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Pag« 6 Portland/Obeerv»r T hurad»y January 18. 1973
Earth, Wind and Fire:
All the elemements of good music
Angry and bitter, Norma (Gloria Edwards) berates Netta (Leslie Uggams) fo r her "college
a irs ” and warns her to stop trying to steal B illie Jean (Peggy Pettitt) from the fam ily. Ruth
Ann (Loretta Greene) lends support to Norm a. BLACK GIRL, was directed by Ossie Davis and
is a Lee Savin Production. It was written by J .E . Franklin from her Off-Broadway hit play.
The Executive Producer was Robert Greenberg and the film was distributed by Cinerama.
BLACK GIRL is now showing at the Orpehum Theatre, downtown.
’s choirs invite auditions
The Portland Oregon Boys
and G irts Choirs, whose new
sound in religious and popu
la r music has elicited warm
response throughout the coun
try, is extending an Invitation
to all boys between the ages
of 8 to 12, who really love
to sing and travel abroad, to
become personally involved in
their effort to bring happiness
to the world and present the
real joy of life to other young
people.
The presence of boys and
girts from so many diverse
cultural backgrounds brings
cultural enrichment fo r the
staff and choir mem hers.
There comes an awareness
of new ways of perceiving life
and it*s problems and an ap
preciation fo r other ways of
doing things.
"W e want to help youth
identify the principles of life
which lead to happiness fre e
of artificilities like drugs,"
said one of the children. "We
want to help in the matter
of
self-acceptance, family
conflicts, yielding 'rights',
friendship, success in life's
fulfillm ent and the real joy
of life ."
Founded and directed by
Joseph Correa, the singing
group just completed their
Fall Concert Tour through
Oregon,
Washington,
and
Earth, Wind and F ire was
conceived three years ago by
the group's leader and per-
cussionlst-vocalist, M aurice
Whias. His ambition was to put
together an aggregation which
could he comfortable within
the various forms of music
from rock to country and jazz
to soul, but still be able to
play with the best and main
tain Individuality within their
scope of music.
Using the symbols of nature.
Earth, Wind (fo r a ir), and
F ire , the ensemble conveys
its musical feelings. Today
the Columbia recording a r
tists have a charted album,
" L a s t Days and T im e ," and
the single from that LP,
"M o m “ .
White is an alumnus of the
Ramsey Lewis T rio . Aftsr
leaving Ramsey, he went on
to seek and explore new tech
niques in musical expression.
E a rly in the group's involve
ment. he put together various
musicians, including brother
Verdine. That group recorded
two albums for W arner Bros.,
but M aurice wasn't satisfied,
so it was disbanded.
S till
searching
for
a
's p ir it u a l
direction’ , he
formed the present Earth,
Wind and F ire from the fin
est musicians he could find,
all possessing the sam e'spir
itual* drive he felt. "1 think
there is just more love within
the group as a whole. We have
such a tight communication so
that everything comes out to
g eth er," he expressed.
The other elements that
make up the total sound of
E arth, Wind and F ire include
Jessica Cleaves, form erly
with The Friends of Distinc
tion. Being proficient with the
piano, drums, guitar, and most
percussion instruments, gives
her a to u t understanding of
Idaho and w ill be spanning
many different states, meet
ing appointments throughout
the Spring and in Europe dur
ing their Summer tour.
You may help bring this
same joy to other you ng people
by telling other boys and g irls
about our sharing the joy of
life . F o r auditions, you may
w rite to the Portland Oregon
Boys and G irls Choirs. P.O.
Box ¿0392, Portland, Oregon
97220. o r call 281-8393 o r
228-8557. O ur little "Good
w ill Ambassadors" o fo u rfa ir
city need your support. Put
them at the top of your lis t
this new year.
“‘Black Girl’ is a fierce, clear and
eloquent testament about growing up
black in A m erica. Flawless ensemble playing
and great emotional energy.”
— Time Magazine
“‘Black Girl’ is a solid achievement.
A triu m p h .” — Rex Reed
I’is the best black film yet!’
— D aily
News
She’s got to cut it...
or cut out.
Listen to the
SOUL G IA N T
o f the NORTHWEST
Every S a tu rd a y 12:15 - 4:30
KGAR
PICTURED L E F T to right are Earth, Wind & F ire members; Jessica Cleaves. Ralph Johnson.
Andrew Woolfolk. Verdine White, M aurice White, Philip Bailey, and L a rry Dunn. Not pictured’
John Graham and Al McKay.
the group's sound. But it is
her multi-dimensional vocals
that lend her Importance to
the band. ''Sometimes I sing
with a certain airy feeling,
and then 1 come on strong
with flaring vocals on other
members. Being the only fe
male member really doesn't
hold me back. If I give it
straight to the guys and they
understand where I ’m coming
from , there is no problem ."
H e r beautiful looks and dy
namic personality endearboth
to the group and audience.
Verdine White plays bass,
and his low mellow tunes give
the basic component sound
needed for the group. "1 like
the melody of my instrument
to ride low to the ground with
earthen tones." he states.
