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About The Clackamas print. (Oregon City, Oregon) 1989-2019 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 28, 1998)
2 i Entertdinm Wednesday, Jan. 28,1998 / Jazz is an underappreciated and often misunderstood form of music. In fact, most people don’t even think about it at all, judging from the share of the music market that jazz pos sesses. Jazz albums account for only three percent of all music sold in this country, while groups with little musi cal talent such as the Spice Girls sell millions of copies. What is wrong with this pic ture? Too much, according to Clackamas teacher Tom Wakeling. Wakeling teaches the His tory of Jazz class, and is a jazz musician himself, having played the bass for over 27 years now. “I played pop and rock for a long time, and gravitated to wards jazz because it was so much more challenging. I still love much rock musie, though,” Wakeling says of his musical roots. In History of Jazz, students learn about jazz from its early roots in New Orleans through today’s “Fusion” style, en compassing the swing, bebop, cool jazz, hard-bop, jazz-rock, and avant-garde forms of jazz along the way. Guest musician^ also are part of the experience, coming in to talk with and play for the class. Just two weeks U^o, for instance, famous bassist John Clayton of the Clayton Broths ers played a duet with Wakeling, and then stayed to chat with students. Clayton has worked with such artists as Phil Collins, Quincy Jones, and even composed for Whitney Houston when she sang “The Star Spangled Ban ner” during the Super Bowl a few years ago. Wakeling says this shows that jazz musicians are much more accessible than famous rock musicians. “You can call almost all of them at home, and they’ll take the time to talk to you?’,‘^ Students in the class also feel strongly about jazz as both a music and an art form. “Jazz isn’t all about pop art ists like Kenny G. Jazz is more about the musician expressing himself through his music, more about swinging, grooving,and rhythm,” in toned freshman Aaron Shep- ALEXANDER MAHAN ALEX MAHAN Co-A&E-Editor Clackamas W n F An education to jazz up your life History of Jazz teacher Tom Wakeling demonstrates proper bass technique. herd. Other students agree with Shepherd. “If you’re interested in American music of any kind, then this is the place to learn about it,” noted student Will Wyatt. For students , interested in taking the class, it is not too late to sign up. History of Jazz is one of three classes required for the Introduction to Music Literature ’sequence, which meets the Humanities and Arts sequence requirement for the Associate of Arts transfer de gree. The other courses in the se quence are the History of Rock and a class that relates to the history of classical music. His tory of Rock runs spring term and will have guest speakers, videos, and plenty of rock mu sic. For more information about the jazz class and other classes in the music sequence, contact Tom Wakeling at ext, 2160 or stop by his office in R2b8B. Ci Jazz isn't all about ‘ W artists .< | like Kenny G- J J Aaron Shepherd Jazz Student Spend time with three local playwrights At this term's Authors' Night, three Oregon playwrights will be sharing scenes from their works on Feb. 4. Charles Deemer, DMae Rob erts and Sue Mach will host in the McLoughlin Hall Theatre at 7 p.m. Deemer has an M.F. A. in play writing from the University of Oregon where he was a Shubert play writing Fellow. Thirty-six of his plays have been produced, Tavern," the public television and he has sold four screenplay version of which won an ACE options. He also writes fiction award. His play,"Famililly," won and is a three-time recipient of the 1997 Crossing Borders In the Roll of Honor Recognition ternational Playwright competi in "Best American Short Sto tion and will open in Salem, ries." He teaches screen writing Massachusetts next season. His at Portland State University and actors will be reading from his for Eastern Oregon State Uni latest play "Bedrooms and Bars." versity via Internet. Roberts is aii Amerasian play Deemer is best known for his play "Christmas at the Juniper wright, actress, and radio pro ducer. Roberts' two-act play "Picasso in the Back Seat" re ceived the Portland Drama Crit ics Circle Award for Best Origi nal Play of the '95-'96 season and the Oregon Book Award for Best Play. Roberts has been nominated for the Drammy Award for two other plays. In 1990, she re ceived the Peabody award for her autobiographical radio docu- play "Mei Mei, A Daughter's Song." Her 13-part radio series Legacies: Tales From American was hosted by James DePriest and broadcast on National Pub lic Radio to 100 stations. Her ac tors will be reading from a play about Kwan Yin, "Lady Bud dha," which was produced at the Chartwells Invites you to lunch. Or dinner or breakfast. Open 7 a.m.-8 p.m. for all your needs. The place to eat on campus! ¡Wednesday, January 28, 1998 IFCC Theater in 1997. Sue Mach is on the English faculty and teaches play writing at CCC. She received an M.A. in playwriting from Boston Uni versity and has also taught at Linfield College and Portland State University. Her first play, "Monograms," about Portland poet Hazel Hall, won a Drammy Award at Portland Rep Stage II. After rewriting, it moved to the main Stage of Portland Rep for a second season and rave re views. It was then produced in New York and Pennsylvania, re ceiving an excellent review. Mach's second play, "Angle of View," was a finalist for the Or egon Book Award, and the New York Theater that produced "Monograms" plans to produce it. Her third play, currently titled "Sacred Heart," is being rewrit ten for possible production in Seattle. It is based on a charis matic religous cult leader in Corvallis early in the century. This event is co-spónsored by thè English Department and Friends of the Library. The event is free, but a $2 donation would be greatly appreciated. Professor Sue Mach will be host ing an Au thors' Night with two other play wrights on Feb. 4 at 7 p.m. The presentation will be held in the McLoughlin Hall The atre. Admis sion is free with a $2 suggested donation.
