DECAP "LILI"
Back in the late 1970s and early 1980s a 72 Key Decap organ called "LILI" used to regularly visit the Hadlow Down (Tinkers Park) anual steam rally. It sounded very similar to Keith Pinner's 68 key Decap "LUCY". I was wondering what rallys it tours nowadays because last June when I revisted that rally again for the first time in 20 years, it wasn't there. Sorry I don't have a picture of it. Cheers Derek Brice

Decap 'Lili'
Hi Derek, This organ is now owned by a friend of mine, Phil Ives from Buckinghamshire. Phil is best known for owning the 92 key Limonaire orchestrophone & the 72 key Carl Frei street organ 'De Moriaan' (which is/was for sale). The Decap was a regular at the Old Warden rally, but since Phil had a lot of work done on the Limonaire a couple of years back the Decap has stayed at home so it can attend instead. Usually now the Decap is used for the quick get away events like church fetes etc. Best wishes, Trevor.

Hi Trevor Do you know if there are any recent recordings of LILI available? I already have two cassettes which were made back in the days when LILI had the percussion connected wrong so the crash cymbal banged away continuously instead of the hi-hat. If that has been fixed, I would very much like to buy a tape or CD of it. Thanks Derek

Decap 'Lili'
Hi Derek, I am fairly certain Phil has made no recordings of 'Lili', although he did mention doing so many years ago!. On another subject, I seem to remember one of your post mentioning John Forrest. If I am correct, say hello to him for me next time you see him. I met John quite a few years back now when I occasionally worked on James Horton's gallopers. In fact I spent a very happy weekend working on Forrest's gallopers at Tankerton airshow 5 or 6 years ago. John, Ulga & their family must be one of the nicest showland families of all time & definately have one of the best sets of gallopers travelling today, surely there can be no ride with more character out there?. Best wishes, Trevor.

Hi Again Trevor I keep in regular contact with John and I have been to Tankerton with John three times recently. I will probably be with him and the ride next at the Rochester Sweeps festival. Here's a picture of the ride which I took at the Dickens Festival in December 2002. Have you heard one of the CDs I made of the Gavioli for John? I'm hoping to produce volume 2, when John has the time. Cheers Derek

Decap 'Lili'
Hi Derek, The la-*test*-('") recording I have of the Gavioli is a tape John gave me that starts with 'Forrest of the fair', which was made when Tim Blyth was still looking after the organ, so unless it is this remastered to c.d. I have not heard it. I also have the 2 records which were made of it in the 70's. It is a very impressive organ with a lovely individual sound that always seems popular with the public. Thanks for the picture, its a lovely site to brighten up a cold march night!. Best wishes, Trevor.

Trevor I've sent you a PM Derek

Looking at earlier postings again! I remember 'Lili'. I'm not sure where I first met 'Lili', poss 1980, as in June 1981, when I finally completed my 4 years teacher training at 'The Foebel Institute' Roehampton, I persuaded the student union to hire 'Lili' for our 'Leavers Ball' in addition to the other 'attractions' for that event. I must confess I didn't support the disco (never have liked them) though I did enjoy the swing band as we ate our meal. I spent as much time as I could in front of 'Lili' and chatting to the owners. I forget their names; one of them died not long after, I think, so 'Lili' remained silent for some time. I'm pleased to learn 'Lili' was around in 2006. Where would she be now?

How funny, in my draw a couple of days ago I found a cassette 'The Sound of Lili' volume 4. I stuck it in my car as I was driving to work one morning. A Decap Dance Organ, recorded in St Albans in 1981. The cover notes by 'Fay and Ken'. On my tape it sounds like they've got the woodblock connected to the crash cymbal, its going all the damm time on Forte and those Decap woodblocks are loud.

Just putting the cassette in my tape player here... Yes that makes perfect sense to what I am hearing Derek. A really nice sounding organ. Did you say you had volumes 1 & 2?

If I manage to post it right, here is a picture of the Decap Lili taken years ago when it was owned by Fay Woods. The organ is a standard 72 key Decap organ, the scale being virtually the same as the 68 key scale, which is why it sounds similar to 'Lucy'

To fill in a little more of the history of this very nice organ, "Lili" was another organ imported by Charles Hart of St Albans. Charles sold "Lili" to Fay and Ken Wood, who treasured it for many years and added greatly to its repertoire, the music coming from Arthur Prinsen. In my opinion, some of these arrangements are superb and represent Arthur's arranging at its very best, especially some books of hits of the 30s and 40s featured on Volume 4. Much was in a style might be called easy listening; quite unlike that of Albert Decap, but very satisfying in its own right. Oddly, the reversed percussion never bothered me, although I was aware of it. Following the untimely death of Ken, the organ ceased travelling and after some years it was acquired by Phil Ives who has, to his very great credit, has kept the organ just as it was when presented by Fay and Ken. A further cassette was released during this period, it being an unreleased recording from the period when the organ was owned by Fay and Ken. If you get the chance to see "Lili", don't miss it, as it comes all too rarely these days! I might add that both "Lili" and my own 72 key Decap play from the same scale, the 68 key scale of "Lucy" being musically note for note the same, but with some economy in percussion and registration. Peter

A chance to talk about one of my favourite Decap organs, fantastic!! I have (unfortunately) only one cassette of Lili, this being volume 7 which I purchased about ten years ago at the Old Warden rally when it used to be a regular attender there. I have a feeling this could be the cassette which Peter mentions being released by Phil Ives in 1996 having originally been recorded in 1984 by Bill Walker. It may seem quite strange that despite the 72 key Decap being a well known and produced product of the Decap firm, Charles Hart only purchased two organs of this scale. Infact technically, Lili was the only 72 key Decap he aquired as the other organ, Lucy, actually plays a slightly altered version of this scale and works on a 68 key system. According to the notes in the cassette, Lili was imported from Belgium by Charles Hart in 1973 and was travelling to steam rallies and other events from 1976 onwards. A nice feature about this organ when her rallying career started was that Ken and Fay Wood had a specially adapted low trailer built to house the organ so the organ was always displayed at a level suitable for anyone of any age to appreciate. This was especially good for children. I first came across Lili in 1996 at the first Old Warden rally when I was only 8 years old. Being low down was particularly good for younger people to appreciate instead of having to gaze upwards at other organs mounted on lorries! Another unusual feature about this organ was the specially bulit L.E.D lighting display situated above the keyframe of the organ on the right side of the case. The display would light up whatever register was in play so an LED would show up next to saxophone or accordion or jazz flute whatever register had been selected in the music! Could this be the only organ fitted with such a devise? The cassette which I have contains some good tunes, most if not all arranged by Arthur Prinsen. Mny of the books contained 2 or 3 tunes together, all from the 1930s and 40s period. The percussion is wired up incorrectly on this recording, the crash cymbal is playing what the hi hat should play, the woodblock is playing what the crash cymbal should play and the hi hat is playing what the woodblock should be playing! Despite these problems, they don't detract form the quality of the organ playing, this cassette has been played a considerable amount in the tme that I've had it and still gets a regular playing today. I last saw Lili at the Old Warden rally in 2002. I understand that Lili made an appearance there in 2006. However, I went on the Sunday as opposed to the Saturday and on the day that I went, Phil Ives had brought the Limonaire instead. Having learnt about this, I was quite annoyed at missing the chance to see and hear Lili again. Although not seen in public very often these days, she is well looked after by Phil and Joan Ives and is played regularly at home. Since De Moriaan has now moved to Kent, perhaps Lili might be seen out at some more events in the future. David.