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Mickey Mancham memorial concert |02 March 2015

Founding President James R. Mancham has announced that he is creating a Mickey Mancham Memorial Foundation to promote the memory of his late brother Mickey Mancham, one of the pioneers in the historical history of Seychelles songs and music.

In an interview yesterday morning, Mr Mancham said he has opened up discussions with the Minister for Tourism and Culture Alain St Ange concerning the possibility of including a special Mickey Mancham concert as an item on the programme of Festival Kreol.

He said he was greatly encouraged by the response of the minister and his colleagues with responsibility for cultural activities.

“The minister appears eager to make this happen consistent with the proactive reputation he has built around the organisation of a carnival and festival each year and I am looking forward to follow up discussions with him,” said Mr Mancham.

Mr Mancham said that he has in mind the idea of creating a Mickey Mancham Memorial Award which will be given to a young singer every year following a selection process. Besides the award, there will be a cash prize of US $5,000. The selected singer will be expected to sing a selection of Mickey’s songs at the concert.

Mr Mancham said he has discussed with David Andre, director of the Choral and Music Society of Seychelles and who was for many years director of the Conservatoire de Musique, about the possibility of him chairing the selection committee as well as providing his professional assistance in the production of the concert.

He said Mr Andre’s response has been most encouraging and positive.

John Michael Mancham, better known as Mickey, was born on September 29, 1944 and died on December 9, 1970.

The fourth son of Richard and Evelyn Mancham who had Seychelles founding President James R. Mancham as elder brother, did not have time for business. His heart, body and soul were all committed to music. He first performed with a group called The Chevrons which later became Mickey and The Buccaneers. In no time he had built a nationwide popularity as one of the country’s leading composers and singers.

On December 8, 1970, he was driving a motor scooter back home when he had an accident. Later admitted to hospital, the following morning he died of internal haemorrhage. The people of Seychelles gave to this great son of the soil -- whose songs and music had brought excitement and life, joy and happiness to countless people -- one of the largest and most memorable burials the country had ever witnessed. Mickey had passed into legend but the words of his songs, the tune of his music were to survive him.

It is said that he had a song for every occasion and for every mood. As a visionary he must have foreseen the need for national reconciliation when he composed the song Annou Viv Konman Frer. Other celebrated songs include: Pa Tou Nouvel Ki Bon Koze; Sesel En Pti Paradi; ‘Praslin’; Dan Lari Bazar; ‘Mary Jane’; ‘Oh Rolling Sea’; ‘Everybody Loves the Seychelles’; ‘Marie, Marie, Marie’; Lendepandans Pa Nou Ki Ti Demande; Nou Pou Desann le 11 Novanm; Travay lo Erport in Konmanse; ‘Going Back to the Seychelles’; Lafet La Misère; Voltizer; Sa Pti Avyon; ‘Sunset Over Silhouette’; ‘Beau Vallon’; Retourn Mahé; ‘Welcome to the Seychelles’; Bonn Aniverser; Le 21 Zilyet (a song about the first time men set foot on the moon); Ranpli Mon Ver (a famous wedding song); ‘BI’, Pardon; Lanmod 67, among many others.

Mickey Mancham was married to Marie-Anne Vidot, now a resident of the United States of America, and had two children – Karen and Anthony.

Mr Mancham said that Mickey was to Seychelles what Frank Sinatra and Nat King Cole were to the US and Tino Rossi and Maurice Chevalier were to France. They were all household names within their nation and that Mickey’s songs today remain popular among Seychellois people of all political persuasions and it was only correct that he be given the recognition for the role he has played in the cultural life of our people.

He said that at this time all commercial rights in Mickey’s songs are vested with his son, Anthony Mancham, who is mindful of a special CD to be released at the time of the concert.

Anthony Mancham has agreed that 50% of the profit made from the sale of the CD will be divided between the Seychelles Festival Kreol fund and the Mickey Mancham Memorial Foundation.

It is to be noted that there are only two persons who were members of The Buccaneers band still alive today – Frank Juliette and Albert Durand. Rolly Chang-Him, Daniel Marie, Jack Yokowo, Ron Rose and Marcel Rouillon are no more with us.

 

 

 

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