Page Two
THE MICHIGAN DAILY
Saturday, September 1'l, 1970,6]
Page Two THE MICHIGAN DAILY Saturday, September 1 ~), 1970 ~
'T I
Roosevelt Sykes -
A gashght memory
By DANIEL ZWERDLING-
It's a mistake to think of Roosevelt Sykes as a memory from
another eia. You'll see him walk out- on the stage and plop down
on the piano bench like a glorified Spector from Depression Days, from
nthe Thirties and Forties when our parents were flirting in gaslight
clubs, necking under Tiffany-type lamps - while the big blues man
tinkled away in the corner. Sykes made his first album in 1929, went
on to pioneer the distinctive American boogie woogie style, eight
beats to the bar in left hand rhythm, "walking the basses" he called
it. The big blues hits we now hear backed by electric guitars and
Madison Avenue recording equipment often comes from Sykes, so
long ago that we don't even know the roots - like "Night Time Is
The Right Time", sung by Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin, or
"Driving Wheel" by Paul Butterfield.
If you think of Sykes as the ghost behind the songs. he becomes
a fascinating piece or a chapter in a blues anthology, and the music
won't come alive. We think: the boogie woogie and the cocktail blues
lived in the thirties and forties, and it's nice to reminisce now, but
we can't go back.
Forget it, and let yourself get into the music. Forget the roots.
Think of everything Sykes plays as new music. To most of us it is
new, because few of us besides the blues officianados who write the
programs for the blues festivals and collect obscure label records,
really know what's behind men like Sykes. Discovering his music is .
a gas.
Sykes started the evening with a few cocktail type numbers. Lots i,
of tinkling runs. You could feel the red carpets and hear the clinking
ofsoc lse n h o raeiumr u hnh okofhis coat for the fourth nuamber, everyone knew he was getting into -Daily-Thomas R.cops
boogie. This, I think, is Syke's genius, although he would probably Hendrix experience ends
not want to be remembered for any one style of music. His left hand Jimi Hendrix, apostle of acid-rock and thought by many to be
pounds out a driving, thumping base line, his right swarms over the one of the finest guitarists in the world, died yesterday in
keyboard, swirls in the air, he throws his head back so all you can London. Police officials say the cause of death was an overdose
see is up his nostrils and into his gigantic open mouth filled with of drugs. Hendrix was 28.
the most beautiful gold and silver caps I have ever seen. Sykes looks-
like he's -having a great time. He looks like a jolly J. Edgar Hoover
and he has the biggest jowls west of the White House. Bulac1. ark festIzdu1 today
'"Usually what I write Is way ahead of time. What I wrote in 1930 .N a 4 Ut' IAIE Es 'I./L4U.'
maybe didn't become popular until 1945. When I write now, it's for
1971 or 1972."' Nearly 50 black artists from making love be sure to dig tho
Don't go to Sykes expecting to hear only the boogie woogie or the the' midwest will come together House of Mystique Incense. Co
off-color blues he pours on festival crowds ("I'm gonna get me a Saturday in Ann Arbor for the To complete the day, BAM is
sex-atary, I'm gonna give her a dick-tionary".) He won't play just Black Arts Festival and Afro- presenting Hugh Masakela, Ed
what he thinks you want to hear. "I don't play what the people like. American Bazaar. The festival win Starr, the Last Poets, an(
I want to play something new, and try to get them to like it." His and bazaar, sponsored by the Rennie Jones in/concert at 8:0{
job, says Sykes, is to do for the soul what the doctor does for the Black Action Movement. will p.m. in the arena.
body. Sooth it. - take place at Crisler Arena from j _ _
i
Groups criticize U.S.
economic
(Continued from Page 1)
both the Students to Support the
Auto Workers (SAW) and the
B 1 a c k Economic Development
League (BEDL) were d en ie d
speaking time and requested Mc-
Cracken to invite the speakers to
join him on the platform.
McCracken replied the Univer-
sity did not interfere with the con-
tent of his lecture, and he would
not interfere with the University's
decision to exclude those speakers.
"We are the University," one
member of the audience shouted
back.
Earlier during his press confer-
ence McCracken was asked his
personal opinion on seating the
two speakers. "That's for the Uni-
versity to decide," he said.
BEDL member Hank Bryantj
and SAW member Bill Bachmann
were allowed to take the podium
after McCracken had finished and
most of the audience had left.
IBryant condemned the Nixon ad-
The Michigan Daily, edited and man-
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Class postage paid at Ann Arbor, Mich-
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NO DEPOSIT
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AND'SERVICE
CALL:
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)riorities
ministration for spending "$5,500
every three seconds to kill people
in Indochina and only $16,000
annually for people who can't af-
ford to keep up with inflation."
He attacked the tax-free status
of "ecclesiastical corporations,"
saying some churches in the area
have assets exceeding $1 billion,
but refuse to give $50,000 to buy
clothing for the poor.
Bryant is among several BEDL
members who have been staging
sit-ins in local churches demand-
ing $50,000 in reparations to the
poor.
Bachmann referred to Mc-
Cracken as an economic planner
and said he was the only econo-
mist ever to oversee a "planned-
recession."
McCracken declined the invita-
tion to stay and hear the two dis-
senting speakers. A
BOB WHITE
a fullness and
sensitivity e q u a I to
anyone performing folk
music today."
-Michigan Daily
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211 E. ANN ST. (Next to Armory)
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It's kick-off weekend for Ann Arbor's new rock spot that has
what you've been looking for. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday,
September 17, 18. 19 at the ODYSSEY you'll enjoy and dance to
Ann Arbor's favorite rock groups. No cover. No minimum. Food
and liquor 'til 2 a.m.
Thursday-9:30-1:30-LOVE'S ALCHEMY
Friday--9:30-1:30-LEAVES OF GRASS
Saturday-5-7 (after game Happy Hours)-LOVE'S ALCHEMY
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THE ODYSSEY-208 W.
Huron
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10 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
.Featured at the festival will
be contributions in Afro-Amer-
ican history and art, including
outstanding works of Ann Arbor
artist Jon Lockard and D;troit
sculptor Oscar Grades. George
Norman's Black Odyssey of his-
torical Afro-American struggles
and achievements will be dis-
played. The Museum of Afro-
American History, Inc. will pre-
sent 16 paintings of Edau -
creator of Chicago's "Wall of
Dignity." As an added feature,
an exhibit from the Internation-
al Afro-American Museum will
be stationed in front of the
arena.
The bazaar will include repre-,
sentatives from Sudan Specialty
and import Shop featuring
dashikis and jewelry. And if-
your needs include special in-
cense for studying, smoking, or
603 E. Liberty
DIAL 5-6290
Doors Open 12:45
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starring BEAU BRIDGES LEE GRANT DIANA SAN
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THIS SUNDAY
10:30 A.M.--"Spiritual Growth Lab"
CALVIN MALEFYT, PhD
6:30 P.M.--"The Squeeze: Ethics and the System"
DEAN GORDON VAN WYLEN, U. of M.
and PROFESSOR CHARLES McMULLEN, U. of M
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Sunday Mornings
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1757 Plymouth Rd.
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IIllREIBUlY IFOUSB
presents I
Roosevelt Sykes
"THE HONEYDRIPPE R"
$2.50
Sept.18,19,20 Doors Open
Fri., Sat., Sun. at 7:30
00% 00
"ODD COUPLE" starts
at 2:40-6:00-9:30
"BAREFOOT IN THE PARK"
starts at 1:00-4:25-7:45
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AUD. A
Fri. and Sat.
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