Magical,Misty Miss Christy
by June Carmel-Hallé
It is with deep regret that I have to tell you that June passed away peacefully on
Monday 24th May 2004.
June Carmel-Hallé has always lived in South Africa and her musical career
began in the city of Durban with a trio known as the Songstars. At
the time she was working in a music shop and became very fond of
jazz especially Billie Holiday, Anita O'day, Peggy Lee, and her idol
June Christy.
She moved to Johannesburg and was soon singing jazz with South
Africa's top bandleaders. She married one of them, jazz pianist
Ralph Baleson and carried on singing until she was seven months
pregnant.
It was a few years later,1958, when moving around South Africa and
singing with various bands, that she spent that wonderful time with
June Christy and Jazz WestCoast.
Although June Carmel-Hallé had developed her own style of singing, June
Christy's influence was obvious. Today, June's greatest
music love is to spend hours listening to all her June Christy
tapes, records and CD's. After all these years the magic hasn't
faded.
BEWARE MY HEART - GREAT SCOTT - LOOK OUT UP THERE - THIS TIME THE DREAMS
ON ME - Her SKYLINER taxied down the runway - TOO MARVELLOUS FOR WORDS -
GET HAPPY - FIRST THING YOU KNOW - A MOST UNUSUAL DAY - I was - SOMEWHERE
OVER THE RAINBOW -
The night before leaving Christy and the group threw a party in their hotel
penthouse - this was more of a get-together as we just talked and talked
until the wee small hours of the morning.
June and I started by sitting on the carpet (both our favourite places)
and by the middle of the evening were lying on our tummies chatting away
about just about everything - her little girl Shay who she missed so much
whilst on tour - how she kept her 'singing gowns' in some of the kitchen
cupboards - can't remember why she kept them there.
We played a game - she would give me a clue to a song and I had to guess
the title.
In the end she wanted me to sing a song for her but I was too shy and
humble to sing for my idol - well could you?
Just a few hours later we had to take them to the Airport.I remember all
of us being there sad and weary and then my
June Carmel-Hallé's Memories -
Surrounded,saturated by music all my life.Listening to blues on disc from
the age of seven,working in Music depts.later and then singing professionally
profoundly influenced by June Christy I was honoured to be called a jazz
singer.
My second broadcast - I had the audacity to do 'Ain't no misery in me' &
'I told ya I love ya'.
Working in clubs we always signed off with 'It's a pity to say goodnight'
-a humble homage to our 'lady'.
I had every disc I could lay my hands on and in my Record Depts. ,always a
special section with everything we had in S.Africa by our 'star'.
I saw her by accident on the supporting programme to the movie 'The Fly'
I followed that movie around for miles just to see her again.Remember this
was all way,way back - no videos,T.V. - so to see her was breathtaking.
Completely bewitched,enthralled,smitten and addicted then and even more so
now ,I have so much more time to listen to her caressing each word,every
song a story - the enchantment still grows.
It was early in 1958 in Durban when Wilf Lowe our Jazz ambassador told me
that "Jazz West Coast" consisting of June, Bob Cooper,Bud Shank,Claude
Williamson,Don Prell & Jimmy Pratt had accepted his invitation to appear
in Johannesburg and Durban.
THE DAY!
SHE TOUCHED ME!!!
From then on everything seems to have been like a beautiful dream!
The first part of the performance was devoted to the 'boys' who
enthralled us .Then Christy was introduced ,by Wilf, I think.
From the moment she appeared I sat unable to move, absolutely dazed.She
captured me completely from her first note to the last.I could have
listened for days.She 'brought the house down' but it seemed to be
over so quickly.
It's impossible to describe the impact she had on us.Loving her as I
always had,having listened to her over and over again on disc - and here
she was in PERSON!
Afterwards I was very honoured to spend such a lot of time with her,
Coop and the 'boys'.They appeared at my Record Bar called the 'Music Inn'
to sign their albums - June also sang along with her own version of
'I want to be happy'.
So difficult to put all the 'magic' into words.
We took them sightseeing - they wanted to see a 'white' rhino which
were almost extinct at that time.This was a game park but not
as modern as they are now.We waited for them to emerge from their hotel
and the sight of those great jazz musicians coming down the steps is
still vivid in my memory.
All of them kitted out in full hunting gear - only the shotguns were
missing!!
I was disappointed when Coop said Christy wasn't coming as she wasn't
feeling too good.I was tempted to stay behind to be with her but didn't
dare to.When I told her next day I was bowled over when she said "I wish
you had"
Another trip was to "The Valley of a Thousand Hills" a tourist attraction
where African dances were performed in traditional costumes.A most
successful trip was enjoyed by all.
Christy was most enchanted with the little mud huts.
biggest moment
Even now I still have to pinch myself to believe it happened to me.
-
This letter was sent to June Carmel-Hallé from Christy & Coop some time after their
return from the S.African Tour.
July 8th '58
Dear June,
Any excuse for being this late in writing would be laughable,I
imagine - so suffice it to say that both Coop and I have been busy.
We just completed an album together and that was the last of the block to
my social frredom for the summer; and (altho Coop is still at the Lighthouse)
the pressure is off him, too, momentarily.
Thanks, so much for the films.We've enjoyed them and they are a
part of our "S.African" reel now. Bud and Lynn and all interested parties are
planning to get together and exchange movies, soon. Should be fun.
We've heard (briefly) from Jimmy [Pratt] and Don [Prell] and
gather they are still there. I was so amused at your description of Don
"the mystery man", and the "lamb being led to the slaughter-house" look,
conjured up a very vivid and real picture in my mind's eye.
Hope they are having fun.
We,re enjoying being home,of course, especially since we now
have time to jump in the pool - and even to knock some golf balls about.
I've been engaged in a bit of gardening (whenever I get enough weeds
pulled) and are altogether domesticated.
Coop wants to repeat his offer to send you any records or albums
you desire that seem unobtainable there,but that we might have access to
here. Please don't hesitate to ask ,as it would be most pleasurable for
us to have the opportunity to, in any small way, repay you for the great
hospitality you showed us.
It was wonderful to meet you and we have no intention of forgetting
you - I'm not much good at sentiment - so I'll let it go at that.
Love to you and please give our regards to one and all.Should you
see Don,thank him for his thoughtfulness in sending me a Mother's Day Card.
We'd love to hear from you -
Christy & Coop
Cartoon from Natal Daily News, April 1958
Click on thumbnail to see full picture.
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