The Bahamas Brass Band's Night of Legends, which honors long-serving members who have contributed their musical talents and personal resources to build the band ministry that is well-known around the Church of God of Prophecy world, is quickly becoming a much-anticipated and celebrated event, and this year was no exception. While the country paid tribute to Sir Sidney Poitier on Saturday, November 3 on Paradise Island, on the other side of the bridge at the Ernest Street Church of God of Prophecy, band members, family and friends were saluting their band icons. Bishop Cephas Ferguson, Bishop Rudolph Bowe, Bishop Albert Ferguson, Deacon Herman McClain, Winston Capron, Fulton Bain, Felton Cox and Clyde Knowles received their "flowers" with much praise and fanfare.
It was the second year for the Night of Legends recognition, which honors faithful members and memorializes those who have gone on to their heavenly reward. The Bahamas Brass Band, a musical institution, which is also regarded as a men's ministry is into its 87th year of existence. The institution has seen the longevity of membership serving up to 70 years. There has been much adversity over the years, but because of their steadfastness, the ministry had grown exponentially flourishing into two other segments -- the Bahama Junior and Youth Brass Bands. Although in its second year of recognition, the Night of Legends is expected to be an annual event honoring our faithfuls and memorializing those who have gone on to their heavenly reward.
Bishop Cephas Ferguson, J.P. (trombonist) At the age of 28, Cephas Ferguson, paid the late Pastor Luther Collie 16 pounds for a first class trombone in good condition. He had been active in the band for two years, 1954-1955, but in January 1956 he was set forth in the ministry, and appointed pastor of the Augusta Street Church. The brass band was not only up to par in its musical line but rigid, and very strict in band practice attendance with the late Professor Hilton Grant at the helm. It was expected that everyone attended practice without fail when possible. When Ferguson was appointed pastor, he could not keep up with the band's practices and had to tender his resignation from the band. He recalls that it was the 35th Annual Colonial Convention in 1956, that he and the late Pastor Frank Cunningham were up front marching and leading the tenor section with their trombones.
That was Pastor Frank's last time and Ferguson's first as a pastor and the last time in the band. The song they played was "Hold The Forth For I Am Coming" as we return to the tabernacle. Bishop Rudolph V. Bowe, Th.D., J.P. (trombonist) In 1963, Bishop Rudolph Bowe converted and became a member of the Church of God of Prophecy, Englerston, where he served faithfully in every area of the work. And it is there that he presently serves as the senior pastor from 1993. Bishop Bowe loved music and decided to purchase a trombone. He attended practices and although not a member of the band at that time, Bishop Alvin S. Moss saw the potential in Bowe and instructed that he be included to travel with the band to the general assembly, in Tennessee in 1964.
Bowe served the band faithfully as business manager, and still considers himself a member, although not active. Because of the Bahama Brass Band, he traveled the length and breadth of The Bahamas, the Caribbean, the UK, the U.S., Bermuda and Canada. He received his ministerial license in 1974, and served as A.B.M. (Assembly Band Movement) director for The Bahamas and Bermuda from 1975-1988. He also served as district overseer for north and south Eleuthera from 1982-1989, Harbour Island and Spanish Wells from 1989 to 1999 and New Providence from 1999 to date. He served as pastor of the COGOP, Ernest Street from 1986 to 1993 and Englerston from 1993 to date. He was ordained a bishop on March 14,1997.
Bishop Albert S. Ferguson, J.P. (clarinetist) Albert Sidney Ferguson joined the Bahama Brass Band in 1965 as a clarinetist, one year before the established joining age of 16, firstly because of his prowess as one of the star music students of the late, great Bahamian musician, Eric Cash, and secondly, because political clout allowed him to be formally tested one year early. Ferguson was the youngest band members to be allowed to travel with the BBB overseas in the mid to late 1960s, when he traveled to the general assembly in 1966 and to the band's first trip to a Jamaica convention in Kingston, Jamaica in 1969.
He played at and for the general assembly in Cleveland, Tennessee as a solo clarinetist, for three consecutive years, 1977-1979. And was the first Bahama Brass Band member to become a solo recording artist, with his stereo album being distributed around the COGOP world in 1980, through the Broadcast Record Club. From LP album, to 8-track cassette tapes to stereo cassettes and now to digital CDs, the songs from his album continue to be played on radio and TV today, 30 years later. He was the first and only Bahama Brass Band musician to be recorded locally by ZNS, under the leadership of Lithera Dean-Coakley for a Christmas Yuletide special that was re-aired during many Yuletide seasons in the 1980s and 1990s. Deacon Herman W. Mcclain, Sr. (saxophonist) Herman Wellington McClain became a member of the East Street COGOP in 1957.
