Page 10-Tuesday; November 1, 1977-The Michigan Daily Lost in the lingo of stereoland The Michigan Daily-Tuesda From operettas to 'The By ROD KOSANN It was not so long ago that I referred to a fifty dollar Ampex tape recorder as "my system." This shoe box size sample of sound gadgetry filled my tiny dorm room with endless hours of rhythm, harmony, crescendos, and any other musical movements which might be put on tape. The responsibilities of owning such a system were by no means small, and it is difficult to measure the time required to master the re- corder's technology. I speedily gained an expertise which enabled me to maneuver the straightforward "run" button, while at the same time exercising complete control over the baffling "fast forward." A steady "buzz" that accompanied the ma- chine's music was a mystery to all who beheld it. However, such back- ground noise added a certain quality to the sound that no stereo costing hundreds of dollars could provide, while also eliminating any possibility. that nearby glassware might be shat- tered. As time passed, my cassette re- corder became outmoded and incap- able of satisfying my increasing musical needs. A more solemn writer might have viewed this occurrence as the "end of a musical era." Yet, the realization struck me that this was my opportunity to break into the big time stereo system - compon- ents et. al. The only question was, "Where does one begin?" I quickly discovered that the answer was not so simple. I began with my friends, soliciting advice and opinions. I found myself overwhelmed with a barrage of technical terms that would have forced the heartiest physics major to take cover. Watts, channels, harmon- ic distortion, tracking, anti-skate, belt drive, direct drive, and many other such terms crashed down on me in an incoherent jumble causing me to feel more ignorant than when I had begun my inquiries. When I finally gained at least a narrow understanding of the terminology, I tried to match the concepts with product names. I would list some of the latter here, but space forbids my doing so since this newspaper itself is only sixteen pages in length. The attempts to educate myself on the intricacies of stereo left me in a mild state of confusion. I had heard a few more conflicting opinions than one might encounter on reading a composite of Jimmy Carter's policy statements. Consequently, the advice I finally followed was that of a hand- ful of people who said, "Cio listen to different systems, and pick the best sound for the best money." After all my efforts such a statement seemed anti-climactic, but as I soon discov- ered it was the soundest judgment of all. I ventured out to the stereo stores armed with my decision, and a couple of friends who knew more about the technicalities than I did. From this point on the process be- came one of listening, bargaining, and fast talking. In many stores the banter between buyer and seller resembles that of a mideastern bazaar, with the exceptions that the stakes are slightly higher and a mideast market won't accept Ann Arbor or out-of-town checks. How- ever, the whole key is to listen - until the best sound you can get sounds no worse than your money being rung up on the cash register. Back-up band ought to. ditch Patti La Belle C.J " CD tting MOWN .I CeoffrtekxJ Memorex By MARK BEYER Patti La Belle has gone solo with her new album, entitled Patti La Belle, dumping previous partners Sarah Dash and Nona Hendryx who assisted her on the Nightbirds album, from which sprang the hit Lady Marmalade and LaBelle's career. For this new spotlight album, LaBelle has chosen a new producer, David Rubinson & Friends, Inc. In reviewing this album I feel safe in saying that Rubinson (& friends) have but one clear objective: give the people what they'll buy. Put in familiar rhythms and instrumenta- tions that contain no surprise to' record buyers and which they have bought before. The opening cut of the album is typical of the whole. The song is an upbeat African-rooted tempo pushed through sophisticated electronics. This attains funkiness while being laced heavily with rafts of synthe- sized strings. Patti herself energeti- cally belts out simpleton lyrics that are repetitive and unmoving. The workload on this cut and most others on the album is carried by the back-up band, who remain anony- mous on the album cover. Joy to have your Love will likely be a hit. The next song, Funky Music is one of the best songs on the album, due totally to the band. It opens with some really fine scatty guitar play- ing, buildipg up to a well-produced mass via gradual additions of assort- ed percussions. Then as a fitting frosting, a splendid raft of horns blooms into the piece. The Patti LaBelle starts singing and the song goes downhill. This is one of her least offensive vocals albeit, and she retains some dignity in her pliable repetitions of the song title. - Band three is Since I Don't Have You a melody which rotates around a romantic piano theme that bears an immediate similarity to the heavy- *9 Just for the health of it*' Get moving, America! March 1-7, 1977 isf' National Physical Education and Sport Week pe4 Physical Education Public Information American Alliance for Health Physical Education and Recreation 1201 16th St N W Washington. 