The Michigan Daily - Friday, June 21, 1985 - Page 9
Quartet presents a slice of Jazz-life
not clearly understood even by its
By Roxana Kaveh own greatest musicians - they're still
- ~~~learning t lyi!
IT IS TUESDAY night, jazz in the Harvey Reed, an ex-Michigan
IU-Club featuring the Jazz-life Professor of psychology, is the man
band. The band expands as the night behind the piano. His playing, if not
grows older, many musicians get in- quite stylish, is filled with fine
vited or invite themselves onto the rhythm.
stage. By the end of the night you put The bass player is a young man
the names and the faces together and with good old-fashioned talent, Ned
the music is no longer in the Mann.
background. Perhaps you remember the hairy-
The band is blessed with lots of un- faced soprano sax player on the Diag
derstanding, perceptiveness, and on nice April days, who gathered
great music. Individualism plays a large crowds and obscured the voice
key role - the solo pieces sometimes of Mike the preacher. He is Lewis
seem to last forever. But no one cares Johnson, the man behind Jazz-life,
- the music is always great. also a Michigan Law school graduate.
The band has many stars but Cass His father, a saxophonist himself,
Harris, the trumpet player, steals the taught Lewis as a child. He went on to
show. He can do whatever he desires study music at the Paris Conser-
with his instrument, with charming vatory where he concentrated mainly
effect. Harris, the second of eleven on classical music. Johnson said that
children, received his first music his final exam in the conservatory
lesson from his mother. He played convinced him to make the switch to
gospel in church before switching to jazz. He failed to receive the first
jazz, and went on to play with many prize because the judges were not
reknowned artists. Harris treats jazz pleased with is deviation from the
both sensually and spiritually: "Jazz original text. "With Jazz you have a
is an avenue, it is my testimony to freedom, and therefore a control over
life. On the other hand, pop is faddish,
all dressed up and nowhere to go. ButtjL
bodied in its potential to evolve. Itnis LESBIAN-GAY PRIDE
the music," said Johnson.
Johnson's law years perhaps have
taught him more than contract law;
his music became a medium for his
political views. His composition, "In
South Africa," is intense, alarming,
and sometimes gloomy. Johnson and
a group of University law students
are promoting a series of nationwide
concerts entitled "Jazz for Life." The
money will be used to aid the hungry.
After spending so many years
studying music, switching to law does
sound drastic. When asked why he
went into law, he answered, "I was
stupid." Johnson believes that many
musicians get exploited because they
lack knowledge or interest in business
matters: "Music is a business, and I
am interested in producing. So far
musicians have had very little control
over their destiny."
Tuesday night drags on, from the U-
Club where the music talks to a
steamy kitchen where the music goes
on for ever. They wonder about sur-
vival, where to play. Who is good and
who is too arrogant. "Band sounded
great tonight guys." No one resrnds.
Good night and good jazz until next
Tuesday.
WEEK '85 ANN ARBOR
Daily Photo by DARRIAN SMITH
Jazz-Life member Cass Harris squeezes out a note.
Records
(Continued from Page 8)
and imaginative of the works. The synthesizers too diffuse. Isham opts
music creats a semi-impressionistic for a stark orchestration for a small
visualization of an arctic vista, vast, ensemble, utilizing percussion, syn-
primeval, and imposing. ths, and various string instruments.
Isham uses synthesizers to carve Electronic doctoring of the in-
out massive glacial peaks, monumen- struments' sonic properties opens the
tal icefloes, cold and seemingly in- arrangement up and gives it a sense
finite. It's the kind of cinematically of spaciousness.
rendered piece that could only be
realized with a novel approach - an Even more notably, Isham adds a
orchestra would be too cumbersome, subjective angle to the view, using,
for instance, a simple bassoon solo to
evoke a quiet realization of isolation
and loneliness. Therein lies Isham's
unique gift, a sense of expresiveness
that is at times provocative and truly
memorable, and establishes him in a
league apart from the aural
wallpaperers.
- Byron L. Bull
June 16-22,1985
"Unity Strength and Love"
FRIDAY, JUNE 21
7:00 pm: Slide Shows on U.S. & German Gay Pride Mvts.
Michigan Union, Main Floor (Anderson Room)
8:00 pm: Coffee House
Guild House, 802 Monroe at Oakland
9:30 pm: Candlelight Stonewall Commemoration
Michigan Union, Main Floor (Anderson Room)
(Please Bring Your Own Candle)
PRID V lFFK SPONSORS INCl t'DF: Gii , MGKt M'NISA
Information, incl. future events: 763-4186
1
EATS
AND
DRINKS
TACO BOB'S
(810S. State St.; 996-TACO)
New ideas in Mexican food including:
Salads, Chimichangas, Buritos. Hours: 11
a.m.-2 a.m. Mon.-Sat., Noon-Midnight
Sunday.
LUNCH DELIVERY and
NIGHT DELIVERY
Steves(342 S. State; 662-2663)
Homemade ice cream, hot fudge and whip-
ped cream. Specializes in The Mixin -
cookies, candies, nuts and fruit - skillfully
blended by hand into your favorite large
scoop.
Open 12 - 12 daily.
FORBIDDEN CITY
(1535 Plcmouth Rd.; 665-3591;
4905 iashtenaw A ve.; 434-7978)w
Excellent in the ancient tradition of Man-
darin, Sze Chuan, and Hunan specialties.
Attentive service, a full service bar with a
complete wine menu and exotic cocktails.
Open 7 days a week.
PIZZA BOB'S
(814 S. State St.; 665-4517)
Ann Arbor's best milkshakes,
ereai sobs, and
pizza. We practically invented chipatis'
Pizza pasties. FREE DELIVERY. i a.m.- DA N CE W T
2 p.m., 4 p.m.-1:30 a.m. EVERY DAY. COME A C WITH U
- KANA
Fine Korean cuisine - family restaurant
Some hot spicy Korean foods available.
h:-~/orsMFllam.-9 pm.
Sat. 5 p.m. - 10 p.m.
Mo.-Thurs. 3 p.m.- 2 a.m. 133 E. Huron
Fri.- Sat. 2 p.m. - 2 a.m. Sun. 5 p.m. -1 a.m. Ann Arbor 662-9303