It's Not All Blood, Sweat & Tears, Says Bruce Cassidy

Listening to the mellifluous tones of Abdullah Ibrahim's Mannenberg with Bruce Cassidy on the EVI was not a bad way to start the day last Wednesday.
     Bruce, who had been in the country for his Anti-Gravity Machine concert at The Bassline in Newtown a few weeks ago, agreed to visit the club and talk about music.

Bruce Cassidy in discussion with Linda Vink

     He had been staying at our home in Auckland Park. Bruce is married to my younger sister and they live in Toronto with their daughter, Kailas.
     Bruce teaches at a music school in Toronto and may be bringing a group of students to the Grahamstown Festival in July next year, in which case he's sure to be performing here again.
     He is a world renowned trumpeter who has opted for a modern instrument, the EVI, as his instrument of choice. He also arranges and composes music, something he did with great success with the American jazz-rock band Blood, Sweat and Tears back in a day.

Bruce Cassidy with his new EVI (Electric Valve Instrument)

     The EVI has evolved over the years, but I must say listening to him practice on the trumpet at home these past few weeks was something special.
     Bruce prefers a crossover style of Western and African music and plays it with great success in Canada. Back home, before he moved his family back to his home country Canada about thirteen years ago, he has achieved great success with this.
     During his stay of about twenty years in South Africa he became known for his collaboration with local artists such as Pops Mohamed, Steve Dyer, Barnie Rachabane and many others.
     He and Pops produced the now classic Timeless CD and Bruce has promised that there will be a new collaboration between them coming out soon.

Bruce and his daughter, Cassidy Parker, who came to the meeting with him. Cass is, I suppose, a step-niece to Linda and I, if there is such a thing!

     He originally came to South Africa in 1980 with Blood, Sweat and Tears and decided to quit the group after touring the world with them for a year. Greg Smith remembers seeing B, S & T in Durban at that time.
     Bruce, now a sprightly 78-year-old, told the meeting how hard the touring was, stumbling from one concert to the next, and one post-concert party to the next!
     During the South African leg of the tour they played the Coliseum in Johannesburg, the Three Arts in Cape Town and gigs in Port Elizabeth and at the Playhouse in Durban - all except Tuesday nights, because that was when most South Africans were glued to the TV for the latest episode of the insanely popular Dallas.
     He told the meeting how Paul Simon had opened up the local music scene to the world with his now classic Graceland collaboration with local artists such as Ladysmith Black Mambazo in the mid-80's.

The EVI. BC says the latest glow-in-the-dark model helps audiences see what he's doing!

    When asked why he has chosen the EVI over the trumpet, Bruce said the trumpet is a far more "athletic" instrument in terms of the demands it makes on a player. The EVI is a far easier instrument to play.
     "These days I can play the EVI and get transported to Mars, while with the trumpet I can barely orbit the earth," he said, while acknowledging that the EVI has not yet achieved universal acceptance.
     "On the way to a gig once I left the instrument in the cab. When I told the guys they all applauded," he said tongue in cheek. "And then the cabbie brought it back!"

Jankees and Judy Sligcher listening intently to Bruce Cassidy's playing

     Bruce works with the inventor of the EVI, Nyle Steiner of (where else) Los Angeles to develop the instrument.
     He says he still enjoys playing on stage the most. More and more musicians the world over are returning to the stage after the near collapse of the CD market over the last ten years.
     That, I think most of those who were there on Wednesday and those who were lucky enough to see the Bassline concert, is a very good thing.

Tubby Faber of the Rosebank club contemplating whether he shouldn't rather have joined the New Dawn Rotary club! Tubby was an unexpected, but very welcome, guest at the meeting

     For a final note (excuse the pun) on this topic, watch out at the Christmas party on Friday night. Although Bruce is safely home by now, he left a few signed vinyl records of Blood, Sweat and Tears and a few jazz CDs being for us to auction in aid of charity.

Inductions
     Speaking of the Christmas party, we'll be conducting a fireside chat with Bob Wahl tomorrow and if all goes well he and Debbie de Vries will both be inducted on Friday evening as part of the end-of-year festivities.
     We have already had to arrange an overflow table for the party, as the Twickenham conference room only takes up to 38 people comfortably and we're heading for 50 acceptances to date. It promises to be great fun.
     Please pay by EFT if at all possible, as it makes the admin that much easier, although we will accept cash on the night if you prefer.
     Please also remember to leave your name and details if you or a guest have bid successfully on an auction item.

Cycle Race
     The Fast One Cycle Race is on Sunday,  29 January and the club has pledged 12 marshals. About 6 people have responded so far, so please let Linda know if you can join the group. It raises an extra R5000 for the club each year, money that we cannot sneeze at at this stage.
     Dates to remember: The first meeting in the new year will be on 11 January 2017. Try to be there so that we can get the year off to a rollicking start.
     A Thought for the Festive Season: The only way to keep your health is to eat what you don't want, drink what you don't like and do what you'd rather not. - Mark Twain (1835-1910)