0 C 20036 CASSETTE HEAD CLEANER RECORD CLEANER RECORD CLEANING FLUID $1.52 $2.54 $2.20 handed theme melody from the film, Gone With the Wind. The piano fades into LaBelle's wailing lyrics of a tragic. love lost. The whole song is about as moving as a bowl of warm water. Side one ends with a peppy little ditty, rather tritely titled, Dan Swit Me. The song musically as well as lyrically bumps and grinds along pleasantly enough, but once again shows little innovation, with the exception of some fine Dixieland clarinet at the end. Side Two Band one: You Are My Friend. This is supposed to be a senti- mental gut-twister but fails. The lyrics are nice but are not believable either sung or written. Musically, the number is full of night club piano and too many drippy strings. The next tuen, You Can't Judge a Book by the Cover is another of the few good songs on this album. It's a good, fast, and really well-played funky piece reminiscent of prime Earth, Wind, & Fire., The vocals again lack, but the saxophone is superb. Following is I Think About You another good song. The song just sounds happy. It's played in a happy spirit, and sung with a joyful smile. It's nothing new, but it sounds really nice. Next is Do I Stand a Chance. This is a delicate piece, a "breath-catcher" on an otherwise fiercely rapid album. It is handled well. LaBelle is.much more endearing singing a soft love song as opposed to screaming out an angry loud one. She can show power and emotion without all the aggres- sion. Unfortunately, this number goes on too long, and by the end is over-produced and tiresome. The album ends with a fitting, You Go Your Way [And I'll Go Mine]. This piece can boast good guitars, sax, and jingly piano, but the lyrics again prove to be boring and repeti- tive. By the end of this song and this album, I was pretty much willing to go my own way and let Patti LaBelle go hers. Musically, the album is fine, and the musicians are all proficient. The lyrics are all base however, and sung unconvincingly by the album's name- sake. The album is virtually all funky rhythm and blues, with casual Afric- can overtones. Patti LaBelle is an okay example of this form, but there are many current artists who per- form in this style far more effective- ly. Patti Laaelle is a hack who relies totally on tried-and-true commercial formulas to fatten her bank account. If I was her band, I'd dump Patti and shop around for a more capable and creative vocalist to carry their own precise and enjoyable playing. By ANNE SHARP musicals to come. Rodgers and Ham- Musical comedy in the Unite The strongest influence on early merstein followed with many successes win, Porter, Berlin, and Rodger American musical comedy circa 1900 which are classic today: South Pacific, came from across the Atlan- The King and I, and The Sound of the new genres of Hair, Jesus tic-naturally, since Broadway at that Music, to name a few..'A ChorusLine.' time was swarming with immigrants. Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Young European composers such as Loewe adapted My Fair Lady (1956) Victor Herbert (Naughty Marietta, The from George Bernard Shaw's stage been filmed three times, once in a silent anoth Red Mill), Rudolf Friml (Rose Marie), play Pygmalion. Lady's score version. Cabaret, as we now know it, been i and Sigmund Romberg (Desert Song) gracefully reproduces the cadence of underwent several incarnations from mass. wrote operettas for U.S. audiences in Shaw's original dialogue. Unfor- novel to stage play to filmed stage play A ( the flighty Viennese style which tunately, Audrey Hepburn was chosen to musical and to film again. Applause, this c< requires the full orchestration, musical to lip-synch Eliza Doolittle, the female A Little Night Music, Sweet Charity and simpl dialogue and overtrained voices found lead, opposite .ex Harrison in the film Promises, Promises! are all based on actua in such 19th century standards as Die version. Julie Andrews, the original screenplays. music Fledermaus and Pirates of Penzance. Eliza, deserved the role after her spec- Hair (1968), the "tribal love-rock this si These premusicals are sugary, refined tacular performance on stage. musical," is adventerous theatre. It and definitely not for the proletariat. In Conventional musicals from roughly features an onstage band, audience Als Naughy Marittta, a typical Victor Her- 1955 to 61, and even into the early 70s, participation (dancing onstage with ac- way i bert romp, pulses leap madly, charac- slick, cosmopolitan, dealing with tors), shockingly frank presentation of totall ters feel passions they've ne'er felt current events and everyday situations. the hippie counterculture, and a scan- birds before, and a disguised French coun- The Pajama Game (1954) and How to daslous nude scene