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April 10, 2014 - Image 10

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The Michigan Daily, 2014-04-10

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2B - Thursday, April 10, 2014

The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com

Detroit composer
talks beginnings

About that Kimye
Vogue cover

'U' alum Alton
James founded
JIV Media
By JACKSON HOWARD
Daily Music Editor
It's no secret that Detroit gets
a bad rap, and it's probably one of
the last places you'd expect any
musician to set up shop. But for
University alum Alton James,
Detroit is not only his hometown,
but also the place that he hopes to
contribute most to.
"All these Michigan companies
are going to New York and Los
Angeles and outsourcing their
work to other locations," said
James, a composer and sound
designer. "But it's like, you've
got this group, this really, really
diverse group around Metro
Detroit that can provide all types
of music because youhave all types
of cultures around here."
This was James's thinking
when he founded JIV Media, a
Detroit-based company providing
music for advertising, television
and film. James believes that
Detroit has as much artistic
potential as any other major city
and is just as focused on working
with Michigan filmmakers,
musicians and artists as he is with
productions in Hollywood.
Though he's found his calling in

composing, his musical path has
been far from straight. His parents
were both singers in choirs, and
at age 12, James started playing
organ in churches across Detroit.
But it was the experience working
with choirsthat really made James
realize his love for composing.
"(Workingwithchoirs), Igotmy
first taste of writing and hearing
what I wrote performed back
was really profound for me as a
composer," James said.
Like most kids growing
up, James watched plenty of
blockbuster movies and discovered
John Williams and James Horner,
two of the foremost composers in
filmtoday. Betweenhisexperience
in church and the influence of
composers like Williams and
Horner, James's passion for
composingwas firmly planted.
While at the University, James
minored in music, with a major
in English and another minor in
African-American Studies. Still,
he says, music is a language itself;
his English education gave him
insight in working with scripts
and writers and also influenced
the way he composes music.
Clearly, however, music was his
main priority. Having saved all of
his music requirements for senior
year, he was able to dedicate his
total attention to it for two full
semesters. Music students can
probably relate to many of James's
memories of hiding in the music

school past the midnight closing
time until the early hours of the
morning, or playingvarious shows
on campus for student groups and
Greek life events.
Launching JIV Media and
jump into composing after
graduation wasn't the immediate
plan, though. After leaving the
UniversityJamesmet anexecutive
from Noble Music, a company
focused on providing music for
advertisements that counts Coca-
Cola, Gatorade, HBO and Verizon
among clients. The executive liked
his work and asked if James would
compose for ads, to which James
replied with a quick, "sure, I put
musictoeverything."Thoughhehad
never composed for advertisements
before, the opportunity gave James
his first commercial work, and he
hasn'tlookedbacksince.
It's the combination of all these
experiences - writing ad jingles,
sleeping in music school practice
rooms, composing for feature films,
playing organ in Detroit churches
- that really gives James his true
identity as an innovative, curious
and ever-growing artist. More
than anything, as James continues
to grow, Detroit will grow with
him, a testament to his admirable
decisiontobuck the trend and stick
by the wounded city that raised
him, working from the ground up
to remind the countrythat Detroit
is still humming, grooving and
open for business.

remember exactly where
I was. Laying on the
olive (puke?) green love
seat in my living room with my
legs propped up and over the
armrest. My
laptop was
in its usual
spot on my
stomach
as my head
stiffly and
blankly
stared at ERIKA
the screen. HARWOOD
I scrolled
aimlessly,
probably doing the classic
log-out-of-Facebook-just-to-
log-back-in move on repeat.
I bounced from tab to tab
until finally a tweet - saying
something along the lines of
"Kim Kardashian's Vogue
cover is here!" - caught my eye.
Pardon me for forgetting the
exact verbiage, but I was losing
my goddamn mind.
I'mnot onetobe shy aboutmy
fervent fascination/obsession/
love for the Kardashians. I
once wrote over 700 words on
it and probably could have kept
on going, which is essentially
what I'm about to do here.
Due to both my keeping
up with the Kardashians
as well as fashion industry
happenings (as much as one
can do from Ann Arbor), I'd
been keenly aware of the
whispers and speculations over
Kim Kardashian's unfavorable
relationship with Vogue. The
rumors were all over the place,
saying Kanye West begged
Anna Wintour to put Kim on
the cover or that Anna only
allowed Kim to attend the Met

Gala
gown (
florall
In
likely
would
form t
the co
But
Her na
in her
debun
Kim,
her gr
has cr
in th
spotlip
to do t
Wh
have 1
do not
issuef
over
know:
the ct
a gor
gown.
The
Ar
car
thems
page
rangin
("Ther
that c
her,"

