People who attended the lunchtime concert at the Royalty Cinema on May 20 were treated to a wonderful demonstration of the versatility of the cinema's Wurlitzer organ.
In a whirligig of a recital, Cameron Lloyd took us round the world with dance music from many countries during his two-hour programme.
His rich menu also included a number of marches; a tribute to Wurlitzer specialist Reg Dixon, “Mr. Blackpool”; stage and screen music; and old-time variety.
It was a wonderfully varied programme, played from memory with great nerve and verve.
It was all the more remarkable because Cameron Lloyd is self-taught. He first became interested in playing the organ when he was just 11 years old after his parents bought him a Wurlitzer electronic organ.
He fulfilled his dream of playing the Wurlitzer in Blackpool Tower in 1999 and is now in demand playing for dances in ballrooms throughout the land.
Cameron was full of praise for the Royalty organ, which he said was a joy to play as it had “no missing notes”.
He commended the volunteers from the Furness Theatre Organ Project who had restored and maintained the 1927 organ.
It was designed to accompany the silent films of the day, and is now the only Wurlitzer Organ in a working cinema in Europe.
* The next Wurlitzer recital at the Royalty will be on June 17 (12.30), when John Barnett will be playing; the next silent film which the Wurlitzer will be accompanying there will be on Saturday June 28 (1pm), when Michael Holmes will be playing for a 1927 film called “Wings”.
ANDREW WILSON
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