The Black Mikado is a musical comedy, based on Gilbert and Sullivan's The Mikado, adapted by Janos Bajtala, George Larnyoh and Eddie Quansah from W. S. Gilbert's original 1885 libretto and Arthur Sullivan's score. The show premiered on 24 April 1975 at the Cambridge Theatre in London, where it ran for 472 performances before going on a national tour. A cast album was produced in October 1975 featuring 12 of the show's songs, and a medley of numbers from the finale of act one. It was recorded at Basing Street Studios in London, then finished at Island Studios.
| The Black Mikado | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Cast recording by Original London Cast | |
| Released | 1975 |
| Recorded | October 1975 |
| Studio | Basing Street,[1] Island[2] |
| Length | 56:25 |
| Label | Transatlantic |
| Producer | Dave Bloxham |
| Singles from The Black Mikado | |
| |
In 1976 a production of the musical was mounted in Soweto, South Africa, where it played at the Diepkloof Hall.[3] Another cast album was recorded for this production.
Musical numbers
editThe numbers listed in the 1975 and 1976 recordings were as follows. The show had additional musical numbers.[4]
Singles
editThree singles were issued alongside the London cast recording. The first of these is a single edit of "The Sun Whose Rays...", with the instrumental bridge after the second chorus excised. A second single features only the "Oh Fool, That Fleest My Hallowed Joys!" part of "Finale Act One" as its B-side. Finally two new studio recordings were made by Derek Griffiths with a different arrangement of "Tit Willow", and "I've Got a Little List", which is not on the soundtrack album.
London cast recording
editTrack listing
editAll tracks are written by George Larnyoh, Eddie Quansah, Bajtala János, and Dave Bloxham. Adapted from lyrics by W. S. Gilbert and music by Arthur Sullivan
| No. | Title | Performed by | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "If You Want to Know Who We Are" (Gentlemen of Japan) | Carl Andrews, Anthony D Clarke, Ray Evans, Les Saxon, Reg Tribe, Eddie Tagoe, Trevor Ward, and Ken Herbert Gentlemen of Japan | 2:32 |
| 2. | "A Wand'ring Minstrel I" (Shreds And Patches) | Norman Beaton Nanki-Poo and Gentlemen of Japan | 5:20 |
| 3. | "Behold the Lord High Executioner" (Taken From The County Jail) | Derek Griffiths Ko-Ko and Gentlemen of Japan | 2:19 |
| 4. | "Three Little Maids from School" (Filled to the Brim with Girlish Glee) | Patricia Ebigwei, Jenny McGusty, and Floella Benjamin, with Ester Byrde, Glenna Forster Jones, Sallimatu Kamara, Eva Lewis, Agnes Stanley, Joanne White, and Rosita Yarboy Yum-Yum, Peep-Bo, Pitti-Sing, and Ladies of Japan | 1:58 |
| 5. | "So Please You Sir We Much Regret" (Youth of Course Must Have Its Fling) | Patricia Ebigwei, Jenny McGusty, Floella Benjamin, and Michael Denison Yum-Yum, Peep-Bo, Pitti-Sing, and Pooh-Bah, with Ladies of Japan | 2:40 |
| 6. | "Finale. Act One" (With Aspect Stern and Gloomy Stride; The Threatened Cloud Has Passed Away; Long Life to You; Your Revels Cease/Oh Fool, That Fleest My Hallowed Joys!; For He's Going to Marry Yum-Yum; The Hour of Gladness Is Dead and Gone/O Ni! Bikkuri Shakkuri To!; We Do Not Heed Their Dismal Sound/Ye Torrents Roar) | Michael Denison, Derek Griffiths, Norman Beaton, Vernon Nesbeth, Floella Benjamiyn, Jenny McGusty, Patricia Ebigwei, and Anita Tucker Full Company excluding Mikado | 16:07 |
| Total length: | 30:56 | ||
| No. | Title | Performed by | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7. | "The Sun Whose Rays Are All Ablaze" (The Sun and I) | Patricia Ebigwei Yum-Yum | 5:18 |
| 8. | "Mi-Ya-Sa-Ma, Mi-Ya-Sa-Ma" (From Every Kind of Man) | Val Pringle and Anita Tucker The Mikado and Katisha, with the Ladies and Gentlemen of Japan | 1:23 |
| 9. | "A More Humane Mikado" (My Object All Sublime) | Val Pringle The Mikado, with Ladies and Gentlemen of Japan | 6:38 |
| 10. | "The Criminal Cried" (Snicker Snee) | Floella Benjamin, Derek Griffiths, and Michael Denison Pitti-Sing, Ko-Ko, and Pooh-Bah, with Ladies and Gentlemen of Japan | 3:35 |
| 11. | "The Flowers That Bloom in the Spring" | Norman Beaton, Derek Griffiths, Patricia Ebigwei, Floella Benjamin, and Michael Denison Nanki-Poo, Ko-Ko, Yum-Yum, Pitti-Sing, and Pooh-Bah | 1:39 |
| 12. | "On a Tree by a River" (Tit Willow) | Derek Griffiths Ko-Ko | 2:56 |
| 13. | "Alone and Yet Alive" (Hearts Do Not Break) | Anita Tucker Katisha | 4:00 |
| Total length: | 25:29 | ||
Personnel
editThe Titipu Town Band
editGEP Horns
- Eddie Quansah: Trumpet, flugel and French horn, additional percussion, and music adaptation
- George Larnyoh: Alto Sax and music adaptation
- Peter Vanderpuije: Baritone sax
Juice
- Willie Cheetham: Percussion
- Janos Bajtala: Keyboards and music adaptation
- Graeme Morgan: Drums
- John Varnom: Lead, rhythm, and acoustic guitar
- Colin Vallance: Bass guitar
