The Michigan Daily-Tuesday, November 8, 1977-Page 7
Strings sound
By CINDY RHODES
and DAVID VICTOR
T HE APPEARANCE of the Con-
cord String Quartet last Sunday
at Rackham Hall marked a high
pdint in the University Musical Soci-_
ety's Chamber Arts Series. Although
somewhat hurt by a questionable
program selection, it is very difficult
to find fault with any of the music-
ians.
The opening of Beethoven's String
Quartet in B-flat major immediately
demonstrated the delicacy of Nor-
man Fischer's musicianship. The
Michigan-born cellist was without
hesitation the finest musician
among the quartet's extremely tal-
ented members. The high caliber of
first violinist Mark Sokol was not as
evident in the Allegro con brio as it
would prove to be later. Somehwat
harsh even for Beethoven, Sokol still
recovered himself by the end of the
movement. The fine execution of a
countering line against the viola in
the next movement proved more
exemplary of:Sokol's performance.
The superb balance of the quartet
was apparent in the playful banter
weaving from part to part in the
Scherzo. Building from a heavy
melody to a bouncing line in the final
movement, the quartet revealed its
flexibility.
WHILE THE Concord String
Quartet is noted for performing and
commissioning new works, the
choice: of Ben Johnston's Cross-
ings for String Quarter was a selec-
tion best left unchosen. The
musicians were not at fault and per-
formed with degree of sensitivity
undeserved by the composition.,
Perhaps the composition's high
point came in the second movement,
The Silence. This."movement" con-
sisted of a frozen silence of two
minutes broken only by the coughing
of the audience while the musicians
sat like expressionless statues.
THE FINAL MOVEMENT of the
composition, Ascent, was little more
than a chaotic pastiche of unlikely
elements. The movement opened on
what sounded close to a strong
imitation of an old Scottish bagpipe
tune.
The musicianship of the quartet
was able to shine once more in the
afternoon's final selection,
Schubert's String Quartet No. 15.
Opening the first movement with a
perfectly performed cello solo, the
movement ended on the rising vigor
of the first violin. The Andante play-
ed both cello and first violin off one
another and then moved into another
brilliant cello solo by the mellifluous
Fischer.
The scherzo opened with a matte-
matical exactness nearly falling into
dry precision. However, the piece
progressed towards another superb
superb
cello solo performed with such a
sensitive realization of personal ex-
pression that, upon its resumption,
the entire nature of the theme was
filled with warmth giving a sense of
accurate intricacy rather than cold
precision. The final movement ser-
ved as a showcase for Sokol, dem-
onstrating a musical forcefulness
that infused the others without over-
powering them.
The University Musical Society
Rackham Auditorium
The Concord String Quartet
Nov. 6, 1977
Beethoven .....string Quarter in B-flat major.
Op. 1s
Ben Johnston...... Crossings for String Quartet
Schubert ..... String Quarter No. 15in G major,
op. 161
Mark Sokol, ist violin; Andrew Jennings, 2nd
violin; John Kochanowski, viola; Norman Fish-
er, cello.
Throughout the afternoon's con-
cert, the quartet shone. Fischer's
virtuosity, in particular, was out-
standing, in a group of excellent
musicians. We only wish that they
had not interrupted the flow from
the Beethoven piece to the Schubert
with the Johnston selection. Still the
quartet provided an afternoon of ex-
cellent musicianship.
Benson excites EMU
By KEITH TOSOLT
G EORGE BENSON reinforced his,
position as the premier jazz
guitarist of the current scene Satur-
day night at E.M.U.'s Bowen. Field-
house.
Benson's guitar playing is truly the
showcase of his live performances.
The octaves and runs which com-
prise his technique are rooted in the
traditional jazz idiom of Wes Mont-
gomery. This comparison, however,
is not intended to accuse Benson of
stealing another guitarist's licks and
inspiration. It merely points out that
Benson has taken the groundwork of
improvisational jazz guitar laid down
by Montgomery, and is currently
expanding it to a new audience.
BENSON'S BACKING group, com-
prised of Ronnie Foster on electric
piano and mini-moog, Jorge Dalto on
clarinet and acoustic piano, Stanley
Banks on bass, and drummer Harvey
Mason, who appeared sans leader
and played a tune titled "Loving
You" with Foster on lead vocals.
