ARTS The Michigan Daily Saturday, November 17, 1984 Page 5 'McCoy Tyner 's magic, imaginative musical spirit h By Marc S. Taras ARLY THIS week I was touched by McCoy Tyner. Through his music. Out of the blue. Or perhaps out of my imagination (an easy ex- planation for the skeptical). - I was rolling on the floor; transported by Tyner's wonderful hymn "Walk Spirit, Talk Spirit". Good advice for trying times. Like the old adage says, "You gotta walk it like you talk it." McCoy Tyner and his trio did just that for two sets of stunningly visual music during their Thursday night engagement at the Union Ballroom. While the Eclipse tech crew battled valiently with the different acoustics, the spirit became increasingly tangible. Palpable. A hands-on ex- perience. McCoy was accompanied by a pair of virtuosic musicians, Avery Sharpe on acoustic and electric bass, and Detroit " native Louis Hayes on drums. These two matched Tyner's fountain of strength stamina with genuine sen- sitivity. Appropriately, they began with the lyrical standard "Just in Time." Taken at a brisk pace, McCoy propelled this tune up and out. Next came the aforementioned "Walk Spirit, Talk Spirit." This piece is typical of Mc- Coy's glorious rhythmic inspirations. It is music with irresistable velocity. Avery Sharpe's taut bass work talked spirit. They got religion. Old religion. During the lovely "Ballad for Aisha" the visual/tangible nature of this music emerged like warm sunshine. The visions rivers was flowing in earnest joy. A softer piece, reminiscent of a classic love theme, the featured playing was Sharpe's magnificent use of the upper register. Lovely warmth and elephant chords. African raindrops of crimson and gold fall softly upon a lavender river. Velvet soft. Inner strength. Footstomp heartbeat; McCoy revealed as the modern architect of an- cient-new pyramids. Quetzalcoatl returns, feathers fluttering beneath African headress. Pause. A moment. In fact a beautiful rendering of the upbeat Coltrane piece "Moment's Notice." A spotlight for Hayes' drums which came swinging along through McCoy's Afrovisions. Hayes showed us strength, stamina, and stick control. Martial rolls. Hayes appearing a true martial artist. . The second set leaped out in a strong upbeat funk groove. 'Just Feeling' featured Sharpe on electric bass. His solo welling up into a drums/piano crescendo. Hayes' cymbals propelled the music from within as he dropped bombs to the left and right. McCoy Tyner taking to the wind a great bear bird man. The music expanding to mountaintops and contracting to river- beds. A music of correspondence. Tyner's solo spotlight was an unac- companied offering of the beautiful Ellington standard "Prelude to a Kiss". This one might have had the added title "Twelve views of. .. " Tyner's stylistic explorations were alarming. Titles were becoming less significant. The next piece began with a slow Egyp- tian-sounding rhythm taking flight in a beautiful melody. I can feel the cradle of civilization rocking. Gently forward. Gently. The encore piece featured some really slinky bowed bass. Maddening. I've got the bug. The joint is jumping. A funny little tune that I almost recognized. Sharpe's bass stating the theme in unison with McCoy, and kicking suddenly into a fast break. Plucking wild! It was a bright and buoyant goodbye to an audience that was transfixed, transported, and tran- sformed. And needless to say, on their collec- tive feet and voicing a united passionate approval. How do you repay understanding? The music of this trio touched many hearts besides this one Thursday night. McCoy Tyner's imaginativespirit brought vision to more eyes than these two. When you walk it like you talk it, Magic comes naturally. Three Form Tammy Thomas, JoLea Maffei, and Jeffrey Krestik will present a modern dance performance in the Studio A Theater of the Dance Building. There will be two shows on Friday, November 30, and Saturday, September 1, at 8:00 p.m. For more information, dial 763-5460. Die Fledermaus produces a nove By Ted Moncreiff OHANN STRAUSS' Die Fledermaus tJ(The Bat) opened Thursday night to a full house with a performance that left no one disappointed. The nearly three hour performance, filled with singing, dancing and a few surprises completely won its audience with its light-hearted festivity. Die Fledermaus is a Vienese operetta concerning the revenge of Dr. Falke (Matt Carney) for a practical joke his friend Gabriel von Eisenstein (William Anderson) had played on him some years before. The joke involved leaving Falke Hagregard- Blegen vocal concert hits H tonight By Neil Galan ter asleep on a park bench dressed as a bat where he woke up the next day to the stares of the Sunday promenaders. Falke's revenge, which includes ex- posing Eisenstein as a filandered in front of his wife, turns into a comedy of errors in which mistaken identities, compromisiing circumstances, and more than a little champagne lead to a hilarious conclusion. Performed by the Professional Theatre Program, under the direction of David Morelock, and the University Orchestra, conducted by Gustav Meier, the performance boasted a superb or- chestra and several performers worthy of honorable mention. Although all of the preformers deserve congratulations on a fine performance, those deserving special praise are John Castrodale as Rosalinda, Michael Pavelich as Alfred, and Fontaine A. Follansbee as Adele. Rosalinda's scene as a Hungarian Countess, and Adele's