ARTS

The Michigan Doily

Sunday, September 18, 1983

Page 5

Murphy impresses Rick's crowd

By Mike Cramer
HE ATMOSPHERE at Rick's
T American Cafe wasn't much dif-
ferent last Friday night from the at-
'mosphere on any other Friday night.
By 9:30 p.m. the place was crowded -
but not packed. People were playing
foosball and tossing darts and sitting
'around drinking and laughing. A couple'
of heads turned when a muscular man
in faded jeans and a baseball cap
walked through the room and headed.
backstage.
At 9:55 p.m., the same guy casually
picked up a guitar and stepped onto the
stage. The atmosphere changed. The
man was former Blues Brothers
guitarist Matt "Guitar" Murphy, and
everyone was there to hear him play.
He was greeted with whoops, cheers,
and a kazoo solo by an enthusiastic fan
in Blues Brothers-like sunglasses and a
Burger King crown.
Berryman
t_40.

Before he played anything, Murphy
made friends with the audience:
"We're gonna boogie for you tonight!,"
he said. The crowd seemed to like the
idea. The crowd seemed to like Matt.
Better yet, Matt seemed to like the
crowd.
It was also clear that Matt likes his
band: four musicians and a vocalist
whom Murphy handpicked to play with
him. He introduced them to the crowd
before the first song, and indicated that
they would be just about as important
to the show as he would be. Although he
was the obvious leader of the band,
Matt never hogged the stage.
Murphy opened with a rocking jazzy
blues (bluesy jazz?) tune called "Back
at The Chicken Shack." This hot num-
ber displayed the immense talent and
spirit of Matt and his band, and set the
pace for the evening. Feet were tapping
early on, and heads were bobbing; by
the fifth song, the dance floor was
packed.

Matt and his band played a variety of
famous songs, including The Blues
Brothers' "Soul Man" and "Gimme
Some Lovin'," Otis Redding's "Dock of
the Bay," "Misty," Chuck Berry's
"Johnny B. Goode," and J.J. Cale's
"Cocaine."
In fact, the two long sets were a great
mix of traditional blues, jazz, rock 'n'
roll, and upbeat soul/R&B. But accor-
ding to Murphy, these musical labels
don't mean much: "Man, the blues is in
everything.. . I play somethin' dif-
ferent every night. . . it's like, look at
the sun . .. Every day's different,
every day's the same." To Murphy,
music is music - it's all different, but it
all comes from the same roots - or
something like that.
Murphy probably gets this attitude
from his years of experience ("I've
been playing the blues since I found out
I was a black person."), and his wide
range of influences from the blues, jazz,
and rock fields. (There I go again, using
musical labels that don't mean

anything). That wide range of influen-
ces certainly showed in the music he
chose to play Friday night, and the skill
with which he and his band played it.
As I indicated earlier, talent is not the
only asset of the Matt Guitar Murphy
Band. Matt's stage attitude seems
similar to his attitude on music - open
and carefree. As he jammed the
evening away, he appeared to enjoy
himself thoroughly. And I don't think it
was because the crowd loved him; I
think it was because he loves the music
he plays. The blues, that is, because the
blues is in everything.
All told, the Matt Guitar Murphy
Band played close to three hours of
crowd-pleasing music. Said one fan af-
ter the rousing encore set of "Gimme
Some Lovin"' and "Cocaine," "Shit. I
almost went to see Santana tonight. No
way would Santana have been this
good!"
I think most of the Rick's crowd
would agree.

Come to the Comic Opera Guild's
MASS MEETING
for its 10th Season Activities, including
BABES IN TOYLAND
and
THE MERRY WIDOW
These two operettas are a great opportunity for singers, instrumentalists, dancers and artists.
Come and discover what part suits YOU, then get in on our biggest year ever!
TUESDAY, SEPT. 23, 7:30 PM
ANN ARBOR PUBLIC LIBRARY
For more information, call 761-5cog
Registration begins September 19
Classes begin October 3
University Artist and Craftsmen Guild
Calligraphy Acrylic Painting

Drawing 1&2
Bookbinding
Silk screening on Fabric
Graphic Design

Ceramics
Drawing on Right Side
of the Brain


's rock the
1 s'

