ARTS Wednesday, April 1, 1987 ' e Michigan Daily Page 7 Griffith rolling into Ark by V.J. Beauchamp "The last time I was in Ann Arbor," Nanci Griffith said, "my luggage had been lost for five days. I was on tour, so there was no way it could catch up with me. If you're on tour, they keep sending it from city to city, and it's always a day behind you. That was kinda funny, because all I had were the clothes on my back." That was last fall. Griffith returns to Ann Arbor tonight for two shows at the Ark. Texas-born Griffith, a talented guitarist and songwriter, has a voice that is beautiful, sweet, and searing. She uses her voice to reflect her characters, knowing that she has to rely on inflection and melody to get the point across the bar when folks can't hear the words. As a down to earth woman, and a wonderful acoustic country/folkabilly perform - er, she has something for just about any fan of pure American music. As well as a captivating song - writer, whose lyrics often reflect the complicated lives of "simple" middleclass people, Griffith is also a novelist. Love of a Kind Heart should soon be another feather in Griffith's cap. After four indepentently released albums, Griffith is now recording for MCA. She shopped around for a year, looking for a label who wanted her, and not someone they could remake and package. If Lone Star State of Mind is any example, then MCAs doing okay by her. The record sparkles with everything that made Griffith so popular as an "indie" - pure, gutsy story-songs with hooks. "I started singing and playing guitar when I was about six. When I was ten years old I heard Carolyn Hucksler on the radio, and she made my heart sing...that was what I wanted to do," Griffith said. "There was a real lively music scene at that time (in Austin)...and a couple of different clubs that featured live music. I was fourteen and my parents would take me, and I'd do a lot of opening of shows. Finally, when I was nineteen, this place opened called The Hole in the Wall." That was just the beginning for Griffith, who recorded There's a Light Beyond These Woods and began getting invitations to play festivals. While it's standard for country songs to tell true stories, "Ford Econoline" is somewhat unusual. "That's one of my favorite songs off the new album," Griffith com - mented, "and it was written as a fictional account of Rosalee Sorel's great escape from Salt Lake City in 1963, with all of her kids and everything, all piled into a van, and leaving home. When I had just finished writing the song, Rosalee and I were doing a show at the Great American Music Hall and then Kate Wolf comes in. She heard the song and came backstage and said 'forget about Rosalee, this is my story, but mine was a Dodge van.' So it's really dedicated to both of them." Sorrel and Wolf, as well as Huckster are great heroines and influences for Griffith, who has been listening to Patty Loveless, "who's new on MCA and absolutely terrific," as well as Steve Earle and Christine Lavin. Griffith also remains a voracious reader and believes people who shun reading are closing themselves off from much of the world. "Books are so important to me....A lot of my audience is so young and they don't read, and I would think, they're missing so much. Reading saved me from my adolescence. It gave me the great escape of going wherever I wanted to or being whatever I wanted to for that time, when I was sitting down and reading, and using my imagin - ation....Putting the books on the cover (of her album) was so important to me. If I could influence just one young person to go out and get a book, any book, well that's an accomplishment." Some of her favorite novels are Lonesome Dove and Moving On by Larry McMurty, and Ellen Gilchrist's Drunk on Love. "I'm looking forward to [being in Ann Arbor",riffith continued. "I just feel like I'm coming home. You can see Nanci Griffith tonight at the Ark, 637 South Main Street. There will be two shows, one at 7:30 p.m. and the second at 10 p.m. Tickets are $8.50 at the door. .Songstress Nanci Griffith brings her true stories tinged with country and *folk music to the Ark tonight for two shows, at 7:30 and 10:00. CLASSIFIED ADS Continued from Previous Page ROOMMATES GREAT SINGLE ROOM in Albert Terr. for 87-88. Bilevel, A/C, parking, many windows, dishwasher perfect cond. Must be non- sziking, flemale, considerate & fun. Call , 994-0489 or Sarah, 764-1803. 13ED A FEMALE, NON-SMOKER, TO SARE A 2 BDRM. APT. on Med. Cam pus f Jul (There is a pool.) or Sept. 1987- C 98-83$f210/mo. or your own room. C'c19-5934. NEEDED- FEMALE ROOMMATE to share, 2 .bdrrn. apt. for FALL. Rent Reasonable. Call Amy at 995-3804 anytime! 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This first volume of assorted jazz classics has been released and includes some of the true masters performing their immortal works. "So What"and "Saeta," by Miles Davis, "Take Five" and "Somewhere," by the Dave Brubeck Quartet, and Billie Holiday's, "You've Changed" are to name but a few of the sensational songs held within this compilation. A critique of these songs would be moot. These are all uncontested masterpieces that have stood the test of time and have not lost any of their luster. Instead, a comment on this record's usefulness. I don't think that there's a jazz fan on the face of the earth (one whose been listening to jazz and I purchasing jazz records for more than a couple of years) that doesn't already have at least half of these songs on record. For most jazz consumers this album is useless. Sure, all of the songs are remastered digitally from the original tapes which were in analog, but if one is that much into sound quality then why not wait until they all come out on CD? As a matter of fact, some of them already are. For the novice listener, the new fan who is ever growing outwards in new directions in his or her new world of jazz, this album also See RECORDS, Page 8 4 I Michigan Daily ARTS 763-0379 r s Come to W thec ;)oe.o NWer- Considering Abortion? Free Pregnancy Test Completely Confidential Pregnancy Counseling Center 529 N. Hewitt, Ypsilanti Cal: 434-3088 (Any Time) It's Party Time! 'here Gowns are! 971-6455 &4'&4 Slcugeau 3360 Washtenaw Avenue Mon.-Thurs. 10-8:30 Fr, & So 10 to 6 I PR. U2 TICKETS Front Row center. BEST OFFER. 7g3-1814, 763-1810. FOR SALE: 2 round trip tickets to Wash- ington D.C. National Airport. Leave 4/2 night. Retum 4/6 mom. $58/ticket. Call David at 663-3491. U2 TICKETS 2nd & 3rd rows main floor. Best offer 763-2905. COMPUTER MDSE. COMPUTERS rinters, modems. Specials this month on i2PiB Modem only $129. Call Automation Link, 747-9000. FEMALE Christian roommate wanted to share spacious 2-bdrm apt. Low rent, full furnished, near campus. all 996-2320 or 996-1623. l !1 worpcesiu I d s25232225256 or35% TOM ON INTERVIEWS "Interviews are a success for me." "I possess the communication skills necessary to perform well.". "I think quickly on my feet." "I'm not intimi- dated."y "Where will the in- terview get me? Chairman of the Board." Where did it come from? "My experience ... Michigan Telefund, of course. MICHIGAN TELEFUND STAND flOIT Drop by the Academic Resource Center Room 219 Undergraduate Library Monday - Friday 1- 5 p.m.