solo singing per- formance in Act III considering her talents as an actress were both scene stealers. Michael Pavelich's perfor- mance as Alfred was characterized by energy, enthusiam and flamboyancy. Pavelich's voice in particular possessed a size, range, and flexibility that simply overwhelmed the audience. One of the surprises of Thursday ' festivity evening's performance was a solo per- formance by internationally renowned violinist Ruggiero Ricci, a Professor here at the University of Michigan. Due to the rather small size of the stage of the Mendelssohn Theatre, some sacrifice of the lavishness traditionally associated with the Vienese operettas was inevitable. However, through the spectacular scenery and the fabulous costumes, a sense of the lavishness of the original production was maintained. The success of Die Fledermaus' opening night with its drama, humor and enthusiasm, promises a successful run at the Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre. 1 0 "another op'nin... (U QE w" W, another show" Kiss Me Kate Power Center for the Performing Arts November 15,16 & 17, 8pm Tickets $6.00 Available at the Michigan Union Ticket Office For more information. call 763-1107 ,io HOW OFTEN is it that a listener has the opportunity to hear two of the finest soloists around today together in concert? The chance is definitely a rarity and it is best to grab the chance while it lasts! The young American lyric soprano Judith Blegen and the renowned Swedish baritone Hakan Hagegard will present a recital Saturday at Hill Auditorium at 8:30 p.m., which will include selections by more than a half dozen various com- posers, duets and solos both. Blegen, who was born in Montana received her musical education at the renowned Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. She made her Metropolitan Opera Debut while only in her early twenties in a highly and critically acclaimed Mozart's "The Magic Flute". Since, she has risen to the top as an in- ternational opera star, making ap- pearances in leading roles at such Opera Houses in Chicago, San Fran- cisco, and at the Royal Opera, Convent Garden, Vienna State Opera and the Paris Opera. She is also equally in demand as a soloist with orchestra, and to give recitals as well, as she will here in Ann Arbor. Hagegard has a career which is no less impressive. Having been described by The New York Times as "one of the world's finest lieder singers", he was first introduced to the international public as Papageno in Ingemar Bergman's film version of The Magic Flute. He has subsequently gone on to conquer both the operatic and concert world on three continents, including appearances with many major opera companies and at many major musical centers. His television and recorded performances or Orff's Carmina Burana are definitive and persuasive' interpretations and his recent or- chestral appearances with the sym- phonies of Pittsburgh, Seattle, Cincin- nati, Atlanta, Dallas and Baltimore show him to be in command of reper- toire ranging from Mozart to Mahler with regards to the art of song and aria, and to the most contemporary works of Dallapiccola and Ligeti. Combining the splendid artistry of both of these artists should net a Satur- day evening recital that is satisfying musically and of high intellect. Ticket- s range from $8 to $18 and are available at Burton Tower or at the door. Availability of seats and any other in- formation may be obtained by calling The University Musical Society at 665- 3717, Monday .thru Friday, 9 to 4:30 and on Saturday from 9 till noon. -U Records Elvis Costello and the Attractions - The Only Flame in Town (Columbia EP) "The Only Flame in Town," offered here in an extended 'special mix,' is one of the mildly agreeable cocktail- pop/soul/funk disappointments from the first (and hopefully last) mediocre Elvis Costello album, this past sum- mer's Goodbye Cruel World. Elvis seems to be working toward radio ac- ceptability in a way that doesn't quite work artistically (or, so far, commer- cially), flattening out the ideas trium- phantly introduced on Punch the Clock's "Everyday I Write the Book." This three-song EP is worth getting though, for the collaboration with Nick Lowe on the Bacharach/David classic "Baby It's You." Both Costello and Lowe's vocals are deliciously relaxed, and the acoustic guitar-based track slides down as sweetly as marzipan. A "1984 Monster Mix" of "Pump It Up" introduces no big innovations on the original, but a good Costello song is always worth another listening (especially when produced by Lowe), 000 e m IIe " $300 THIS EN TTWOT and it's a rather comforting throwback to the days when Costello was unquestionably one of the gods. His current phase seems a bit confused and transitory, but there's obviously no justification yet for writing the guy off. - Dennis Harvey s0" " " " " s Pse Presents TIRE AD GOOD FOR ICKETS AT $3.00 EACH " Alan Bird is getting * nothing he wants this Christmas " From Bill Forsyth, the Director/ * Writer of "Local Hero" and "Gregory's Girl" " FRI. 1:00, 7:00, 9:00,11 P.M. * SAT. J:00, 3:00, 5:00, 7:00, 9:00, 11 P.M. " SUN. 1:00, 3:00, 5:00, 7:00, 9:00 Acader presen, future, conterr " 0 " S : 0 " (PG)" " ;my Award Winner Giorgio Moroder , ts Fritz Lang's classic vision of the , ,now beautifully restored and with a " ,porary music score. " Songs Preformed by " Pat Benatar " Billy Squier " Adam Ant " Lover Boy & More! " 0 PAT METHENY ~ fln with - i I \ mmm-- dil W A / -