The Michigan Daily - Friday, October 9, 1998 -
Cuban legends shine
The cast of "Legacy" horses around In the river
UPN stc
By Jig Lin
Daily Arts Writer
Up until now, UPN has been
known as either the station for
Trekkies, with the "Star Trek" senies
and its spinoffs, or as the station for
adolescent comedies such as
"Moesha," "Clueless" and "Sweet
Valley High:" Not exactly a family
station. Spotlighted as the main
attraction in UPN's fall linup
"Legacy" starts tonight, and it would
have given the recently cane 1ed
"Dr. Quinn: Medicine Women" a run
for its money. That's not too srris-
ing since the creator of "Leg'ay,"
Chris Abbott, used to be a writer on
"Dr. Quinn."
"L e g a c y "9
revol v e s
around the
Logan family, a
Legacy model for fam-
ily values.
***' They live on a
horse farm in
UPN the rolling hitls
Someday at 8 p.m.
of Kentucky
during post-
Civil War
times. The
patriarch of the
family, Ned
Logan (Brett
Cullen), is struggling to raise four
kids on his own after his wife dies
during childbirth. Ned Logan is the
poster child for morals. He intends to
carry on the family legacy passed
down from his grandfather: helping
those less fortunate. He tries to
enforce the same ideals in all his kids.
The first episode starts off as Ned
agrees to take in a 17-year-old
orphan, Jeremy (Ron Mel nd a)
This creates tension in the familys
Clay (Jeremy Garrett), the second
eldest, is worried about the family's
repua ion, as Jeremy is a bit of a con
arts lRnt much of the drama really
cnters on the oldest son, Sean
((rayson McCouch), who is engaged
to the daughter of the wealthiest man
it eniucky On the surface, every-
thing senms perfect. But as the hour
progics es and we learn more about
Scan ii becomes clear that Sean and
his ftane, Vivian (Lisa Sheridan)
have nothing in common. Rather, he
is in usce with his father's assistant,
Manta (Sharon Lea). She too is in
love with Scan, but the pothole in the
rmad to truc love doesn't lie in the fact
that he's about to go off on his hon-
eymoon. 1 he problem is the color of
h r skin Their forbidden passion will
crcate somc nice dramatic conflict in
liiturc cpisodes.
The show can seem sappy at times.
after al, it is a program about love
and family togetherness. The charac-
tcrs are way too happy, and even after
a devastating event, everyone still
ta iges to smile and stay upbeat.
ut A bbon has created a show for all
age. without leaving anyone feeling
nauseated after the hour is up.
Thats in part due to the actors and
int cresting storylines. Forbidden
loses, faCily support and new begin-
i ngs are al themes we can relate to.
They transcend time and age. Also,
abe actors have done something
uni6u - they bring a kind of sincerity
and paion to their roles that is often
rarc.
There is no doubt that "Legacy"
is a good piece of family drama,
but the hard part will be actually
pa ttg people to watch UPN. But
if yau evcr have an hour free
S re h ding nail to tonight's par-
ics, tan an to UPN. It sure beats
the Olet t wins on any night.
By Scott Bullock
For the Daily
The Afro-Cuban All Stars of Juan de
Marcos Gonzalez will hit the
Michigan Theater tonight for a little
cooking session, serving up a musical
dish of Latin rhythms, Cuban-style, to
the University community.
Leader of the son group Sierra
Maestra, de Marcos Gonzalez orga-
nized the 15-piece All Stars to bring to
life the pre-revolutionary "Golden
Age" of Cuban music. And, to make
the Cuban music of the '50s live again,
de Marcos Gonzalez has employed the
talents of some
of the best musi-
cians in Cuba.
This is a cast
Afro- of All Stars, yes,
Cuban All and of course
Stars they are all
extremely gifted
Michigan Theater musicians. But
Tonight at 8 p.m. there is some-
thing about this
group that sets
them a class
apart from any
other all-star act:
Represented in
the All Stars are
three generations of Cuban musicians.
Veterans of the classic orquestras of
Beny More, Arsenio Rodriguez and
Mongo Santamaria sit alongside veter-
ans of the more modern orquestras, led
by Chucho Valdes and Arturo
Sandoval. Legends such as Pio Leyva
(born in 1917) contribute the wisdom
and experience of musicians who
defined Cuban music in the '50s,
while the group's younger members,
who are of more contemporary Cuban
music scenes, can offer a modem per-
spective of this tradition.
The first two albums recorded by
the All Stars drew much critical
acclaim. The diverse repertoire of
styles - which included Danz6n,
Son-Montuno, Guaguanc6,
Mozambiqua, Afro, Mambo and
Guajira, coupled with the exceptional
arrangements of de Marcos Gonzalez,
brought the Cubans so much fame that
both of their first two albums were
considered for Grammys. Although
the debut album, "A Todo Cuba le
Gusta,"' a disc recorded in only six
days, was nominated for a Grammy,
the follow-up album, "Buena Vista
Social Club," accomplished what its
predecessor did not; it gamed the All
Stars a Grammy. And, listening to
these albums, even the listener unex-
posed to the beauty of Cuban music
can spot the rhythmic sophistication of
the percussion, the passionate vocals
of the soneros, and the precise defini-
tion of the horn licks.
Come this evneing, when the lights
go down and the curtain goes up and
All Stars takes the stage, through able
hands Havana will be bom anew with
a tropical atmosphere, parties until
dawn, the gambling, dancing, romance
and the clubs. Everything and every-
one will be there - will you?
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