60s Rediffusion Talentime - Poster Girls For Racial Harmony: Senoritas' Let's Get Together

Monday, November 8, 2010

"We were the Senoritas and we were singing Haley Mills, Let's Get Together from the movie, The Parent Trap. This picture was taken in Rediffusion studios in 1961, I think, during our valiant but vain attempt to be famous. We were poster girls for racial harmony.

I got dragged into the singing group by Denyse Tessensohn. The others are (far left) Caroline Joseph who is Jewish. I am next to Caro. Denyse is the one at far right and next to her, Kathleen Aaron, who is of Chinese and Indian parentage.

The one next to me is, I think, a schoolmate who lived in Sophia Road called Jeanette Ellison, who is part Jewish but none of the others can confirm that it is indeed Jeanette." (Irene Hoe)

Fashion wise, these senoritas were in their Sunday... Mexican best, especially with dashing Larry Lai to compere the show.

Thanks to Irene and Larry Lai, who told me, that in their excitement to sing, they forgot to don their sombreros which they left backstage.

QUIZ TIME:

1. Which school do you think these ladies are from?

2. Where are they now?

Image/Article: from Irene Hoe.

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Marie Tang Talks About Talentime, Larry Lai, Stylers, Charlie Lazaroo, The Man From UNCLE

Friday, May 21, 2010

MARIE TALKS ABOUT UNCLE LARRY, UNCLE CHARLIE AND THE MAN FROM UNCLE:

Hi Andy,

Wow! This is really a surprise! The one and only EP I cut was with The Stylers, and I have some very fond memories of the many practice sessions we had during those days for my record, which also contains the song from The Man From U.N.C.L.E., Uncle Solo! Oh my goodness! I was only 15 years old then...

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You have a very interesting blog and it will surely bring back many wonderful memories and smiles for many of us who contributed to the music scene during the 60s. Your **posting of my mum... I've just sent it to her through MSN and she too was mesmerised and surprised.

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1969 Talentime... Host, Larry Lai - addressed him as Uncle Larry then - best host in Singapore, compared to some of the existing ones. Uncle Charlie (Charles Lazaroo) was such a wonderful and helpful musician.

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During those days they had prizes for the top 8 contestants. I was 7th and I think I won myself a watch with changeable straps... ha, ha, ha... the simple life. I also competed in a few more talentime contests organised by Cathay Cinema in conjunction with the movie The Oscar and took first prize with my song, Fireball XL5.

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Hey, I got myself an Oscar trophy, which is still in my home. And in the same year I took another first prize for a talentime organised by Boys Town but can't remember the song I sang. My singing talent was definitely my mum's genes but there were other priorities for me and I did not pursue a singing career.

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Thank you once again Andy, for bringing back such good old memories.

Cheers,
Marie (Tang): 21st May, 2010.

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Thank you so much Marie for sharing. Really appreciate!

**Saturday, December 27, 2008:
Ocean Park Hotel Singapore With Wilma Tang

Image:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3093/2543814906_17ac440dc9.jpg

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Before 'Singapore Idol' There Was 'Talentime'...

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Singapore had its share of talent competitions in the 60s way before American Idol and its local version Singapore Idol were launched in the 2000s. 1969 would be a perfect example where 10 contestants, each with either a song to sing or play, participated in the finals of Radio Television Singapore (RTS) contest.

Those days it was called, 'Talentime' (term was later inspired by the quick-witted with, "I got talent but no time...") and with the versatility of Singapore's top professional musicians like Ahmad Jaafar and Charlie Lazaroo leading the RTS Orchestra and backing the contestants, the eager beavers were in safe hands within the confines of the air-conditioned media building at Caldecott Hill.

The list of the evening's line-up from the CD list shows, M. Almen: Fly Me To The Moon, M. Ismail: One Day Soon, Marie Tang: When China Boy Meets China Girl. Patrick Rudge: On The Beach. Eunice Sim: Cry Me A River.

Dusky La Gooma sang: Getting To Know You, Ainah Ahmad: The Look Of Love, Aziz Talib: The Way It Used To Be, Loretta Mendoza: I Wish You Love, E.C. Tan: Night And Day. Christina Tan was the only finalist playing classical piano with: lst Movement Sonata in D. Wonder why?

