.THE MICHIGAN DAILY rts & Entertainm ent Wednesday, March ,1977 Page Five ." ........, ., . A::rcJ.y;:a'.".nh :.t:a:::.i~n:e:xl.inv'n':"M-0"iFi+YK~<5N"h:4.A^' i!1+'':.': :. ph'.$W"f"lAK.' t. :W': iW.nA i 1 1 .l 'Ra 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: n .m,'r~ 4 c - e I 4 L,7 U U IlkA1 EYWhCl "." ...r..: ".v: ",..."" :.ar. :.n : y ,y .=" .:: o:r:: rv" y: .......:: .:w;a.v.~^:" : . . . .V ,..,,~,"i;.trr:: . 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"