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OF NOTE ... NEW ON CD

di), a man besieged by the loss of his
Two live albums in three years may
young wife to cancer that very morn-
seem a bit excessive. Unless they're
ing. Sent over by Roger's domineering
from a band like Phish.
mother, Bess Rotman (Joyce Fuer-
The Vermont quartet's milieu is the
ring), Shirl helps Roger sew some sem-
stage, where it takes its songs — and
blance of a life back together.
others' — and expands them into
Written as an homage to the sis-
loose-limbed, sometimes epic-length
ter she herself lost to cancer, play-
jams that reveal Phish's improvisatory
wright Ritchie's writing really begins
skill.
to crackle here at the Rotman home,
After 14 years together, its members
amid the turmoil and unexpected
— guitarist Trey Anastasio, bassist
humor of grief weaving its way toward
Mike Gordon, keyboardist Page
resolution.
McConnell and
Manfredi is wonder-
drummer Jon Fish-
ful as Roger, muttering
man — have devel-
deadpan mantras of
oped a level of sym-
woe whenever loss
pathy and instinct
strikes him. Fuerring
that generally allow
also skillfully holds the
them to pull out of
unforgiving reins of the
any musical tailspin
steely Bess, a woman
their improvisational
who is only comfort-
forays might lead to.
able being the most
That's why the
adored person in the
Phishheads come out
room. As Shirl and Lee
in droves; there just
respectively, Mountain
aren't that many
and McGraw carefully
bands that display
give life and sympathy
this kind of adven-
to their characters.
turousness.
Kudos, too, to direc
Slip, Stitch and
tor Joanna Hastings
Pass (Elektra) may
Woodcock for a largly
even provide a better
taut production.
sampling of this
Phish: Trey Anastasio, Jon Fishman, Page McConnell, Mike Gordon
It's just unfortunate
approach than its
that The Shiva Queen
Maude; an expose of a shiva house
predecessor, 1995's A Live One.
doesn't give a theater goer precisely what
Martha Stewart; or the unfolding yarn
Besides touching on epic jams such as
he is yearning to see: a shiva. In
of a woman whose family and friends
"Taste" and a very funky "Wolfman's
Ritchie's capable hands, that's a shiva I
are dropping like flies.
Brother," the album — recorded dur-
actually wouldn't have minded going to.
Ritchie's frequently insightful hand
ing a rare club gig earlier this year in
offers up mild doses of the latter two
Hamburg, Germany — also sneaks a
For tickets and information, call
hypotheses, in uneven amounts.
look at Phish's group's roots via covers
JET at (248) 788-2900.
The play begins with a short,
of Talking Heads' "Cities" and ZZ
— Reviewed by Susan Zweig
almost superfluous act which provides
Top's bluesy "Jesus Just Left Chicago,"
us with background. Our shiva queen
plus a four-part rendition of the bar-
is Shirl Levin (Michelle Mountain),
BETWEEN THE PAGES
ber shop standard "Hello My Baby."
shlimazel
turned
public
relations
Nat Hentoff — a self-described
This is a treat for ardent Phishheads,
worker, who is getting back in the
Jewish atheist, civil libertarian and
and a worthwhile primer for the
relationship saddle (and into the per-
troublemaker — is a staff writer for
novice.
sonal columns) again.
the Village Voice and syndicated
— Reviewed by Gary Graff
columnist for the Washington Post.
Answering her ad is none other than
Lee Schoenbaum (Charles McGraw),
Taking the reader through forty years
Phish performs 7:30 p.m. Satur-
an emotionally wary geneticist (and
of his journalistic career, his latest
day, Dec. 6, at the Palace, Lapeer
memoir, Speaking Freely (Alfred A.
hypochondriac), the kind of man that
Road at 1-75, Auburn Hills. Tick-
seeks out the personals because to him,
Knopf; $25), continues where he left
ets are $23.50 in advance, $25 day
off in Boston Boy, and in the process
relationships, like genetic computa-
of show. Call (248) 377-0100.
tions, are more rewarding on paper.
provides a fascinating glimpse into
Flash forward five years to Act II.
the diverse people who've crossed
Shirl
has
been
married
(and
widowed)
his
path and provided an influence
CURTAIN CALL
to a podiatrist and has left public rela-
on his life and writings.
Rebecca Ritchie's The Shiva Queen,
tions proper to handle relations of a
Never afraid to speak out on
the Jewish Ensemble Theatre produc-
more
delicate
nature:
getting
the
houses
the
most controversial issues of
tion playing at the Maple-Drake JCC
and
the
lives
of
the
bereaved
in
order.
the
day,
Hentoff follows U.S.
through Dec. 31, could be: the story
So
this
is
Shirl
Levin
Levine,
Shiva
social
history
— from the civil
of a woman as drawn to shivas as
Queen,
who
barges
into
the
home
of
rights
and
anti-war
movements
Ruth Gordon to funerals in Harold 6-
Roger Rotman (John Michael Manfre-
to today's most incendiary issue:

Mixed
edia

Photo by Sofi Dillof

News 6- Reviews.

Michelle Mountain, John Michael
Manfredi and Joyce Feurring star in
JET's production of "The Shiva
Queen."

the battle over abortion rights. His
controversial decision to declare him-
self pro-life in 1983 angered both his
friends and enemies. How could he be
pro-life when he was anti-war and
anti-poverty and anti-capital punish-
ment?
Hentoff's comments on the black
community and its growing admiration
for Louis Farrakhan are some of the
most interesting in the book. The
author has spoken at more than 90 col-
lege campuses over a period of 15
years, and is disturbed by the increasing
degree of anti-Semitism he's found —
largely fueled by Farrakhan, he says.
Rooted in music, politics and the
press, Speaking Freely is a worthwhile
look at the life and times of a provoca-
tive American journalist who never hes-
itates to take a stand on difficult issues.

— Reviewed by Rick Lepsetz

A

12/5
1997

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