Marie Tang later recorded Fireball XL5, Dusky La Gooma appeared with a face painted black and E.C. Tan, an old pal, is also called Easy Tan because of his relaxed and lazy singing style.

**One RTS talentime winner who made the grade was Eunice Sim (image) and like other winners, received a recording contract with RTS Enterprise Private Production Singapore. The above image shows her EP vinyl with covers, Alfie, Hello Dolly, Windows Of The World and Something On My Mind. On the Talentime CD recording of Julie London's, Cry Me A River she sounds as heart rendering as the original.

**A Note from Marie Tang:

Hi Andy,
1969 Talentime winner, Eunice Sim and 1968 winner, The TidBits. Many mistook me for one of the TidBits, but I'm not. I sang solo in 1968 To Sir With Love and 1969, When China Boy Meets China Girl. The recording contract went to The TidBits.
Thanks for bringing back the good old memories !
Regards
Marie

20th May, 2010.

Original article: Andy Lim

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(A) Pop Impersonators Singapore 60s Idols

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

SINGAPORE IDOLS IN THE 60s:

As far as the mind can remember, below are the names of Singapore pop-singer impersonators in the 60s. Blogger does not believe in apeing famous bands or vocalists but this was an acceptable trend and there was a following when these artistes performed. Fans screamed and clapped when they see their idols on stage impersonating Elvis, Cliff or any singer currently popular then.

It was also a way for singers to be talent spotted by nightclub owners, recording companies, entertainment producers and event organisers. In the 60s such professionals were few and far between but they had connections. The list below may be the first ever produced of title holder impersonators and many of them participated in these competitions organised by cinema organisations, etc. So here goes:

Singapore's:
Nat King Cole - Rahim Hamid (Rahimah Rahim's father)
Louis Armstrong - Rahim Rahman (Flamingo's Combo)
Johnnie Ray - Robert Song (Flamingos/Thunderbirds/Stylers)
Dean Martin - Ahmad Daud (image)
Elvis Presley - Johnny Aroozoo
Pat Boone - Walter Koh

Slim Whitman - Rocky Wong
Cliff Richard - Kenneth Gomes
Paul Anka - Andrew Lim/Andy Young
Johnny Lion - Harry Cheok
Tom Jones - Halil Chik
Blue Diamonds - Gaylads (Flamingos Combo)

Connie Francis - Patricia Pestana
Millie Small - Veronica Young
Beatles - Cyclones
Shadows - McCoys
Jumping Jewels - Willy's Jokers

The list is not exhaustive so if you remember anyone who is a pop singer title holder in the 60s please contribute. Believe it or not, they are still impersonating stars today in the U.S.

Image: www.abangjebat.multiply.com/

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Charles Lazaroo Pianist, Teacher, Composer

Friday, October 16, 2009

Discuss Singapore radio or Singapore music eduation and Charles Lazaroo's name comes to mind. Well known as a pianist, school teacher and music inspector at the Ministry of Education, Singapore, Lazaroo composed the music for the Siglap Secondary School song when he was posted there.

He was also in the public eye in his involvement with the Singapore Broadcasting Corporation (SBC). He had arranged and contributed music pieces to the organisation and in the 80s became SBC's music director.

Lazaroo was adept at accompanying singers on the piano. In a rehearsal with him to sing a song for a 60s cultural show at TV Singapura, it took only two practices on the piano with Blogger before the big night. Blogger had Lazaroo to thank for the performance as it turned out well.

Charles Lazaroo was popular with many of Singapore 60s music vocalists and bands as they had to discuss performances and musical arrangements with him for the Talentime series, radio and TV shows.

Apparently this great pianist has many compositions to his name because according to *Juliana Lim, "I managed to publish a book about our national anthem composer, Zubir Said but did not succeed in publishing the music of the late Charles Lazaroo ('a little bird told me... ' July 3rd, 2009 posting)."

Image: National Heritage Board Singapore/Singapore Press Holdings.

*Reference: http://www.julianalim.wordpress.com/

Original article: Andy Lim Collection.

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