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About The North Coast times-eagle. (Wheeler, Oregon) 1971-2007 | View Entire Issue (April 1, 1987)
PA GE 7 T H E N O R T H C O A S T T I M E S E A G L E , A P R I L 1987 CANDY D R U R Y , "T H E N O R TH CO AST JA Z Z Q U A R T E T " jnzzTO R in by Jim Wilkins W h e n I f i r s t c a m e t o C l a t s o p C o u n ty a l m o s t t w e n t y y e a r s a g o , a r e f u g e e f r o m th e u r b a n c r a z i n e s s th a t a f f e c te d m a n y of m y g e n e r a tio n , th e w o rd " ja z z " w a s a s f o r e ig n h e r e a s a p o w d e r b lu e p o l y e s t e r l e i s u r e s u i t w ith a w h ite p a te n t l e a t h e r b e lt. H ic k o ry s h i r t s , r o m e o s . a n d a n u n q u e s t i o n i n g lo v e of s h i t k i c k - in g c o u n t r y m u s i c f i l l e d th e b a r s , w h ile th e o i l y o d o r o f c o o k in g a l b a c o r e h u n g o v e r th e w a t e r f r o n t . T h e s u b t l e b e a u t y o f th e a r e a , th e u n iq u e a m b i a n c e o f th e c u l t u r e , th e s h e e r g e o g r a p h i c a l p o w e r o f o n e o f t h e w o r l d 's l a r g e s t r i v e r s b a t t l i n g t w i c e d a i l y w ith th e m o o n a n d s e a , a ll th is an d m o r e , b u t N O JA Z Z . H a v in g i n h e r i t e d a n u n f o r g i v i n g a n d p o w e r f u l j a z z j o n e s , I w a s f o r c e d to i m p o r t d a i l y t a p e s m a d e b y m y d a d f r o m K J A Z . a t w e n ty - f o u r h o u r f u l l t i m e j a z z s t a t i o n in A l a m e d a , C a l i f o r n i a . A ll t h e j a z z I n e e d e d , c o m p l e t e w ith a d v e r t i s e m e n t s f o r B M W s a n d t h e b e s t in H a r r i s T w e e d s . T h e t a p e s w e r e a p a in in th e a s s , th o u g h . T h e n I fo u n d C J A Z .a tw e n ty - f o u r h o u r j a z z s t a t i o n in V a n c o u v e r , B .C . W ith th e h e lp of a f r ie n d , I r ig g e d a p o w e rfu l a n te n n a a m p l i f i e r a n d w a s a b l e to h a v e f u l l t i m e j a z z r i g h t h e r e o n th e N o r t h C o a s t . N ow w e h a v e K M U N t r a n s m i t t i n g d a i l y j a z z f r o m d o w n to w n A s t o r i a a t 9 1 .9 M H z , w ith s o m e v e r y g o o d p ro g ra m m e rs. L iv e j a z z b a c k t h e n w a s a l s o u n k n o w n a ro u n d h e r e . C h ris P a r k e r had a band fo r a w h ile w h ile he w a s a t C la ts o p C o lle g e , b u t g e n e r a l l y P o r t l a n d w a s th e c l o s e s t p l a c e to c o n s i s t e n t l y h e a r th e l iv e s tu f f , o r b e t t e r y e t, S a n F r a n c i s c o . I a m h a p p y to r e p o r t t h a t t h i s u n f o r t u n a t e s i t u a t i o n h a s b e e n r e c t i f i e d . We a r e b l e s s e d to h a v e a m o n g u s th e N o r t h C o a s t J a z z Q u a r t e t , a n d y o u k n o w w h a t? T h e s e g u y s a r e h o t s tu ff. M o d e r n j a z z is th e m o s t t e c h n i c a l l y d e m a n d in g m u s i c o f a n y to p l a y . F i r s t y o u s t u d y f o r y e a r s , m e m o r iz e h a rm o n ic th e o r y , c o u n te r - p o i n t , c h o r d i n v e r s i o n s , a n d a t t h e s a m e t im e m a s t e r s e v e r a l i n s t r u m e n t s , o n e o f w h ic h is p r o b a b ly th e p ia n o . O K , g o t th a t? T h e n s p e n d s e v e r a l y e a r s p l a y i n g a n y k in d o f m u s i c t h a t w ill k e e p yo u w o rk in g , fo r v e ry little m o n e y , in s l e a z y c l u b s , f o r e v e n s l e a z i e r c l u b o w n e r s , p a y in g h e a v y d u e s a n d a v o id i n g th e h a b i t s t h a t h a v e k ille d m a n y m a s t e r f u l p l a y e r s . S till th e r e ? N ow , th ro w a w a y th o s e c h a r ts , fo rg e t e v e r y t h i n g y o u l e a r n e d , a n d b lo w . T h e N o r t h C o a s t J a z z Q u a r t e t c a n b lo w ; p i a n o , b a s s a n d d r u m s . M a k e n o m i s t a k e , t h e y c o u ld b e p l a y in g s w i n e t t e s a n d i t w o u ld s o u n d g r e a t . T h e o b v i o u s l e a d e r in a g r o u p l i k e t h i s is t h e p i a n o p l a y e r . H e f o r m s th e c h o r d a l f r a m e w o r k f o r th e r e s t o f th e b a n d , h a v in g a t h i s d is p o s a l te n f in g e r s a n d e ig h ty - e ig h t n o te s . T h e g u i t a r p l a y e r h a s s i x s t r i n g s , th e b a s s p l a y e r h a s f o u r a n d th e d r u m m e r h a s n o n e a t a l l . C h u c k W il d e r i s th e p i a n o m a n . B o r n S e p t e m b e r 9, 1 9 3 9 , in Y o u n g s to w n , O h io , C h u c k h a s a B . A . , a n M . A . , a n d a P h D ., a l l in s o c i a l w e l f a r e f r o m th e U n i v e r s i t y o f C a l i f o r n i a a t B e r k e l e y . H e m o v e d t o t h i s a r e a to h e l p s e t u p th e C o m m u n it y A c tio n T e a m , a r e f e r r a l s e r v i c e f o r lo w i n c o m e o r d i s a d v a n t a g e d p e o p l e . H is w o r k t h e r e p a y s h i m a m e a g e r w a g e , w h i c h , c o m b i n e d w ith t h e m e a g e r w a g e h e m a k e s w ith a p i a n o , a l l o w s h i m to e x i s t . T h e g u i t a r p l a y e r f i l l s in w ith a l o t o f s i n g l e n o te r u n s a n d c h o r d s b a s e d a r o u n d th e m e l o d y . If y o u ju d g e a g u i t a r i s t by th e s o p h i s t i c a t i o n o f h i s c h o r d w o r k , y o u w i l l n o t f in d D a v e D r u r y l a c k i n g . B o r n D e c e m b e r 2 8 , 1946 in S p r i n g - f i e l d , I l l i n o i s , D a v e a t t e n d e d A r i z o n a S t a te U n i v e r s i t y a s a m u s i c m a j o r . It s h o w s in h i s p la y in g . D av e h e lp s m a k e e n d s m e e t o p e r a t in g h i s c a b i n e t m a k i n g b u s i n e s s n e a r h i s h o m e in th e L e w is a n d C l a r k a r e a . T h e b a s s p l a y e r , o f c o u r s e , p r o v i d e s th e f o u n d a t i o n f o r th e b a n d . H e p l a y s o n ly o n e n o te a t a t i m e , b u t i t h a s to b e th e r i g h t o n e . J i m Y d s t ie m a k e s a h a b i t of p l a y in g t h e r i g h t n o t e s . B o r n A p r i l 14, 1956 in M in o t, N o r t h D a k o ta , h e a t t e n d e d C o n c o r d i a C o l l e g e in M o o rh e a d , M in n e s o ta f o r f o u r y e a r s a s a p h ilo s o p h y m a j o r , l a t e r s t u d y i n g m u s i c in B e l l i n g h a m a n d a t P o r t l a n d S t a t e . Y d s tie p r e t t y m u c h s u p p o r t s h i s f a m i l y p l a y in g m u s i c , a l t h o u g h t h a t m e a n s o c c a s i o n a l l y g o in g o n th e r o a d . H is l a s t t o u r w a s w ith t h e R u s s M o r g a n B ig B a n d p l a y i n g E l k s c l u b s a n d b a l l r o o m d a n c e s in F l o r i d a . D r u m m e r M ic h a e l R u s h p r o v i d e s th e r h y t h m i c p u l s e t h a t h o l d s th e w h o le t h in g t o g e t h e r . B o r n J u l y 3 ,1 9 4 4 in S p o k a n e , W a s h in g to n , th e b i r t h p l a c e o f B in g C r o s b y , M ic h a e l a t t e n d e d th e M u s e u m A r t S c h o o l in P o r t l a n d . H e s t a r t e d p la y in g th e d r u m s a b o u t t h a t t i m e , a n d c la im s h is f i r s t d r u m w as a u s e d C e v ro n f i f t y - f i v e g a l l o n d i e s e l b a r r e l . S in c e t h e n h e h a s p l a y e d w i d e ly , i n c l u d i n g d r u m m i n g f o r a G re e k b a n d on A r is to tle O n a s s is ' y a c h t. S o , t h o s e a r e th e p l a y e r s , b u t w h a t a b o u t t h e i r m u s ic ? T he b an d g e n e r a lly p la y s m a in s t r e a m ja z z , c o n s is tin g m a in ly of s ta n d a r d tu n e s , th a t is , s o n g s th a t h a v e b e e n a ro u n d lo n g e n o u g h to m a k e it i n to C h u c