George Assang

George Assang (1927–1997), also known by his stage name Vic Sabrino, was an Australian jazz and blues singer and actor from Thursday Island, Queensland, Australia. He performed under his own name and the stage name Vic Sabrino. Assang was of Aboriginal, Pacific Islander and Asian descent.^[1]

George Assang
Also known as	Vic Sabrino
Born	1927 (1927) Thursday Island, Queensland, Australia
Died	1997 (aged 69–70) Nowra, New South Wales, Australia
Genres	Jazz blues
Occupations	Singer actor
Instrument	Vocals
Spouse	Rowena Wallace ​ ​ (m. 1973; div. 1974)​

Assang was briefly married to actress Rowena Wallace in 1973; they divorced the following year.

Music career

As Vic Sabrino, he may have made the first Australian rock and roll recording, with "Rock Around the Clock", but whether he recorded it before or after American Bill Haley, who the song is best known has never been established, a single he recorded with French jazz artist Red Perksey (Born; Siegbert Perlstein, in Berlin, Germany (1921–1995), known professionally as Robert Bernard "Red" Perksey (Jazz trumpeter, pianist, singer, composer, music director, orchestra leader and A and R)^[2] and His orchestra included this recording as a B-side. His version of the song has been described as having a distinct difference from Haley's more rock sounding recording, and said to more resemble a jazz-swing style more in the vein of Dean Martin.^[3]

This single may have been recorded in 1955, some three years before Johnny O'Keefe's recording of "Wild One" in 1958.^[3]

Filmography

Television

• Vic Sabrino Sings (1958)
• Skippy the bush Kangaroo (1968)
• Hunter (1968)
• Barrier Reef^[4] (1971–1972)
• Spyforce (1971)
• Boney (1972)
• Number 96 (1974)

Film

• The Intruders (1969)
• And Millions Will Die (1973)
• Dot and the Kangaroo (1977)^[5]

Discography

George Assang

with Trevor Jones' Orchestra

• "Daughter of Mona Lisa" (1955) Mercury

George and Ken Assang

• Just A Closer Walk (1965) Philips
• "Songs From Down Under" – The Colonials (1967) Phillips PD 200

Vic Sabrino

• "Dust in the Sun / Who Needs You" Festival

with Red Perksey & His Orchestra and Sheila Sewell

• "The End of the Affair/Drifting Along" Pacific AUS #19^[6]

with Red Perksey & His Orchestra

• "The Magic of Love/(We're gonna) Rock Around the Clock" (1955) Pacific
• "Merry-go-round/Time For Parting" (1955) Pacific
• "Blue Suede Shoes/Heartbreak Hotel" (1956) Pacific

with Dave Owens and his Blue Boys with The Blue Notes

• "Long, Long Lane/Painted Doll" (1957) Festival

with Gus Merzi's Orchestra and with Harry Willis Orchestra; and The Belltones & Iris Mason Singers

• "Fraulein/Hitch-Hiking Heart" (1957) Festival

with Graeme Bell and his Skiffle band

• "Sweet Georgia Brown/ Freight Train" (1957) Columbia
• "John Henry/Don't You Rock Me, Daddy-O" (1957) Columbia
• "The Gospel Train/Come Skiffle Chicken" (1957) Columbia
• "Gamblin' Man/Skiffle Board Blues" (1957) Columbia