A long shot I know but here goes.
By lorren192
@lorren192 (90)
March 16, 2008 6:32am CST
Hi everyone,
I have recently started researching my family history on my mothers fathers'side of the tree.
I have found out that my grandfather and great uncle were jazz musicians from Trinidad,who came to the uk after serving in the British merchant navy during the first world war. They were George And Cyril Blake.They played in many bands,and both had bands of their own,they also had at least one jazz club called 'The Jigs club' in London.
Does any mylotters know anything about these guys, or any of the other great jazz musicians of the 1920-1950 jazz era here in the uk? I know that my great uncle cut a live recording with his band round about 1942. his band was called Cyril Blake and his jigs club band,other great musicians who played in bands with my great uncle and grandfather were,Yorke De souza,Frank and Joe Deniz,Claire Deniz,Louis Stephenson,Robert Mumford Taylor,Bruce Vanderpoye,Bertie King,Lauderic Caton and many many more great Black musicians of that era.
My great uncle Cyril was also a calypsonian.
Do any of you great mylotters have any information about the Blake brothers or any of the other great musicians?I know nothing of my grandfather and great uncles' early life back in Trinidad I would love to know more about my grandfathers family and early life back in Trinidad,does any mylotters know how I can find out about this..
My main reason for putting this out on this page is that I have found a write up in a book called 'Black in the British frame' that says my great uncle Cyril Blake was featured in the short musical called'At the Havana'in 1940 Now this is a long shot I know but does anyone know if it is at all possible to find this musical on film anywhere,or does any other mylotters know who else was in this short film.
I think it is such a shame that so many of these early jazz pioneers have been forgotten,and I would love to write a book about them,if there is anyone out there in mylot world that can give me any information,especially about tracking down my grandfather and great uncles early roots in Trinidad (remember it would be going back to the early 1900s) I would be really happy.
Well if you have managed to stick with it and read to the bottom of this page,
Thank you.
Lorren192
2 responses
@DrArielKing (1)
• Germany
17 Aug 09
Hi Lauren... I know alot personally about your great uncle Cyril Blake and have some
photos of him. Please contact me at drarielking@yahoo.com.
@lainey1948 (2)
•
22 Mar 08
Oh gosh I respondeded with a lengthy reply about my grandad, also George Blake. But I don't think it got to you. Please let me know is you got this email and I will communicate with you further
Elaine Brown
Kitchener, Ontario, Canada
elainembrown@rogers.com