k 's f a k e b o o k . M any c o m e fro m B ro a d w a y p la y s , o th e r s w e re p o p u la r fo r a tim e an d i n te r e s t in g e n o u g h th a t j a z z m u s i c i a n s p i c k e d u p on t h e m a s g o o d v e h i c l e s f o r i m p r o v i s a t i o n . T h e r e s e e m s to b e a n i n c r e a s i n g i n t e r e s t n a t i o n a l l y in t h i s l i t e r a t u r e ; K e ith J a r r e t t , A n th o n y B r a x t o n , a n d o th e r s h a v e r e c e n tl y r e l e a s e d a lb u m s c a l l e d " S t a n d a r d s . " J i m Y d s t ie t o l d m e t h a t h e t h i n k s t h a t j a z z i s e v o lv i n g a w a y f r o m th e f u s io n - e le c tr o n ic - g iz m o o r ie n ta tio n we have s e e n fo r a few y e a r s an d to w a rd a m o re m e l o d i c , tu n e o r i e n t e d f r a m e w o r k . If h e is r i g h t , t h e n th e N o r t h C o a s t J a z z Q u a r t e t i s r i g h t t h e r e w ith th e t r e n d s e t t e r s . I w o u ld l ik e to s e e D a v e t a k e s o m e c h a n c e s a n d g e t o u t o n th e e d g e w h en he s o lo s , a n d tr a d in g f o u r s c a n b e c o m e a n o v e r w o r k e d a n d te d io u s d e v ic e w h e n u s e d h a b i t u a l l y . Y d s t ie is w e l l o n h i s w a y to b e c o m i n g a m a s t e r m u s i c i a n a n d is h e a d a n d s h o u l d e r s a b o v e th e r e s t in h i s c o m p r e h e n s i o n o f th e i d i o m . I t 's a r e a l t r e a t to h a v e s o m e o n e o f h i s c a l i b e r p l a y i n g in th e a re a . A t th e t i m e I a m w r i t i n g t h i s th e b a n d h a s w o u n d u p a w i n t e r g ig a t th e S h ip In n in A s t o r i a . F e n t o n a n d J i l l S t o k e ld , th e o w n e r s , h a v e s u p p o r t e d t h e a r t s o n th e N o r t h C o a s t f o r m a n y y e a r s , a n d s h o u ld b e c o m p l i m e n t e d f o r p r o v i d i n g a b e a u t i f u l p l a c e to h e a r l iv e j a z z . T h e N C J Q c o n t i n u e s to h o l d f o r t h o n T h u r s d a y e v e n i n g s a t t h e A s t o r H o u s e , a t 1040 C o m m e r c i a l in d o w n to w n A s t o r i a . T h i s g ig is b ille d a s a ja m s e s s i o n , s o b rin g y o u r a x e . F r i d a y a n d S a t u r d a y , C h u c k p l a y s a t th e W a y f a r e r R e s t a u r a n t in C a n n o n B e a c h , a c c o m p a n i e d by D a v e a n d / o r J i m . It is a s m a l l b u t n i c e r o o m w ith a g r e a t v ie w o f th e o c e a n . A ll o f t h e s e g ig s h a v e o n e t h in g in c o m m o n : t h e y n e e d y o u r s u p p o r t . A s m u c h a s a c lu b o w n e r l i k e s j a z z , if s / h e c o n s t a n t l y l o s e s m o n e y o n i t , s / h e w ill s t o p p r e s e n t i n g i t . T h e m u s i c i a n s w i l l t e l l y o u t h e y p la y b e t t e r to a f u ll h o u s e ; w h a t 's t h e p o i n t in r e e l i n g o ff a s p o n ta n e o u s , s o p h is tic a te d a n d to ta lly aw e s o m e s o l o if n o o n e is t h e r e t o a p p r e c i a t e i t? O n e th in g th e c lu b o w n e r s a n d b a r t e n d e r s t e l l m e is t h a t j a z z f a n s o f te n d o n 't d r i n k , t h e y c o m e to l i s t e n to th e m u s i c . We w o n 't g e t i n t o a d i s c u s s i o n of a l c o h o l h e r e , b u t s e l l i n g it i s h o w th e c l u b s s h o w a p r o f i t . In th e c i t i e s t h e r e is u s u a l l y a c o v e r c h a r g e a s w e ll a s a m i n i m u m d r i n k c h a r g e , n e i t h e r o f w h ic h w e h a v e h e r e — y e t . If y o u d o n 't d r i n k , b u y o n e f o r a f r i e n d , o r f o r m e , o r b u y o n e a n d p o u r i t in th e p o t te d p a lm . J i m W ilk in s i s a m u s i c i a n a n d c o n s t r u c t i o n c o n t r a c t o r . H e l i v e s in A s t o r i a a n d i s a j a z z p r o g r a m m e r fo r K M U N -F M .
