Wednesday, May 23, 973
Ia1 AL
THE SUMMER DAILY
Page Five
THE SUMMER DAILY Page Five
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Schechtman captures
a myriad of moods, emotions
By GLORIA JANE SMITH
Every so often while listening,
to some relatively unknown mu-
sician at a coffeehouse or during
the first set of a three-bill con-
cert, the thought strikes me - if
only enough people would listen,
this singer could make it big. -
Jack Schechtman is one such
talented artist who just hasn't
received the full acclaim he de-
serves. But that's not to say that
his time won't come. A Columbia
recording artist and frequent per-
former at various coffeehouses
sprinkled throughout the States
and his Canadian homeland,
Schechtman nonetheless consid-
ers himself a "Canadian" artist.
"Home is not only where your
roots are, but where your head
feels."
Although Scheuhtman re<oem-
bers his childhood as a time when
he was "constantly playing oas-
ketball," he did break into the
business during his early teens.
As a member of a group of
a capella singers named tisau
and the Arrows, Jack remembers
singing in the subways "against
the tile walls to create an echo
chamber." They sang today's
golden oldies - songs like "In
Summer Daily
A ~rts
iYY1 I I Y O
Schechtman shows definite prom-
ise. Watching him perform re-
cently at the Raven Gallery in
suburban Detroit, I have to lay
my bets on Jack to rise in the
field soon.
On stage, his dark curly hair
tied firmly back, Jack pours out
lyrics that reflect the life of a
man who has felt the emotions
of a myriad of moods. His eyes
collect in their span the approv-
al of a variety of people as he
reaches out to an audience with
gentle ballads and rollicking sing-
along songs. The 26-year-old ar-
tist seems at once convincingly
sincere.
Sounds are basically mellow
and occassionally drift into coun-
try rock. Jack's voice peaks
high, resonates, and falls. Backed
by his own work on both twelve
and six string guitar and Ben
Mink on guitar, mandolin and
electric violin, Jack's lyrics mesh
almost intuitively with his mu-
sic.
About eight years ago, Schecht-
man began working the New
York Village circuit - small folk
clubs and the like. During the
years that followed, he did a lot
of listening, mostly to the music
of Jimmie Rogers, Billie Holi-
day and Richard Farina. Al-
though a fan of all three, he hesi-
tates to say that his music has
been influenced by them.
Jack sings mostly his own ma-
terial, because "It's difficult to
find lyrics that I can relate to."
And since his move to Toronto
nearly five years ago, Jack has
been "writing heavily," A ma-
jority of his lyrics come from
personal experiences. "Those ly-
rics sometimes haunt me," he
says. "They become truer. Es-r
,pecially those with lots of
strength and integrity. You have
to be able -to live up to your own
songs."
How does he feel about other
musicians recording his mater-
ial? "Freaky," is his firstmreac-
tion, but then "after you write a
song, it's really out of your
hands." Peter Yarrow (of Peter,
Paul and Mary fame) is cur-
rently curing "Razor" (a song
previously recorded by Peggy
Lee) and "On Cherry Mountain."
Others, including John Denver,
are currently laying down plans
to record Schechtman material.
Born in a displaced persons'
camp near Bari, Italy, and rais-
ed in New York City, Jack
Gloria Jane Smith is the Daily's
Arts Editor.
the Still of the Night" and "Eart
Angel."
His debut album Jack Scheht-
man (Columbia KC 31339) was
released late last year. "T h e
Road Rolls On," a cut off that
album, is currently receiving air
play nationally.
His time is now consumed with
recording his second album,
scheduled to be released early
this fall. Jack becomes excited
when he talks about the album
which will feature Mink more
than the first. "Our producers
see recording as a visual med-
ium. For example, they view
back-sip vocals in a song as sim-
ilar to clouds in a rural land-
scape."
