ARTS The Michigan Daily The Michigan Daily Decoding Tuesday, April 15, 1986 Pages a By Marc S. Taras T he people at Eclipse jazz always seem to have something special brewing. Tuesday night's con- cert at the Ark is no exception as vir- tuoso drummer and composer Ronald Shannon Jackson will offer Treetown the world premier performance of his new and improved Decoding Society, and their new material. Add to this excitement the stage premier of the Ann Arbor Saxophone Choir and you have all the makings of a vibrant evening of music. Jackson was born in Forth Worth, Texas, also the hometown of the visionary Ornette Coleman with whorr- he would eventually play. He grew up in a musical environment as his father worked stocking and main- taining the local jukeboxes and his mother was a church pianist. During his college years at Lincoln Univer- sity in Missouri, he palyed in the school band with the likes of trum- peter Lester Bowie (the Art Ensemble "of Chicago) and saxophonist Julius Hemphill (the World Saxophone Quartet). Jackson came to the Big Apple in the '60s just in time to record with the Holy Ghost of the New Thing, Albert Ayler. Throughout the late '60s and the '70s he had the great fortune of working with many of the music's shapers and movers including Joe Henderson and Charles Mingus. He is the only drummer to date to have played and recorded with both Ornet- te Coleman and Cecil Taylor. He became versed in Ornette's har- molodic free-rhythm playing and was a powerful driving force in the Cecil Taylor Units of the late '70s. But is was probably his time with Ornette Coleman's Prime Time band that had the greatest impact on Ronald Shannon Jackson the com- poser. Historians will enjoy his work on the classic Ornette LP Dancing in Your Head, finding there the musical links to what he would later contribute in extending these ideas for the various incarnations of his own band, the Decoding Society. It is a particular pleasure for Jackson to return to Ann Arbor, as he has many closer personal connections to our community. Former Eclipse director Jim Grant has been his representative for years. Max Dehn (another bygone Eclipse chief) did a stint as road manager, and his sound engineers of choice on tours world- wide have been Ann Arborites Ed Records Culture Club-From Luxury to Heartache (Virgin) The latest album from Culture Club (A.K.A. Boy George and those "other guys") contains, not surprisingly, ten more danceable, soulful pop songs in the same vein as the previous releases from the current "Queen" of pop music. The opening cut, "Move Away," is already getting plenty of play on Top-40 stations and a few other songs on the album are bound to follow it into the radio market, most notably, "Work On Me Baby," "Gusto Blusto," and "God Thank You b Woman." Most of the songs center on relationships, sex, and sexuality. Again, this is not surprising, since sexuality has been Boy's commercial gimmick from the start. The album even contains a semi- autobiography of Boy entitled "Sexuality" in which the sultry- voiced hermaphrodite croons: All you pretty babies/Staring at the Boy! I'm gonna tell you 0 something! You 'll get no joy. The chorus of the song is a repetition of the line Playing with my sexuality something Boy is all too familiar with. From Luxury to Heartache is a fairly good album for the most part. However, there are a few songs that tend to be a bit annoying. One in par- ticular, "Too Bad," is exactly what its title implies. It is as bad as any teeny- bop song Wham has ever recorded. HNevertheless, From Luxury To Heartache is bound to appeal to any already existing Culture Club fans, and others who enjoy danceable pop, but it is not bound to win over any new fans for Culture Club, since they have already just about all the listeners they are likely to have. This album is simply more of the same from Boy and the boys. That doesn't necessarily make it unoriginal, but perhaps Boy should consider spending a little less r tirn trvin nut new hairstvles and Larned and Thom Bray. It was a' pleasure to renew my several years old acquaintance with Jackson in a phone interview this week. Jackson is rested and restless. He has just come off some "cool out" time in Africa which was afforded him by two grants he received from the Massachusets Council for the Ar- ts. Now he has formed a new band, over which he is brimming with ex- citement. Former Decoder Zane Massey has returned to the fold on tenor sax. Eric Person who has worked with the band for the last couple of years, is featured on also and soprano. Another youngster, Reggie Washington, has been added on bass, along with newcomer Cary DeNigris on electric guitar. Jackson seems pleased with the band and their in- dividual and collective progress. He vows that DeNigris will open our ears with a completely new guitar technique, employing harmonic and melodic ideas that freeplay Decoding has allowed him to hone and develop. He is apparently