s Tuesday, November. 6, 1973
FHE MICHIGAN DAILY
FQge Five
Tuesday, November 6, 1973 IHE MICHIGAN DAILY Page Five
I1
I
Mu sic
By BOB SEIDENSTEIN
In Ann Arbor a lot of musi-
cians must literally pay their
dues if they want to sing the
blues. x
The dues go to local 625 of
the American Federation of Mu-
sicians headquartered on the sec-
ond floor of Nickels Arcade.
Union bylaws say that the pur-
pose of the federation is "to ad-
vance the mutual interests of its
members and, to enforce the
terms of all. contracts properly
filed by its members."
For the officers in Ann Arbor,
the former aim may take priority
over the latter.
tinion:
Help
or
hindrance?
I
cooperating with most union
rules?
Recently, two places have ov-
erstepped their bounds and
have been put on the union's un-
fair list. They are the Old Heid-
elberg and the Ann Arbor Moose
Lodge. The union officers say
that the Old Heidelberg has en-
gaged a scab German music
band from the Detroit area after
a rift with a German band that
had regularly been employed
there.
"We don't generally accept
non-union pay or working in non-
union places," says Kenyon.
Clubs are considered "union"
One club owner admits that he
generally cannot pay that much
without eliminating music on
weeknights and hurting his busi-
ness. The same owner claims
that the now closed Odyssey Club
used to write up contracts just
for show, with both the owners
and the bands actually agreeing
on lower wages. 0
Rick Burgess of the Del Rio
says that non-union musicians
have jammed with unionists at
the club in violation of the union
rule. The union is aware of the
practice. "It doesn't happen
much anymore," Burgess says.
The Pretzel Bell and Bimbo's
for dues he agrees that it is "len-
ient" in terms of enforcing its
rules.
The union has just one busi-
ness representative to check for
violations of the rules.
President Kenyon claims that
"solidarity is the whole answ-
er to our union." He is quick to
point out that musicians have
formed a federation for their
common good and protection.
Secretary Pierce cited one re-
cent case where members have
protected each other. An em-
ployer tried to fire a contract-
ed musician in order to bring in
a band from another city. The
band belonged to the union also
and agreed not to play for the
club until the dispute was set-
tled. In such a situation the em-
ployer was forced to pay the
musician he had originally fired
before the other band would per-
form.
Pierrce stresses that these are
the kind of actions that safeguard
union members for the courts are
much too slow.
Kenyon says that he freely tells
prospective members not to join
"unless they feel they are ready
to work for union scale." A leap
to a feeling of professionalism
must be made before becoming
a unionist.
Dues for the 600 members cov-
ered by the Ann Arbor local
are $24 per year or $7 per quar-
ter. In addition, working mem-
bers must pay three per cent of
the base union scale.
Members range in musical
styles and in age. Kenyon and
Pierce each have over 10 years
experience as officers.
Several reasons are given for
joining the union in addition to
protection against being fired
from jobs. The union card en-
ables members to work in other
union districts. Almost all bands
that travel are in the federation.
Also, all the top record labels
and many others only hire union-
ists.
Union contracts prevent em-
ployers from refusing to pay
bands on the last night of their
engagements. Supposedly no un-
ion band would work there again,
including the better bands.
Another benefit to members is
a national trust fund of the fed-
eration that pays unionists scale
wages for playing benefit con-
certs at places like hospitals.
But above all, the union origi-
nally formed, says Kenyon, so
that "together musicians could
help each other."
EMU Major Events Committee
with WWWW
presents
AMERICA
November 9
Bowen Fieldhouse 8 P.M.
Tickets: $3, $4, $5-reserved
AVAILABLE AT- Ann Arbor Music Mart,
Huckleberry Party Store, J.L. Hudson's.-
McKenny Union.
i
L
. I
t__i
a
-------v-vrv---VVVVV, ---VVVVvvVVVV\
t V Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y ft Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y
Local President Reuel Kenyon
and Secretary - Treasurer Reade
Pierce admit that they "have to
have a little give and take" in
enforcing union rules in a few
clubs in town.
The officers weigh three basic
factors when it comes to accept-
ing violations of their rules.
First, and most important, how
do the exceptions affect the great
bulk of musicians in Ann Arbor?
Second, how minor are the vio-
lations? And third, do they take
. place in clubs that are on the
whole good for their membership
, in terms of providing jobs and
if they hire only union musicians.
