Matt in Wales
Posted: Fri May 14, 2010 1:21 pm
I'm new to the site but, after the last month's TV broadcast about Matt's life I registerd to become a member. I'd promised Michele that I would relate my personal memory of Matt, but have been too busy lately. When I "googled" Matt about 50 sites came up. All very confusing. I referred back to my registration e-mail and found that THIS appears to be the official site. It used to have an item entitled "Matt in Wales". Did Matt ever appear in Wales?
I can relate to a wonderful Saturday night at the Ritz Ballroom in RHYL in either the summer of 1960 or 61. I played 2nd tenor sax in the Duke Gordon Orchestra, a nine piece resident band which played every Saturday night during the winter, and every night (except Sundays) during an eight week summer season. The Management (who also had the Winter Gardens Ballroom in nearby Llandudno) had contacted an agency to provide cabaret artists on Saturday nights throughout the summer season. Most patrons were there on holiday so, to have the chance of seeing "named" artists went down well. Some artists who appeared during this period usually only requested our rhythm section to back them.
I remember Craig Douglas forgot most of the words. Valerie Masters had her own organ which squashed up the stage for the rest of us. The Springfields, long before Dusty went solo. Another very popular singer at that time was
------- Clinton. (Can't remember his christian name - any offers?)
During this time we were instructed to be ready to rehearse from 7.30pm before the ballroom opened at 8pm. It used to be a bit frustrating to then find out that only the rhythm section was required. Having developed a real likeness for Matt's voice I was like a kid (I was 23/4) and looking forward all that week to meeting a star. We had been told that he would like the full band to back him. He was already there with his road manager when most of us arrived at 7.15pm. He got out the bandparts and distributed them to each member, all the time joking and seeming so confident. His set was to be about 40 minutes which included Portrait of my Love, which had just hit the charts. I seem to remember that there was only one of the "dots" that he wanted us to go through - and even then only the modulation through the middle eight. It may have been "sophisticated lady" , or somthing similar, which was slightly different to most standard songs of that time. We spent around 15 minutes in the band room part consuming 2 cases of bottled beers that he'd brought for us. This was finished off in the interval and saved us the hundred yard walk to the local. The ballrooms were not licensed in those days.
We took the stage to play one dance after the interval and then the Manager took great pleasure in introducing Matt to the capacity audience. There was only seating around the sides of the dancefloor so most of the punters stood in front of the stage and Matt completely overawed them with the power and vibrato control of his voice. He swooned them into raptures of applause after each number. They knew, like us, that we were being privileged to witness the dawning of a great new career for a different and dedicated artist.
I never crossed paths with Matt again, but as a result of that night I have bought most of his CDs since they came out and often sit listening to those unique tracks that he put down throughout his short lifetime. I didn't buy many 78s or LPs of many singers in the early days, mostly big bands - Count Basie, Stan Kenton, Ted Heath, Buddy Rich and many others who have all passed on. This was a great era for DECENT understandable music, and I am only thankful that my life has spanned most of the best of the 20th century popular music. Compared to then, today's output is absolute cr*p.
If anyone else was present, and remembers that unforgetable night, maybe they would like to put their memories into print on here.
I can relate to a wonderful Saturday night at the Ritz Ballroom in RHYL in either the summer of 1960 or 61. I played 2nd tenor sax in the Duke Gordon Orchestra, a nine piece resident band which played every Saturday night during the winter, and every night (except Sundays) during an eight week summer season. The Management (who also had the Winter Gardens Ballroom in nearby Llandudno) had contacted an agency to provide cabaret artists on Saturday nights throughout the summer season. Most patrons were there on holiday so, to have the chance of seeing "named" artists went down well. Some artists who appeared during this period usually only requested our rhythm section to back them.
I remember Craig Douglas forgot most of the words. Valerie Masters had her own organ which squashed up the stage for the rest of us. The Springfields, long before Dusty went solo. Another very popular singer at that time was
------- Clinton. (Can't remember his christian name - any offers?)
During this time we were instructed to be ready to rehearse from 7.30pm before the ballroom opened at 8pm. It used to be a bit frustrating to then find out that only the rhythm section was required. Having developed a real likeness for Matt's voice I was like a kid (I was 23/4) and looking forward all that week to meeting a star. We had been told that he would like the full band to back him. He was already there with his road manager when most of us arrived at 7.15pm. He got out the bandparts and distributed them to each member, all the time joking and seeming so confident. His set was to be about 40 minutes which included Portrait of my Love, which had just hit the charts. I seem to remember that there was only one of the "dots" that he wanted us to go through - and even then only the modulation through the middle eight. It may have been "sophisticated lady" , or somthing similar, which was slightly different to most standard songs of that time. We spent around 15 minutes in the band room part consuming 2 cases of bottled beers that he'd brought for us. This was finished off in the interval and saved us the hundred yard walk to the local. The ballrooms were not licensed in those days.
We took the stage to play one dance after the interval and then the Manager took great pleasure in introducing Matt to the capacity audience. There was only seating around the sides of the dancefloor so most of the punters stood in front of the stage and Matt completely overawed them with the power and vibrato control of his voice. He swooned them into raptures of applause after each number. They knew, like us, that we were being privileged to witness the dawning of a great new career for a different and dedicated artist.
I never crossed paths with Matt again, but as a result of that night I have bought most of his CDs since they came out and often sit listening to those unique tracks that he put down throughout his short lifetime. I didn't buy many 78s or LPs of many singers in the early days, mostly big bands - Count Basie, Stan Kenton, Ted Heath, Buddy Rich and many others who have all passed on. This was a great era for DECENT understandable music, and I am only thankful that my life has spanned most of the best of the 20th century popular music. Compared to then, today's output is absolute cr*p.
If anyone else was present, and remembers that unforgetable night, maybe they would like to put their memories into print on here.
