it just never worked out before. It just happened and within a week everything was in place… we just wanted to get a piece of Clive. He left us a piece, but unfortunately not really his signature because we didn't reach that far. It was still a pleasure and I think the experience more than anything else is what will stay with us."
Rudolph Williams
"My name is Rudolph Williams and I am the captain of 'B.W.I.A. Invaders Steel Orchestra.' Working with Bradley on the arrangements for the band was something the band had been looking forward to experiencing for the longest while and I believe that was the calling for that time. I as the captain needed three songs… a medley for the band to do. The committee came up with a decision that the person we were looking at who had never arranged for the band was Clive Bradley. On the said night I called and asked him if he would be able to do the songs and he said, "Invaders, this is a band I never did any music for, I always wanted to, but call me back tomorrow but call me early."The next day I called him and he was eager, he said that he would come.
He came a Wednesday and started to do the music and the players were all excited because hearing about this arranger, seeing and knowing the Panoramas that he won, they were very excited to do his music and everybody was happy and jolly.
When this happened people were surprised because they couldn't believe that he was just in the panyard with working with them. When he started the song it captivated the whole band and everybody was very excited to play the song…it was magical. We had just started to work on the bass and then went to the mid-range. He just kept saying to himself that he was tired so I brought a chair for him to sit on and he told me that he would come back the next day but he would have to go and see the doctor. It was from that point we got the sad news… it brought tears to my eyes. I couldn't believe it especially after we had such good conversation on the phone. It was hurtful to see someone with that sort of talent pass away like that.
My father who is Randolph Williams is a pannist also, and he played under Bradley. He used to play with 'Valley Harps' and was also the captain of Valley Harps. Clive Bradley knew my father personally and he always told me since I was very young, that Clive was one of the greatest in dealing with music especially with the chords. In any song that he did it was so simple, but very effective. His music is way beyond… you cannot explain how his music is.
He made a great impact on the youths with his music. Music is the rule of the world and it is heart and soul and if you get in really deep, spiritually it controls you…it leads you in the right direction. A lot of youths are getting into music on the whole, especially pan right now. I think that is a good thing because it is a way to get the youths off the streets.
What I see for Invaders is winning a Panorama and that is the number one thing. Our band is made up of mainly youths and right now they are taking over. We also have an elders association… they had their time. Even though I am captain of the band, I call myself a youth compared to the elders of the band. The youths are moving forward and the band is all excited. They always have a good time anywhere we go to play. We always teach the players to have a good time and to enjoy themselves because if they do not enjoy themselves the supporters wouldn't get the right feed back."
Jimmo James
"My name is Jimmo James founder of the 'Defense Force Steel Orchestra' and standing beside me is the retired Brigadier Ralph Alfonso who gave the consent to form the 'Defense Force Steel Orchestra', which to this day I appreciate very much. Right now the band is in Malta because they went to the conference with The Head of States and we are happy about that. It was Brigadier Ralph Alfonso whose initiative was behind forming the 'Defense Force Steel Orchestra' together with the deceased Earl Wright who was the first arranger of the band.
Eddie Quarless the guy right here in the blue shirt was with Clive in 'The Esquires' and he was seventeen years old when he played with Clive Bradley. He was the closest man to Clive Bradley's music. He did anything that Clive Bradley did and as far as I am concerned, he was his son. For Labour Day this year in America, Bradley and I were together and he appreciated Eddie Quarless. Eddie went on to win the Panorama in America and when the guys told Bradley that Quarless won, Bradley told them that Eddie was his student and if he won, no problem. We are very thankful for his works and I would like to send condolences to his family and also to the members of 'Desperadoes' because they have lost a good man."
Retired Brigadier Ralph Alfonso
"I wanted to have a steelband in the 'Defense Force' for the obvious reason that it is our national instrument. Some local people didn't agree with me because some of our own local people felt that the pan was a noisy and 'bacchanal' instrument and it should not be in the 'Defense Force'. At the time I happened to be in charge of the 'Defense Force' so I didn't have to seek any permission. We started the band with Jimmo as the captain and the deceased Earl Wright. We won one or two first and second prizes. We came out for the first time with pan around the neck in Panorama and won. We were the baddest of the baddest. I knew we were good. Some of the same people who felt that we shouldn't have had the pan back then are jumping on the bandwagon now that we have retired because they too want to tour and so on. Both Jimmo and I are proud of the band. I cannot beat a doo dup but Jimmo is an ace bassist, he has been playing for forty-two years now. I cannot play anything but I have always loved the pan.