Kenyon adds that flexibility is
necessary: "Members can play
at non-union shops. There is no
way we can enforce it strictly."
If the musicians playing at a
certain club do not complain that
a rule is being broken, the lead-
ers deem it wiser not to act.
Rules often broken are those re-
quiring union members not to
share the stage with non-unionists
and requiring members not to
work below union scale. The base
scale varies, but Kenyon men-
tions $135 as the price for a
four piece band playing four
hours.
are strict union shops.
Fran Christina of the Vipers, a
local blues band, argues that
"people have to play with each
other when they want to." He
claims that union rules unfairly
restrict non-professional, non-
union musicians and union bands
from playing together on stage.
He complains that this is unfair
to developing musicians who
need the experience with estab-
lished bands.
Christina is not opposed to the
Ann Arbor local as much as he is
opposed to the rules of the na-
tional federation. While calling
this local a "collecting house"
Leningrad concerts
marked by balance
This Week NEW WORLD FILM CO-OP presents ***
By TONY CECERE
It seems that every season or-
fers one concert which stands
above all the rest. This year,
however, two concerts will be re-
membered for their Olympic sta-
ture: the Leningrad Philharrmon-
ic concerts of this past weekend.
Gennady Rozhdestvensky led
Saturday evening's all Prkofiev
program, which included the
composer's 5th symphony, the
Scythian Suite and the Second
Piano Concerto with Viktcria
Postnikova as soloist.
Rozhdestvensky's interpretation
of the symphony was extremely
lyrical - phrases seemed to
bend into one another, noving
ahead and slowing down with ex-
treme ease. The score wa:, ob-
viously close to the hearts of
the players judging by the re-
finement and grace withtwhich
they read it.
Here, as in all the other com-
positions performed, there was
always a perfect balance among
the instruments: the brass were
assertive and not overpowering,
the woodwinds were loud and
never shrill, while the strings
provided a continuously warm
blanket of sound.
The piano concerto was a 1 s o'
s iperbly played. However, Post-
nikova was limited by an ex-
tremely small sound amidlst a
wealth of technique. She played
with sensitivity but, unfortun-
ately not enough presence.
The Scythian Suite marsaalled
all the forces of the orclieora
together for a rhythmic finale
in which Rozhdestvensky drove
the orchestra through a ca,:a-
phonous score that called f o r
extra brasses and percussion.
Sunday afternoon's progran
was led by Neeme Jarvi, a cap-
able but somewhat impatient con-
ductor. His grasp of the music
was not quite relaxed,as he
hurried the orchestra thro gh
most of the Rachmaninoff Third
Symphony. The woodwinds were
at their finest throughout t h e
symphony, displaying flawless
technique and quality of sound.
The event of the day, however,
was the performance of Proko-
fiev's Alexander Nevsky, with
the Festival Chorus of the Choral
Union and Joy. Davidson, an
American mezzo-soprano,sassolo-
ist. Alexander Nevsky i> a
powerful statement of Ru an
patriotism that concerns itself
with the Teutonic invasi )n of
Russia in the 13th century, based
on music composed by Prokofiev
for the Sergei Eisenstein film of
the same title.
I-ere again the score was very
close to the player's own senti-
ments, evidenced in the super-
ior quality of the performance.
The brasses exploited every loud
moment in their parts, much to
the delight of the audience. Dav-
idson sang a moving and poetic
lament in "The Field of the
Dead", the song of a girl search-
ing for her lover amongst the
dead. Davidson's voice was ex-
tremely clear and resonant.
Perhaps the real heroes of
Alexander Nevsky were the 100
members of the Festival Chorus.
They are to be congratulated
for singing well in Rus3ian, a
language which is completely
unknown to most of them and
which is hard on even the most
experienced vocalists.
The Leningrad Philharmonic
gave us a weekend to remember.
Judging by the warm re~eption
and the ,profound nature of their
performance, a return engage-
ment in the future would be en-
thusiastically welcomed.
Read and Use
Daily Classifieds
VISCONTI'S
The Stronger
based on the award winning
novel by Albert Comus.
-with--
MARCELLO MASTROIANNI
and
ANNA KARINA
TUES.
NOV. 6
7:30 & 9:30 p.m. MLB Aud. 3
KEN RUSSELL'S
The Boyfriend
The surreal re-creation of Big-
qer Than Life early-Hollywood
p I o t contrivances of B u s b y
Berkeley
-with--
Twiggy, Christopher Gable
and Tommy Tune
Wed. and Thurs.
