ARTS Page 6 Tuesday, September 30, 1980 The Michigan Daily Jazz history reconsidered Arthur Blythe looks in from the outside By MARK COLEMAN Arthur Blythe's initial Ann Arbor ap- pearance lent solid support to his growing reputation as one of the most exciting new voices in jazz. Opening the final show of Eclipse's third annual festival, the alto saxophonist displayed a distinctive, commanding style as he combined a variety of modern influence with a unique historical approach. B1 ythe performed on Sunday with his "In The Tradition" quartet-pianist John Hicks and the rhythm section from Air, bassist Fred Hopkins and drummer Steve McCall-who specialize in bold re-workings of jazz standards from Ellington to Coltrane. Their approach is brash and irreverent but surprisingly satisfying; no matter how far outside they may take the ac- tual playing, the group stays in con- stant touch with the spirit of the orig- inal. INTRODUCING "Miss Nancy" as "Alias for Fats," Blythe led the group in a boisterous "tribute" to Fats Waller, thickening Fats' self-assured swing and polyrhythmic density. From his first solo onward Blythe showed an unerring sense of melody, guiding the wildest excursions and "special effec- ts" with fluidity and taste. Blythe's tone is unique: warm and emotional, but at the same time asserive and crisp. His solos reflect the quality of his ideas rather than the quantity, savoring a melody and expanding it rather than running roughshod over it. Blythe's improvising style was best illustrated on a slow blues mid-way through the - set. Staying remarkably close to the actual melody, he manipulated dynamics and phrasing expertly, taking this blues riff a few places it had never been. Hopkins and McCall, meanwhile, churned out a chunky stew of rhythm that became backbreakingly complex without for- saking the original progression. These two achieve a loose dexterity that per- mits them to skip lightly where any other rhythm section would tread on toes. The "in the tradition" concept was put to the ultimate test on the quar- tet's rendition of "Naima" and it definitely passed. While remaining faithful to the original version, Blythe's distinctive tone replaces the open- ended spiritualism of Coltrane with a stylized abandon that gives this already-realized composition a new vibrancy. Arthur-Blythe and In The Tradition are at the forefront of an important rein- vestigation of the roots of jazz. They may never bridge the gap between post- Coltrane experimentalism and the history that preceeds it, but they have found a vital link, a musical perspec- tive both innovative and accessible. And that's a tradition with a future. 1 -THIS WEEK OTt MOND6Y PIZZA NIGHT " TUESDRY JAM SESSION live music, no cover - 4 ^ ' ,< WED N ESD BOAT NIGH' C;ouq lY T u RSDOY HER NIGHT SOT :NE no cover ipaito . Unjversity XI1 TiHl PITC Vaughn glows FRI t SECTIK live music,r By JOSHUA PECK When an average vocalist sings a descending run, one merely hears a descending run. When Sarah Vaughn sings one, it's an invitation. It comes as something of a surprise to sit in a hall with 100-plus people and yet to feel in- dividually attended to, butthat, perhaps, is the core of Sarah's long- lasting charm. KEEP AHEAD OF YOUR HAIRI 0 4 Barbers * No Waiting e Men & Women THE DASCOLA STYLISTS " E. Univ. at S. Univ. *" Liberty off State rfi 1140S 66884 Sarah is fascinating. That's the first word out of her mouth when she laun- ches her act with Gershwin's "Fascinatin' Rhythm," and it sums up her technique quite nicely. In the Ger- shwin tune, for example, she breaks in- to scat singing after a couple-of verses and vocally dances circles around the already complicated meter of the song. Sarah is soulful. She's not a soul singer, mind you, but her vocalization belies a spirit as deep and multi-colored as a religious revelation. Her second tune shows off her versatility, as she jumps from the throatiest, most com- manding notes of her lower register to the most vulnerable, girlish tones of her arch-soprano, and makes them both sound sincere. SARAH IS PRECISE. When she sings scat, it doesn't matter how fast she's going; you can watch her pick her every note with her mind's eye, and sing just that one. Her trills alone are a national treasure. Sarah is funny. She finishes one num- ber, and an overeager clown in the crowd shouts, "Hi, Sarah." Without batting an eyelash, she gives him a casual wave and coos, "Hi,}baby." Late in the show, she asks for requests, pretends to listen carefully to each and every one, and then goes on with the number she was planning in the first place. And when she sits at the piano and discovers its Steinway shine, she starts musing, as if to herself, "I'm gonna steal this piano." She hums a few bars and then sings introspectively Braxton: So alone By MARK COLEMAN The frontiers of solo performance in jazz are extending to other musical instruments besides the piano, but so far it's been musical ground where only the bravest of musicians and listeners have dared to tread The exploration of unaccompanied reeds and percussion was begun by the Chicago-based Association for the Advancement of Creative Music in the sixties, boldly talented avant-gardists who turned to the solo context out of