The best band in the world is 'Desperadoes' and I knew Clive Bradley as a musician in 'The Esquires' long before he got into pan. There was Eddie Quarless who used to play with him in Esquires and he is still around. The second best band is the 'Defense Force Steel Orchestra' although I would like to say 'Defense Force Steel Orchestra' is the best (laughter). You cannot beat 'Despers', and I became a Desperatic (laughter) in 1964. I have been pushing pan J'overt morning with 'Despers' since 1964. For Panorama you will find me inside by the 'Engine Room' even though I couldn't play anything, just ask 'Joe Food' and he'll say the same thing. We love the pan …and even today I still cannot play a doo dup.
I am up here tonight because Clive Bradley was one of the greatest and we are here to acknowledge and pay our respects. I will be up here tomorrow night, Wednesday night, Thursday night and I will be at the funeral on Friday."
Anthony Joseph aka Mr. Port of Spain
"My name is Anthony Joseph and I am a supporter of 'Desperadoes'. I was a player way back in 1963 to 1970 when Bradley won his first Panorama with 'Magie' and since then I have been very close to Clive. In 1982 when he did 'Party Tonight', the late Rudolph Charles, our leader, designated me to transport Bradley from his home to the panyard when he was arranging 'Party Tonight'. It is so significant that in Bradley's last year after he had won Panorama in New York and came second in New York, the manager of 'Pantonics' told me to bring down some books for Bradley. I asked her what was the reason Bradley wanted the books and she said probably Bradley feels he will die and he has to write his biography. It is sad to say, but after Bradley passed away it still haunts me that I was the last person that brought down books for him to write his biography.
I think that Bradley had some indication that he was leaving us this year and I feel sad that 'Desperadoes' and Trinidad and Tobago and all the world over could lose such a genius. I believe that he was undisputedly the best arranger the world ever saw and knew. I would like to pass on condolences to the family of the late Clive Bradley and also to the band members of 'Desperadoes'."
Joseph Charles aka 'Joe Food'
"My name is Joseph Charles aka 'Joe Food'. The people of Laventille know me as 'Joe Food'. When I started to play pan I was sixteen years old and at that time Clive Bradley wasn't the arranger for 'Desperadoes' as yet. I played pan for about fifteen to sixteen years and then Bradley came into the picture. He not only raised the standards of 'Desperadoes', but he raised the standards of Laventille on the whole musically. The majority of the players in the band only knew how to play the pan, but when Bradley came forward, the fellows learned music to a great extent. All Bradley had to do was call and the fellows would be willing to respond to his call.
We are sorry that he is no longer with us and we miss him. He was a great grand master and we hope that his sprit will still travel throughout Laventille."
FUNERAL SERVICES
Clive Bradley's body was at Desperadoes Pan Yard from 8:00 am to 10:00 am on Friday 2nd December 2005. Funeral Services for Clive Bradley was held at 10:00 am on Friday 2nd December, 2005 at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Independence Square Port of Spain thence to the Diego Martin Cemetery for burial.
Moving send-off for pan icon Bradley
Funeral Services and Tribute to Clive Bradley Album at:
www.trinbagopan.com/gallery/Tribute-to-Bradley
- Tribute to the Legend Clive Bradley - 27th Nov. 2005
- Tribute to the Legend Clive Bradley - 28th Nov. 2005
- Tribute to the Legend Clive Bradley - 30th Nov. 2005
- Tribute to the Legend Clive Bradley - 02nd Dec. 2005 - Pt 1
- Tribute to the Legend Clive Bradley - 02nd Dec. 2005 - Pt 2
Visit Desperadoes Steelband Album at:
www.trinbagopan.com/gallery/Desperadoes-Steelband
Tribute to Bradley Homepage | Trinbago Pan Homepage
|
|
