AN AUSTRALIAN ADLER

New Zealand Listener, Volume 17, Issue 434, 17 October 1947, Page 33

AN AUSTRALIAN ADLER

Blew HMimeseli Round New Zealand

ROM the decorated tree at a Christmas party in South Australia some years ago was taken a mouth organ which was presented to, a six-year-old boy; to-day that boy--now a young man-is making a bid to become a second Larry Adler. He is Bruce Skurray, whoehas just blown himself round New Zealand with an Australian variety show, in the course of his visit _ giving broadcasts in Dunedin, Wellingm and Auckland. ’ Three years after the Christmas party mentioned, Skurray took his harmonica to the music competitions in his home

4 ‘centres. He appeared as soloist with a ; _ town and won the open class of his sec- | tion. At the age of 10, in similar com- | petitions at Peterborough, he was) equally successful, scoring 99 points out of 100. When he was 15 he made his first broadcast from an ABC studio in Adelaide. This was followed by recitals from the commercial radio stations in Adelaide and then by concert party tours through the Commonwealth and broadcasts from both national and commercial stations in other Australian number of popular Australian bands, including MacDuff Williams's ABC Variety Orchestra and the orchestra conducted by the New Zealander Dennis Collinson. At the Sydney Victory Eisteddfod last year he judged the wo harmonica sections. During his broadcasts here, as on the occasion of other performances, Skurray played | pieces which ranged from the light | classics of Debussy and Mozart to the popular tunes of Berlin and Kern. Prior to the war he was a member of the Spencer Gulf Aero Club, and during the war he served with the R.A.A.F. for two years in air crew. After being demobilised he returned to work for a big industrial firm, but the proximity of his office to the wharves

where the overseas ships berthed was too much for his wanderlust and he threw in his job to become a full-time entertainer. Although his coming to New Zealand prevented a trip to Japan, he does not regret it. "We played in a lot of small towns besides the big centres and I have probably seen a great deal more of New Zealand than many’ New Zealanders," he said. "And it has been a great time. I contacted civil areo clubs

here and spent some of my leisure time flying, and also had some ski-ing and horse riding." Moreover he considers it possible that the trip to Japan is merely postponed. Australia is still sending artists to entertain the Allied troops, and Skurray hopes that another opportunity will arise for him to go there. Meanwhile he has several plans in view, including the making of a musical "short" for a film review.