It was a time of steel guitars, earthy island voices, beaches and of course infectious island charm.
For decades, in the glory years of Fiji tourism, Korolevu on the Coral Coast, had one of the most entertaining music set-ups in the country.
The island sounds of Theresa Purcell and the Korolevu Beach Serenaders was what endeared many to this picturesque stretch of Viti Levu coastline considered to be the birthplace of Fiji tourism.
Purcell, with her classy deliveries, epitomised island elegance and showed the world Fiji had beautiful vocalists with a distinct island charm to match.
Robert Dass, who once played at the Paradise Point Resort with Paradise Point Brothers, says the experience of merely playing in the same vicinity as the late husband and wife team was a learning curve.
“She (Purcell) and husband Henry were class acts. Therera Purcell had a very unique sort of voice and was a perfectionist whom the band and I learned a lot from,” said Dass, 65.
“Henry Purcell was one of the best ukele players in Fiji at the time and the band also had very experienced musicians in Ernest and Wilson Emberson, a bassist named Pedro Philitoga and Joe Logavatu.”
Theresa Purcell, who almost became part of the furniture at the Korolevu Beach Hotel mesmerised guests with her classy renditions of classics like Red Sails in the Sunset and Beautiful Sunday.
She and husband Henry later performed at the Shangri-La Fijian resort before retiring from the music business.
The Korolevu Beach Seranaders made famous the songs Biau Mai Wasa, essentially an ode about Korolevu’s role as a base for islanders commuting between the Coral Coast and the nearby island of Vatulele.
Set between Nadi and Suva, Korolevu Beach Hotel which was in a strategic location and built by hotelier Bill Clarke, garnered a reputation for starting the first bona-fide tourism resort.
Meanwhile next door, Paradise Point Brothers consisted of Dass, (bass guitar) Apakuki Tasese (lead guitar), Josevata Qava (drums) and Mosese Toa (vocals).
Dass played for six years in Korolevu, entertaining guests with their island music combined with western styles.
“Rock and Roll was big then and we were also playing songs from the Beatles, Credence Clearwater Revival and Peter Posa. We mixed it up with island music and the guests just loved it.”
Dass met his late wife Asela Vakalutusau at Korolevu and decades later he and other members of the group continue to meet in the same area they mixed in decades ago.
These days they play impromptu sigi drigi performances around the tanoa.
In fact Dass, who resides at Korolevu, has kept in contact with some members of the old Paradise Point Brothers, one of whom is the chief of Votua Village, Ratu Emosi Buruavatu.
“Almost all of the connections we made when we were playing and working in Korolevu we have maintaind to this day,” he said proudly.
Ratu Emosi used to work at the Korolevu Hotel next door and when he finished work for the day he and others would come next door, have a few beers and after a while join in entertaining guests.
“It was a different sort of atmosphere compared to today. We used to play right next to the swimming pool,” Dass recalls.
“We normally played 7 days a week from 7pm to 11.30pm but it was simple and good and very casual and management was quite flexible back then.”
Many guests, intrigued by the stunning natural settings complemented by Fijian hospitality, the unique blend of music coming their way always made sure to return once a day.
“We always had a lot of returnees back then who just couldn’t get enough of what they experienced. The tourists really enjoyed the music.
“Korolevu was a unique location but in saying that, this was also a very different era of Fiji tourism.”
Dass’ younger brother, Cecil, also played at the location along with veteran Nadi based entertainer Bill Beddoes.
Interestingly many of Fiji’s most successful entertainers like Laisa Vulakoro and Seru Serevi cut their chops at the Warwick Resort and Spa at Korolevu.
Dass says it is no coincidence that he and other friends who once played the Korolevu circuit still reconnect decades later.
In their own way they still cannot forget those great moments of entertaining in one of the most iconic tourism spots in Fiji.
