4
ARTS
Page 10 Thursday, August 4, 1983 The Michigan Daily
Tosh brings reggae
gospel to Michigan
By Doug Laurin
T HE LEGS BEGIN to throb up and
down, an easy upper body sway
back and forth; then the motion loosely
swings the arms. It takes no muscle -
it's the spirit of Ras Tafari - it's the
sound of reggae.
Reggae's scope is worldwide. From
Brazil to Australia to Paris to Ann Ar-
bor, everyone is listening to reggae.
The sound is addictive.
"Ras Tafari is in all of us. Reggae
music overtakes the soul, black or
white no matter," explained reggae
giant Peter Tosh in a recent phone in-
terview. "Reggae is educational, mon.
It means many things to many people.
It spreads tle word of Jah Ras Tafari!"
Tosh uses the slow Jamaican (boom-
ska, boom-ska) beat, a deep, mahogony
voice, and powerful words to preach
the Rastafarian movement - a life-
style stressing a loving of nature,
adherence to the Christian Religion, a
longing for Caribbean blacks to return
to Africa, and a worshipping of Africa's
first black king of modern times, Ras
Tafari.
Sometimes happy and loving,
sometimes sad, hating, and angry,
Tosh's messages and comments are
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always emotional and hopeful. "It's
happy music, yeh, it provides strength
and hope," Tosh said.
Uncompromising social concern,
vehement political desire, and fervent
spirituality depict Tosh's reggae. He
retains the energy he shared with Bob
Marley in the early 1970s when they
layed the framework of reggae com-
posing "Exodus," "Rumors of War,"
"them Belly Full But We Hungry," and
the anthem of reggae, "Get Up Stand
Up":
Get Up Stand Up/Stand Up For
Your Rights/
Get Up Stand Up/Don't Give Up
the Fight!
(Bob Marley and Peter Tosh, 1973).
The strength of his message, its sheer
emotional impact exploding with
humility, urgency and deep spiritual
worship subconsciously grabs the
listener. "I put a lot of physical and
spiritual energy behind it," Tosh said.
His message is not hidden restrained
but he claims the words and sound
follow behind the spiritual element. "I
make music demand and get respect,"
Tosh said. His 1977 album Equal Rights
warns: I don't want peace, I need
equal rights and justice.
Mama Africa (EMI America, 1983),
his fifth solo album, embodies the same
vigor. Its cover portrays Tosh with
shoulder length dreadlocks, "spliff" in
mouth, hugging the fertile, gold-laden
continent of Mama Africa.
This will be his biggest selling album,
scoring a position in the top-40 singles
and extensive MTV exposure with
Bars and Clubs
The Blind Pig (208 S. First; 996-8555)
Little Sonny, harmonica whiz from
Be prepared for a moving, emotional, cultural, and spiritual experience
when Prism Productions presents Peter Tosh with SLK at the Michigan
Theatre Saturday, August 6th at 8 p.m.
"Johnny B. Goode," an upbeat
narrative describing the plight of a
Jamaican boy. With the crack rhythm
section of Sly Dunbar on drums and
Robbie Shakespeare on bass, the beat
- accoustic, enduring - is welcomed
in the pop scene.
Tosh is escalating in popularity. His
powerful message is being heard and
accepted. At 38, a breakthrough in
Tosh's career and a breakthrough for
reggae music, acceptance in main-
stream American pop. Tosh believes
this is only the beginning, the fight will
continue.
I'm not gonna give it up/
I will be fighting, fighting/
Until Africa, Africans arefree.
Peter Tosh, Mama Africa, 1983.
Detroit with a Chicago sound will blow
you away this Friday and Saturday.
Mr. Flood's Party (120 W. Liberty;
995-2132)
Crosstown Blues Band, featuring
the legendary Alberta Adams, hits the
stage this Friday and Saturday.
Rick's American Cafe (611 Church;
996-2747)
The Falcons raise the roof this
BOB DASCOLA
and staff
South U & East U
are now of
DASCOLA STYLISTS
668-9329
opposite Jacobsons
Friday and Satruday with their zesty
mix of blues, early rock, and soul.
Second Chance (516 E. Liberty; 994-
5350)
Salem Witchcraft has a lively con-
coction of top-40 rock available
tonight through Sunday.
The Big Beat (215 N. Main Street; 761-
6348)
Catch the Whiz Kid and his New
York style of spinning your latest
dance favorites Friday night at the
Beat.
Theater
The Performance Network.
The award winning musical
Cabaret continues this week at the
Performance Network (408 W.
Washington). Cabaret is the story of
love and tragedy set against the wild-
ness and confusion of Germany bet-
ween the world wars. The Network
has attended to the tiniest details in
presenting a historically accurate
production as they turn the theater
space into a cabaret with tables and
dancing girls. Performances are
Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. and
Sunday at 6:30 p.m. Call 663-0681 for
ticket information.
Student Theatre Arts Complex
The Real Inspector Hound will be
performed in the Summer Dinner
Theatre in the Michigan Union
Ballroom this Thursday, Friday, and
Saturday. A buffet style dinner will be
served with a cash bar available
during dinner and intermission. This
is the last play to be presented at the
Dinner Theatre so don't miss it! Call
764-5234 for ticket information.
Exhibits
University Museum of Art
Austrian and Germat Ex-
pressionist Drawings from a Private
Collection continues this week
through August 11. 'lhe works are
taken from expressionists of the early
20th century and consist mainly of
figure studies and nudes, though some
narrative scenes are included.
Tiffany Glass from the Permanent
Collection continues through August
14. A small selection of vases and
bowls present the range and vir-
tuosity of the art glass produced at the
Tiffany Furnaces under the direction
of Louis Comfort Tiffany.
The Museum is open Tuesday
through Friday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and
weekends, 1-5 p.m. Call 764-0395.
Free.
Ann Arbor Art Association
A series of drawings on paper by ar-
tist Mary King continues this week
through August 20. Employing ink,
prismacolor, and acrylic, Mary King
creates drawings of people and their
emotional environments. (117 West
Liberty). Call 994-8004. Free.
compiled by Katie Brewer ..