Deodato concert cancelled

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34156, 18 May 1976, Page 18

Deodato concert cancelled

The Brazilian pianist-* arranger, Eumir Deodato, is unlikely to per-’ form in Christchurch this week, although he says he is willing to do so. He nas been at an Auck-’i land hotel since his arrival on Monday morning, unhappy, he said yesterday, with the cancellation of the concerts. He denied that he ’ had refused to work with’ New Zealand musicians. «i

He was scheduled to appear at the Town Hall on Thursday evening, but the ’show was cancelled last Friday by Mr Wally Martin, the agent for the Australian promoter. The tour was arranged after concerts in Australia where Deodato performed for the Sphere Entertainment Corporation, a company run by an Australian promoter. Mr Jeff Leach. Deodato said that he had gained the impression that Mr Leach was unhappy about •the New Zealand section of

j ithe tour because of possible! i ! financial losses. e i He said that he had heard' tithat the promoter was con-j ' sidering legal action against’ rLhim. but he was not worried about this because he had i done nothing wrong, a. Deodato said that he had i.the musicians’ scores with t him. and was willing to give? 1 concerts with local musicians ’ '■ if someone would promote: them. j He had wanted to play'. . here, he said. His usual ratesi were between $7500 and’ 1 1 $12,000 a concert, but he 1 f.was charging only $3500 ah

iconcert on this tour, paying 'half the taxes, and meeting incidental expenses for himjself and his musicians from ’his own pocket. The national secretary of the Musicians' Union (Mr J. ’Hegarty) said that New Zealand musicians had been booked for the tour, and ’were to have rehearsed yesterday. i He said that the union had. I insisted that New Zealand musicians be employed because Deodato was not being backed by the full Daly-1 'Wilson Band. j