An evening with Belafonte
NOTES on NOTES.
By Carl Myatt
SPENT an evening with Harry Belafonte-in Tokyo-and fulfilled an
Imbition of long standing.
The handsome Jamaica bor entertainer flew into you three weeks ago on the log of a Far Eastern tour Has Included Hongkong. he Colony's entertainment wfarved fans however did not have the opportunity to bear Wals great artist perform,
So quite naturally, I moved beavan and hell in order to get ticket to his show in Tokyo, The fact that I eventually succeeded was due in no small way to the untiring efforts of a Lady from the Public Relations 'Office of Japan Air Lines, and the fact that in Japan the preas- men is respected far more than he is in Hongkong.
IDEA
Belafonte's tour of Japan was sponsored by a group of the Country's biggest newspapers. I thought this a wonderful idea.
The day of Belafonte's Tokyo debut was an eventful one. It was the day on which Japanese
Minister Kishi Prime
was stabbed.
It was also the day on which left-wing students of the Zenga-
I
The little STOUP-
kuren organisation planned · à massive demonstration against strummed Kishi's successor Ikeda,
•
to his
cián sing a lament to "Matilda.”
cock..... He chased imaginary roaches about the stage and finally had the fairly conserva- tive Japanese audience roaring their instrument
out their version of "Matilda.” and then from the wings onto – Fineily as a tribute
stago. strode Belafoute Japanese audience, Belafonta And so it was. Tokyo's Ginza the area was a seething mass of dressed simply but strikingly in sang in Japanese that lovely people at about 6 p.m. Heading a tan shirt open at the throat Japanese folk song, sung usually dark blue 药 League during cherry blossom time- in the direction of Hibiya Park and
"Sakura." in the heart of the city, were slacks. the demonstrators. Making their
applause thundered This was showmanship plus. way in the other direction to-
the through the Hall, and then died Belafonte took six curtain wards Sankal Hall were.
down as the
"King Of The calls. Belafonte devotees.
I left Sankal Hall with the Sankal Hall, famous for its Calypsos" started to weave his
spell. Never have I seen a more satisfaction of having seen-sad acoustics, was jammed to over..
effective introduction, As Bela- heard..........a greas entertainer st flowing.
fonte drifted into his opening work, number, the sad lilting “Jerry” there was a deathly hush in the Halla real tribute from the audience to the entertainer.
The under
SOFTLY
all-Japanese orchestra the direction of Bela- fonte's own Musical Director, Milton Okun, played the over- ture and the curtain went up.
The
As the singer came towards the end of his song, the stage till dimmed gradually On the huge stage, brilliantly lights
but bare of any only the spotlight remained illuminated, backdrop, sat two guitarists focussed on him. Then the spot- Thomas, Ernest light started to fade until only (Millard Calabria) and bandst Daniel Belafonte's handsome face was on illuminated. As the last clear Barrajanos perched high studio stools..
notes of the song rang through Standing in the background the Hall, the stage was plunged darkness and the next to a lone microphone was into total
crowd roared its approval, Norman Keenan.
CLUB MAILBOX
AN INVITATION
Freak's Farm,
usually) drops out of the race, exhausted.
New Territories,
July, 1960.
The cockerel, however, seems Dear Members,-ASSALAM to have TLOTE sense or less Aleikum! and
may this find patience; for he has now, SUP
of health. veyed it himself and clucked you all in the best Come, if you will, to New Ter- his approval. ritories, and if you advice: After peering in it, round and me; but one word of you will not be able your time away here
must-to
to
idle round it, for possible enemies,
and you the hen gingerly gets in
Then without any fuss, or un-Lave been dging at school and lays her egg Multiply this necessary comments, the singer work. Long hours and hard hen and the incident many went into his next number which was "Done Laid Around" work is all I can guarantee.
The first half of his act in-
At present the place looks like cluded the songs "All My
one huge maternity ward.
clearer picture
of
То
times and you'll get some ÷ idea of what I mɛen by not having an idle moment to spare.
(Contined from Page 1).
want to tell you how much I appreciate - your successful | ber "Cu Cu Ru Cu Cu Paloma perhaps I ought to particularise. the country, and
is
a
ACT TWO
Belafonte opened act two Israeli Bong "Hava with the Nageelah," and African mumber Mang Wana Poolela" and then teased the crowd into a frenzy
attempts to bring out young and sprouting authors. The recent and a very British version
In." matriculation exam and the fear of not passing it has prevented when the "Saints Go Marching me from joining the Club. I hope you'll accept me now. I am 18 years old and was born under the star of Aquarius, hence my love for swimming. I have such an odd mixture of hobbles that you'll probably wonder if I'm a psychopathic case. I like Elvis and collect all his records, and I aso like classical music, especially those of Mozart, Beethoven and Chopin. What extremes, Eh! I love to joke and meet new friends, but I hate noises and people who play mahjong. My range of reading starts Little Lulu comics and goes on to books on psychology, philosophy and metaphysics. Do you think it's possible to have a pen pals column? So many young people could then get to exchange each others' ideas on different topics. -Angela Ho, Hongkong.
