Looking straight ahead
... _'
By CAROLYN WARFIELD
AIU Corr..ponc»nt
Detroit's rich tradition ofproduc­
ing the world' fine t jazz musicians
endure through five women
provoking mainstream jazz like none
other.
An egre of essence and per­
petualness pervades when these
vivacious veterans generate dex­
'" terous playing styles and satisfying
music.
Improvished music fuses lyrical
harmonies with instrumental tones to
make bebop, Latin and contem­
porary rhythm vital and distinct.
Straight Ahead offers mesmeriz­
ing mood jazz in their debut album
"Look Straight Ahead" Produced
by Lenny White and Atlantic
Records, ten cuts mix Afro-Cuban
elements, rhythm and blues, swing
and ballards with earthy syncopated
melodies for good listening pleasure.
ANALYSIS OF THIS album
(and seeing them perform) says these
instrumentalists are thoroughly
capable of making marvelous jazz.
Their compositions and arrange­
ments are superb.
"Marion's Dream" renders rich
melodious treatment. "Once Upon a
Time" serves up love and light.
"Blues for Ann" gently blends piano
and bass solos with voice and violin
choral explorations. "7 Minutes 2-4"
merges contrasting rhythms simul-.
taneousl y . .
Standardized ballards such as
"Impressions," "Light as a Feasber, "
and "Hallucinations" receive a
gender twist and revived nuances.
"You Touch Me" may wind up a
single hit based on its earthy tonality
and haunting repetition. "Sumpin'
Like Dat" is an audacious ployrhyth­
mic rendition where the rhythm sec­
tion takes a quantum jump.
Who are these wondrous women
who have individually flabbergasted
many jazz greats with fresh and firm
playing?
. Vocalist Miche Braden takes
credit for inaugurating the ensemble
to back her night club act during the
early 1980's but Sidestepped them.
Regina Carter's "talking violin"
has left its impression across North
America and throughout Europe. A
music degree from Oakland Univer­
ity in Rochester, Michigan nd
tudy at Musikho chute in Germany
are tremendous benefits ..
Eileen Orr is an equalizer for
Straight Ahead's dynamic ound.
Her piani m was cultivated in
Detroit, Central America and the
West Indies. The blues and jazz
viruoso graduated from Wayne State
University, became acculturated to
Latin rhythms in Santa Domingo and
studied with Art Blakey and Donald
Brown.
Marion Hayden-Banfield's af­
finity for acoustic instruments ex­
tends far beyond the contrabass and
incl udes the electric bass guitar,
Ampeg baby bass and cello. A
University of Michigan alumnus,
this highly sought after rhythm sec­
tion musician lends the unique time
and unassuming backbone to the .
band's eclectic repertoire.
Drummer Gayelynn McKinney,
daughter of Harold McKinney,
Detroit's legendary pianist, is a bur­
geoning talent and riveting percus­
sionist. McKinney divides her time
between being a music education in­
structor and performing.
The sultry quality of Cynthia
Dewberry's lead voice has Carolina
church roots. Its fearless and
spellbinding and illustrates great
devotion and vocal interpretation.
After studying and performing in
Japan Dewbery hit the Motor City.
STRAIGHT AHFAD made its
European debut in 1990 in
Montreaux, Switzerland during the
Montreaux Jazz Festival and were
instant showstoppers. Prior to Swit­
zerland they were knocking audien­
ces out in night clubs and music
festivals. MonreauxDetroit Jazz
Festival was where they commanded
recogni tion to become 1989 Sony
Innovator Music Finalists. That's all
history now, but its how they boogy
and bebop that makes them so
popular.
So why don't you familiarize
yourself with this potent, lively
force, become part of a sustaining
audience and "Look Straight
Ahead"
STRAIGHT AHEAD
I <;
(L-R): Marion Hayden-Banfield, Contrabas Nocals; Eileen Orr, PlanoNocals; R�gina Carter, VlolinNocal8;
Gayelynn McKinney, DrumsNocals; andCynthia Dewberry, Lead Vocals/Flute.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Compiled and Edited
ByKASCENEBARKS
SUNDAY, JUNE 7
.ec ATTENTION POETS - The
National Library of Poetry has
armounced that $12,000 In prizes will
be awarded this year to aver 250
poets In the North American Open
Poetry Contest. The deadUne for the
contest is June 30, 1992. The
contest Is open to everyone and entry
Is FREE. Any poet, whether
previously published or neX, cen be a
winner. Every poem entered also
has a chance to be published In a
deluxe, hardbound anthology. To
enter, send ONE original poem, &rrf
subject and any style, to the National
Ubrary of Poetry, 11419 Cronridge
Dr., PO Box 704-ZG, Owings Mills,
MD 21117. The poem should be no
more than 20 lines, and the poet's
name and address should appear on
the top qf the page. Entr must be
postrflarked by June 30, 1992. A re«
contest opens July 1, 1992.
IWEDNESDAY, JUNE 101
� PIONEERS OF
POWERBOAllNG - Detroit Is the
home of the powerboat Industry. The
Great Lakes Maritime Institute will
sponsor an evening reception .
commemorating the achievements of -I -S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y-J-U-N-E---
the powerboatlng Industry and' Its ,13
pioneers such as Gar Wood and
Chris Smith. Contact the Dossln
Museum for ticket Information
(267-6440). Dossin Great Musuem,
Stand Dr. (Belle Isle)
� BOOK CLUB & LECTURE
SERIES - Speakers: Bunyan
Bryant, Ph.D. University of Michigan.
