Fela Sowande in 1946 Theatre Organ World (From Alan Ashton)
Singer Adelaide Hall and Fela Sowande on cover of ASV LP Record Label
(From Alan Ashton)
Alan Ashton is a former BBC Radio
broadcaster whose website is www.organradio.com. On November 20, 2012 he sent an email to AfriClassical.com.
Alan Ashton writes:
Unless
I have missed it, or the omission is deliberate, there seems to be no
mention of his time as both a theatre pipe & electronic organist.
He made a number of broadcasts on the BBC theatre organ as a solo
performer, and is still heard as accompanist, on Hammond organ, to
Adelaide Hall. I also believe that he appeared in the stage
production of Black Birds. His signature tune during those popular
organ music days was Deep Purple...for obvious reasons! Some years
before he died I traced him to the USA where he was now a teaching
professor, and he gave me a wonderful interview for my (then) radio
programme on BBC Radio Manchester. Sadly, and it is my one regret, I
no longer have the tape.
I
have just come across the entry in the 1946 Theatre Organ World
publication, and if you would like it I can also copy you an
excellent photo from that book.
Hope
this helps but I just felt that a very important part of his life
story (appears) to be missing. There are shots of him on the Internet
with Adelaide Hall.
Alan
Ashton
The
information, photos and .mp3 files which Alan Ashton has brought to
our attention have been posted today at the Fela Sowande and Audio
pages at AfriClassical.com. The new audio samples of Fela Sowande
playing the Hammond organ are Sierra
Sue (3:09);
Goodnight (3:12);
and
Deep Purple (5:41).
Three new paragraphs have been added to the Fela Sowande web page,
Paragraphs 10
Adelaide Hall; 11
BBC
Theatre Organ
and 12
Theatre
Organ World.
AfriClassical
and AfriClassical.com are very grateful to Alan Ashton for the
opportunity to let readers hear three popular tunes which Fela
Sowande played professionally on the Hammond organ. We also thank
him for the stunning photo of Fela Sowande in white tie, the ASV LP
album cover art, and the entry on Fela Sowande in the 1946
Theatre Organ World.
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