.THE MICHIGAN DAILY
rts & Entertainm ent Wednesday, March ,1977 Page Five
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By MIKE7
FEW YEAR
Rundgren se
to go down in r
as one of rock's
talents.
Unfortunately,
follow albums of
tunes and zany
experimental mu
likes of Utopia
three-keyboard ba
tion. As both albu
with seeminglyx
tronic jibberish,,
alienated what ha
a sizeable follow
ond Utopia albu
than the first, a
solo Faithful wa
that Rundgren'sx
might be return
still not up to p
ards, Ra (Bears'
recently released
record from Uto
of the ingenuity
melody that firs
gren famous is1
TU/NDGREN FLAIR RETURNING? 6
TAYLOR RRa is the first album to justify ty years after the facts), and
Utopia's existence as a band. "Jealousy," the songs have sur
tS AGO Todd Guitarist Rundgren has pared 'prisingly optimistic lyrics
emed destined down the three keyboardists' to "Communion with the Sun' is
nusical history one, Roger Powell, and replaced an anthem to the sun, "Eternal
most creative longtime bassist John Siegler Love" is a tribute to love, and{
with newcomer Kasim Sultan. "Magic Dragon Theatre" cele-'
he chose to Drummer John Wilcox com- brates life itself.
F brilliant pop pletes the streamlined band.' Especially adventurous is;
excursions into Most importantly, however, ev- "Singring and the Glass Guitar;
usic with the eryone shares in the songwrit- (An Electrified Fairytale)", the'
featuring a ing and singing chores. Rund- story of a happy place named
and, and Initia- gren produced the record and Harmony made miserable after
ems were filled writes and sings more than the its patron spirit Singring is cap-
mindless elec- others, but this is still very tured and imprisoned in a glass'
Runtdgrensoon much a group effort. 'guitar. Wind, Water, Fire, and
ad grown "to be;TEMSCicopewth Earth, each played instr umen-
wing. The sec-ITHE"MUSIC is complex with- tally and vocally by a different'
m was better out sounding overly intricate. b'and member, conspire to free
nd last year's Well developed, catchy melo- the spirit and restore happiness
s another sign dies, varied singing styles, and to Harmony. As one might ex
musical genius careful instrumentation prevail. pect, it doesn't completely work,
Wing. Although At times, Todd's ambition gets but it's a nice try.
revious stand- the better of him, and pretenti- No one can know for sure, but
ville BR 6965), ousness results, but for the most on the basic of Ra it would not
d, is the best part Ra is a highly enjoyable be unreasonable to expect that'
pia yet; much I musical experience. the magic Todd Rundgren was
and flair for With the exception of "Hiro-' conjuring up a few years ago'
t made Rund- shima," a protest song about, may be with us again not toof
back. Hiroshima and Nagasaki (thir- far off in the future."
By DEBORAH WITTBRADT
ANN ARBOR is known for. its shifting
eclectic mix of people. And local art-
ist James Wolf offers a style as changing
as the city's personality in paintings rang-
ing in subject from the concept of a cathe-
dral in a sun-lit barn to "Masai cattle, emp-
ty-eyes, blatant as demons trampling the
grainfield, raising a lighted dust."
Wolf's mdst recent exhibition was last
month at the Briarwood Mall. He spent sev-
eral months producing works - "all eight-
hour days locked up in the studio" - end-
ing in a three-day art show.
All his work is in acrylic, on clean sur-
faces. Most are frameless, with wide stretch-
'ers, striving for a single emotional impact..
Wolf's format also changes from oriental-
style animals on ricepaper such as in a
work entitled "The Emperor's pets-Plumed
Beasts" to abstract collages of color
In viewing Wolf's works and the many
exotic themes, the question on his source
of ideas is raised. Did he use. live models,
visit the far-awity places depicted in many
of his paintings?
No, Wolf admits, "I steal ideas. I come
across (an idea)in a magazine or maybe
another painting (9tc.) that would be bet-
ter if it were just changed in some way."
He chooses ideas that intrigue him, but
confesses to the occasional commercialism
of painting more for the - public than for
himself. His Cheetah serographs were made
for that purpose.
"I DID THAT TO GET (the nioney as-
pect) out of the way," he adds. "I didn't
really identify with anyting in the cat.
Then I could sit back and do my own ing."
Wolf's career in art started early. At
around 11 or 12 he was helping his father
in his profession as a commercial artist.
From there he went on to Cranbrook Art
School, then Oakland University, where he
studied sculpture with a favorite professor.
He left school during his -senior year to
protest the termination of his teacher, join-
ed a band named "Sojourn," and played
around Ann Arbor for about seven years.
In the fall of 1974 the group disbanded and
Wolf needed a job. He turned back to his
painting.
Currently a free-lance artist, Wolf lives
on commissions, profits from art fairs and
the like. But he is not confined to only what
will sell. Aside from his Cheetah painting
and a couple of portraits, he says, "I paint
for myself. When I paint, it's because there's
something I see that I like about people."
"I don't consider myself a finished stylist.
I'm experimenting and I'm going to keep
on experimenting,"'Wolf asserts.
Profile of a brushman
Daily Photo
Guitarist Muddy Waters as he appeared in Ann Arbor sev-
eral years ago.
--..
Muddy,
buddies:
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Hoc~~ kin th le
By MIKE TAYLOR cellaneous screaming", com-
1ANY ROCK 'N' ROLL loy- plebe the picture.-
s seem to believe that P A R T I C U LA RL Y(
Sl noteworthy is the diversity of
the ljazu rhyal came firs, Hard Again's material. A hosto
those forms can't hope to cor- of new Waters tunes are inter-!s
te with rock as loud, powerful spersed with standards penned e
esic. kby Waters and others. All are
music..blues numbers, but the tem- f
Muddy Waters' .first album pos and playing styles are con-
in years, Hard Again (Blue Sky stantly changing.!