"W e don'tdescrlbeourmuslc,
the audience doea. And having
aware audiences make things
happen for us."
A nother factor in the outf its*
sound Is drummer Ralph John
son, a native Californian. " I
dig when my throbblngdrlvtng
rhythms sound out like thun
der and then reverse tumbling
down to the ground for a low-
scale attack." Ralph's p e r
sonal feelings for the ensem
ble are, "Wo have everything
we need, we are not just
something to sit and watch.
We want everyone Involved in
what we are doing. With that
feeling of audience participa
tion, we can keep the whole
thing rolling.”
" I get a feeling from music.
It's sometimes personal, but
b y J o e y S asso
was unhappy because his com
pensation, he fell, was not
commensurate with tin suc
cess of the sertea. He's even
alleged to have walked off In
anger on one occasion, and
showed up in Las Vegas on
a day he was supposed to be
in Los Angeles reherslng. But,
NBC reported that Foxx has
a new contract and he's very
happy.
Louis Armstrong’ s widow,
L ucille, has abandoned her
plan to open a museum In
New York with her late hus
band's musical memorabilia.
Instead, she’ ll donate the col
lection to " a small museum
in the m idwest." Louis’ leg
endary golden horn is already
enshrined at The Jazz Museum
in New Orleans.
Mabel M erce r, whoort, cel
ebrated by singing some tunes
at The Press Box. Bobby also
presented Mabel with Chad
bourn’ s new Bodyshlrt made
specifically for evening w ear.
It’ s a little early fo r St.
Valentine's Day but F lip W il
son has ordered some greet
ings using his awn verses.
One reads: "M y sister don*,
do windows. My mother don't
do floors. " I f you're willing
to be my love, "Honey, I ’ ll
do yours.” His favorite: " I
care for you. "You care for
him . "H e cares for me. "W e
care fo r them."
Choreographer - d a n c e r
Henry Le Tang, associated
with such stars as Lena Horne,
Peart Bailey, H arry Belafon-
te, James E a rl Jones, E lla
Fitzgerald, opened his new
dance and reahearsal studios
on West 54th. St. In NYC,
Henry's pupils presented him
with the new Magnsvox (Xlys-
sey T V game set.
During the firs t season of
Sanford & Son, every script
but one was an adaptation of
a segment of the British series
"Steptoe 8i Son.” This year,
according to producer Aaron
Ruben, the series is develop
ing Its own stories specific
ally from the black point of
view. One of the w rite r’ s
Ruben has hired is ¡lungs
Adell, a 23-year-old from
Memphis, Tenn. "When I firs t
met him, I couldn't believe
what he told me - he felt
he could w rite from a black
point of view bee suae he had
never spoken with a white
person until he was 18 years
old I ” Two of Adell'a stories
have already been broadcast
and he has just finished a
third, "A Guest In the Y a rd " .
One of his scripts dealt with
Fred Sanford (Red Foxx) hav
ing a toothache and insist
ing on a white dentist.
through my guitar playing,
I try to share it with our
audiences."
states Johnny
Graham. " M y soft melodic
guitar playing adds a whlspy
flow to the wind element
of the aggregation. But some
times I flash my guitar throw
ing flamea of excitement into
the audience, capping some
of the most dramatic final
notea to be heard live or on
record today."
Involved with music and a r
ranging since the tender age
of thirteen, Phillip Bailey, the
band's other percussionist and
vocalist, adds strength to the
unit. "M usic is my firs t love.
I think musically and 1 want
to convey these feelings to
everyone who hears u s," he
explains.
Presenting an honest im
age to audiences lsw h a tL a rry
Dunhill, the section's piano
player is all about. " M y thun
dering blows o il off my in
strument with volcanicerrup-
tlon. Then pounding off the
guitar, I send the flames of
flte shooting everywhere. But
when the mood of my associ
ates la low toned, I take off
on a smooth course. Our hand
starts out on different levels
all the time, hut we constant
ly change within these settings
to evolve a total sound.“
Possessing that »ante sp iri
tual feeling for music, Andrew
W ollfolk, the reed Instrumen
talist, adds magical quality
to the sound. His soft man
ipulation enhances the group's
breezy touch. But when he lets
it go, It grows into a full
blown tornado.
Working together with all
music styles, Maurice states,
"W e don't want to appeal to
any specific group. A fter all,
we are all brothers, and the
creator gave ua the talent to
play for everyone, and that Is
what we Intend to do."
Spiritually
motivated to
create superb music free of
the restrictions of todays'
musical race and standards.
Earth, Wind and F ire capture
audiences with visual and vo
cal perfection. And when the
music has ended, they can feel
sure that they have given
man's perennial , atlme -
music - something new.
Oirected by Ossie Davis
Screenplay by J. E Franklin
based on her play
Cinerama Releasing presents a Lee Savin production 'Black Girl"
Starring Brock Peters Louise Stubbs Claudia McNeil and Leslie Uggams as Netta
Special guest Ruby Dee Also starring Peggy Pettitt Gloria Edwards
Loretta Greene Executive Producer Robert Greenberg Produced by Lee Savin
| T11le song sung by Belly Everett Original sound track on Fantasy Records |
” .v.