Book selection: Environmental
A�OC8CJ, by Bunyan Bryant, Ph.D.
Location: Museum of African
American History, 301 Frederick
Douglass. 6:30-8:3Opm.
I THURSDAY, JUNE 11
� BACKYARD MONSTERS (the
world of Insects) 6:30-8:3Opm. Thrill
to giant robotic Insects, exciting
hands-on activities and displays of
exotic Insed specimens. June 11
thru Sept 7. Cranbrook Institute of
Science, 500 Lone Pine Rd.
(313/645-3221) .
� June Is African American Music
Month & to celebrate the International
Assoc. of African American Music
QAAAM) wiD hold their 2nd annual
IAAAM '92 Celebration at Wyndham
Franklin Plaza Hotel In Philadelphia,
PA, June 11-14, 1992. For
reg stration Info, contact D. WilUams
or S. Eldridge (2151664-1667).
� Join Michael �arrell for a two-part
slide-illustrated lecture that will focus
on the development of modern
architecture In Chicago beginning
with the rebuilding of the city after the
Great Fire. 1 Oam-12 noon. Included
will be the designs of H.H.
Richardson and .Louls Sullivan
followed by the evclutlon of the Prairie
House by Frank Uoyd Wright and the
Beaux Arts city plan and buildings of
Daniel Bumham. The lectures will be
followed by a bus tour on June 'Z7 of
significant downtown and suburban
sites (no lunch) Fee: $35 DHS
Members, $40 non-members. (P.
Sigler 313/833-9721)
� Oratorical Contest/Awards
Reception (SO people). For more
Information regarding the
aforementioned community events,
please contact Joseph G. Leavell, Sr.
by calling (313/965-8828 days or
page 829-0194).
.ec LET'S TALK ABOUT IT: The
African-American Experience 24pm.
Book: ·Black Men· by Hakl R.
Madhubutl. Speaker: Dr. Gloria
House.· UncoinUbrary, 1221 E7MI.
�ummer h<ua i'I ere l...bwy c:Ioeed for
regular busN8I bl.t � open for program ontt
from 1:30-6:3Opm. PINBe we drop box to
nun bookL
RIVERFRONT
FESTIVALS
HART PLAZA
World's Largest Free Circus - June
12-14 - Arab World Festival- June
19-21 � FireworKs (RaJn date, July
2) -July 1-Afro-American Festival
- July 10-12 - Cajun/Seafood Fest
- July 17-19 - latin American
Festival - July 24-26 - Chili-Rib
Fest - July 31, Aug. 1-2 - Mexican
Festival- Aug. 7-9 - AfrIcan,Wor1d
Festlval- Aug. 21-23 - Montreaux
Jazz Festival- Sept. � 7
CHENE PARK
MUSIC THEATRE
� Wymon Marsalis 6-11
'£\- CIMX-FM X-Fest 6-12
� Spyro Gyra/George Howard 6-18
� Graver Washington, Jr./Roberta
Flack 6-26
� KilaueauJSam Riney/Keiko Matsui
Kim Cunningham 7-2
� The O'JayS(Whispers 74 & 7-5
� Ruth Brown/Bobby (Blue
BlandlClarence Carter/LarTy McCray
7-10
� Nancy Wllson/Jo�athan
Butler/Roy Ayers 7-23 .
� Angela Bofill/BIII Eckstine/Freddy
Hubbard/Stanley Turrentine/Jean
Carne 8-6
� The Mighty Dells/Jerry utler &
The Impressions 8-22
Located on the riverfront at Chene &
Atwater (393-0066)
PINE KNOB
� Paul Anka wsg Alan King (Series
16) 7:30pm. $22.50 pavillionl$12.50
lawn, Groups of 15 or more $2.50 off
pavillion and lawn, Children 12 and
under $2.50 off.
.ec Chicago and The Moody £:3lues
(Series 12), 7:30pm. $30
pavilllorV$2O lawn.
� Indigo GIr1s wsg Matthew Sweet.
7:30pm. $22.50 pavillionl$7.50 lawn
The New Pine Knob, Two
Championship Dr. (313/3n"()100).
* Send your
announcements to:
Michigan Citizen, P.O.
Box 03560, Highland
Park. M I 48203
"
I
Call for
artists
DETROIT- Artists and
craftspeople are encouraged
to apply for booth space at the
sixth annual Detroit Festival
of the Arts, to be held
September 18, 19, and 20 in
Detroit's University Cultural
Cen ter. Deadline for
application is June 26, 1992.
More than 200,000 people
attend the Festival annually,
which features 125 selected
artists in the Artists
Marketplace. Concerts on
three stages, a Children's
Fair, Poetry Festival, street
performers, City Living and
historic home tours,
Antiquarian Book Fair and a
wearable art show are
planned during the three day
Festival, making it one of the
most multi-faceted and
largest in the region.
Applications are
available the University
Cultural Center Association,
313/577-5088.