Image provided by: Clackamas Community College; Oregon City, OR
About The print. (Oregon City, Oregon) 1977-1989 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 11, 1981)
arts & lives Review By Tom Jeffries Of The Print Dave Baumgarten’s musical lecture on John Steinbeck and all-too-short concert of traditional sea chanties is an ex cellent example of the kind of enjoyable and intellectually stimulating entertainment the students can be treated to if they would take the time to listen. With his associate, Anita Rose, Baumgarten was able to give a thoroughly enjoyable show that didn’t resort to cheap shots about sex and drugs. His music was the music that people have been singing for hundreds of year, and, with his help, will continue singing. Anyone who watched him sing could tell that he enjoyed what he was doing. It wasn’t a iob to him, it was a recrea tion, and it came through in his music t making it that much more enjoyable for his listeners. He played and sang until asked to stop (a film was scheduled to be shown), and was genuinely disappointed to have,to leave. He was more than happy to stay around afterwards and share songs with anyone who wanted to play his “girl.” Even for someone who usually listens to AC/.DC and Ted Nugent, Baumgarten’s shows were a refreshing, entertain ing and exhilirating experience. Review THC By Mike Rose Of The Print The three ladies looked like the types that regularly attend church functions.They left the show early, shortly after the choir broke into “Loaded at the Time.” The Hallelujah Chorus was not quite what they ex pected. Bawdy, direct, and simplistic is the Hallelujah Chorus’ brand of humor. The Hallelujah Chorus (THC) performed for a large audience Feb. 4 in the Community Center Lounge. “They were raunchy, but good,” was a typical comment made by one in the audience. THC’s show consists of songs that are mostly about drugs, sex and bodily func tions. THC is the intoxicating chemical in marijuana. As the group’s name suggests, drug humor is dominant in the show. Their absurdity and shock value was responsible for the biggest laughs. An example is “Obscenity Still Pays” . which feature funny words like “motherf...” The audience was invited to sing along to the dit ty, “I Love to Come.” Getting laughs is what really THC likes to sing, too. Page 6 Baumgarten: an odyssey through Steinbeck Baumgarten performs most of social protest, ballads an often at colleges. “I always get many others. He has als “Jodie thought I was God a good reception, and I have recorded albums on Steinbec and 10 feet taller! If he wanted very few problems with his and sea chanteys that hav to know something he didn’t relative anonymity. Most peo- been distributed nationally. go to his Pa. No sir! He went for me, Billy Buck!” Dave Baumgarten drawled, slipping easily into a character for a monologue that faded, ef fortlessly into a song. His .one- man show on the works of Steinbeck, presented on cam pus, Friday, is a different ap proach that includes his own interpretation of the man and his writing. Rather than copy the stan- dard format of the one-man show, Baumgarten does not at tempt to imitate John counts. The majority of the au Steinbeck. Instead, he has built dience laughed. Unfortunately, a show that uses his own I was among those who didn’t. monologues and songs, taken I endured the first 13 songs. At from Steinbeck’s works. intermissipn I took off and tried . A graduate of the University to recover. I made it back in of Redlands with a bachelor’s time to hear the last two songs. degree in Theater Arts, The 16 songs that I missed may Literature and Humanities, have been the paramount of Baumgarten was inspired by Staff photo by Duffy Coffma humor. The sun may explode Steinbeck. He produced and Dave Baumgarten and friend tomorrow, too. directed 25 professional pro I appreciate crude, tasteless ductions, and served as a pie don’t know what to expect, “T got into folk singin humor. THC vyas crude and .t^chefj fgrti§t-in.-rggi(i^.Qcg ^*nd .so. tbeytake the jfim^itA'ijstgn,” because^it’s, thempsic that tasteless, but not ’ very "gi/est Mcttrer foV various skills he -said, “It catches their atten love ther rriostf I donV rhea humorous. The act had a bla until turning to his present oc tion because it’s not imitative, modern folk music that ha tant quality. For quality humor, cupation of concert folksinger. and it’s not dry, like a straight been composed to be fol it takes more than just mention “He turned me on at an early reading would be. Of course, I music, but real, tradition* ing drugs, pubic crabs, or even age,” Baumgarten said, ex have gotten some criticism music that has been hand® “motherf...” plaining his 20-year identifica because many people are so in down through the generations I have a personal prejudice tion with Steinbeck. “I came to love with Steinbeck, that they against drug humor. It’s about his writing through “Cannery want complete faithfulness to Of course, some modern mus as funny as plywood. I realize Row.” It opened a lot of doors -his writing. Instead I give them is well on its way to becomin that some people enjoy drug for me. I didn’t start out to write my personal odyssey through real folk music. ‘Count humor (God knows why). a show. I just wrote songs and his works.” Roads’ is a good example. However, THC relied too monologues and injected them His show on Steinbeck is not heavily on drug humor and it into my regular concerts. Pretty the only musical lecture he of “When will I stop? When got a little wearing. soon I realized I had an entire fers. He has put together other A couple of the songs were evening show, 'just on shows on such topics as the becomes a job, rather than a not without merit. “Pissing on a Steinbeck,” he said. sea, the dust bowl years, songs activity that I enjoy.” Barbed Wire Fence” had some* funny lines' “I Love To Come” was a spectacle of absurdity and tastelesSness, but enter taining. On the whole, I wouldn’t recommend ,THC to The first Clackamas Com There will also be instrumental- the Beginning: Erstwhile Rel anyone I liked. munity College Festival of the selections from the .same tiofishi'ps.'” Rickenbaul describes this as having Performing Arts has been set Thé Theater Department is “primitive, ritualistic feel for three performances later this month. Under the coor planning a Reader’s Theater which will be accompanied I dination of Debbie Baker and production entitled, “Freewill.” slides, rear-screen visual David Buckley of Student Ac The theme of the production tions and video tape delay. Tl tivities, the approximately hour reportedly revolves around a dance was choreographed I and a half program will involve rather profound question of Rickenbaugh and by membi of her Modern Dance Reps four of the humanities depart philosophy. The Dance and Video tory group. ments on campus: video, Besides the work with tl Departments have planned dance, music and theater. The motivation behind the both separate and joints pro Dance Departmet, Video h, multi-media concept is to bring ductions. Jane Rickenbaugh of planned some abstract vidk more of the College’s per dance has three dances on the presentations involving tl formers out of the wings and agenda, one entitled, “Joshua tape delay and video feedbac into focus for other students, Fit the Battie of Jerico,” a About 20 video students arei the community and high school modern dance originally volved in the project. It is at students. choreographed by Helen reprted that Mr. Science « The Music Department, Tamaris in the 1930s. A present some of his physic under the direction of Jean modem/jazz production call improprieties. The festival’s first perfo Elliot, will present the Swing ed, “I Believe in Love,” accom Choir doing selections from “A panied by the Kenny Loggins mance will take place at non Chorus Line,” and a 16-voice version of the song, is also on on Feb. 18 in the Communi Center. Mall, and will t madrigal emsemble, which will tap. Dance’s collaboration with repeated on Feb. 20 at 8 p.n sing selections from Baroque the Video- Department will and again at noon on Feb. 21 composers, including Thomas Staff photo by Duffy Coffman Morely and Henry Purcell. come on a piece entitled, “In By Tom Jeffries Of The Print Festival to feature CCC performers Clackamas Community Colles
