Page 8 -The Michigan Daily - Friday, February 9, 1990
FILM
Continued from page 5
commit his body to sexual fidelity. Tomas loves Teresa, but loves the entire
female gender as well. He distinguishes between his sex drive and his need
for monogamous true love. Set in a 1968 Czechoslovakia that is rapidly
becoming a police state under the umbrella of communism, the movie turns
the book's rambling style into a chronological study of a 30-year
relationship. You might want to see this film with a significant other, as its
eroticism may lead to later festivities.
I really like Brother From Another Planet. Director John Sayles takes
the cliched through-the-eyes-of-an-alien theme beyond its Alf contemporaries
with a mute alien (Joe Morton) who also happens to be Black and incredibly
sweet. His muteness eliminates the possibility of trite commentary on the
deplorable state of American affairs. Instead, the film concentrates on the
alien's relationships with the various Harlem residents he meets while being
tracked by two mean (white) extra-terrestrial bounty hunters. His powers
include eyeball removal, which comes in handy when he wants to case the
street without being visible. Logically, he puts his eye in a flowerpot.
Wouldn't you?
--Jen Bilik
Roger and Me is a cool movie and everything, but it's just about reached
that Bat-level of media saturation. Do your part and check out some other
documentaries this weekend, like the ones being shown in the Asian
American Film Series.
Arthur Dong's Sewing Woman was nominated for an Academy Award for
best documentary short. The film is a light, very personal portrait of the life
of Dong's mother, shot powerfully in black-and-white. Loose Pages Bound
is a series of interviews with several generations of immigrant and native-
born Asian Americans on the subjects of work, marriage, and the family,
directed by is Christine Choy (Who Killed Vincent Chin?).
,Both films are serious about the hardships that many Asian Americans
had to and still have to deal with, but also very enjoyable because their
subjects are easy to relate to.
. The documentaries will be accompanied by a feature film, A Great Wall,
about a computer executive who travels to China to find his heritage and
becomes disillusioned by its Westernization.
Straight Ahead
plays
serious
BY CRAIG LaBAN
S TRAIGHT Ahead's last set is
about to start, and the club is still
packed. The audience is silent as vio-
linist Regina Carter steps into the
downstage lights. Her braids fall
across her face as she leans her head
against her violin and plucks out the
melody to Paul Desmond's "Take
Five." Leaning against a bar stool
behind Carter, Marian Hayden kicks
in on the stand-up bass with a
groovy pizzicato counter line. Her
eyes close as her body sways from
side to side in a sycopated trance, big
Morroccan beads swinging around
her neck. Gayelynn McKinney, rid-
ing lightly on the cymbals, knocks a
funky Latin swing into the roto-
toms, as Eileen Orr slides into a
heavy salsa-montuno comp' at the
piano.
From the back of the club it be-
.comes almost impossible to see the
bandstand through the myriad of
heads bouncing in 6/4 time. But the
band is so colorful, you want to see
them. You've given up trying to
crane your neck for a better view;
but it doesn't matter, 'cause if you
close your eyes it sounds just as
good. And your body won't stop
moving.. .
This all-woman jazz quartet is no
novelty. At least, not anymore.
Originally, Straight Ahead was
formed to back singer Miche Braden,
who has since left the band, and the
women were conscious of the curios-
ity an all-female ensemble arouses.
But the women have found a rare
chemistry with each other, establish-
ing themselves as one of Detroit's
best jazz combos. As the crowds at-
tending last summer's Montreux De-
troit Jazz Festival could attest, these
women play serious jazz.
They play a wide variety of
mainstream jazz - both standards
and their own compositions -
which reveal Latin, blues, and free
jazz strains, often blending vocal
harmonies with Carter, who uses her
prodigious technique to stretch the
dynamics of her violin, while resist-
ing the synthesized sound often used
by jazz violinists.
Originally, Straight
Ahead was formed to
back singer Miche
Braden, who has
since left the band....
But the women have
found a rare
chemistry with each
other, establishing
themselves as one of
Detroit's best jazz
combos.
More than anything, what has
made Straight Ahead so special in
Detroit is its members' commitment
to the group. Their "deeply collec-
0
The Detroit jazz group Straight Ahead plays a gamut of mainstream jazz,
with Latin, blues, and free jazz influences.
tive feel," says Orr, is evident in
their relaxed - and often humorous
- manner on stage, their often co-
ordinated costumes, and, most of all,
their groove. Orr explains that the
quartet owes its cohesiveness in part
to the fact that they played together
for almost eight months before actu-
ally performing.
Orr says that undoubtedly, being
an all-woman ensemble has uniquely
affected the group dynamics. In the
jazz world, where virtually all
women have traditionally been
singers, the quartet has been an oasis
for these women - all of whom
play outside the group - facilitating
uninhibited creativity. The band has
been able to experiment with ideas
like new age voice arrangements -
wordless vocals that blend and har-
monize with the other instruments.
This technique, says Orr, has often
met with resistance from many tradi-
tional ensembles that wouldn't dare
play anything but "hard macho bop
tunes."
STRAIGHT AHEAD will be playing
this tonight and tomorrow at the
Bird of Paradise, 207 S. Ashley,
with sets starting at 9:30, 11:00, and
12:30. Cover is $S.
.(S e Weekend Magazine for times and locations)
-Mark Binelli
SUNDAY DINNER SPECIAL 4 pm - 7 pm
only at:
AMERICAN SUBS
Hamilton Square (Next to Supercuts and Alphagraphics) - 715 N. University
Buy any sub at regular price, get second of equal value for $1.00O
L Expires February 11, 1990
SPECIALTIES: Taco Sub, Fajfta, Beef Burrho, Super Sub BEST QUALITY MEATS & BREADS
DELIVERY: STARTING SOON PHONE/FAX 663-0069
t,, r ".
Living the Spoirts
Exprience on
North .Campus~
EARN $75-$150
ACNE
The University of Michigan Department of
Dermatology is seeking volunteers to test
new therapies for Acne ...
Office visits and medications are free to eli-
gible participants. For further information
please call ..
973-0699
0
For just five dollars a term you can be joining the
fun in North Campus' own Intramural program.
Members join in one of the foursports offered-that:
last throughout the term: Volleyball, Basketball.
Racquetball or Table Tennis. Students, Faculty,
and Staff (as well as others) are highly encouraged
to join no matter which part of the campus you
- -
University of Michigan
Medical Center
Saturday e March 10
Michigan Theater * 8 pm
Advance tickets available at all T S-locations & at the Michigan Theater
box office. Charge by phone: 645-6666 or 668-8397. For 24 hr. concert & club info, dial
99-MUSIC. To get on the Miller Genuine Draft Concertcard Mailing List, dial 99-MILLER, R
come from.
If you are interested in joining and
have others who would like to join, we have re-
duced rates for groups (as well as year and lifetime
memberships). So give us a call to have some fun
- JUST DO IT!!
North Campus Rec Club 763-3821 or 763-2646
JOSTENS
GOLD RING SALE
IS COMING!
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Gain valuable experience with an
opportunity for advancement.
Work for your school newspaper in the Clas-
sified Department.
Order your college ring NOW.
Stop by and see a Jostens representative,
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