in neither the Vernon Reid nor Stanley Jordan camps. Look out Ann Arbor! "And wait till you hear Eric on alto!" Jackson beams. When asked for a reflection on the nature of his conceptions and com- positions for the new band, Jackson answered without hesitations in one word: "Maturity." Oh sure, they will still play some loud and ebullient harmolidic stuff, but Jackson hints that we should look for a greater degree of sophistication in the inter- play within the group and a more refined approach to group dynamics. Jackson is busy on many fronts. Later this week he will hear the American premier of some of his or- chestra works. He continues to begin each day with forty-five minutes of liberating and empowering chanting, as he has for the last twelve years. He will be doing more workshops like the future one he is offering in Ann Arbor (ten- tatively set for 5:00 Tuesday at the Ark- free admission). Jackson freely and fondly relates anecdotes: how Charles Tyler hooked him up with Albert Ayler for a recor- ding date when he had just arrived in New York; how Ornette would 'sneak' into his loft and listen to him practice, finally encouraging him to write his music down: "He told me that I was actually playing melodies on the drums and that I should start an- notating them." For more such reflections I encourage you to attend the workshop and hear from Jackson himself. Ronald Shannon Jackson is a visionary. His music has already had an impact on the jazz and pop stylings of the past decade. When you meet him, and hear his music, you will have all the evidence of his great love of life and people that you will require. When I asked Jackson if he had any special blessings or reflections for those who might take the time to read this article, he responded evenly, and again without hesitation, "We are all one. The 10 percent of what a man can see visually is only a small part of the 100 percent that a man may come to know. When you realize that 100 per- cent you will know that it is true. We are all one." A special note: opening for the Decoding Society this Tuesday night at 8:00 will be the Ann Arbor Saxophone Choir: four of Ann Ar- bor's finest saxmen who were first heard on the Valentine's Day fun- draiser edition of WCBN's Jazz Till Noon. Choirboys Mark Kieme (Fast Tracks), Paul Vornhagen (Lunar Glee Club, Domino), Jeff Newton (law student, ex-Nonfiction), and Charlie Tysklind (Los Chickens, Killer Trout, ex-Blue Front Persuader) will also premier their polyphonic saxophone charts. Doily Photo Dy VAN HABIB Jazz trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie displayed his world famous style yesterday in a benefit concert for Jazz for Life. SHORT OR LONG Hairstyles for Men and Women DASCOLA STYLISTS Liberty off State . . 668-9329 Maple Village .... 761-2733 eezipse INTERESTED IN MUSIC PRODUCTION? Position of Eclipse Coordinator Open for Fall 1986 Job entails: - Booking Requirements: * Promotion " Interest in jazz "GProduction p sExperience recommended " Facilitating Group Meetings " Must be a student INQUIRIES 763-0046 Great Experience for the Music Industry! TA SHIPPING OVERSEAS?. Malaysia * Nigeria * Thailand Kenya * Iraq " Europe South America " Middle East To Over 100 Countries Worldwide E ERGE CT " " " Home Pick-up Phone Quote House to House Insurance " Export Crating " Air Freight " Ocean Freight SHOPPING FOR OVERSEAS? Televisions, VCR's, Cameras, Stereos Trunks and Luggage Major Appliances and Small Housewares 220 Volt 50 Cycle GEO Membership Meeting ARE YOU READY TO FIGHT FOR WHAT YOU WANT? *Agenda Contract Negotiations with UM* TONIGHT, 8:00 PM, APRIL 15, 1986 ANDERSON ROOM, MICHIGAN UNION .I ABACO INTERNATIONAL SHIPPERS, INC. 1-800-621-4504 2020 N. Racine, Chicago, IL 60614 ******************** * TeKdThe 1986 * * h rhrMilrAad SHOP WOOD * will be announced'* * Wednesday, April 16th-* * at 4:00 p.m.* * in Rackham Auditorium* *. " The Kasdan Scholarship* * in Creative Writing.* * " The Arthur Miller Award * * *" The Jeffrey L. Weisberg* * Freshman Poetry Award * * with: Lecture by Pulitzer Prize-winning Poet* :CAROLYN KIZER:- TAUTHOR OF:* MBA: Access To Opportunity Iformation for Minorities The Graduate Management Admission Council Has Information For Black And Hispanic Students About Admission To Master Of Business Adminis- tration(MBA) Programs And Career Opportunities Available With An MBA Degree. Even If You've Never Considered Graduate Man- agement Education, You Should Know That Op- portunities To Enter MBA Programs Are Available To Those With Ability And Interest. The Education Is Challenging. . . And The Results Are Valuable. The MBA: Access To Opportunity, A Free Brochure, Outlines What You Need To Know. The Brochure Is Yours For A Free Phone Call, Or With The Coupon Below: Mail to: Graduate Management Admission Council, 11601 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 1060, Los Angeles, CA 90025-1748 I'm Interested. Please send me THE MBA: ACCESS TO OPPORTUNITY.