aesthetic, economic, and political necessity. In the past decade Anthony Braxton and the individual members of the Art Ensemble of Chicago have pursued this format to the point of near-perfection, but some critical qualms and objections remain. Crudely stated, it comes down to this: can free jzz stand on its own? In the case of Anthony Braxton's Sunday performance in the tiny RC Auditorium, the answer is a resounding yes. This alto saxophonist asserted himself as the current master of the solo performance, not merely through his considerable virtuosity and intensity, but by the originality of his total approach to music. Freed from the rhythmic and melodic requirements of Daily Photo by DAVID HARRIS Anthony Braxton put on a pair of solo recitals in the RC auditorium Sunday to kick off Eclipse's Bright Moments series of smaller shows. Armed with only his alto sax, Braxton performed a series of free-ranging improvisations that simply had to be heard to be believed. accompaniment, Braxton is able to develop his singularly unique concept of structure unhindered, and the listener can sit back and absorb the architec- tual grandeur of it all, unobstructed. BRAXTON TAKES an empirical approach to soloing, constructing in- terlocking patterns of scalar symmetry, imposing order and logic to the most sonically diverse elements imagineable. Braxton uses every sound available through an alto saxophone in concise compositions that range from the cacophonic to the catatonic at once, in an angular, maze-like intricacy. None oil this would be possible if Braxton wasn't a superlatively gifted per former. He can turn a neo-bop progression into emotional barb-wire, twist that into sharp lyricism, then incorporate the sound of his breathing and hand-movements into the music-all during one five-minute piece! And though he's improvising much of the time, there's never a random-sounding or misplaced note-even when he's playing what sounds like 4000 notes a minute. The subtle discipline in Braxton's approach works as structure, but never as stricture. Despite his stoic reserve on stage, Braxton becomes vividly expressive and emotionally wide-ranging as soon as he puts reed to lips. One can't help wondering again and again: what it going through this man's head? "The "answer" to that question lies in each individual's inter- pretation of the music, as does the clue to its accessibility. Successful solo jazz performances, like Anthony Braxton's, produce music that may be more fun to think about than they are to listen to. 4e r 4 ..md . ,+"G ':1 r W t. i w b .SAY w I 4 t 0 0 0 0 Discover public radio 89.1 fm See "SARAH," Page 7 .1 - f, All is coming through .. . Tiny perfs around a perfectly proper Pappagallo pump prove that perfection is truly a Pappagallo trait. Snob .$64 Shop for Pappagallo 241 E. Liberty Ann Arbor, MI 663-2637 Master tharge- Visa-American Express Open 10-5:30; 10-7 Fri. RUTH'S [HOME RUN ! COOPERISTOWN, -N.Y. (AF)-', Here's the latest on the long-ago episode in the 1932 World Series in- volving Babe Ruth of the Yankees and the home run he allegedly called again- st the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field: Eric Painter, then the trainer of the. Yankees, detailed this account for the Baseball Hall of Fame: "When Ruth came up in the fifth inning of the third game, the crowd and the Cubs were on him. The first pitch from Charley Root,@ was a strike. The crowd roared in ap- proval. Ruth turned toward the stands° and held up one finger. "Root put over another strike and the Babe held up two fingers. Then, before digging in, he swept his arm full length toward the center field fence. The next pitch landed over that fence for a home run.,, "WE NEED YOU"-for WEMU WEEK 10 Fun Filled Days-October 4th thru 13th *SATURDAY, OCTOBER 4th-MIDNIGHT FUN RUN Registration: McKenny Union-Eastern Michigan University 10:00 p.m.-$5.40 per person. Includes "T" Shirt, Prizes, After Party *SUNDAY, OCTOBER 5th-JAZZ CABARET Gabriel Brother's New Orleans Jazz Band Washtenaw Country Club $5.00 per person-4:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m. Listen to WEMU 89.1 fm for details on the Monday thru Thursday activities FUN-D RAISER FRIDAY, OCTOBER 10th till MONDAY, OCTOBER 13th Special Programs-Live Entertainment-Prizes & Surprises The Best of Public Radio, But Only With Your Support Mall to: WEMU, 426 King Hall, Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, MI 48197 -- A- - - Y _ _ _ _ Lt- t ".. Il 'N.N 1 \e COUNSELING SERVICES IS NOW OFFERING THE FOLLOWING COUNSELING GROUPS: SOCIAL SKILLS: This therapy'group for men and women will focus on difficulties in initiating and maintaining interpersonal relationships. Such tech- niques as relaxation, assertiveness training and communication skill building will be used. WOMEN WITH WEIGHT PROBLEMS: This group combines discussion, insight, support and some behavior modification to help women deal with weight problems. GENERAL THERAPY: Personal problems, particularly those that appear in interpersonal dilemmas, will be addressed in a coed setting. MINORITY ISSUES: This counseling-therapy group is designed for black men and women to deal with minority concerns such as self-concept, procrostina- ARE YOU LETTING CLASSES GET TO 00