$2Z 34449), should straighten Recently added to the Rolling
out a few of those folks. Team- Stones' performing repertoire,
ing 4p with a few old friends "IMannish Boy" was performed
including Johnny Winter on gui- by Waters at the Band's "Last
tar, James Cotton on harl, and Waltz". Here, this twenty-year1
"Pine Top" Perkins on piano, old tune opens the album sound-
Waters has made one of the ,ing fresh enough to have been
most exuberant albums of the written yesterday. The 61-year-;
year. It's a blues record, but ;old Waters sounds like a teen-
thanks to Winter's keen pro- I ager as he sings and with Win-
diction, it packs more punch ter spits out guitar chords that
than the average Led Zeppelin seem derived from Jimmy'-
or Aerosmnith album. Page (until one remembers
There's an honesty to this that Page was just a child when
musie that one rarely hears Muddy and his friends were
these days. Recorded live in helping invent this kind of mu-
the studio (no overdubs), the- sic).
record sounds remarkably fresh ; And so it continues. Hard
and alive. The band plays as if 'Again is an exciting album be-
they've been working together 'cause it proves that the blues
for years; their instrumentfl I can still be effective music in
interplay is a treat to listen 1 this age of loud rock 'n' roll
to. Muddy's forceful vocals, ; music. Muddy Waters is back,
combined with Winter's "mis- hopefully for a long, long time.}
Dizzy can't dance
By LARRY FRISKE - whole affair.
.ZZY GILLESPIE says this' GERRY MILLIGAN'S NEW
s hiLsiE"dancetal- SEXTET Idol Gossip (Chiaro-
ishisan itrst"dacedto;scuro 155) recording follows in
bum" and it may succeed to the grand tradition of all the
that limited degree. However, gret Mulligan groups. Before
if yo're searching for the - his own organizations like the
ventive improviser Gillespie Age of Steam and Concert Jazz
Dizzy's Party (Pablo 2310-784) A ofStamand Cort Jaz
is a huge disappointment. SBand, Mulligan wrote many'-
memorable pieces for the Miles
Gillespie is working with the Davis Nonet.
quartet which recently appear- In addition to the baritone
ed here for Eclipse Jazz - Mic- saxophone, for which Mulligan
key Roker, Ben Brown, Rodney - has, won the Downbeat Poll for
Jones, arCd, for this, recording, the last 20 consecutive years, a
tenor sax player Ray Pizzi and curved soprano sax is also em-
Paulinho da Costa, an exhila- ployed. Mulligan uses it to su-
rating Brazilian percussionist. premely subtle advantage on
Eventually the recording- gets "Walking On the Water" and
bogged down in the pre-occupa- "Taurus Moon." Idol Gossip is
Lion with rhythms, leaving Gil- a very interesting outing for
lespie and Pizzi, hanging as or- a too-seldom-heard master -
naments on the outside of the Gerry Mulligan.
TONIGHT s f14,
d STUDENT NIGHT
STUDENT ADMISSION ONLY 50c
AT "
App,.rinq thru Sunday
FREEWHEELIN'
994-S35Q 516 E, IBE 1T
By LARRY FRISKE called Basie Jam No. 2 (Pablo
THERE AREN'T too many' 2310-786).
azz - clarinetists around any- I Told You So showcases the
more but this Barney Bigard current Basie Band in all. its
session would be a gem from splendar. Some of the strongest
any era - Clarinet Gumbo I soloists include saxophonists
(RCA APL1-1744). Bigard goes Jimmy Forrest and Eric Dixon
back a 'long way - as a veteran - wiatch for them on "Too
of bands such as Louis Arm- Close For Comfort",
strong, Duke Ellington, and THERE'S A LOT of fine blow-
even King Oliver in the 1920's. - ing on Jam Session No. 2 from
ALSO NEW THIS MONTH 'veterans such as Benny Carter,
-rom Pablo are two superb re- Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis (one of
cordings led by Count Basie, I the great tenorists from the
,ecorded before his heart at- past Basie Bands), Clark Ter-
tack last year. One is the richly ry, Joe Pass and many, many
arranged date by Bill Holman more.
called I Told You So (Pablo Pass. shin es again on Virtu-
2310-767). The other is a wide- oso No. 2 (Pablo 2310"788), a
open, -stomping. jam session reprise of his first solo album.
UN IVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
G ilbert an~d Sullivan Society
Persons interested in positions of ARTISTIC
DIRECTOR, MUSIC DIRECTOR or SET DIREC-
TOR should contact MARY LOCKER-(HOME
483-3150 - WORK 311-4160) B E F O R E
MfARCH 21, 1971
I" IU11il!
This time he chooses mostly
contemporary cuts such as Col-
trane's "Giant Steps" and
Chick Corea's "500 Miles High".
Pass recorded "Misty" before
the death of its composer, Earl
Hines.
Presents
"Live" .n Ann Ar-bor
MON-"WED
MAR 14-15-"'16
B3RAINSaTO.RM
cove s3 0o
STARFIRE
DISCO
THURS.-FRI.-SAT.
FINE DINING
1:30 A "M9"0O PM
DAILYt
Clae S~rrfa~no S p"'n
'1
-
Human Sexuality
MARCH21,22 &23
kAARW3R 7Qfr:
II
I " fl isord rs of Gender Id n#i#v"