2009年5月8日星期五
2009年4月27日星期一
Uncle Ray
He’s best known as ‘Uncle,’ and rightfully so. Born in Hong Kong in 1924, Reinaldo Maria Cordeiro, aka Uncle Ray, is the most famous radio personality and disc jockey in town. Awarded an MBE in 1987, recognised as the world’s longest-serving DJ by the Guinness Book of World Records in 2000, and, most recently, awarded the Bronze Bauhinia Star in July, 84-year-old Cordeiro considers his ‘unclehood’ his highest honour.
Initially a warder in Stanley Prison, then later a clerk with HSBC, Cordeiro’s broadcasting career began as host of Progressive Jazz at Rediffusion in 1949. During his career, Cordeiro has interviewed countless celebrities, including The Beatles and Cliff Richard. He also helped jump-start the careers of local pop icons such as Sam Hui, Teddy Robin, Joe Jr. and Danny Diaz. Since 1970, he has hosted the programme All The Way with Ray, which airs on RTHK Radio 3 at 10pm nightly.
Congratulations on your Bronze Bauhinia Star! How did it compare to being awarded the MBE?
I was very excited. They called me a week before I was awarded the medal. I asked jokingly why I was only given the bronze and not the gold or silver. They told me those who got the gold and silver stars are mainly government officials like the Chief Justice. To prove how popular I was, out of all the people who got the medals, I got the most interviews!
How did you first fall in love with jazz?
It all started with my older brother Armando listening to Bing Crosby, The Boswell Sisters, and Ella Fitzgerald on the 78s. I fell in love with live jazz when I saw the Pinky Pinelta Band at one of the refugee centres in Macau. It was a Christmas party. The band was playing In the Mood and I was sitting right behind the drummer. His drumming caught my attention immediately. I said to myself, “It would be my dream to play music behind that drum set”.
That’s why you became a jazz drummer later on?
[Laughs] I wasn’t a jazz drummer per se. I was just playing drums in a pop group in the 1960s. But I followed the footsteps of swing drummers like Buddy Rich, Louie Bellson, and Joe Morello. Gene Krupa was out of style at the time, but Buddy Rich was hip! He was called ‘The King of the Drums’ and was proud of that. I listened to Joe Morello first when he was in Marian McPartland’s band. His drums solos are not flashy but tasteful and clean. That’s what I like the best. I was happy that Morello later joined Dave Brubeck’s group and made the hit Take Five.
I have another Buddy Rich story. In 1985, I flew to San Francisco to watch Frank Sinatra and Buddy Rich in a double-bill concert at the Civic Opera House. It was a huge event and there were red carpets welcoming the guests. I purchased my ticket at US$150, which got me box seats in the balcony. As I ran out of clothes from my earlier Las Vegas trip, I was wearing jeans while everybody else had on tuxedos and bow-ties. I was so embarrassed. My friends didn’t understand why I had to buy such expensive tickets. I just couldn’t explain the thrill of seeing the two legends on the same bill.
You have interviewed some of the greatest jazz artists of the century, such as Ella Fitzgerald, Buddy Rich, and Oscar Peterson. What were they like?
Somehow the jazz artists were all down-to-earth and humble, while the pop stars were fuller of themselves and acted like prima donnas. Of course, there were exceptions. For example, Cliff Richard, who is a great friend of mine, is such a gentleman, and my favourite VIP.
I interviewed Quincy Jones when he came to Hong Kong in the 1970s. When he met me in the lobby of the Excelsior Hotel, he thought I looked like a bassist he had worked with in the USA. He said he would phone that bassist and tell him he had a twin brother in Hong Kong. I was like, “How could it be?” I thought I was quite Asian-looking. One thing that made me proud of Hong Kong was when Quincy told me the panoramic harbour view in his hotel room was the most beautiful sight he had ever seen.
Who are some of your favourite jazz singers?
I like Maxine Sullivan. In the 1980s, she travelled to Japan with Scott Hamilton, the tenor saxophone player. Her voice was more mature and bassy at the time and when she sang her first note, the whole place went into applause. Maxine felt so much at home in that concert. I also like Etta Jones, Ruth Brown, and Sissy Houston.
Who is Sissy Houston?
Sissy is Whitney Houston’s mother. She started off as a gospel singer. She has a low, deep voice that is unlike her daughter’s high-pitched vocals and she sounds much better than her daughter. Speaking of low, deep voices, I also like Arthur Prysock, who sounded like Billy Eckstine but with a richer baritone voice. He sang a gospel tune called You Gave Me a Mountain, which could easily bring tears to your eyes.
You have also interviewed Diana Krall. How was that?
I spilled Perrier on the poor girl. It was in the late 1990s in a press conference for Robin Gibb in the Peninsula Hotel. I was about to greet Diana with a Perrier in my hand. Then I tripped over something and the Perrier landed on her skirt. I was so embarrassed. She was so kind and said, “It’s okay.” So she went back up to her hotel room and blew-dry her skirt and came back out again. Later, she was on my show for an interview. The first thing she asked me was, “You’re not holding a Perrier, are you?” We both laughed. She’s got a great sense of humour!
You helped launch many local stars such as Teddy Robin and Danny Diaz. Are you still in touch?
Yes, Teddy and I go way back. Teddy’s guitarist, Norman Cheng (now president of EMI) and I became close over the years and his son Ronald (music and movie star) is my godson. I helped with Teddy & The Playboys’ music career as I presented their tapes to Diamond Music in 1967. They were signed right away and their first hit was Lies.
Danny Diaz is an immense talent. When Danny entered the Battle of the Bands sponsored by Levi’s in the 1960s, I knew right away he would walk home with the top prize. And he did. In a 1997 reunification concert I put together for the SAR Government, I invited Danny and his brothers Romeo and Rudi to play on that show after the brothers hadn’t spoken with each other for many years. They opened with a bouncy, jazzy version of More Today Than Yesterday and were in top form. Also in the concert were D’Topnotes, Elisa Chan, and the likes. It turned out to be a four-hour show and nobody wanted it to end.
Do you have any advice for aspiring jazz singers?
First, it’s not a very profitable career compared to pop. Second, you have to completely understand the feeling and mood of the song before singing it. That’s why I like Doris Day. She’s a classic big band singer. She knows how to put the accentuation on the song. It’s like she’s been to Hell and knows everything about life. On top of that, she is a wonderful actress.
Any regrets?
My only regret was that I never got to interview Elvis. I had the chance before he was enlisted in the army in the early 1960s. But other than that, I’m grateful that the Lord keeps me here, like the song title suggests: Someone to Watch Over Me. I’m a devout Catholic and I go to church every Sunday. I owe so much to the Lord and my fans. When people ask me if I have plans to retire, how can I? Music is my life!