Australians’ Night At Civic Theatre

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30342, 18 January 1964, Page 17

Australians’ Night At Civic Theatre

It was a big night for the Australians at the Civic Theatre last evening. A capacity house was there to see and hear the Englishborn Australian singer Frank Jfield, but two other Australian performers nearly stole the show. They were the famous Graeme Bell with his traditional jazz band, and the Aboriginal singer Jimmy Little. Things began badly with an amateurish manipulation of the spotlight, which left Graeme Bell completely in the dark during his piano solo, and even a few sharp words from the pianist failed to draw the spotlight away from his backing guitarist. However, the unrestrained tempo of die show rose above that problem, and the audience revelled in such popular traditional numbers as "In a Persian Market” and "Margie,” relieved by a bit of drunken stumbling by Ken Herron exploiting the obvious comic qualities of the trombone. Jimmy Little, a tall, shy singer who is a sort of dancing Nat King Cole, had the audience shrieking for more when the interval brought his performance to an end. His

songs ranged from slow numbers like “Singing the Blues” to the stamping "Walking Along.” and in between he had the theatre hushed for “Danny Boy.” Frank Ifield made his name by imposing what is called the country-and-western style on the style of the “pop” singer, but his most successful songs iast evening were folk songs. Even in those he managed to introduce his yodelling signature at the slightest encouragement, A notable exception was his last song, a syncopated version of “Waltzing Matilda,” but he yodelled in practically everything else, including the final note of “Autumn Leaves.” Frank Ifield’s gaunt bony face is lit with a permanent wide, dazzling smile, regardless of the song’s mood, and his glance and smile dart about the theatre. He obviously enjoys singing and basks in the applause. More versatile than many other similar entertainers who have come to Christchurch, he has a pleasant voice for the "straight” ballads and folk songs that need no gimmicks to keep them in favour.