He held the positions of tabernacle manager, usher, sanctuary choir member, free literature representative, member of the advertising and entertainment committee, district overseer for San Salvador and Sunday School teacher. One of his passions is playing his saxophone and he taught several men, some of whom are presently in the band, how to play the instrument he loves so dearly. His age impedes him from traveling as often with the band, but it never prevents him from playing beautifully on his alto sax in worship services. Winston M. Capron (trombonist) Winston Capron loved to dance! He would frequent the night clubs so he could shake his leg, but one morning, around 12:30a.m., when he left the night club something happened, and by 2 a.m. the Lord called him and extended the gift of salvation.
He received it and became born again. It was two weeks later that Capron began to feel a great motivation and zeal for music; it was then he realized that God was calling him into the music ministry. Following the leading of the Holy Spirit, and not having any kind of musical background, he attended music classes at a private school where Mervin Henfield was the instructor and one month later, joined the four-piece band of the Church of God of Prophecy. Six years after joining the four-piece band, Capron was appointed assistant director of the Bahama Brass Band, Grand Bahama segment. He pursued his passion in the field of music and continued his musical development through a three-year instrument repair course at Zianos Musical Repair School in Florida.
He was certified as a musical wind instrument technician and also holds certificates from Trinity College of Music with Honors. The Lord favored him when he later bought the music store from the owners in the United States and continues to sell and service musical instruments. In 1975, Capron was appointed to the position of director of the Grand Bahama segment of the Bahama Brass Band where he served faithfully improving and growing this ministry until March 2010. Seeing the need and the desire to expand the music ministry of the church, in 1971, he started the Grand Bahama segment of the Bahama Youth Brass Band which is going strong and has appointed all the past band directors from its inception, excluding the current director, Derek Stubbs.
Capron encourages band directors to keep the band spiritual and to commit themselves to the Lord and the ministry of the band. He serves at his local church in Pinedale as the director of the senior choir and assistant director for the Men's Fellowship Ministry. Fulton 'Sweet Sweet' Bain Fulton Calvin 'Sweet Sweet' Bain became a covenanted member of the Church of God of Prophecy in 1950. His love for music led him to seek the assistance of Joel Ferguson and Joseph Woodside (both now deceased), who gladly offered music lessons, and taught him the importance of using his talent in the service of the Lord.
He joined the Bahama Brass Band in 1955, as a saxophonist, and served under the directorship of the late Hilton Grant and Arthur C. 'Jack' Moss. While an active member of the band, he embraced the opportunity to travel to the general assembly, and looked forward, with great anticipation, to the many occasions when the band was invited to provide music with spirit for the honor and glory of God. After 15 years of faithful, dedicated service to the band, Bain retired from active participation, but for many years joyfully played his tenor sax during worship services at his local church. At home, he could be heard playing songs of praise on his saxophone, making sure that the skills taught and learnt remained a blessing, especially to him and his family.
Still an active member of the East Street Tabernacle, Bain currently serves as prayer minister, and is a member of the Men's Fellowship Choir. Felton Cox (sousaphonist) Felton Cox became a member of the Bahama Brass Band in the early 1960s. He traveled all over the world with the band. His conversion and church membership at the Church of God of Prophecy, East Street came about while attending Bible Training Camp. Looking back he said it is reasonable to say that his conversion was the reason why he was an effective member of the band. Clyde Knowles (trumpeter) At the age of 69, Clyde Knowles is one of the senior active members in the band.
His trumpet playing skills have graced the band and the church for many faithful years. Clyde joined the Bahama Brass Band in 1958 as a 15-year-old. His first instrument with the band was the cymbals. At that time, he remembers the band as a close cohesive unit of around 30 men who were dedicated to the ministry of the church. In 1963 at the age of 20, Knowles switched from the cymbal to the trumpet under the tutoring of Bert Cambridge and Jack Moss. Shortly thereafter, Knowles purchased his first trumpet, a John Gray. He continues to play the trumpet to this day (over 49 years) and all who know Clyde can attest that his horns were and are always the best quality model horns available to a musician.
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