Radcliffe Anthony Ferreira Tribute --- Bright Young Band Leader
In Ceylon entertainment world a new Bandleader Has emerged The Spotlight is on Radcliffe Ferreira young Raddy is only nineteen and he has been a professional musician for three years. Peterites of recent vintage will remember the young piano man who attracted no little attention wherever music was needed. At St Peter's there was a fife and Drum Band a Harmonica Band and a Dance Band more or less. The latter group got together to play for their own entertainment but could not get the onlookers to stop their feet from tapping. They played dance music,pop songs and experimented with creative playing in the sprit of Jazz. At that time Radcliffe was also mastering the Clarinet and Alto Sax.That was the backdrop to Radcliffe Ferreira's Musical Beginnings. In next to no time dance enthusiasts noted a young band with a distinctive sound and call themselves Arden Nelson Sextet under the leadership of a young Alto Sax player from whom we expect to heat much Raddy wrote many an enterprising arrangement for this group and in a little while the band was well known on the Commercial Service airlines as well as at some of the big dance bands in town. Pianist Ferreira did much for the progress of this young and talented group which included drummer Geoff Labrooy, Travis Kock and sena Seneviratne on Bass,Arden Nelson on Alto' Stanley Ranasinghe on Sax, Rodney Jansz on Electric Guitar who replaced Darrel De Silva and Radcliffe himself on Piano Studies.....careers and diversified interests made Interests made it difficult for the sextet to proceed in one piece. Soon the guitar craze swept in and "The Fireflies" were reconstituted with some of the members of the Arden Nelson Sextet. By now Radcliffe had mastered the piano. the electric guitar saxophone,clarinet, piano Accordion,double bass and the electronic organ
Guitar sound
At this point, Harold Seneviratne wanted a guitar sound to his popular aggregation and Radcliffe Ferreira was the obvious choice having toured the country with Harold, Raddy found a berth with Earle Arnolda, and a new and profitable partnership had begun. Earle has launched into showbusiness in a big way, Those who know this live-wire know that he works with irrepressible and infectious zeal when he grabs an idea out of his cranium. Fun- loving people have now got the benefit of BA Entertainments Limited, Where Radcliffe works. This is where he starts as Bandleader in the big time sphere and a tremendous lot is expected of him while playing such a range of instruments, Radcliffe kept going with his studies in the theory and practice of music. Beginning at the age of four he passed every Trinity College examinations this stands him in excellent stead when it comes to arranging but that is not all. Radcliffe has some dynamic compositions to his credits at the moment these are in a top-secret drawer in the offices of B.A. Entertainment. but soon the entertainment world will hear talented young Badreen Musafer sing these originals.
Influence
Radcliffe is interested in dance music in all complexions of jazz in the pop field, in shows in the old nigger minstrel school in the lighter classics and he also sings and harmonizes his career in the field of music has been deeply influenced by his parents to whom he owes everything for his interest in music.....by his grandmother now in England who instilled in him the love of the old family piano his College Rectors who gave him unlimited encouragement and facilities his music teacher Mrs.Doreen De Lima of Wallawatte who has guided many a young enthusiast and all the other folks in the music world with whom he has associated but the dominating factor in his work is that he thoroughly enjoys himself this is the sprit he infuses into this fine young bunch of talented fun- loving but dusty-conscious lad. The group is bristling with ideas and enjoy a wonderful corporate fellowship which augurs well for the future as band leader it look like Raddy Ferreira has come to stay.
There is no doubt that his audiences will come with great expectations and they too will come to stay
Emcee
May his sole Rest In Peace
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Raddy Ferreira Dance Orchestra - Big Band Swing Medleyby rockpopjazz007835 views
You have made a wonderful tribute to Raddy, he truly deserves this.
Well, there is a saying that life is impermanent but death is permanent. We must therefore accept Raddy's passing with grief and pray for his soul to rest in peace!
My personal regards,
Upali O
rockpopjazz007 8 months ago
Our prayers are with the family in this time of sadness. Yes, Raddy was one of the greatest, humblest musicians and a dear friend. I grieve for the great loss to the music world. Kindly pass this onto his family.
Ishan Bahar
rockpopjazz007 8 months ago