Tribute to the Legend Clive Bradley
Paying Respect to Clive Bradley at Desperadoes Pan Yard
November 30, 2005
Roy Corrigan aka 'Babylon'
"My name is Roy Corrigan aka 'Babylon'. What I have to say about Clive Bradley is that he was really a genius.
He was a mathematician and he knew how to break phrase to suit what he wanted to do. There isn't any other steelband arranger who can orchestrate the way Bradley did. It is so hard, especially now that we have lost a guy like Bradley. We know that we can still go on because we still have that sound in our head and in our ears, mainly because of the way he orchestrated.
Robert Greenidge is good too, but the difference between Robert Greenidge and Clive Bradley is that Robert tends to be a little more rigid because he likes to bump and speed, whereas Clive was more laid back. Music is about taste and sometimes not all arrangers have the same kind of taste. There are so many musicians and vocalists in the States and everybody is good but with their own taste based on how they think they will be accepted. Bradley and Robert Greenidge were good colleagues and they loved each other. All the good pan men like 'Boogsie' and Robert, also the tuners like Bertie Marshal and others are close, but sometimes the members might make it look like there is rift amongst them. Music is love and when you are a musician you cannot have any kind of animosity amongst yourselves.
I came through since I was small and all the great pan men I knew from various bands still get along well with me, and they always recognize me as a good pan man. Last night when I came here in the Yard I saw 'Boogsie' and them and they acknowledged me with respect. We have to know what we are going to do now and where do we go from here. We will do what we have to do in order to get the band ready and keep them together. I do not know what the plans are as yet because we are still in mourning, but after all of this is gone we will see what is going to happen. We will try to keep the standards of the band and Laventille high.
I am saddened about losing a guy like Bradley."
Aldwyn Hewit
"My name is Aldwyn Hewit and I am the Treasurer of Desperadoes Steel Orchestra, and I try my best.
Clive Bradley was a genius. He met me in the band when he came in back in 1968. Rudolph Charles had shown him the finer points about arranging for a steelband because he was always a great musician, but arranging for a steelband is different.
Clive Bradley did a lot for us... he came through for us."
Anthony McQuilkin
"I am Anthony McQuilkin and I am the Assistant Manager of Desperadoes Steel Orchestra.
The loss of Clive Bradley is tremendous to the band.
Bradley has been associated with the band since 1968. He worked until about 1984 when there was a parting of ways and then he came back in 1999 on a victorious note.
Desperadoes and Bradley were like Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis or Abbott and Lou Castello. Even When Bradley was not with Desperadoes people would hear Bradley's music with some other band like Pandemonium or Tokyo and people would say if he had done that with Desperadoes it would have been different.
He would sorely be missed and I do not think that there is any other arranger that could fit into his shoes. A member from Phase II told me in Antigua Saturday that when Panorama comes around people are really going to see or hear the kind of influence that Bradley had on Panorama. Because people would not hear that music anymore and they would realize the contribution that Bradley has made to Panorama and to music in general in Trinidad and Tobago.
We will miss him greatly."
Miranda Martin
"My name is Miranda Martin and I am the Secretary of Desperadoes Steel Orchestra.
I have been with Desperadoes approximately ten years and I worked under Mr. Bradley. Mr. Bradley was a musical genius and he was very creative. He loved to talk, explain and talk about the different music, and would show you how to harmonize chords. He also enjoyed working with the youths especially.
With regards to his music it cannot be described, but to me when I play it, it's very soulful and it raises your pores after a performance... I liked that about his music. He was very humble and I loved how he interacted with the youths and the way he used to encourage them to learn more about music. He encouraged them not only to play pan but to be literate as well. Mr. Bradley will be missed by all. I have a little daughter and I used to bring her in the pan yard and every time Mr. Bradley saw her he would give her a big hug.
Mr. Bradley will be missed by me, a lot of the other players and many other people as well. There are a lot of people world wide who knew him and about his music. Nobody is perfect but music wise, Mr. Bradley was the boss."
Alan Greenidge
"My name is Alan Greenidge and I play Double Seconds in Desperadoes.
I have been in the band since 1977, but I left the band for a short time and I came back, and still playing with them today. To me Mr. Bradley was one of the greatest arrangers around and I learned a lot from him.
His contribution was really great to the people of Laventille and they learned a lot of things from him."
FUNERAL SERVICES
Clive Bradley's body was at Desperadoes Pan Yard from 8:00 am to 10:00 am on Friday 2nd December 2005. Funeral Services for Clive Bradley was held at 10:00 am on Friday 2nd December, 2005 at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Independence Square Port of Spain thence to the Diego Martin Cemetery for burial.
Moving send-off for pan icon Bradley
Funeral Services and Tribute to Clive Bradley Album at:
www.trinbagopan.com/gallery/Tribute-to-Bradley
- Tribute to the Legend Clive Bradley - 27th Nov. 2005
- Tribute to the Legend Clive Bradley - 28th Nov. 2005
- Tribute to the Legend Clive Bradley - 30th Nov. 2005
- Tribute to the Legend Clive Bradley - 02nd Dec. 2005 - Pt 1
- Tribute to the Legend Clive Bradley - 02nd Dec. 2005 - Pt 2
Visit Desperadoes Steelband Album at:
www.trinbagopan.com/gallery/Desperadoes-Steelband
Tribute to Bradley Homepage | Trinbago Pan Homepage
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