Organ PLayer

[Adrianed]

Hi Folks,
I have often tried to find information and listen to the music of Basil Cuthbert.
The reason for my interest in this player is because he was unofficial carer for my brother John who he looked after when John was old enough to leave the children's home where he had lived from a baby up to 16 years old. The institution where John was brought up is still operating in London, the name of it is Coram and it has a website in case anyone is interested to take a look, they have a small museum in Brunswick Square about its history and the children that it took in many years ago as foundlings, some very famous people were supporters of the institution including Hogarth and royalty at that time,
Coram museum is well worth a visit if you like that sort of thing, there is an entry fee but I don't know how much, John also does tours and adds a personal touch. I can supply other information if anyone is interested.
John Caldicott is the secretary and a govemor
Basil had been well known as an organ player for some years, he used to have a regular weekly program on BBC Radio Oxford and also played in some cinema's I do have one record of his, off my head I think it is called Please Sir, the name of the record is a throwback to Basil's past when he was music teacher at Coram.
I do also have a recording of Basil playing organ at Malvern town hall, he was there with his friend Derek Fowlds who recited Gunga Din on stage, perhaps a very rare recording, I have met Derek at Coram a few times and never thought to let him know that I have this recording, Its not a very good quality being an amature recording, I don't know if it would be copyrighted material ie said to be property of Derek Fowlds, perhaps I should ask him, I think he might not even know of the recording or remember doing it.
I wonder if anyone has heard of Basil Cuthbert, its years since he played in public, he had a stroke and died a couple of years or so later.

Adrian

[Mike Bracchi]

Hello Adrian,

Pleased you got your draft back and posted ... it took me a while to figure out how to find them once saved

A very interesting post, the name Basil Cuthbert rings a bell with me but nothing immediately springs to mind other than I have discovered he recorded an LP playing on a Rodgers 33E electronic theatre organ, tracks on the album are:

Memories Of The Ballet

Invitation To The Waltz
Danse Des Mirletons
Dance Of The Cygnets And Waltz From Swan Lake
Waltz-Naila
Valse Des Fleurs
The Dance Of The Blue Marionettes
Love Story
Astaire Medley
The Carioca
The Way You Look Tonight
Let Yourself Go
Night And Day
Let's Face The Music And Dance
Marche Lorraine
The Parade Of The Sunbeams
Pizzicato Polka
Elizabethan Serenade
Temptation Rag
Remember These?
Solitude
Whispering
The Sheik Of Araby
As Time Goes By
Thanks For The Memory


Rodgers 33E

I have had a search through my organ music and I am sure I haven't got any of Basil's recordings, that said, I will go and have a ferret about later and see what I can find.

Derek Fowlds?
Are we talking about the 'Basil Brush' and 'Sgt Oscar Blaketon' Derek Fowlds here?

The recording that you possess, if it's yours and was recorded with Basil & Derek's consent then the copyright is your

[Adrianed]

Hi Mike
Thankyou for the reply and the info about the Basil Cuthbert record and the photo of the organ

Yes the Derek Fowlds I mention is the one who was Basil Brush and Sgt Blaketon in the Yorkshire series and later as the pub landlord and he was also in the Yes Minister TV series.

He also did a movie here in Australia which did not seem to be very popular.

Adrian