...... •«.
C Now
P IT
.............. ........
playing-Exclusive engagement
>rpheum Theatre & Foster Drive In
I
10th and Final Week
held over — Exclusive
Y o u d o n ’t h a v e to be Black
to dig
O
H
r*
SUPER FLY
BLOODSUCKER!
Deadlier than Dracula!
His H a b its ...
UNSPEAKABLE
His Lusts.
INSATIABLE
His F a te ...
UNBEARABLE
BIÄClM
Jones releases record
color ::..
clinics In 16 countries and 20
cities in South Am erica and
Europe.
Future plans fo r Elvln and
the quintet include a week at
Boston's
Jazz
Workshop,
Jan. 15-20; a college tour be
ginning at Ssn Jose State,
San Jose, C a lif., Feb. 9-10; a
jazz opera he is w riting and a
new South American tour in
September. Since making his
acting debut in "Z ac h a rlah ,"
Elvln has received several
motion picture and TV offers
and plans to Increase his ac
tivities in those areas. Includ
ing w riting and arranging film
and T V scores. The Jack
W hittemore Agency, in New
York C ity, w ill coordinate ac
tivities in all areas. Jones
has also signed with Peggy
Randall & Aaaoc., 8960 Aque
duct AveM Sepulveda, CA, for
p u b l ic
rslatlons/publlcity
representation.
287 - 2887
^ 7
. . . y o u r g irl.
Blue Note Record« has just
re le s e d "E lv ln Jones Live
At The Lighthouse", a new
two-record album by the not
ed drum m er. The L P , record
ed on Jones’ birthday, Sep
tember 9, '72, »Iso features
the members of his quartet:
Reedmen
David
Llebman
(fo rm erly of the Mahavlshnu
Orchestra) and Steve Cross-
man and bassist Gene P erla.
Coinciding with the new re
lease, Jones announced that
Hank Jones, his poll-winning
pianist brother, would make
his debut with the group (mak
ing It a quintet) at New York
C ity ’ s Village Vanguard where
they are appearing through
January 14, and w ill round out
the All Star aggregation on all
future
engagements. Elvln
made the announcement in Los
Angeles last week upon his
return from a highly success
ful two-month long tour of
concerts, club dates and drum
1. Superstition - Sts vis Wonder
2. Work To Do - lsley Bros.
3. M e & M rs . Jones - B illy Paul
4 . 992 Arguments - O’J ays
5 . Theme From The Men - Isaac Hayes
6 . If You Let M e - Eddie Kendricks
7. I ’ ve Never Found A Man - Esther Phillips
8. The World la A Ghetto - W ar
9. You ought To Be With Me - Al Green
10. One L ite To Live - Manhattan»
PICK OF THE WEEK
Let Us Love - Bill W ithers
Soul Stuff
OBSERVATIONS IN COVER
ING THE N IG H T-B EA T: The
most exciting gift fo r Sammy
Davis recently came straight
from the White House, com
pliments of President Nixon.
The gift is something that
Sammy had admired out loud
when he was a passanger
aboard the Presidential Jet,
A irfo rce One, on "th at one
occasion when the White House
supplied Sammy with a jet
trip (at the taxpayers expense)
back to Las Vegas from the
Nixon dinner table in Wash
ington, D .C . The thing that
caught Sammy's eye was the
super-style flight jacket worn
by the President's personal
pilot. Davis was so impressed
that he wished out loud that
he had one just like It. W ell,
lo & behold, several months
after that wish, a package
from the White House arrived
at Sammy's house, containing
a duplicate of the A ir Force
One Flight Jacket, specially
tailored to Sam's special size.
The jacket puts Sammy one up
on Spiro Agnew's pal, Frank
Sinatra, who doesn't have an
official flight jacket from Ag
new's pilot. As a m atter of
fact, Agnew's pilot doesn't
have
ai. "o ffic ia l" flight
jacketl In appreciation, Sam
my sent a case of Teacher's
Highland Cream Scotch to the
President’ s personal pilot.
A ll is peaceful and happy at
the Sanford & Son set no4»,
according to an NBC spokes
man. Redd Foxx reportedly
E. C. SOUL SURVEY
.. ......
Pig on the Pit
Restaurant
.. .«
AaAMf RICAN IRKRNAIKJNAI Pittura <
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A
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WILLIAM MARSHALL DENISE NICHOLAS VONETTA McfiEE
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NAM willAMCMIN X)AN IflMfSaMRAVMONDKOfMG S fa S S B lV GiW PAG!
, HOURS:
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Sunday 2:45 p jn .
S p e c ia liz e in B a r -B -O Foods
Coming January 24
Hours: Sunday thru Thursday
11:00 a jn . to 10:00p.m.
Friday and Saturday
12:00 noon to 3:30 a jn .
Hammer
and
W o o f f e r fo o d to g o ,
d e liv e r y a n d c a te rin g serv ic e
213 NORTH KILLINGSWORTH
(503) 283-4573
I
Hickey & Boggs
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and
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