I was on SS Gothic on 18 November 1966 playing double bass in a small group at a New Zealand Lodge dinner dance.
Sadly, I cannot say we were the ship's orchestra as we were just there for that one night. The drummer Colin and I normally played in a four-piece modern jazz group together. Colin and his father Joe had a connection with Shaw Saville, which was how we ended up with the gig on the Gothic. At the dinner dance, Joe played dance band music on the keyboard and we attempted to follow. Those New Zealand ladies knew how to party, and I think it was a success.
For Colin and me the magic was that the New Zealand opera singer Inia Te Wiata was a guest and we accompanied him on several songs towards the end of the evening.
Terry Sole
Pages from the programme for the November 1966 musical dinner onboard the one-time royal yacht Gothic. Images: Terry Sole
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