Rector Malcolm Schultz: Making music from Canje Creek to New York
Celebrating our creative personalities. This is the twenty-fifth article in our series
by Dr Vibert C Cambridge
Stabroek News
May 16, 2004
Rector Schultz was born into a musical family on August 1, 1927 in Baracara, Canje Creek. His father, Reece Schultz, was a choirmaster at the Baracara Scots Church, Canje Creek. Many of his relatives played string instruments - quatros, banjos, mandolins, and guitars.
As a child, Schultz moved between Baracara and Georgetown. In Baracara, he attended Baracara Scots School, and in Georgetown, St Andrew's Scots School on High Street, now Avenue of the Republic.
Schultz started playing string instruments at an early age. His first instrument was the quatro or ukulele, but over time, he mastered the tenor or skin banjo, and gained a reputation as a versatile guitarist. Schultz plays the bass, lead and rhythm guitars; he is self taught and has also been a band leader and a teacher.
Schultz got his first paying job as a musician when he was 15 years old. He was the solo guitarist at an ice-cream party held near the 'Titanic Yard' in the Punt Trench Dam area of Albouystown. At that early age he showed his musical versatility, his repertoire including the jitterbug, cake walk, and blues.
He recalls that some of the popular tunes he played included Slow Boat to China and Please don't talk about me when I am gone. He was paid one dollar for that engagement.
According to Schultz, the ice-cream party encouraged him to see music as a source of income, and this led to him creating a two-piece band. The other musician played a mouth organ, and the duo became very popular at local ice-cream parties. Schultz then formed trios and quartets in which he played the six-stringed guitar. The other members of that early quartet were Wilfred Theirens (bass), Lincoln (bass), and Georgie Trotz (guitar).
The band was popular in the neighbourhood, performing at birthday parties and other parties in cottages and tenement yard rooms, the party-goers demanding musical versatility.
Schultz recalls that the musicians were expected to play the popular calypsos of the day, shantos, waltzes, polkas, mazurkas, blues, jazz, and popular tunes such as When I pass the Old Church door. They also provided a good 'bruk-up' session featuring Guianese folk songs.
By the late 1940s, Schultz had acquired a reputation as a musician who "could handle himself good." This led to gigs with the big bands of that era, such as Al Seales and the Washboards and Tom Charles and the Syncopators. He was now playing in dancehalls, like Frolic, Garland, NPC, 'the Laundry,' and the Dorcas Club.
By the early 1950s, Schultz formed the band, the Afro-Anglos, which became the house band at Alvaro Seymour's Rendezvous in Robb Street. The members included Rudolph Pollydore and Clement Cumberbatch, Schultz explaining that he would add various saxophonists over time.
By the late 1950s and early 1960s, Schultz became a session musician, accompanying local recordings and Ameri-can vocalists brought to British Guiana by the impresario Cyril Shaw. Among the international vocalists with whom Schultz worked were The Platters, Chuck Jackson, Ben E King, Percy Sledge, and Doris Troy. He also worked with reggae superstar Jimmy Cliff and saxophonist Ace Cannon.
Schultz was able to adapt to changing musical tastes and became a founding member of the Crystals. He was associated with hit tunes such as Andy Nichols' Parting is hard and Eddie Hooper's Passing Memories.
In 1972, Schultz decided to join the Guyana National Service, and went to Kimbia with the first intake of staff trainees. There he worked in the Culture Corps with Maurice Watson, Rajkumari Singh and Gora Singh on compositions such as The Cotton Song, Macadingo, and Steamer Day.
He was subsequently transferred to Konawaruk, where he worked with Malcolm Brando, Olinda Chung, Jokeen, Ganesh Persaud and 'Rabbi,' who were members of the Culture Corps at the location.
It was here that Schultz started to concentrate on composition. The Cultural Corps in the Kontumari (Konawaruk and Tumatumari) area had a special work project - cleaning the overgrown pine field at Tumatumari. A pioneer, Jackie Robinson, disturbed a marabunta nest and was attacked. The experience led to the lyrics and the music for The Pine Field Song. His collaborator on the song's lyrics was another pioneer, Ganesh Persaud.
The Pine Field Song was the first GNS work song that Schultz composed. He later composed The Cane Field, which referred to a period when GNS staff and pioneers were called upon to harvest sugar cane.
He also composed Rocks, Rapids and Rhythms during his stay at Konawaruk, inspired by travel up the Potaro River from Rockstone to Tumatumari. Schultz said the rhythm of the water as it moved over rocks and rapids provided the stimulus for the piece.
Schultz has mainly positive memories of his GNS experience. He met performers like Antigua, Ivan Critichlow, Daisy Panchu, and Samaroo and made lasting friendships.
He left the GNS in 1989, at a time when he was serving at Koriri in the Canje Creek, which he affectionately refers to as his "hometown centre."
Schultz has never stopped being a musician. After leaving the GNS, he worked with a number of popular bands like Jah Roots, helping them improve their technique. He also joined with his sons Malcolm and Richard to create M&R Players.
On August 5, 1997, Schultz left Guyana for the United States where he rejoined the M&R Players. He enjoys performing in New York with his son Malcolm playing lead and rhythm guitars, Richard on bass, Georgie Sundac on drums and Bruce Cato on keyboards. Sybil Lawrence, Kenny Lawrence's sister, has been the group's vocalist. Schultz himself plays bass, lead, and rhythm guitars.
Schultz said that he is pleased with his "god-given gifts" and seeks to use them wisely. He is particularly pleased about the opportunities he had to perform with some of Guyana's leading musicians, such as Harry Whittaker, 'Wobbler,' Art Brooms, and 'Bumble' Wharton. He is also very proud of his work as a recording musician and the work he did accompanying Andrew Nichols on the hit Passing is Hard. He is equally proud of the work he did with Eddie Hooper on the hit Passing Memories.
He looks back with pride on his musical journey from the Canje Creek to New York.
Rector Schultz is a Guyanese musical hero.
Sources
Telephone interview Rector Schultz/Vibert Cambridge, February 15, 2004
Telephone interview Rector Schultz/Vibert Cambridge, May 10, 2004