NOV. 7 & 8
7:30 & 9:30 p.m. MLB Aud. 3
VONN EGUT'S
Slaughterhouse-5
winner 1972 Cannes Film Fes-
tival Jury Prize Award.
"One of the most daring, total-
ly fascinating pictures e v e r
made."-Rex Reed
Last showing before Christmas
THU RS.
NOV. 8
7:30 & 9:30 p.m. MLB Aud. 4
* ATTENTION-please make these changes on your New World Schedule. Little Big Man and A Man 4
* Called Horse are cancelled. Diary of a Mad Housewife is replaced by CABARET. is
* 'K
.****** ******************************************************************* .
sMM MM MM MM M MM MM MM MM MM M M~s aM MM M M M M MMMMMM X kX MX XXMs.XX.X ..
h*"Ftt'Fit+ttf++*.tt'°NF..... . t* 'F'F'fi J16.46t tfi'F'F4"''f"F' * Jf* t tfi i f f f f t t t t TT t TTAr TTY T T"
"TTTTTTTT
^TTTT^
What do RICHARD NIXON and INGMAR BERGMAN have in common? A deep
respect and admiration for their favorite American director - the late J O H N
FORD. In recognition of fifty years of achievement that has made him winner of
more Academy Awards than any other director, we are presenting a festival of six
of his best films.
* ** JOHN FORD FESTIVAL * * *
'TTK
Ty
' T
'K
'K
.41
Tues.: STAGE COACH
Wed.: GRAPES OF WRATH
Thurs.: HOW GREEN IS MY VALLEY
Fri.: MY DARLING CLEMENTINE
Sat.: THE SEARCHERS
Sun.: THE MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALENCE
'K
,k.
'K
4c
As ORSON WELLES says: "There are three great Hollywood
directors, John Ford, John Ford and John Ford.'
EVERY NIGHT
THIS WEEK AT CINEMA GUILD
'K
'K
'K
'K
'K
'K
'K
'K
'K
'K
'K
k
, i.J..l.4 ar k -arar r ki r+ lr rkf rir i'1rit lri' fk' Ir k '1k k' lrfilr l'f f'k" 'i" "yir# tl'i"ir r r'A"{'f"k#f# k"At' ryir" Ir'*" r Mr f' k" ' ' ' Ityt
1..1
7WWWWWT
The fatefil figer
Professor Krull (Ken Steinman) strikes a vindictive pose toward Silkenband (Rodney Hudson-right)
in the University Players' upcoming production of Carl Sternheim's "The Strongbox." The tale of love
and greed opens tomorrow night in Mendelssohn.
UL URE CAL ENDAR
FILM-Cinema Guild features Ford's Stagecoach in Arch.
Aud. at 7 and 9:05; AA Film Co-op presents Performance
in Aud. A at 7 and 9; New World Film Co-op features
Visconti's The Stranger in Aud. 3, MLB at 7:30 and 9:30;
Women's Studies Films shows Mosori Monika and Fear
Woman in UGLI Multipurpose Rm. at 7:30.
POETRY-Lemuel Johnson reads his works in Aud. 4, MLB
at 4:10.
MUSIC SCHOOL-The Stanley Quartet performs in Rack-
ham Aud. at 8 (broadcast live on WUOM, 91.7 FM).
td
Ton/iHT
Tues-Wed-Thur Nov 6-7-8
LUTHER
.
>:
ALLISON
ALL
YOU CAN
EAT
C
SUN. and WED. Open
12:45 with
Shows at 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 p.m.
MON. & TUES. Open 6:45
Shows at 7 & 9 p.m.
JIMI HENDRIX AT HIS
PEAK-MEMORIAL DAY 1970
"JI1M I PLAYS
BERKELEY"
"A MUST-SEE"
--N.Y. Herald
COLOR
PLUS
SEE DELINQUENT
YOUTH GO BERSERK
ON "THE KILLER WEED"
"REEFER
MADN ESS"
I-
Mounds of Spaghetti, Coleslaw, Garlic Bread
I-
EVERY WEDNESDAY 4:30-10 -P.M.
HURON HOTEL & LOUNGE
124 Pearl-483-1771- (Ypsi. )
"I HAD A TERRIFIC H PG
TI ME r
--Gene ShalitsQU4 p
WNBC-TV Q"I
Ng p E It;.
F
Rock & Roll Dancing:
217 S.
Ashlev-Ann Arbor
Nk
III