A R TS ________ ...... The Michigan Daiy Thursday, October 2, 1986 Page7 Woody's at Power! By Akim D. Reinhardt 50 years ago Lou Gherig was playing baseball for the Yankees, Franklin Roosevelt was pres- ident, the first atomic bomb was nine years away, and Woody Herman made his debut as band leader of "The Band That Played the Blues." Gherig and Roosevelt are long gone, and we have more atomic weapons than Carl Sagan can count, but Woody Herman is still leading "The Band," who, soon changed their name to "The Thundering Heard." Woody Herman is an extra- ordinary bandleader and musi- cian, and his concerts are the experience of a lifetime. Someone really likes Ann Arbor, because he will be gracing Power Center with his presence this Friday at 8:00. Woody and "The Heard" will be performing with world- renowned clarinetist Richard Stoltzman. 1986 marks the 50th year that Woodrow Charles Herman has been touring with'the "Heard;" 50 years since he burst upon the scene at the Roseland Ballroom in Brooklyn, and shortly thereafter made his famous big-time debut at the Roseland in Manhattan. During that time he's co-written and recorded such standards as "Blue Flame" and "Wood - chopper's Ball" and other big band favorites like "Laura" and "Ebony Concerto," the only jazz piece ever composed by Igor Stravinsky, written especially for Woody Herman. He's had his own radio show and conducted high school and college seminars and clinics that have resulted in the creation of almost 35,000 stage bands. Herman's contributions to the world of music have been inumerable and priceless, and his deeds have not gone un- recognized. He's been the subject of six P.B.S. television specials, a 90-minute documentry entitled "Woody," and has been featured twice on the P.B.S radio series "Jazz Alive." The 73-year-old saxophone player and clarinetist from Milwaukee is a legend in his own time, but not a docile one. He still tours constantly with "The Heard," both here and abroad; including an annual European tour. And Herman hasn't been .complacent with his music either. He doesn't simply rehash songs he did 45 years ago over and over. He still writes and also arrangeE contemporary music by such artists as Carole King, Stevie Wonder, Chick Correa, Chuck Mangione, and others. Stoltzman will perform, a- mong other things, Stravinsky's Jazz legend Woody Herman and clarinetist Richard Stoltzman, both of whom will appear at Power Center Friday night, sound off during a performance. "Ebony Concerto," and Herman some new ones as well. It is an Tower Office of the University will lead "The Heard" through all event that should not be missed. Musical Society. Contact the great classics, and probably Tickets are available at Burton 764-2538 for details. Croc' has bite By Allan Markowitz It's October, right? Time for' students to hit the books, for football fans to go crazy, for leaves to fall off the trees. It's also. the time of the year when people go to the movies that are more serious and mature than those lighthearted comedies of summer. Considering this fact, one wonders why a funny and easygoing movie ilike Crocodile Dundee wasn't released a little earlier. The film's several merits should entertain audiences in M any month, however. Crocodile provides lots of fast-paced excite- twent as well as a number of belly-busting laughs. The basic premise-a man from the wild ebnfronts a drastically different culture when he visits the city-is, Os old as Hollywood, but there are enough new twists and humorous 'ituations to keep the film moving quickly. The title character (Paul Hogan) is an impetuous yet aimiable Australian who lives naturally in the wilderness of the Outback. When New York newspaper reporter Sue Charlton (Linda Kozlowski) goes to him for an in-depth story on his rugged li.fe, she gets more than she bargained for. Sue finds Croc- odile as fascinating as the strange land where he abides, so she takes him back to Manhattan with her. In the Big Apple, Dundee meets some big-city troubles, including muggers, an aggressive trans- vestite, and an effete snob who's *after the hand of Sue. Dundee's ........... daring per sonality and huge skinning knife get him out of threatening situations, though, and he ultimately proves worthy love competition against Sue's snobbish boyfriend (Mark Blum). The relationship between Dundee and Charlton is almost blatant in its symbolism, but Hogan and Kozlowski are con - vincing and funny together. Crocodile obviously represents a primitive force-he tells Sue that he doesn't care about politi - cal/social issues-and Sue stands for the refinement and culture of civilized life. Yet the characters do break their stereotypes at times, as when they pursue each other ro- mantically. And it's easy to laugh as the two discover how different are their ways of life. In one scene, for example, when two New York hoodlums try to hold up Dundee, Charlton panics whereas Croco- dile causes the punks to turn tail like animals in the jungle. Suprisingly, these character-in- a-new-environment jokes don't wear out despite how many of them appear. Which is not to say that this movie is flawless. The script contains some technical prob- lems; for instance, the love conflict is presented rather late in the movie. Also, the role of Dundee's sidekick, Walter (John Meillon), is virtually useless. But on the whole, Crocodile Dundee is a fun form of October entertainment. Think of it this way: this may be the last good adventure-comedy until May or June '86. Right: Linda Kozlowski (center), as reporter Sue Charlton, causes culture shock when she introduces 'Crocodile Dundee' (Paul Hogan) to the natives of Manhattan. Above: Hogan enjoys much safer waters in his hotel room. THE MUSICAL THEATRE PROGRAM PRESENTS A New Musical Book and Lyrics by Music by Garry Trudeau Elizabeth Swados a a Director & Choreographer Music Director Tim Millett Eileen Condon TUESDAY LUNCH LECTURES 12NOON at the INTERNATIONAL CENTER - 603 E. Madison October 7: "WHAT'S HAPPENED AT CHERNOBYL?" Speaker: PROFESSOR WILLIAM KERR, Professor of Nuclear Engineering University of Michigan October3, 4 & 6 October 5 8:00 p.m. 2:00 p.m. Trueblood Theatre (State St. at Huron) $5 General Admission $3 Students with ID Tickets available at the League Ticket Office from 10-5 Monday-Friday and 1 hour before curtain at the door. Sponsored by the ECUMENICAL CAMPUS CENTER Lunch Served 1 . . The Center for Japanese Studies Presents: OCCUPATIONAL TRANSFORMATIONS: JAPAN AND THE U.S. A Brown-Bag Lecture by MACHIKO OSAWA Professor of Economics, UM-Dearborn Professor Osawa will lecture on the changes undergone in both Japan and the U.S. in the recent past. - -f KT __ A /^ 1T W WR W1 _ ,