click for larger photo
The Cabase brothers along with other good musicians
organized one of the best swing bands in the land . The youngest of the brothers, Mahnee
was picked as one of the guitar players because he doubled on piano. The eldest of the
three - Siux Cabase played Tenor sax along with the middle brother Narding. That was the
birth of the "Cebu Swingmasters". Mahnee was only fifteen. For him, it also was
another dream come true, to be playing music with his brothers. The Cabase brothers sang
as a vocal trio, Mahnee played guitar,piano,bass and drums with them, but Mahnee's
most heartfelt wish - to play sax with his brothers never happened. Asked why, Mahnee
relates: "Our band became the best in the Visayas and Mindanao until my brothers
were lured by KZRC, the only radio station in Cebu at the time. I was left with the Cebu
Swingmasters. I thought I wasn't good enough to be hired with my brothers and that
prompted me to study deeper into music. I became the band's youngest Pianist,
Composer,& Arranger. My collegues in the business used to call me The Nineteen Year
Old Sensation.
Siux and Narding onboard the SS
Corregidor, at the outbreak of the World War II were on their way home to Cebu from Manila
when tragedy struck the ship. Narding, who was now the bandleader of the KZRC Orchestra
was lost among many Cebuanos who wanted to spend their Christmas in Cebu. Thankfully Siux
survived with the other KZRC Orchestra members. To this day, Mahnee still regrets that he
never got to play the saxophone with both his brothers. Narding Cabase is sorely missed. |
