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 ,ANN ARBOR INDIVIDUAL THEATRES 5,6 Aye of 1,y 701-9700 $2.00 SHOWS TILL 6:00 PM THURSFRIR-7109:10 ENDS TONIGHT! "LIANNA" at-- 7:30 9:30 Starts Fri! WOODY ALLEN's uianUfadANNIE HALL (R) FRI- "ANNIE" 6:55 10:10 "MAN" 8:30 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 ..