which lasted less devas tess knows her true love by the fact that than 30 seconds. Selections from Hair, Don't he can sin "Ah, Sweet Mystery of Life." recorded by various artists, became ex- with ti Meanwhile, a more native form of'tremely popular on AM radio stations. Bubb musical emerged from the mainstream, The original cast album of Jesus Christ new v of American culture, nourished on min- ;. Superstar, a rock opera which played combi strel shows, local burlesques and on Broadway. was an instant best with i ragtime piano. By the early 20s, Friml seller. Day by Day, from Godspell, bers. and Herbert were competing with the likes of young Cole Porter, George Ger-o 0 shwin and Irving Berlin. Like their pseudo-Viennese contemporaries, these new composers wrote about romantic love. Their scores were brash and jaz- zy, and complemented by witty, sophisticated stories peppered with g re e "in" slang and pretty ingenues. Here I should mention a phenomenon AP photo By JEFFREY SELBST worst not purely American: the show tune turned popular song. To be sure, selec- Someone witty remarked recently gem tions from the more "straight" that the album of Olivia Newton- trpe musicals-"Indian Love Call" from John's Greatest Hits would be a slim Neve Rose Marie, for instance-were one indeed. I contend that, while not t there may not be many good songs in beaut show tunes often seemed to have been such collection, there would certainly sch written directly for dance bands and be a number of hits. And why? And i radiocrooners. Because that pale, lovely voice sells becau The lyrics of these musicals belie the records. It's only a shame that said hits o current conception of carefree, in- pale, lovely voice doesn't sing songs hgoo nocent pre-Hitlerian days. Cole Por- that have intelligent music or inter- deejai ter's "Dancing in the Dark" expresses esting lyrics. Coj curent of existential puzzleent der- Well, such album has issued itself I wi walrntzngxitendalpler e're forth. Entitled ONJ, it contains such much waltzing in the wonder of why were AP Photo dogs as Please Mr. Please (ecch), I inclus here/Time flys by, were here/AndHnstyLvYu(wr)IfYu Ml gone . . ."). In Anything Goes Ethel Leonard Bernstein (top) and Richard Honestly Love You (worse), If You Mello Merman, of all people, belts out& Rodgers (bottom) are two composers Love Me Let Me Know (perhaps she. "Some get a kick from cocaine/I'm who have had quite an effect on Ameri- sure that if I took even one sniff that can musical comedy. would bore me terrifically too/Yet I get a kick out of you." Succeed in Business (1962) depict the In general, the Depression was a bad white-collar workaday world. Such period for musical comedy. Flo "formula" musicals often employ novel Ziegfeld, producer of extravagant staging and production effects; in revues featuring the music of both Pajama Game, a businessman sings a more traditional and contemporary duet with his own dictaphone-recorded composers, died, and with him the voice. Follies and.George White's Scandals. In 1960, a little off-Broadway produc- The movie musical too, may have usur- tion called The Fantasticks ped the stage musical's audience. Many foreshadowed new trends in musicals. Broadway shows and their stars were With a mere cast of eight, no props or transplanted to Hollywood; Marx scenery, and the accompaniment of a Brothers and Fred Astaire vehicles are piano, harp, percussion and bass viol, cases in point. The Fantasticks became the longest- Oklahoma! (1943) was an exciting running musical in American theatre event for theatregoers. Composer history. Free from the sentimental, Richard Rodgers and author/lyricist world-weary parody of Porter and Oscar Hammerstein II created a Rodgers and Hammerstein's numbing vibrant synthesis of dramatic yet conventions, the play expresses subtle modern music, ballet, broad humor ideas and genuine emotion. On larger middle-class sentimentality, and a scale, there was Fiddler on the Roof, fairly believable plot which won critical which realistically depicted the and popular acclaim, as well as the dissolution of a Jewish community in Pulitzer prize for drama. Oklahoma Czarist Russia. Man of La Mancha suc- was a direct descendant of Show Boat cessfully adapted Don Quixote's (1927) ,also written by Oscar Hammer- esoteric message to the stage with its stein, with lyrics by Jerome Kern. But theme song, The Impossible Dream. whereas Show Boat, which integrated The book-turned-musical-turned-film Jean-Luc PC elaborate production with a serious phenomenon has become common in dramatic plot, was unique in its time, recent years, although Show Boat, Jean-Luc Ponty, a prime mover in current ja Oklahoma set.thestage for many orgnally a novel b Edna Ferber ha' contributor to the Ann Arbor musicscene. He app i CASSETTE CLEANING KIT $2.20 60 MINUTE CASSETTES ,;K3 $4.06 Sound Guard RECORD PRESERVATION KIT $6.79 PRESERVATION KIT REFILL. $4.24 Watts DISC PREENER $4.52 Soon -DISC WASHERS, DUST BUGS & IV ORE........ 'l 9. s 1 OPEN MON- 9-9 FRI Q SAT 10-5 SUN 12- 5