Change your evening routine
Try us

Ark with song anc wit

Leaded Glass
Photography 1&2
Jewelry
Watercolor 1

Weaving
Quilting
Figure Drawing
Chinese brush painting

By Deborah Robinson
D O YOU buy generic food? If so,
stay away from the frozen peas.
According to Peter and Lou Berryman,
who perfomed this weekend at the Ark,
they taste like cork. Unless you have a
use for a lot of small green bulletin
boards, steer clear.
The Berrymans joked and sang about
a number of mundane topics, including
vegitarian delights. Love and food
seem to be among Peter's main in-
terests (he writes most of the lyrics)
while Lou devises most of the tunes. She
said they were mostly waltzes, and af-
ter playing a waltz which ridiculed her
obsession with them, she apologized to
dancers who found themselves spinning
as fast as tops and giving up before the
song ended.
Lou and Peter do a good job of
making fun of themselves. Their humor
is at times blunt, but always friendly.
Peter felt obliged to explain to the
crowd just why a music stand complete
with songbook was standing before
them. "We have terrible memories.
Problem is we have bad handwriting
too."
An example of the catchy songs they
did not forget however, went like this:
(to the tune of La Cucarracha) "Up in
Wisconsin/up in Wisconsin/the weather
isn't very nice/up in Wisconsin, up in
Wisconsin, they have to fish right

through the ice." By the way, they're
from Wisconsin.
Probably the Berryman's best chan-
ce for commerical success in the future
is in songs like the "Windowshop Bop,"
"Naked and Nude," and "Are you
drinking water with me, Jesus?" The
latter explains itself. The first two are
marvelous inventions during which we
experience the extent of Lou's lead ac-
cordian talents, Peter's rhythm guitar,
and the combination of the couple's
swoony and low bouncy voices.
"Casting funny business aside, who
are these people? "Who hm I?" sings
Lou. "Who am I?" sings Peter. "I'd like
to hear Mr. Rodgers sing that one,"
they agree. They are a couple of
hopelessly entrenched wits, committed
to wry social commentary.
The Berryman's have a special gift
for satire, subtle at times, and certainly
more effective on stage than on vinyl --
they have made two albums - they ha-
ve a spark which may be the fire of the
'80s. It must go back to their married
draft-dodging days.
The newest song, and Peter's first at-
tempt at a protest song, has no name,
but it's about defrosting the
refrigerator - something about old
broccoli that has turned pink and a
piece of bread, that looks like a twenty
dollar bill, .and remember hiding under
your desk at school to practice in case
of nuclear attack, and a jar of
sauerkraut, unless you let it become
sour kraut.

For free brochure call 763-4430. or stop by room 2400
Michigan Union

Lou and Peter Berryman brought their hilarious singing act to the Ark
Friday night. _

Another song the Berrymans shared
was written after "spending a weekend
with grownups." Amazing how kids see
things so clearly sometimes, even if it
sounds pretty hokey when they tell you
about it.

A rs Musica celebrates Bach

By Laura Pedersen
S ITTING ON THE edge of your seat
and waiting with bated breath for
the release of the , next vibration of
sound is not what you may expect to be
doing at a Baroque musical concert.
However, that's exactly what hap-
pened Friday night at Bethlehem Chur-
pch when Ars Musica inaugurated their
14th annual season.
The audience was entirely captivated
by each perfectly executed piece. As
the intensity subsided after the final
thrilling note was struck, the entire
crowd had to relax back into their seats
before starting a thunderous round of
applause.
Vivaldi's phantasmagorical La Notte
sent shivers up and down your spine as
the strings resounded in complete har-
lmony. The all-star cast of composers
also included the mellow and vivacious

pieces of Mozart, Beethoven, and
Rameau, also performed with sen-
sational precision.
Spotlighted during the evening was
the new set of baroque instruments
looking quite handsome amongst the
array of long black dresses and elegant
tuxedos. The instruments hardly
resembled the expected museum relics.
The beautifully polished wood was as
new and shiny as a living room set in
Town and Country magazine.
"There is a certain magical unity
which results from the combination of
instruments all built by the same
maker," explained musical director
Lyndon Lawless after Friday evening's
performance. All of the flashy new
string and keyboard instruments were
builty by Keith Hill. The impressive
grandeur of the fortepiano and touching
delicacy of the harpsichord added to the
emotional appeal of the concert.