George Benson and his hollow-
bodied Ibanez jazz guitar joined the.
musicians and broke into "So This Is
Love?" off of his very successful a1-
bum Breezin'. He returned to this
album throughout the night, playing
all but one selection.
George and the band were very
tight and their sound was actually
studio-like. But there was also an
element of improvisation apparent in
every song they played in both guitar
and vocals.
THOUGH HE IS recognized pri-
marily as a guitarist, Benson is also a
fine interpretive vocalist, and jazz
adaptations and arrangements of
other songwriters' compositions
comprised a large portion of his rep-
ertoire. He sang War's "The World Is
a Ghetto" and Quincy Jones' "Every-
thing Must Change" from his album
"In Flight" and "Golden Boy", a Nat
King Cole classic. In addition to
"This Masquerade" his single off of
"Breezin'," Benson played another
Leon Russell song titled "Lady
Blue."
As part of his encore, Benson pre-
miered a version of an old R&B tune
from his newly recorded album
called Weekend in L.A. to be
released in time for the holidays. The
song he chose to rework was "On
Broadway" a hit for the Drifters
back in 1964. Benson's version adds
verve to the song. The back-up musi-
cians pound out the chords while he
sings the lyrics in an emotion-
filled voice.
Benson has a penchant for hum-
ming along In harmony with the
notes he plays on the guitar, as
evidenced in "This Masquerade".
His be-bop type phrasing was kept to
a minimum at this show as he
decided to concentrate strictly on
improvised guitar.
WHEN HE IS working out his im-
provisational ideas, Benson's true
jazz genius shows through. It can be
argued that some fusion guitarists,
like John McLaughlin, are faster, but
none work speed in with melodic
structure as well as Benson does.
Benson also strives for complete ori-
ginaflty as he improvises. At one
point he was working through a very
pleasant free form piece when, after
finishing a scale, he stood for 'a
minute, smiled and rubbed his brow
thinking what to play next. This
shows Benson's very conscious atti-
tude not to repeat himself in his im-
provisation, which he rarely did.
Though his music is not the
rock-jazz fusion of Beck and DiMe-
ola; there seems to be a fusion of jazz
and pop working in Benson's studio
material. This creates an aesthetic
problem with Benson's jazz as it
appears commercialized in the eyes
of critics and jazz purists. But when
any artist gains an enormous amount
of popularity on the strength of one
recording, as George Benson did with
"Breezin' ", such labeling is bound to
occur.
Whether he is commercialized or
not (and I hold that he is not), George
Benson's style of guitar playing is in
a traditional form and his talent for,
improvisation ranks him as one of
the more outstanding creative forces
in jazz today.
I
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Zappa roc
By PAUL SHAPIRO
RANK ZAPPA. The name
alone evokes a plethora of images,
rong them composer, satirist, and
iaster guitarist. A man whose music
as covered a spectrum ranging from
ck and jazz to classical and electronic
one of the few survivors from the
ck and roll scene of the mid sixties.
e demonstrated to a packed Hill
uditorium audience Sunday night the
ason why.
Zappa circa '77 is pure and
adulterated rock and roll, but unlike
any of his professional cohorts, his
sic is complex and technically
orb. He has surrounded himself with
rd driving six piece band that plays
i and fast, but retains the presence
aind that allows for self-mockery
d an appreciation for the humor of
eir music.
At the core of the band is the demonic
rry Bozio whose powerful drumming
d adept rhythmic work blends per
ctly with Zappa's intricate com-
itions. Patrick O'Hearn on bass, like
zio, has toured with Zappa for over a
ar and a half and often keys the
numerous transitions of Zappa's music.
A new addition is guitarjst Adrian Blue,
an excellent craftsman, a singer with a
variety of voices, and a comic figure in
the Mothers tradition.
THE CENTER of attention, Zappa, at
35 is as lewd and raucous as ever. His
songs have taken on increasing sexual
overtones as personified in such recent
pieces as 'Disco Boy', 'Titties and
Beer', and 'Bobby Brown Goes Down'.
