ARTS Sunday, November 21, 1982 The Michigan Daily Page 7 Art Ensemble delivers By Mike Belford REAT Black Music-Ancient to Future' read the embroidered banner adorning the stage set, and there was certainly a presence of the mystical undercurrent of black musical history running through Friday night's performance-from the ritual opening and elaborate make-up and costumes, to the almost ceremonial ending. The Art Ensemble played for only fif- ty minutes, relatively short for a jazz concert, but on reflection it was around the right length for their unique style of music. There were few pauses or breaks in the show, which makes it difficult to analyse separately, but neither was there completely free musical im- provisation-the underlying structure of a number of pieces being clearly ap- parent with dual horn lines from Lester Bowie and Roscoe Mitchell, carefully constructed introductions and thank- fully no extended instrumental solos. The set built slowly out of a seeming chaos of African drums, whistles, bells, gongs, and the concentrated bass playing of Malachi Favors into a smooth solid rhythmic platform for Bowie's fluid trumpet lines, and Mit- chell's quiet unhurried saxophone pun- ctuations. Drummer Famoudou Don Moye was particularly outstanding with a vast array of modern and old African per- cussion instruments, bongos, and steel bells, even playing the floor and walls of the theater and answering the call of an errant fire alarm at one stage. The music itself ranged from the measured pace of the many African tribal rhythms through Lester Bowie's cool swing to heavy New York street funk, complete with wailing police sirens, flashing red stage lights, and random gunshots from Joseph Jarman. I'm sure I also even caught snatches of Jimi Hendrix in there somewhere. All this seemingly a long way from the music's ancient origins but com- bined together so effectively on the night that the common bond between past and present was clearly evident. The Art Ensemble of Chicago, in this concise performance or 'projection' as they called it, conjured up the image of a unified body of music that was tight and solid, and yet managed to gather together and consolidate an astonishingly diverse range of sounds, noises, and musical styles into a coherent, exciting, and dynamic form that was almost impossible to label or categorize-a rare feat indeed. One last word must go to the Eclipse Jazz organization, celebrating their 100th concert on the night, and over the years responsible for attracting to Ann Arbor many well-known names and, faces within the field of contemporary jazz. wommor- A MM'A B ' INDIVIDUAL THEATRES thAv.of Liberty 751-9700 "'NOT A LOVE STORY' STRIPS BARE THE PORN WORLD" -NEW YORK POST A MOTION PICTURE ABOUT. . . PORNOGRAPHY NOT A LIOV STORY' Lester Bowie swings cool at Friday night's Art Ensemble of Chicago concert. Records Bill Nelson-'Flaming Desire and other Passions' EP (Jem) Top this sucker, Flock of Seagulls. Nelson, one of the few true artists -with a clear idea how music tech can and should be used, always had his heart in the right place. Ever since his break with Be Bop Deluxe a few years back, Bill has generated high level elec- tricity with synths, home tape recor- ders, and Red Noise. He makes no bones about who his i heroes are, or that he sees music as an opening, a part, of other creative ,pastimes. His soundtracks for theatrical productions of Das Kabinet (The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari) and La Belle et 1 a Bette (he even named his record company Cocteau Records) go far beyond accompaniment. His recent NME profile of French composer Eric Satie proved that Nelson is no typical synthopop musician. He's not an artsy-fart either. With "Flaming Desire" (also to be heard on the last full LP The Love That Whirls) and "Flesh," Nelson whips up some of the most tasteful erotica I have yet sampled. Understatement, urgency, beat, it's in there. Save a sax solo or two, Nelson plays pretty much everything on this EP. The result is; five finely honed tracks, though surprisingly not as "personal" (awful word, I know) as previous work on StopDreaming and Get On the Beam (take "Banal" to bed one night and you may hesitate to get up). Quite simply: I like Bill Nelson's music. I like this record. I recommend it and all previous releases to anyone able to overcome their natural aversion to unworldly sounds and strange twinges. (A plug for would-be blunt reviewing). -Ben Ticho Tom Waits and Crystal Gayle- 'One From The Heart' (Columbia) Now here's a peculiar combination: urban poet and blues fence Tom Waits, teamed up with country music sweetheart Crystal Gayle for the soun- dtrack of a Francis Coppola film which was a critical and financial bomb. One From The Heart, the soundtrack which appeared months after the movie had vanished from the nation's silver screens, is the by-product of this odd match-up, but it works remarkably well. To begin with, the album is Tom Waits' baby from start