RE: Rembering Bert Al Fraser

2012-Nov-22-1945Hrs

Hi Erroll,

Kindly include the attached tribute to our fellow Mausican, Bertie Fraser, in this week’s blog.

Much appreciated.

Selwyn

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"Remembering Bert Al Fraser (aka Bertie) 

I am not sure how the name Bert Al Fraser evolved but to some of his FairHaven buddies, that’s how Bertie referred to himself in those early days. During those innocent Mausica days of September 1963, when traditions were yet to be established, Mr. Joseph (Harry Joe) was eager to see what sort of talent existed in the students he hoped would set the standards for his new teachers’ college.

There was a piano on the stage in the auditorium which attracted a number of students, and invariably Harry Joe would ask about their musical training, etc. During one of these sessions, Bertie walked on stage and proceeded to play Floyd Kramer’s (1960) hit, Last Date, and for most of us listening that day, it sounded as if Bertie was playing a Floyd Kramer hit much better than Floyd himself. At the end of the piece, Mr. Joseph asked Bertie where he learned to play the piano and Bertie replied, quite casually, that he was self-taught. After that Bertie had a lot of fans who admired him and his piano styling. (As pointed out in an earlier blog by June Martin and Marilyn Bart-Layne).

But Bertie was not admired only for his piano playing. For our first Christmas party at FairHaven we got a Parang session going and Bertie was front and centre with his cuatro and guitar playing.

Bertie arrived in Edmonton, Canada, to study music at the University of Alberta in 1969 (or ’70?). I was already there along with Don Walker, since 1968, and fellow Mausicans Irving Frederick and Allan Clovis had preceded us. I was part of a very primitive steelband that played at the Caribbean dances and on Campus. Pretty soon Bertie had taught himself to play all of the instruments in the band, and was arranging as well as teaching most of the band members. Once, he formed a steelband quartet and we were invited to perform the Hallelujah Chorus to his music professor and a number of students. They were simply amazed to see us play the piece without having any written music to refer to. Bertie had taught us well.

In 1970 (or ‘71) we decided to participate in Edmonton’s Klondike Days parade. Even though it was about the Klondike Gold Rush, we decided to put a Caribbean spin on the parade. We got some new players for the band, rigged up some metal stands, and we went on the road, and probably for the first time in Edmonton, a steelband played on the streets of Edmonton. Bertie had arranged Do-Re-Mi from the Sound of Music, and this musical piece captured the essence of Trinidad Carnival in a non-Caribbean setting. I recall three Mausicans playing in the band – Bertie, me, and Heather Ratsoy – dressed in her Klondike outfit. The energy on Jasper Avenue was almost like a steelband on Frederick Street in Port of Spain – during those early Mausica years. It was a sight to behold.

Bertie moved on from arranging for the steelband to playing in nightclubs. The first time I saw a “one–man band” was Bertie performing in a club - with a rhythm machine, a mouth-organ attached to his head, while playing the guitar.

One day as I approached the “West Indian House” where some of us lived, I heard this incredible sound coming from a saxophone – I thought that Fausto Papetti had moved in to the neighbourhood. As I got closer I realized it was Bertie playing a most amazing interpretation the Beatles’ The Long and Winding Road. Again self-taught!

Bertie returned to Trinidad after he graduated with his Music degree in the mid-seventies, and soon after I remember seeing a newspaper clipping indicating that he was now a successful arranger for one of the local steelbands. Then he was into politics, but that experience did not last too long.

Sometime in the early 80s (?), I got a call from a mutual friend – “Bertie was back in town”. That winter night in Edmonton, a few of us sat with Bertie and a bottle of Old Oak, as he regaled us with his stories as a politician, and his relationship with Dr. Eric Williams. How ironic, I thought, Bertie, through his music, was probably one of the first Mausicans to be involved in politics at the national level.

I saw Bertie in Toronto in the late 80s amongst a group of Mausicans planning a 25th anniversary celebration, and once after that – in New York about six years ago. In the almost 50 years of first meeting Bertie, whether it was arranging Lara’s Theme (from the movie Doctor Zhivago) for a bride in Edmonton who chose a steelband to play for her wedding, or performing an incredible pan “ramajay” on the tenor pan playing Summertime, during a summer concert, his musical talent is what I remember, most of all.

He was a true Mausica Pioneer, and an early contributor to the establishing of the Fairhaven and Mausica culture.

Rest in peace, my friend.

Selwyn Jacob"