Zappa played a lengthy two and a half
hour set that opened with his classic
'Peaches En Regalia', and closed with
three of his most popular songs:
"Dinah-Moe Humm", "Camarillo
Brillo", and "Muffin Man". In between
the band played music that for the most
part has been composed by Zappa in the
last two years. Zappa allows for exten-
ded solo work from each of the band
members, and they generally perfor-
med well.
Zappa has played with many dif-
ferent musicians since he founded The
Mothers Of Inventtion twelve years
ago. He often adapts stylistically to a
given player's talents and his music is
always in the process of growth and
change.
Daily Photo by ANDY FREEBERGm
GET*!IOY!
The U-M Men's
Glee Club
PRESUNTS
1
Viewpoint Lectures presents:
Seymour Melman
Speaking on, "Conversion from a Military Economy to a Civilian
Economy.
Thursday, November 10, 4 p.m.
Auditorium 3, MLB, free admission
Melman holds degrees in economics and engineering and is
professor of industrial engineering at Columbia University.
John Dean
November 16 at Hill Auditorium
Tickets on sale now at UAC Ticket Central
MUSKET presents
Cabaret
November 9-12, Lydia Mendelssohn Theater.
Tickets available at the Mendelssohn Box Office.
Eclipse Jazz presents:
Art Ensemble of Chicago in concert
Friday, November 11, Saturday, November 12,
8 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. each pight.
Michigan League Ballroom
$3.50 general admission
Tickets available at UAC Ticket Central, Schoolkids Records,
both Discount Records in Ann Arbor and E. Lansing and the
Afganistan Banana Fruit Stand.
AEC Workshop
Friday, November 11, 3 p.m.
South Quad, West Lounge
Lecture and discussion for non-musicians
Saturday, November 12, 2 p.m.
Trotter House
Workshop for Musicians
Both workshops are free and open to the public.
Mediatrics presents:
*odspll
An exciting film version of the Broadway musical.
Friday, November 11, 7:30 p.m.,9:30 p.m.
The Longest Yard
Burt Reynolds playsquarterback in a football game between cons
and their guards. Hilarious.
Saturday, November 12, 7:30 p.m., 9:30 p.m.
All films in Nat. Sci. Aud. $1.50 admission.
Union Programming Committee presents:
Michigan Union White Elephant Sale
Saturday, November 12-Tuesday, November 15
11 a.m.-7 p.m., Michigan Union Ballroom
Over 5,000 items including: tables, chairs, couches, solidwood
doors, light fixtures, marble slabs, pool cues & racks, plate
warmers; and much much more. Cash only.
Artists & Craftsmen Guild presents:
Rose Slivka
Speaking on, "The Object of as Poet"
Tuesday, November 15, 8:00 p.m.
Pendleton Arts Information Center, 2nd floor of Michigan Union.
Free admission.
Ms. Slivka, editor of (AFTS HORIZON MAGAZINE, brings to a
close the "Objects-Insights-Yeats" lecture series co-sponsored
by the U-M Theatre Department.
Soph Show presents:
Applause
Winner of 1970 Tony Award for best musical.
December 1, 2, & 3. Mendelssohn Theatre.
Tickets on sale now at UAC Ticket Central.
UAC Ticket Central handles ticket sales for all UAC
"THE LIGIIIHER SIDE"
THE RBORS
with
STUDENTS!
The peer counselors in assertiveness training at
Counseling Services are offering a
Free 1 Day Workshop in
Assertiveness Training
Assertiveness Training is:
* Learning to speak up for your rights, feelings, and
opinions in a direct and honest manner.
" Learning to distinguish between assertiveness, non-
assertiveness, and aggression.
* Learning how these principles may be applied to your
everyday interactions.
Join other students in a participation-oriented small
Saturday, NOV. 19 atIS4OO pm
Hill Aud., 'lix@ Hill box NOV 9
A career in law-
without law school.
What can you do with only a bachelor's degree?
Now there is a way to bridge the gap between an
undergraduate education and a challenging, responsible
career. The Lawyer's Assistant is able to do work tradi-
tionally done by lawyers.
Three months of intensive training can give you the
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one of the seven courses offered-choose the city in
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Since 1970, The Institute for Paralegal Training has
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and corporations in over 80 cities.
If you are a senior of high academic standing and are
interested in a career as a Lawyer's Assistant, we'd like
to meet you.
Contact your placement office for an interview with our
representative.
We will visit your campus on:
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17
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