4 ARTS Page 6 Saturday, September 10, 1983 The Michigan Daily Musical fun with James Lee By Jim Boyd W HAT'S IN A name? Bobby Earle James and Carter Randall Todd are fictitious musicians but I'll bet that you can tell me what kind of music they play anyway. Innocuous, noncommital type stuff. Their "comfortable" names tip you off. You can mix 'em and match I I 'em and you always get the same thing - kind of like their music. Introducing James Earle... er ... Bobby James . . . They're hard to remember and usually for good reason. But James Lee Stanley, who is playing at the Ark Sunday night, is much more than another musician with three first names. He is a sensitive, in- sightful, witty performer of the first or- der. One would typify his music as maybe folk - funk? I mean it's hard to say. He's a little bit James Taylor and a lit- tle bit B.B. King. His style has even been described as being that of a "mellowed Elton John." Elton never exactly bit the heads off of pigeons but I guess I know what they mean. Stanley (or James) plays the guitar like James Taylor and the piano like Elton John and he sings better than both of them. The instrumentation is basic but the sound is very sophisticated. He is adept at the con- struction of intricate progressions and it leaves his music with little trace of cliche. He does the rock 'n roll thing and he does the love song thing but that's not all! He's also very funny, spicing up his act with jocular dialogue. His goal is to put the audience perfectly at ease and he achieves it with great style. He is a I ANN 1ARBORFJ7 I i r INDIVIDUAL THEATRES 5th Ave oft berty 761-9700 $2.00 WED, SAT, SUN SHOWS TIL 6pm 4th & FINAL WEEK NO BOOZE! NO SMOKING! RODNEY - DANGERFIEILD EA$7 .......... M ONEY (R) MON-7:30, 9:40 SAT. SUN-1:30, 3:30, 5:30, 7:30, 9:40 /2 OnCe ant Theatre Studio 711 N. University, Ann Arbor MI 48104 relaxed professional who possesses a very polished style and manner. Okay, so he's not a big name, at least not yet. The great thing though, is that one gets the feeling that he's confident enough to not really care about that. It's no fun to be at a smallish concert and feel as though the performer is only doing this to pay his dues on the way to Madison Square Garden. James Lee Stanley doesn't let you think that for a minute. Another good thing about this concert is that it's being held at the Ark. The Ark is an experience in and of itself and really shouldn't be missed. It might not be for you but one should definitely not pass up the chance to go. It is a relaxed atmosphere and probably the ideal set- ting in which to see this very able per- former. Attention. Interested in testing your skills as a thespian? The University Players will hold auditions for Spell #7 by Ntozake Shange Monday September 12, 6-10 p.m. Call backs are Tuesday, Septem- ber 13, 6-10 p.m. All auditions and call backs will be held in the New Trueblood Arena in the Frieze Building. Aspiring actors should prepare a two- minute monologue either from the play or from another dramatic or poetic theater piece. . Sign-up sheets for audition times are posted on the first floor of the Frieze Building across from the Arena. Performances are planned for October 19-23 in the Power Center. Scripts are available for study at the Professional Theatre Program, 763- 5213. DETROIT AREA 3RD PHOTO FLEA MARKET & TRADE SHOW Live Model Photo Session New-Used Photo Equipment Buy-Sell-Trade - FREE APPRAISALS " Sat., Sept. 10, 10 am-5 pm 50C Sun., Sept. 11, 10 am-4 pm DEARBORN CIVIC CENTER D his Ad Wih U (corner of GreenfielId) ........s 15801 MI Ave., Dearborn 313/884-2242 4 4 James Lee Stanley will perform a little bit of musical fun Sunday night at the Ark. M'oustapha Akkad presents Gerard Depardieu Nathalie Baye in The Return Of Marin G uerre For a current schedule oftthese and other classescal995-4242 Records - The Rockats -'Make That Move' (RCA) The Rockats aren't rockabilly newcomers. They've been around at least as long as that other cat band, the Stray Cats, and bassist Smutty Smiff's tatoos have been around longer than the S-Cats' (he's got more, too). Like the Stray Cats, the Rockats spent some time in England, where lead singer Dibbs Preston comes from. Unlike the Stray Cats, the Rockats have changed since their original concep- tion, mainly in the personnel depar- tment, once upon a time being Levi and the Rockats, and once upon another time having ex-New York Doll Jerry Nolan as a drummer. Also unlike the Stray Cats, the Rockats have not gained tremendous popularity: So, not getting the fame and fortune sought after, the Rockats have done a little experimenting, straying from the straight rockabilly style. As a con- sequence, things have gotten a bit thickly produced. Even more distur- bingly, keyboards (and not good old Jerry Lee rockin' pianos) have been implemented. The full disastrous results can be heard on side one of the six-song "mini LP," rendering exactly half the songs useless. Smokey Robinson's "One More Heartache" gets an interesting treat- ment, but overall, side one sounds a lot like MTV. Side two rocks perfectly enough, though. Things speed up, the drums become more than just a dance beat,' and the cats get enthusiastic with "Go Cat Wild," Much much difference now felt. "Never So Clever," an original, is the best of the record. A great Misfits-like choral "oh oh oh uh-uh ohhh" is what really makes it. The stand-up bass' line. helps. "Make That Move,"' another written by band members, is all right, but they aren't making that move quick enough vocally. The sound is just too big to keep up. Make That Move seems to be a con- fusing record for the Rockats. They're still able to put out music as cool as "Room to Rock," but it might be that they don't want to. - Joe Hoppe MON-7:25, 9:30 SAT, SUN- :10, 3:15, 5:20; 7:25, 9:30 : I STARTS FRI 19/ 16 "PUBERTY BLUES" (R) Bleak t j , T t .. . , ox, . , Su Y, z. --._- , ,Nn " ! ! a <