The concert was a smashing success
with Mozart's Eine kleine Nachtmusik
being one of the highlights. Masterful
instrumentation and the fabulous
acoustics of Bethlehem Church added
to the magic of this piece.
Featured in Ars Musica's upcoming
concerts will be Johann Sebastian
Bach's Orchestral Suites in com-
memoration of his 300th birthday.
Tickets are still available through the
Michigan Box Office.

P ALMER FIELD will be alive this
afternoon, not with the sounds of
baseball bats and cleats, but with the
sound of music, as the campus-wide
party FestiFall is kicked-off at noon.
Sponsored by MSA, Eclipse Jazz,
Students Alumni Council, and
Recreational Sports Department, the
event touts four bands and six hours of
music. Performing will be Fast Tracks,
an uptempo jazz group; a reggae band
imported from Pittsburgh; Shoo-be-doo
show; a Detroit funk band; and Ann
Arbor's own Urbations.
For those interested in getting in-
volved with the Big 'U,' but find the
thought of spending several hours at
mass meetings too boring to even con-
sider, more than 50 student groups will
set up booths to talk to anyone who's in-
terested.
For those who find epicurean delights
more exciting than good music and
stimulating conversation, refreshmen-
ts will also be available.
If you can't make it down for the big
shibang anytime between noon and 7
p.m., WCBN will be broadcasting live,
so you will know what you are missing
out on. -Halle Czechowski

$10.00 OFF GOLD RINGS
See your Josten's representative Monday, Sept. 19-Friday, Sept.
23, 11 :0am-4:O0pm fora complete selection of rings and details
of Josten's Creative Financing Plans.

3 ft

MORE THAN A BOOKSTORE
549 E. University, Ann Arbor, MI 48104 (313)662-3201

MoIwcw

Daily Classifieds
Bring Results!

h

the f-stop

THE THOMAS SPENCER JEROME
LECTURE COMMITTEE
Announces
Two Lectures and Two Seminars
A CULTURAL PROGRAM FOR THE ROMAN EMPIRE:
ART AND ARCHITECTURE IN THE AUGUSTAN AGE
By
PAUL ZANKER
Professor and Director, institute of Classical Archaeology
University of Munich
I Lecture
THE ART OF THE LATE REPUBLIC AND
THE PROBLEM OF ROMAN CULTURAL IDENTITY
Monday, September 19
II Seminar
DIVI FILIUS.
OCTAVIAN'S FORMS OF SELF-REPRESENTATION
BEFORE THE YEAR 28 B.C.
Thursday, September 22
III Seminar

Get ready for "fun" classes!
i~
The following Mini courses will be offered this semester:
-Aerobic dance
-Ballroom dance
-Bartendin~g
-Bike repair
-Cake .decorating
-CPR
-Diet & Nutrition
-First Aid
-Massagef
-Self Defense
-Sign language
-Speed Readin
-Study Skillsg
-Wine tasting
-Yoan/Meditatin

The f-stop is pleased to announce a series of
photographic workshops. Classes meet for two
hours weekly over a six week period. Course fees
include all supplies and materials except film and
processing. Students are expected to bring
cameras and film unless othewise noted.
Classes begin September 19. Phone 663-7867
to register.

Instant Gratification:
Playing with Polaroid
Get the most out of your camera. Course covers
exposure, speed, depth of field and basic
camera handling.
Tuesday 6:30 - 8:30pm 6 weeks $50
Basic StudioLighting
Practical experience with studio lighting, reflec-
tors and diffusers. Class will explore table top
product photography using both quartz and
tungsten lighting sources. Students will have
the opportunity to use a view camera and
polaroid film.
Tuesday 8:30 -10:30pm 6 weeks $50
Cmera Skills

Take a Closer Look:
Basic Macro Photography
Course will include: use of bellows, lighting.
metering. extension rings, special lenses and
accessories. Demonstration using both polaroid
and transparency materials.
Monday 8.30 -1030pm 6 weeks $50
Shoot Super Slides
Course will stress proper exposure, film speed
testing and color saturation Film types, polar-
izers and composition will also be covered. Bring
Ektachrome Tungsten film and camera to class.
Thursdaw 8.30- 1030pm 6 weeks $50
Sports Photography
Course willi nclude working under unusual