Page 6-Tuesday, March 13, 1979-The Michigan Daily
Grad Bob James has hit it big
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By LEE LEVINE
Bob James, in his homecoming to
the Univesity of Michigan, not only
gave a superlative concert, but also
managed to teach a few classes, work
with the University Jazz Band, and sit
for an extensive interview with The
Daily.
The 1963 University graduate earned
both a Bachelors and Masters degree in
art before heading to New York City
where he hooked up as a sideman with
artists such as Sarach Vaughn and
Maynard Ferguson. Next he signed
with Creed Taylor Inc. (CTI, perhaps
the most important jazz label of its
time) as an arranger, sideman, and solo
artist.
At CTI, James talents helped
provide popularity and accessibility for
artists such as Grover Washington Jr.,
Hubert Laws, Gabor Szabo, and, of
course, himself. After four solo albums
to his name and countless others as an
arranger and sideman, James moved
from CTI to CBS. Today at CBS, James
has his own label-Tappan Zee-where,
in addition to two more solo albums, he
has helped produce, arrange and play
for such artists as Wilbert Longmire,
Mark Colby, and Steve Khan.
AS FAR AS jazz is concerned, James
has had a fairly typiical background:
Raised in New Orleans, his mother was
influential in hisgdevelopment as a
young musician growing up in Mar-
shall, Missouri. "She never quite got
used to the idea that we weren't in New
Orleans," James reminisced. "And
since there was very little culture in
Marshall, she was determined to com-
pensate by giving her children as much
musical education as possible." It was
her push that helped James decide to
pursue music and end up at the Univer-
sity of Michigan.,
WEDNESDAY IS MONDAY IS
"BARGAIN DAY' "GUEST NIGHT"
$1.50 until 5:30 TWO ADULTS ADMITTED
FOR PRICE OF ONE
mum.mmmm "
ADULTSRi.,SAT., SUN.
VE. t HOLIDAYS $3.50
MON..TIuls. EVt. 5$3.00
ALL MATINEES $2.50
CHILD TO 14 51.50
I
FRI. and SAT. LATE SHOW
[STATE"U~P IN SMOKE"
-I
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MON., TUES., THURS. 789
FRI. 7 & 9:25-SAT. 1-3-5-7-9:25
SUN. & WED. 1-3-5-7-9
They couldn't
have celebrated happier
anniversaries if they were
married to each other.
Ellen Alan
Burstyn Alda
"ameflme,
'Next {'mear"
.1 1
V
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CHARLES BERLITZ'S
THE BERlMUDA
(G) TINL
EB- UOEE
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BySeanOCaey RED
March 21 24.1979 oE
8 M ROSES
I niversity Sh wr~s O
Prodt i n FO
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Noted Jazz artist Bob James tries out
cert at'Hill Auditorium.
This was another big step on the road
to success as a musician: "The U. of M.
music school is great," offered James,
who also attended Berkley Jazz School
in Boston (but felt that it wasn't as well
suited to his interests at the time).
Though his musical development was
influenced greatly by such luminaries
as Oscar Peterson and Bill Evans,
James speaks most highly of Count
Basie. "I would be very flattered if
somebody compared me to the Count,
who's not really considered on the
heavyweight list for piano players as
much as he is as a bandleader. One of
the things I always "admired was hid
implicity: His ability to take one note
and one little melodic phrase and make
you believe in it."
NONETHELESS, Jamesjs pursuit of
this Basie-typedmusical philosophy
proved to be difficult particularly
through the college years. Growing up
in the "schopl of a thousand notes a
minute," James remembers when all
he wanted to do was play faster and
faster.
The role of running his own label
while still being a full time musician is
a few notes during a soundcheck before his sensational February eleventh con-
r-
I'd go insane really quickly if I
worried too much about what
everybody thought.'
any of the quality areas in the record
buisness that are so important in get-
ting records sold. But I do know how to
make the records well..."
Thus, James negotiated with CBS to
an interesting and problematic jux-
tasposition. "I knew that I wanted to
keep doing my own thing and ideally to
have my own company, but I didn't
want to be completely independent. I'm
not a record man in the sense that I'm
an expert in marketing, distribution, or
FRI. 7 & 9:35
SAT. 1-3-5-7-9:25
SUN. 1-3-5-7-9
MON. to THURS.7& 9
NO WEDNESDAY MATINEE
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TH E
ABDICATION
H sinAppliestions
For
Uniersity Owned
FAMIL V HOUSING
Applicants requesting occupancy:
BEFORE JUNE 15, 1979 may apply NOW
AFTER JUNE 15, 1979 may apply
BEGINNING APRIL 3, 1979
For up-to-date family housing information and applications,
contact the HOUSING INFORMATION OFFICE, 1101 STUDENT
ACTIVITIES BUILDING,763-3164
have "a sort of glorified production
company" where we could use the label
"in the sense that I still do have artistic
control. Having the chance to do my
own records for Tappan Zee and to con-
trol the graphics, packaging, and other
important elements gives a degree of
power which is very important to me."
OVERALL, JAMES is very content in
his present role: "CBS has been terrific
to me, and basically they finance me
when I go to the studios to record for
Tappan Zee. It's a really good relation-
ship."
In discussing the future, James
discounts the idea that his status with
CBS will be a springboard for further
corporate involvement. "This is still
sdrt of an experiment to see if it's
possible for a musician to run his own
company and make it successful while
still not ignoring his own artistic
career. If I ever thought the company
was getting to the point where it was
jeopardizing my artistic career and I
was not able to do what I wanted as a
musician, I hope I'd have the courage to
abandon it completely. If the label
prospers, we'll keep going; if not, I'll
shift and make more albums."
MOVING FROM the,development of
his career, James discussed some
critics' judgment of his music. "I lear-
ned a long time ago that whatever you
do, you're never going to please
See SELLING, Page 7
The Actor's Ensemble presents
the Michigan Premiere of
The Abdication, a play by
Ruth Wolff about Queens,
Pontiffs, Power and Love.
March 15, 16, 17 & 18 at 8pm.
Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre
Tickets $3.50 & 4.00 at UAC
Ticket Central in the Union.
The production is made
possible in part by Grants
from the Michigan Council
for the Arts, UAC & MSA.
*.., r" .
v
i .I
THE
Muddy Waters-the legendary bluesman whose
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