to finish. Coun- try fans of Crystal Gayle may be a little uncomfortable with this recording, as all the tunes are Waits compositions, styled in his usual alleyway blues and jazz mixture. It is much to Gayle's credit that she interprets each song so competently; there's just the faintest edge in her voice which fits the scenario extremely well. The vocal performances are fairly evenly divided: four duets, four Waits solos and three by Crystal Gayle. The album also includes an instrumental montage arranged by Waits and with orchestration conducted by Waits' con- federate Bob Alcivar: Of the duets, the best is easily "Picking Up After You," the funniest song Waits has written sin- ce "The Piano Has Been Drinking" from his 1976 LP, Small Change. Waits' rasping growl and Gayle's im- maculately smooth vocals provide a delightful contrast as the two portray grumbling roommates exchanging verbal snipes. It's a close contest, but waits comes out the winner by one line: ... tell me," he asks, "How long have you been combing your hair with a wrench?" Waits' voice sounds better than it has over his past two or three albums. His delivery is smoother and he's on-key at least half the time. Although his vocals are still half-whisper/half-growl, they're much clearer and more under- standable than on his last LP, Heartat- tack and Vine. As rough as Waits' voice is,-even in this improved state, it has always been the perfect medium for his songs. On One From The Heart he runs a full ex- pressive range of emotional settings, from tender ("This One's From The Heart") to dangerous ("You Can't Unring A Bell"), and from repentant ("I Beg Your Pardon") to seedy as hell ("Little Boy Blue"). Crystal Gayle's voice is a remarkable instrument in a completely different light. It's as free from blemish as vir- tually any voice could be, and she uses it to strike a careful balance with Waits. During her solo performances her phrasing is precise, and each song seems to shape itself for her. One example is "Old Boyfriends," which Waits has performed himself in the past. In his hands the song gives a feeling of resignation and bitterness. Gayle's performance of it on the album is more plaintive and emotionally ac- tive, rather than passive. Althoughthey stem from differing musical backgrounds, Tom Waits and Crystal Gayle have created a fine collaboration on One From The Heart. Their performances complement both each other and the tight musical arrangements, and the end result is a unique pairing with very pleasing results. -Michael Baadke POETRY READING with James McLain and Gloria House Reading from their works Monday, November 22 8 p.m. Guild House 802 Monroe 764-0558 764-0558 WARNING: THE GRAPHIC SUBJECT MATTER IN THIS FILM MAY BE OFFENSIVE TO SOME VIEWERSI FRI. MON.-6:40, 8:30, 10:20 SAT. SUN.-1:10, 3:00, 4:50, 6:40, 8:30, 10:20 SAT * SUN shows before 6:00 p.m. THE MOST PRAISED AND LOVED ROMANTIC FILM OF THE SEASONI RICHARD GERE DEBRA WINGER -& AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN (R) FRI. MON.-7:10, 9:20 SAT. SUN.-12:40, 2:50, 5:00, 7:10, 9:20 Jazz and ragtime benefit church overlap but differ in significant areas, mission will be at the door only and will By Knute Rife promising to give the bash extra be $5, $4 for students and senior ___________________________ dimension. citizens. Refreshments will be served Open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday 9:30 a.m. 'til 5:30 p.m., Thursday and Friday 9:30 a.m. 'til 9:00 p.m. A BASH, a concert, a festival, and a jam session all rolled into one. And heading in this direction. Bill Bolcom, Jim Dapogny, and Bill Albright, all piano faculty members with the school of music, are throwing a jazz and ragtime bash this Sunday at 8 p.m. in the First Unitarian Universalist Church at 1917 Washtenaw. Soprano Joan Morris will also put in an ap- pearance. The music will range from the 1890s to the 1940s and include such styles as stride, boogie-woogie, and blues as well as ragtime and jazz. Composers featured will include Scott Joplin, Eubie Blake, George Gersh*in, Jelly Roll Morton, W. C. Handy, and Fats Waller. In addition the program will in- clude, the local premier of James P. Johnson's "Yamecraw: A Rhapsody," which probably has not been performed in public in 40 years. The three pianists are all recognized authorities in the field of traditional jazz and leaders of the ragtime revival. Dapogny said that the three were drawn together by their common in- terests but that each has his own favorite era and own distinctive ap- proach. Their interests and styles The bash is a benefit for te er irs during intermission. Unitarian Universalist Church. Ad- The University of Michigan Gilbert and Sullivan Society presents or The King of Barataria December 8, 9, 10, 11 Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre Ann Arbor, Michigan hurs. St rdetS .00p!i!- / t= :. __, f~ > . An ever ning with r, ~w wuN 00% __ ,,° . '! 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