Arts Page 11 Friday, May 8, 1981 The Michigan Daily LEGENDAR Y BLUES BAND Stay ing true to the blues By KEN FELDMAN If any musical format can be labeled restrictive, it is the blues. With a tradition of at least 60 years, and with rock stars routinely impersonating it to prove that they have roots, the blues of- ten seems a parody of itself. Well, it certainly did not seem so Wednesday night at Rick's. The Legen- dary Blues Band knows what can only be termed the secret to the blues, and their performance illustrated what sets artists with genuine blues authority apart from those who have simply memorized the chord changes. FIRST OF ALL, they were technically light years ahead of most bands that dabble in the blues. The rhythm section, of Calvin "Fuzz" Jones on bass and Willie Smith on drums, positively jumped. Louis Myers' guitar electrifyingly recalled everyone from Clarence White to B. B. King, and Jerry Portnoy's harp work was both varied and sure. But the clincher was Pinetop Perkins on piano. Not content to rehash Albert Ammons riffs (as so many boogie players are prone to do), Pinetop was downright daring in his improvisation. He looked like he was having more fun than the audience, and the band was tight enough to allow him the freedom to be experimental. In fact, within the admittedly limited framework, the legendary Blues band was the most progressive band I have seen in a long time. While they could play the Blues' greatest hits as well as anyone, they are more interested in stretching the boundaries of the blues. Jerry Portnoy, who is the harp player, manager, and Master of ceremonies for the band, also wrote most of the original songs that the group does. AMAZINGLY, THE originals stood out among the innumerable blues stan- dards as the most inspired. "Love to the bone," an original by Portnoy, and Pinetop's own "Pinetop Boogie" stood out as the best of the lot. All of the originals were experiments of sorts, though they remained true to the essen- ce of the blues. Another point worthy of mention is the singing. The band has basically four frontmen, and they take turns at the mike. Consequently, the performance kept moving with Jones, Myres, Por- tnoy and Pinetop each providing a new wrinkle on the blues. The bottom line is that if you have even a passing interest in the blues, you have to see these guys. There is just no way to explain in print the lived-in quality of their music. Though Willie Smith just joined the band in Septem- ber, the other members have been together for seven years, and it seems like they have been playing as an en- semble all their lives. If all this seems too good to be true, I suggest you either see the Legendary Blues Band live, or check out their next album Life of Ease, which will be released in the fall. Either way, you will know that the blues are still alive. Throaty Lane keeps Chartbusters afloat By FRED SCHILL Robin Lane leaves the lingering im- pression that she would feel perfectly at home in any nightclub in any period of time. Her low, throaty vocals evoke images of the formally-clad crooners of the Forties, standing placidly before 20- piece bands and moaning languid ren- ditions of tunes like "Blue Sunday." Her vocals have that aching sort of texture, mixed with just enough rawness to apply them to a power pop format. Lane sounds like she has a small frog lodged permanently in her throat, a quality that flows comfortably with the thready insistence of the Char- tbusters' rhythms.. THOUGH THEIR set at Second Chance Monday night was painfully short (just 56 minutes before the en- cores, which ran about 15 minutes more), the Chartbusters managed to stampede through almost all of the material on their first two albums, neglecting only "Pretty Mala" from the second and "Many Years Ago" and "Be Mine Tonight" from the first. "Power pop is rather loose nomen- clature for the Chartbusters' sound, but it fits about as well as anything else. Two of her band members formerly played with the Modern Lovers, while Lane herself was a folk singer until she heard and was greatly influenced by Johnny Rotten. To say that makes for an unusual compilation of styles is an under- statement, but the result is neither as odd nor as innovative as one might guess. Their sound is distinctive because Lane's contralto style is distin- ctive, measuring barely a register over bassist Scott Baerenwald's harmonies. THE RESULT is that Lane's vocals float just above the band's punchy, new wave-ish rhythms. Buoyed by Baeren- wald's plucky, bouncing bass riffs and hemmed in by Leroy Radcliff's reedier Telecaster, Lane takes the middle road, vocally resolving the contrast. Guitarist Asa Brabner simply rides the flow, anhancing its fundamental qualities with textured solos that purify the band's sound, while drummer Tim Jackson's hammerfisted percussion makes whatever direction the band goes sound emphatic. Lane's lyrics typically moralize about the trials and traumas of love, with an emphasis on hot much it hurts and how blind it can be. It that sounds trite, remember that lane's voice is See DANCE, Page 13 Pianist Pinetop Perkins performing with the Legendary Blues Band Wed- nesday night at Rick's American Cafe. SPRING/ SUMMER* We are offering a number of work-study positions in the OFFICE of CAREER PLANNING AND PLACEMENT. We are fun, interesting, and challenging people to work with at the University. You also will see many of your friends coming in each day to explore career opportunities. Come to the Office of Career Planning and Plancement, 3200 Student Activities Build- ing OR call Kathy Zeh at 764-7460 and choose one of the-fol- lowing positions available for work-study students. CAREER RESOURCES LIBRARY-10/15 hour position Assist with processing and cataloging of new acquisitions; variety of filing, shelving and maintaining resources; serve as information person for people with questions about library resources and career Planning & Placement services. CREDENTIALS-10 hour position Assist in typing, filing, record keeping, xeroxing, telephone inquiries; running mimeo, collator, addressograph machines; other office projects. EDUCATION-45 hours (2 positions) Handling large number of mail; assist with counting of vacancies for Annual Report; assist with correspondence to employers; input edu- cation candidate data into computer; and various other projects. HIGHER EDUCATION-12 hour position Assist with daily opening, sorting, copying, routing of mail; filing vacancies in notebooks and files; handling registrant address changes, mail returns; typing labels and small amount of correspondence. PRE-PROFESSIONAL-10 hour position Maintaining and expanding resource area; conducting library research; compiling current statistics tor medical, dental and law; updating the in- formation notebooks, as well as assorted clerical duties. RECRUITMENT-15 hour position Recruiter scheduling, correspondence; handling recruiter literature; type bulletin; record salary statistics; maintain recruiting information; and various other clerical duties.