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I've never heard anyone say it but I reckon a lot of Sydney particularly benifited from Maori singing. When they had the big touring bands headed off shore in the 1950s -fallas would end up all over Australia.
The Hi Fives - Hi Five Mambo (1960s) "The line up was ROB HEMI, SOLOMON POHATU, IKE METEKINGI, JIMMY RIVERS ( JUNIOR ) and a guy named FRED.
"My family owned THE TIFFIN restaurant in Manners St. which the band would frequent and when Fred left the band I offered to take his place. I bought a set of white bongos from SHAND MILLER'S in Courtenay Place and played my first gig at the CUBANA in Cuba St. in early October in 1958.
Later that month PHILIPS invited the band to appear on an in - house demonstration of Television at their building in Wakefield St. We performed in one room while the audience viewed from another. Perhaps we were the first Wellington band to be televised.
The Show Band aspect of the group was developed. SOLLY was already doing his knockout Little Richard impersonations. He and I worked up a comedy routine, lip synching to Stan Freberg records. We also did some duets. Every one got " showcased". I recall Solly and I rehearsing with TUI and BUBS HADDON to feature as a vocal Quartet.
JIM ANDERSON was the silver haired and silver tongued manager of the band. Around this time he hatched the idea of buying a yacht in which the band would sail to England gigging at every port on the way. One day he took us to the Boat harbour in Oriental Bay, loaded us into a Dinghi and rowed us out to inspect a prospective yacht . It seemed a sturdy enough craft but I had my doubts about sailing half way arount the world . I'm not sure any of us had any sea going experience.
My time with the Hi Fives was short, but memorable for me. Leaving the band was not an easy decision and it had nothing to do with the yacht." Visit Hi Fives Pages
MANAWAMUSIC
Te Papa - Museum of New Zealand opened their on-line contribution with an exhibition
Maori Showbands.
sergent.com.au
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