Welcome to the gang, Angels, and we hope to hear from you otten. No, we do not think of yuu as a psycho chao—our s them often is interested in an extremely wide range of subjects, so much so that it is one of the reasons elder people find teenagers no bewildering. We think you could find many young men and who love a swingin' rockin' Elvis number and spend hours:Hstening to Moxart. We'll seriously consider your gestion for a pen-pals column, although the Sunday Post-Herald carries one 'that serves its purpose admirably.
* PEEK-A-BOO.
13
Credit card to Antoinette Rozario, Kowloon,
excitement with such num- as "Day-O," and "La berg Bamba." The show concluded with Belafonte's riotous version of "Matilda" which was a real show stopper.
NETVOUS,
be of
Most fortunately a poultry census is soon to be taken in I hope that family planning will then Priscilla is a hen most highly introduced
--something strung
and
She which, at present, the hens are now bringing up two chicks totally ignorant. We all know few weeks old, all the others
what indiscriminately Lange having been snatched away by families are doing to the food urkiud fate..
situation bere and at the rate bens are multiplying, I doubt whether the expense in
she
With the next door neigh- my
all from
bours' cockerel tuttuttering the way after her, she has been grain will be justified.
Of course, after reading this of
lecking into all the boxes, bas-
letter and realising the consu- kets, cracks and crevices can find; and, for the last hour quences you may not decide to come; but if you do, I believe I have been racing her carry there is still a small corner in
with straw. ing a box lined
the loft which hasn't yet been ot which I put down in front
taken over by the henis. her whenever opportunity per- Believe me,
look she deign to into it? Not on your lives!
BCLK-
He went stage-crazy
he
for
a
had the
while. And he pulled every trick in the book till audience eating out of the palm of his hand. He danced, he caper. ed about the stage, got into the orchestra-pit and made a musi-
mits. Does
Your fellow-member,
A. H. AHMED. -Credit Card to A. H. And so the pantomine tinues until one of us (myself Ahmed, Hongkong.
The
By Ted Thomas
NY
the day now patron saint of Rock and Roll is going to rise up and quote that hoary old chestnut "all reports of my death have been gross- ly exaggerated.” For surely no entertainment form has ever had it's doom predicted quite so regularly, and ́ with quite such finality.
Rock
The fact is that 'n' Roll is still very much alive every bit as alive in fact 13 when the high priest of the new beat, Bill Haley," first swept the world with "Rock Around The Clock."
"It won't last," -people said. “Just a passing fad.” “It'll all bo over In six months" and so on from everyone both in and out of the busin des. "Rock 'n' Roll has been replaced Cha by Calypso." "Cha will take the place of Rock 'n' Roll"-on and on rant. ed the scribes and 'exporta —yet the bla beat is still. with us.
con-
Hit Parade
1. My Home Town-Paul Anka.
2. Young at Heart Cha Cha Tommy Thomas.
3. Mess of Blues-Elvis Presley.
4. Am I that Easy to Forget?-Debbie Reynolde.
5. House of Bamboo-Earl Grant.
6. Amapola-The Platters.
7. Cradle of Love Johnny Preston.
& Puppy Love-Paul Anka.
9. Spring Rain-Pat Boona.
10. Everybody's Somebody's Fool-Connie Francia.
11. Young Emotions-Ricky Nelson.
12. A Star is Born-Mark Dinning.
13. Too Proud-Johnny Nash,
14. Biology-Danny Valentino.
15. The Voice of Love-Johnny Nash.
.16. Why I'm Walking-George Hamilton.
CA
17. Footsteps-Steve Lawrence.
18. Teddy-Connie Francis.
19. One of Us-Patti Pago.
20. Exclusively Youra-Carl Dobking
NALLING the Pat Boone Fan Club! (Chapter You're 237) I'm SORRY. president Teresa Wong saya that I'm unfair to Pat. I have neglected him, so sho says, and made light of his
talents.
If
sorry.
1s this
true-I'm
But let's look at the re- cord. Pat has appeared on every broadcast of "Mun Wul" except two. He has been in the Hongkong Hit- Parade for
wooks more than I can remember.
He is oven featured re- gularly In "Nightcap" which is something that's nåver happened to Elvis Footnote to
Presley! un- ballvers: They sald that "Ragtime" wouldn't last
It either.
lasted from 1890 to tha 1920-30 years! Jazz, It's less stylised suo- cessor, has been having it's and spelt out for years,
the
As to whether he's möre popular than Elvis Presley -Well your guces Is 25 good as mine. Why not have a vote on it.
17-21 Just write to the Club and tell us who to
•
Your favourite.
We'll
count up the votes and lot you know the answer.
WHO
are the three most consistent Hit Para- ders in Hongkong? Well for my money the vote would go to Connie Francis, Patti Page, Paul Anks, Elvis Presley and the Everly Brothers
•
"Hit Parade”
SINCE my
comments on the
latest Death Laura I Love
Diso—“Tell
Her" last
week, Decos records
who
had banned the release of
now have
had the disc, second
on the thoughts
embargo-and have decided
all after
to release the number.
A Decca spokesman sald that the company could not alt in judgement on publia taste. He should havo added “or fack of it."