Married and the father of an
adorable little girl, Jack Schecht-
man often finds himself homesick
while on the road. But he's a de-
voted artist who "gets energy"
from his audiences and who in
turn gives to those who listen a
singular and sensitive perception
of people.
The
By DAVID GRUBER
Were it not for Laurence Oliv-
ier and Michael Caine and a
clever script by Anthony Shafer,
Sleuth would be something less
than a moderately likeable mov-
ie. It would also be much less
than a suspense movie, for its
director, Joseph L. Mankiewicz
is no Alfred Hitchcock. Where
Hitchcock, in his best films, is
a director with subtle style, Man-
kiewicz is a director with clout,
i.e., in the case of Sleuth, one
who doesn't know the meaning
of subtlety. He bludgeons the aud-
ience with his movie's theme
ttttttttJ-tS ".sr,5 a.Ot.5 'ii. . -=,
"Mankiewicz has tried to cre-
ate a success by keeping his
film very rigidly within its dra-
matic form. The result is a bit
of fun, and an unwelcome let-
down."
while doing little with the cam-
era to support the tensions be-
tween characters. The actors are
left to carry the movie through.
Olivier gives a marvelous per-
formance as Andrew White, a
well-known and greatly self-lov-
ed detective story writer. He
prides himself on his knowledge
of crime and police methods, and
has a penchant for playing out
Jack Schechtman
mystery of, 'Sleuth'
his story ideas on real people.
Seemingly for a lark, he invites
his wife's lover, Milo Tindall
(Caine), to his home to play a
little game with him, one which
ends with a very real disaster.
Olivier takes his boisterous char-
acter through ranges of eccentric-
ity, sarcasm, apprehension, an-
ger, and deep emotional pain in
his confrontation with Milo; he
brings him around from a comi-
cal and almost diabolical absurd-
ity to face a definite threat to his
life, Caine, for his part, is much
more straight forward, and pre-
sents a strong opponent to h is
formidable host, His only prob-
lem is that he slips out of the
realm of believability at the most
crucial moments, and threat-
ens to break down the already
weak suspense.
While the two exchange pleas-
antries and venemous passions,
the camera is merely standing
around. It moves into action only
when it finds a chance to empha-
size the themes, and this, unfor-
tunately is quite often. White's
home is a veritable doll's house;
his living room is filled with
moving puppets - miniature and
life-size - one of which White
has endowed with his own voice.
How appropos; the game-player
surrounds himself with mechani-
cal replicas of reality. Mankie- able conclision, the time when
wicz zooms in on them all re- the game playing goes beyond
peatedly, in case we don't catch its rational limits, which is the
the connection. After not too long time when the murdered must be
a time, one becomes annoyed discovered.
with the whole bunch. Sleuth was originally a Broad-
Moreover, the mystery of way play, written by Anthony
Sleuth is easily guessed, and at Shaffer and starring Patrick Mc-
times suffers from faulty.reason- Nee, the former Avenger. While
ing though, when one is caught on Broadway it was evidently -a
up in Olivier's plight at the end, great success. Mankiewicz has
this can be (kerlooked.) When a tried to create a success by keep-
thriller is soived before it deliv- ing his film very rigidly within
ers all its thrills, it dan lag, to its dramatic form. The result is
say the least. The one thing that a bit of fun, and an unwelcome
finally saves Sleuth from going letdown. Sleuth is . a very good
under altogether, aside from the story which was unfortunately
actors, is the wait for the inevit- mismanaged.
CAROLE KING-following a two-year absence, Carole King
returns to the concert scene this summer in a 13-city
tour. Locally, she will appear at Pine Knob Music Thea-
tre on May 28. Tickets available by mail-order only.
JOHN STEWART-former Kingston Trio member John Ste-
wart will appear at the Raven Gallery in Southfield on
May 24-7. Tickets, available at Hudson's and Grinnells.
HUMBLE PIE-England's Humble Pie will appear in concert
with Black Oak Arkansas at Detroit's Cobo Arena May 23.