| Notes |
- Bert Bassett (1893-1937) became the editor in B.M.G. in March 1933, taking over from Ernie Grimshaw.
As published in the Winter 2012 edition of BMG
Bert Bassett whose full name was Albert Thomas Bassett was born in London in 1894. As a youth, he was employed on the regular staff of Clifford Essex, to whom he was introduced by his father, who played banjo.
Bert first appeared in public at a Kensington Town Hall concert in 1905. In 1910 he was prima balalaika player in the ?Clifford Essex Russian Balalaika Orchestra? and in 1912, became a star artiste with Joe Morley, Will Blanche and George Morris in the ?Palladium Minstrels?, which featured a team of 34 banjoists.
In 1913, Bert Bassett appeared at the ?400 Club? in New Bond Street, London, in the first dance band in England to include plectrum banjos. Playing plectrum banjo with him in the band was Nicholas Kovac, who later became a leading member of the ?Classic Guitar Society? of New York.
Later, Bert Bassett, who was also a fine player of the cello and piano, appeared on the Music Halls in a double act with George Morris. One of their successes was Morley?s ?Bagpipe Patrol?, in which Bert played a cello obbligato to George?s solo. George Morris, writing in the April 1957 edition of BMG said:
?Our first week was the Camberwell Empire and our debut followed the ?Six Brothers Luck? who had been given a really rough house on their first appearance. Music Halls were different in those days. If ?the gods? were displeased with your offering, they told you in no uncertain terms. Our act started off to cat-calls from the front of the house, but the audience gradually quietened down as we finished our first number - ?The Mountaineers March?. The second number I had to announce, and as I said that we would give an imitation of the bagpipes, someone from ?up aloft? blew me the father of all raspberries. This seemed to please the rest of the audience and we started our number at a disadvantage.
?Bagpipe Patrol? starts very quietly, too quietly for that audience! Someone shouted out that they would call a blacksmith to bring his bellows round to fill the bagpipes. This was followed by loud laughter and more raspberries. As our playing increased in volume, the uproar from the audience gradually ceased and we were able to finish the number to satisfying applause. Our final number was ?Big Guns March?, which we played plectrum style, accompanied by the pit orchestra. We had the satisfaction of leaving the stage to thunderous applause?.
In 1915, Bert was entertaining the troops with his banjo, and a year later became lead banjoist in ?La Belle Leonora?s Ragtime Band? at the London Colliseum, an act that subsequently went to Paris. Shortly afterwards, back in England, Bert was employed by the Admiralty, but in 1917 he joined Miss Jenkinson?s fashionable dance band in Eastbourne. During his career he appeared in two Gaumont British and Pathé films, and he made dozens of records for the old ?Jumbo Record Co?.
Bert Bassett, who died from tuberculosis on April 21st, 1937, was editor of BMG from March 1933 until April 1937. As a mark of respect, the June 1937 issue listed no editor; instead Clifford Essex used the editorial page to pay him a glowing tribute.
A P. Sharpe had been ?Associate Editor? since October 1935 and along with Clifford Essex did everything he could to help Bert, who had suffered from bad health all his life. Some American banjo historians talk of rumours that AP did a lot to undermine Bert so that he could take over BMG, and there seems to be a desire to discredit him. There is no doubt that A.P. Sharpe was always loyal to Clifford Essex and the Company, and worked tirelessly for the benefit of the fretted instrument world, and the fact is that everybody at Clifford Essex had tremendous respect for Bert Bassett. We will publish the full tribute written by Clifford Essex in our next issue. For now, it is worth quoting this sentence from it.
?He had a charming nature and a great sense of humour, while in all the years I knew him I never heard him say an unkind word about anyone?.
Perhaps the American historians who appear to base so much on rumours, would be well advised to take a leaf out of Bert?s book.
|
Bassett Family Association Database
Abt 1869 - Deceased