if she could chose the looks like the the first moves
(a polarizing, head-to-toe toward the conception of South
Riccardo Tisci gown). West).
short: it seemed more Sometimes, the couple
that Bruce Jenner's face seems, well, removed from
revert back to human reality, but I still find it hard
han for Kim to ever grace judge when Kim's everyday life
ver of Vogue. consists of 30+ people following
alas, there is a God and her ever move. I guess there are
me is AnnaWintour, who some things that only she and I
editor's letter seemed to can truly understand.
k any distaste toward Despite the lavishness,
saying that "through supposed drama and confusing
'ace of character, (Kim) bits - such as "Kanye later
eated a place for herself cast Kim as a scantily clad
e glare of the world's Princess Leia in the pilot for
ght, and it takes real guts 'Alligator Boots,' a raunchy
hat." hip-hop 'Muppets Show' "
ether those sentiments - that raise more questions
been Anna's all along, I than provide answers, the pop
care, because the Kimye culture prowess of Kimye is
ucking delivered. I'll gloss officially undeniable. (Real
the details we already talk though, if someone has
Kim and Kanye are on more information on "Alligator
over, with Kim donning Boots," shoot me an e-mail.)
geous Lanvin wedding With Anna Wintour's official
OK, moving on. stamp of approval by way of
article and photos hiding what is bound to be the most
popular magazine cover of the
year, Kimye - as a unit - have
mna W intour now breached the concrete
walls of the fashion world,
i basically do making their presence nothing
short of ubiquitous.
any If anyone were to propel
Kanye West and Kim
Kardashian further into their
cultural domination, it would
be Anna Wintour. And for
elves within the 286- those who roll their eyes at the
issue are worth noting, thought of a reality show star
tg from heartwarming and her rapper fiance on the
re was no girl in the world cover, keep in mind who gave
ould pull me away from the green light. As always, what
Kanye said - I want to Anna says goes.

_ VISIT WWW.MICHIGANDAILY.COM/ARTS/THE+FILTER

believe!) to insanely over-the-
top (see: glossy photo of Kanye
leaning against Kim on a matte
black Lamborghini in what

Harwood is stalking pugs,
if you want to join, e-mail
erikacat@umich.edu.

ABC
Security clearance.
Dissecting the sartorial choices
in ABC's sensational 'Scandal'

By CHLOE GILKE wears
Daily Arts Writer a quee
B613 r

Spoiler Alert: This article con-
tains a major spoiler from the cur-
rentseason of"Scandal."
I came forthe love story, Istayed
for the trench coats.
ABC's "Scandal" has defied rat-
ings gravity and climbed to the top
of the pop culture ladder, hook-
ing viewers with the prospect of a
soap-opera-style torrid love affair
between the President of the Unit-
ed States and the White House's
resident fixer. But despite the ups
and downs of political conspiracy,
election rigging and the occasional
licking to intimidate someone, the
real draw of "Scandal" is its flaw-
less eye for fashion.
Olivia Pope, played by the gor-
geous and talented Kerry Wash-
ington, somehow manages to hold
her own in the beautiful array
of elegant designer outfits she
parades around the White House.
Her classic style is anything but
simple - her tops are structured
and feature unique draping and
interesting shapes to offset the
understated whites and greys of
her wardrobe. And though KW
is pregnant, Olivia is still rocking
those emblematic white trench
coats and heels (shot only fromthe
neck up, of course).
Even more minor characters
have their characteristic style.
Abby Whelan is edgy but stream-
lined - and the blacks and char-
coals of her wardrobe compliment
her stunning red hair. Mellie Grant

has fa
now ta
childr
faces,c
and ca

-A

The
dresse
trated
back o
regal s
(RIP)
plaids
Cyrus'
And d
rison,N
color
smile a
Eve
dal" b
verge
dare
Mellie
looks
Hospit
anoth;
ture r
eyes f
since
this e
to ke
cringe
find m

pearls and jewel tones fit for of "Scandal" more often than I'd
n (or a First Lady). And poor like to admit, probably due in part
ecruit Quinn Perkins, who to the painstaking perfection of
lien off the deep end and the costuming. If the outfits are
kes to kidnapping innocent this flawless, then everything
en and licking her rivals' else has to catch up eventually
can still rock a smoky eye (unfortunately not true for "Gos-
rgo jackets. sip Girl"). The sheer visuals of the
fashion on this show are so well
put together that I even translate
PopeCoats this to hope for the plotlines to
wrap up as nicely as Abby's wrap
analyzed. dresses.
.Their emotional and profes-
sional lives may be in turmoil,
but Olivia Pope and Associates
men are also flawlessly and their colleagues at the White
d. Even as I grow more frus- House really know how to put an
with Fitz Grant, he wins me outfit together. Besides just being
ver with those classic and eye candy, this actually says quite
uits. Press Secretary James a bitabout their characters. Olivia
had a quirky checks and & Co. must put on a brave face and
style to offset his husband "handle" everything with a smile
s rather boring wardrobe. on their faces and a Prada bag in
on't get me started on Har- tow. They can't afford <em>not</
who always knows the exact em> to look their best. It's their
to highlight his gorgeous job to dress upa scandal and hide
and steal every scene. the darkness beneath a layer of
n as the plotlines of "Scan- crepe peplum and hounds-tooth.
ecome more tangled and Every episode of "Scandal" is a
on ridiculous, I wouldn't reliable tour through the best of
stop watching. Even as the runway. Prada, Armani, Alex-
slaps Fitz in a move that ander McQueen, Gucci - Olivia
straight out of "General spares no expense to have the
tal" or I have to sit through most enviable closet in D.C. Even
er icky Huck/Quinn tor- while this season has teetered
omance scene, I keep my dangerously close to completely
ixed to the screen. Not going off the rails, the wardrobe
"Gossip Girl" have I been continues to stun. (White) Hat's
nthralled with an outfit Off to costume designer Lyn
ep me watching through Paolo for her consistently fabu-
-worthy story arcs. And I lous work being the real fixer of
iyself defending the merits "Scandal."

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