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14th
August 2010
A
revered Bass Guitarist /Flutist Cyril (Slade)
Mitchel
 During
the Xmas season 2009, as I plied the streets
of Castries, I was attracted to the sweet sound
of Traditional Xmas music which was being dispensed
from a flute played by a well known St. Lucian
musician on the corner of St. Louis and Chisel
Streets adjacent to the Digicel office. No the
flute was not played by the Pied Piper who led
the rats to their destiny with the effective
music of his flute, as told in the story book,
but rather that impeccable wonderful serenading
of music for the Festive Season was executed
by St. Lucia’s very own professional bass
guitar player par excellence Cyril Slade Mitchell,
a one time prominent member of the now defunct
legendary Trutones Combo and the Royal St. Lucia
Police Band. Without the shred of a doubt, it
would appear to me that Slade was inspired to
shower the public with a huge measure of glad
tidings, to keep the Spirit of Christmas alive
and well, for all the folks, who are very much
committed to celebrating the Festive season
in grand style. I am of the notion that Slade
must be aware that the Glitz and Glamour which
was prevalent at Xmas, is rapidly declining.
As the wonderful sound of the flute filled the
air, my mind took me back many years ago, when
I first got to know Slade. His name was a household
word in regard to music back then, and it was
young fellahs like me at the time among other
music enthusiasts in the Helen of the West,
who I dare say were instrumental in aiding Slade
acquire the popularity status, because ever
so often we spoke about him in genuine terms
in regards to his untarnished ambition as the
best amongst the best players of the Bass guitar
in St. Lucia. He was always first in line. Not
to mention the fact that he was a role model
for us young fellahs in the Georgeville area
where I was born. With Slade’s brilliant
reputation as a Bass player, he became a role
model. We had high hopes that some day we too
would be in the same category as Slade; so much
so for the impact of Slade upon us.
During the latter part of the 1960’s and
early 1970’s a cadre of us in the community
who were ardent fans of the Trutones Combo,
usually engaged ourselves in discussing who
was the better Bass player in bands like Matadors,
Echo Strings, Chapter 8, Trutones, N’
dees, Graduates, Vibratones, CYO Harmonites
, Night Train, Maestrons, Quavers, Big Six,
Silvertone, and Rebirth 7.
I recall the answer to that question came in
a jiffy from a fellah name Kenny who told a
group of us with a large smile on his face,
(“You know who is the best bass guitar
player in St. Lucia; well it is the fellah,
I cannot remember his name, I don’t think
he can see properly when he is walking.”
On realizing he was in a desperate haste to
remember the name of the musician, I said, (is
it Slade?) (Yes, yes he is the one, Slade is
the best Bass player in St. Lucia). We all agreed
to his opinion because we were privileged to
listen carefully to his bass guitar licks on
the astounding Tru-tones Combo first 33 1/3
record album which we labeled a healthy superbly
recorded project, with tunes like (Swan Lake)
Liberstaum) (Don’t Sleep in the Subway),
(To Sir with Love), (Just loving You), (Made
for each other) (Best things in life are free)
(Domino). All the musicians who were part of
that recording, did play a pivotal role in exposing
their music ability.
In accordance with other music enthusiasts,
it is obvious that Slade’s impeccable
handling of the bass guitar in that album is
absolutely astounding, as a large measure of
Professionalism in music is dispensed in the
various selections, compliments of Slade on
bass. Hence one reason why even in this millennium,
music fans still hail that first Trutones album
as one of the best recorded projects within
the Caribbean Basin and probably farther afield.
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Another
channel which convinced many music fans about
Slade’s appreciation for music, is to
be found on the Tru-tones second album entitled
(Cream of the Crop) in which he let loose on
bass, essentially as the band breaks into not
only calypso up tempo by (SPARROW) (PAN MAN)
and (KITCHENER) (SOCK IT TO ME) but Slade blends
in brilliantly on the other softer tunes like
(IT MUST BE HIM) (DON’T LET THE SUN CATCH
YOU CRYING) (THIS GUY’S IN LOVE WITH YOU)
(LIGHT MY FIRE), and (CALIFORNIA DREAMING).
He exhibits his expertise in playing the flute,
as the Tones render the 1964 hit tune by Eric
Burdon and the Animals’ (House of the
Rising Sun). That tune has been a favourite
of mine ever since its release because of the
pulsating music of the guitar and organ. However
that recording by Boo and The Tru-tones is far
reaching, but let me single out Slade for a
job well done on that track, featuring his Flute.
To test Slade’s knowledge about vintage
tunes, I would usually sing bit parts of a one
time popular tune like (Answer Me my Love) by
Nat King Cole and in quick time Slade would,
in a jovial mood say (that’s a good tune
you know, yeh man,). He is right.
True as it is, the 2009 Xmas has come and gone,
but Slade can be seen sitting adjacent to the
Digicel office, with his Radio – Tape
Recorder where he continues to entertain the
passers-by with the music of his Flute rendering
primarily a number of vintage songs many of
which were or still are favourites of music
fans for many years ago.
The versatility of SLADE as a reputed bass guitar
player, has been tested and hailed through various
channels, one of which transpired some time
in the early 1960s, during the era when PAN
ANDREW and BIG SIX ORCHESTRA, were dishing out
music to dance fans at the then TOWN HALL among
other venues on the island.
It so happened that one evening BIG SIX was
scheduled to play at an engagement. The band
bass player FREDERICK was not able to perform,
so there was dire need for a replacement. Without
hesitation, the services of the great one CYRIL
(SLADE) MITCHEL, was solicited, but there was
not time enough for him to rehearse the tunes
with the BIG SIX prior to commencement of the
FUNCTION. One of the former band members EDMUNDS
(GURACHA) told me emphatically (ALL WE DID WAS
TO EXTEND TO SLADE, the privilege of listening
to a few notes of the tunes, we were about to
render, that was all it took for SLADE to inject
that short practice into the memory and in a
jiffy he commence jamming with the BIG SIX,
exercising his skill on the BASS GUITAR, which
mesmerized the other players in the band. It
was just unbelievable. SLADE’s performance
was so astounding that even in this millennium,
EDMUND says that he still remembers that night
when SLADE executed that performance on the
BASS guitar par excellence.
By a large margin, the entire (CREAM OF THE
CROP) album is very much appreciated by EDMUND,
but the selection, that held him spellbound
was HOUSE OF THE RISING SUN) all because of
SLADE untarnished blowing of his favourite wind
instrument the FLUTE to perfection.
A couple weeks ago, I was playing in the area
were SLADEs sat playing his FLUTE I came into
contact with a former member of the TRUTONES
and NIGHT TRAIN bands, EMERSON NURSE, and in
a jovial manner I said to him (EMERSON, are
you aware as to who is the fellah blowing the
FLUTE)? That question was not even well out
of my mouth when he replied emphatically (THAT
IS THE GREAT CYRIL (SLADE) MITCHEL).
IF MUSIC BE THE FOOD OF LOVE PLAY ON.
THANKS FOR THE MUSIC SLADE.
Discuss
Story
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