Seatavern

DISTRICT SIX CROONERS

Produced and Directed by: Jayson King Let me tell you of the talent that once entertained District Six in Cape Town, and the ouens on the corners, alleys, steps who were always involved singing American crooner songs. “Crooners” were singers like Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Al Martino, Andy Williams, Jack Jones, Jerry Vale and Matt Monro. There were so many that even imitated Louis Armstrong, Sammy Davis Jnr who was always the only black singer from Chicago and who played a big part of the Las Vegas “Rat Pack” Members of the Rat Pack were Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Peter Lawford Sammy Davis Jnr and sometimes comedian singer Jerry Lewis.
Even Elvis Presley brought his style of crooning to Las Vegas where he would share ballad croon with Frank Sinatra’s Rat Pack on American TV host, the Ed Sullivan Show

Most of the American crooners came from Brooklyn from Italian immigrant families, some who was deeply involved with the “Mafia”. Well our local singers were not part of any Rat Pack and strived to reserve their own following with local Cape Town audiences. Amongst the many were Cyril Valentine, Freddie Isaacs, Zane Adams, Jayson King, Ziggy Gray, Charles McAllister and so many others copied the crooning styles. Every singer male and female were copycat singers in the style of the American and British recording artists We used to listen to all their songs on Springbok Radio and then go and practice on a street corner in our free time, mostly at night after returning home from work Yes we were unashamedly copycats because we were not allowed to go to the Alhambra Theatre or Cape Town City Hall to see the white international entertainers “live” so we copied them so close as to be mistaken for the original recording artists with the “identical” voice styles. The old Apartheid system and Group Areas Act were really hard on us back then and were all looking for that “silver” cloud that would acknowledge us in entertainment. Jayson King’s early shows at the Star Bioscope and Avalon in District Six were like our Apollo theatre or Carnegie hall and we would present regular attractions like CT’s Frank Sinatra, CT’s Nat King Cole and there is Mr Walker, or CT’s Bing Crosby and we find Henry James Schrikker who was also known to portray the British “Laughing Policeman” our local Al Hendricks would copy Al Johnson

Sometimes a girl would come join us and imitate Connie Francis, Shirley Bassey, Ella Fitzgerald, Little Millie, District Six was the heart of Cape Town with so many good singers. The crooners drifted from crooning to singing the popular coon songs or Cape Malay liedjies and often entertained at Cape Malay weddings. On so many weekly shows you would find vocal groups, that would imitate the Platters, Ink Spots, some acapella and some with a 3 piece band. The audiences who came out in their 100’s jampacked local bioscopes to listen and support their favourite Chubby Checker, and a group singing like The Ink Spots. Well most of the veteran crooners have passed on but we are thankful that some has preserved their talents and can still share with you today. Introducing the DISTRICT SIX CROONERS, Rod Gilbert - Clarence Maynier - Fuad Richards – Giempie Vardien – Jayson King