Production and technical
edit- Music production: Dave Bloxham
- Executive producer: James Verner
- Engineer: Phil Ault
- Assistant engineer: Barry Sage[5]
South African cast recording
editTrack listing
edit| No. | Title | Performed by | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "If You Want to Know Who We Are" | Philip Malela, Steve Mofokeng, Ernest Mokone, Gobi Martin, Shadrack Moyo Gentlemen Of Japan | |
| 2. | "A Wand'ring Minstrel I" | Leslie Mongezi Nanki-Poo and Gentlemen of Japan | |
| 3. | "Behold the Lord High Executioner and Taken from a County Jail" | Sammy Brown Ko-Ko and Gentlemen of Japan | |
| 4. | "Three Little Maids from School" | Lorraine Klaasen, Sue Kiel, and Barrie Shah, with Harriet Matiwane, Felicia Nkomo, Felicia Marion, and Caroline Perry Yum-Yum, Peep-Bo, Pitti-Sing, and the Ladies of Japan | |
| 5. | "So Please You Sir, We Much Regret" | Des Lindberg Van Der Pooh Bah and the Ladies of Japan | |
| 6. | "The Final Act I" (including: A) The Threatened Cloud Has Passed Away B) Long Life to You C) Your Revels Cease and Oh Fool D) For He's Gone and Married Yum-Yum E) The Hour of Gladness Is Dead and Gone F) We Do Not Heed Their Dismal Sound) | Tandie Klaasen Katisha and The Company |
| No. | Title | Performed by | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7. | "Braid the Raven Hair" | Barrie Shah Pitti-Sing and the Ladies of Japan | |
| 8. | "The Sun Whose Rays Are All Ablaze" | Lorraine Klaasen Yum-Yum and the Ladies of Japan | |
| 9. | "Entrance of the Mikado and His Daughter in Law Elect" | Ben Masinga and Tandie Klaasen The Mikado, Katisha, and the Company | |
| 10. | "See How the Fates Their Gifts Allot" | Ben Masinga, Des Lindberg, and Tandie Klassen The Mikado, Van Der Pooh Bah, Katisha, and The Company | |
| 11. | "The Flowers That Bloom the Spring" | Leslie Mongezi, Sammy Brown, Barrie Shah, Sue Kiel, Lorraine Klassen, and Des Lindberg Nanki-Poo, Ko-Ko, Pitti-Sing, Peep-Bo, Yum-Yum, and Van Der Pooh Bah | |
| 12. | "Tit Willow" | Sammy Brown Ko-Ko | |
| 13. | "Drum Celebration" | The Company | |
| 14. | "Reprises: Wandr'ing Minstrel and Tit Willow" | The Company |
Personnel
editProduction and technical
edit- Produced, directed, designed and choreographed: Dawn Lindberg
- Musical director: Gerry Collins
- Vocal director: Irene Frangs
- Musical adaptation: Eddie Quansah, George Larnyoh, Janos Bajtala
- Musical production: Dave Bloxham
- Recording engineer: Julian Laxton, Meyer Van Rensburg
The Titipu Town Band: Spirits Rejoice
edit- Gilbert Matthews: Drums
- Sipho Gumede: Bass
- Duke Makasi: Sax
- George Tyefumani: Trumpet
- Russell Herman: Guitar
- Merwyn Africa: Keyboard
- Gerry Collins: Conductor and special keyboard
- Irene Frangs: Extra vocals
- Gene Peterson: Additional brass, trumpet and flugelhorn
- Ron Francetti: Tenor sax[6]
Discography
editAlbums
edit| Year | Country | Title | Label | Cat. No. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | England | The Black Mikado | Transatlantic | TRA 300 |
| 1976 | South Africa | Des and Dawn Lindberg Present the South African Cast Recording of The Black Mikado | RPM | RPM 1111 |
Singles
edit| Year | A-side | B-side | Label | Cat. No. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | "The Sun and I" Black Mikado London Cast featuring Pat Ebigwei |
"Three Little Maids from School" Black Mikado London Cast |
Transatlantic | BIG 530 |
| "So Please You Sir" Black Mikado London Cast |
"An Excerpt from Finale Act 1 (Oh Fool, That Fleest My Hallowed Joys!)" Black Mikado London Cast featuring Anita Tucker |
BIG 531 | ||
| "Tit Willow" Derek Griffiths With Black Mikado London Cast |
"I've Got a Little List" Derek Griffiths with Black Mikado London Cast |
BIG 533 |
References
edit- ^ "Studio Diary". International Musician And Recording World. United Kingdom: Cover Publications Ltd, Northern & Shell Ltd. October 1975. p. 79. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
- ^ "Wakeman At Island" (PDF). Beat Instrumental & International Recording Studio. No. 149. United Kingdom: Beat Publications. October 1975. p. 98. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
- ^ Lindberg, Des and Dawn. Des and Dawn Lindberg: Theatre Productions, accessed 26 November 2009
- ^ Shepherd, Marc. "The Black Mikado (1975)", A Gilbert and Sullivan Discography, 25 November 2001, accessed 23 November 2009
- ^ Sage, Barry (2020). "Complete Discography 1973 - 2020" (PDF). Angela & Barry - Composición y Producción Musical. Chile. p. 8. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
Music Recording – Artist: The Black Mikado; Title: Soundtrack to Opera (Theatre cast); Format: LP; Role: Assistant Engineer; Year: 1976; Country: UK
- ^ "Vinyl Album - Various Artists - Des And Dawn Lindberg Present The South African Cast Recording Of The Black Mikado - RPM - South Africa". 45worlds. 15 January 2021. Retrieved 22 October 2024.