1
P ige 4 Portland Observer Thirsday. February 2, 1978
f
TV special features jazz pioneers, history
Entertainment Guide
hv Allen Ja
William Russell first beard the soun< of
Ne» Orleans jazz as a young man
travelling on a riverboat down the Miss
issippi.
It was not long after that riverboat
ride, that Russell's mild interest in the
music turned into a passion.
Now, more than 50 years since that day
on the Mississippi, Russell, a jazz his
torian, violinist and collector, can tell you
almost anything you'd want to know
about New Orleans jazz, and the musi
cians who created it.
On “In Performance At Wolf Trap,"
Russell. 72. will be featured performing a
jazz violin solo, which was written by one
of the founding fathers of New Orleans
jazz.
The solo is called “Just Old New
Orleans Blues,” and. according to Russell,
typifies what is described as the ‘early
New Orleans style of music.'
It was written in 1906 by Buddy
Bolden, who was at that time, the most
popular horn player and band leader in
New Orleans.
“You know,” Russell said, "Bolden
wrote the song and about a year later he
went insane. They put him away until he
died in 1931."
On the PBS special, “Fat Tuesday and
All Thai Jazz!’’, which is made possible by
a grant from Atlantic Richfield Company,
Russell performs the Bolden work in a
heart rending, melancholic jazz violin solo
that Russell says is reminiscent of the
end of Mardi Gras and the coming of the
solemn period of Lent.
Also featured in the Mardi Gras spe
cial, taped by WETA, Washington, D.C..
at Wolf Trap Farm Park for the Perform
ing Arts, is Harold Dejan's Olympia
Brass Band and the Arthur Hall Afro
American Dance Ensemble.
Rustell said he learned Bolden's song
through IW esso r Manuel Manetta. one
of the old “Story ville" district piano play
ers, who wrote it all down for him in the
1940's.
"Manetta did violin dances with Bolden
and so he knew the song from those early
days in New Orleans," Russell said. "As
far as I know , no one else plays it
anymore except me."
Russell was asked to perform the solo
by “Fat Tuesday" stage producer. Wes
ley Brustad and musical director Allan
Jaffe, who knows Russell because of his
ten year affiliation with Preservation
Hall in New Orleans. According to the
two men. there is no one who knows more
about New Orleans and the music it
produced in the 20th Century than
Russell.
In 1939, Russell, who now lives across
the street from Preservation Hall, con
tributed three chapters to Jazzmen, a
book that chronicles the lives of some of
the founding fathers of New Orleans jazz.
It was around this time, that Russell
began making regular visits to New
Orleans to record some of the New
Orleans jazz pioneers.
“I established my own record label
called American Music Records, and I
issued, oh. about fifty records," Russell
said.
He recorded people like Bunk Johnson,
the famous pioneer jazz coronetist of New
Orleans. And then Russell got started
writing percussion music himself, which
was later used as dance music, and today
is still used to accompany some of the
modem dances of choreographer, Merce
l
At. W<? T r,?” brin** M ,n,i Gra*
publk television on “Fat
’ UL"<Uy
,A J h“‘ JB“ ’ Fpbruarv 7>8:001»-»- Featured on the Mkminule » >ecial.
made possible by a grant from Atlantic Richfield Com .-nv, is the Harold Dejan
Olympia Brass Band from New Orleans' famed Preservation Hall.
Cunningham.
In 1958, Russell was given a grant from
the Ford Foundation to found a jazz
archives at Tulane University and served
as the curator there for seven years. In
that time, Russell collected thousands of
articles and about 500 interviews of all
the old-time musicians. It is from these
interviews and articles, that he is cur
rcntly writing three more books - The
Life Story of Manuel Manetta, The Inter
views and le tte r s of Jelly Roll Morton
and New Orleans Style Music, a book that
will explain, through interviews, how
New TCCC Publication
Candidate
visits OSP
BILL SI MMERS
Bill Summers, the former percussionist with Herbie Hancock and a featured
performer on “Roots," Quincy Jones latest gold record, has just released his first
album. “Feel The Heat.” Although sometimes the music is somewhat less than hot, it's
nice anyway as an electric affair featuring a very wide range of styles from the Philly
sound, to Latino soul jazz, to authentic African percussion suites. There is a chance,
though, that Summers may have concentrated too much on variety and pop
accessibility and not enough on a conceptual focus and stylistic continuity that would
establish a strong recognizable sense of his own individual, unique musical identity.
On side one. his percussion genius and versatility is submerged, if not drowned, in
the presentation of a series of fleet, catchy, four-minute pop tunes which sound like a
pleasant fusion of progressive R&B and progressive MOR music - laid back soul.
Summers presence is not nearly as evident as that of Skip Scarborough (author of
L.TJ).’s "Lx>ve Ballad"), the producer on the date, whose emerging compositional
arranging and producing talents shine throughout the entire side.
Side two gives a better view of what Bill Summers is about. Here the offerings
‘'Brazilian Skies." “Check It Out,” “Que Sabroso." and "African Drum Suite”) provide
more space for a compelling display of his percussive dexterity and virtuosity.
Summers and company of Third World percussion specialists (Zak Diouf, C.K.
Ladzekpo. Jose Lorenzo, Bab Duru, and Moddy Perry) let loose on “Que Sabroso" and
“Drum Suite," a tour de force of African percussion. Not exactly cross-over music but
very beautiful and interesting in an unexpected kind of way. It's a testament to
Summer's awareness, integrity and commitment to hipping the public to the beautiful
music of other cultures, much of which is the root and source of the popular music that
is getting over today. A nice start for an artist who has more than the ring of the cash
register in his head.
Soul, what does this word mean to you? Soul Food? Soul
Music? If the word Soul has a genuine spiritual meaning to you
then the word ECKANKAR® does too. Learn about the Path to
Total Awareness through the following events.
ECKANKAR® the Path of Total Awareness presents....
At Portland State University:
Introductory Talks February 9th 2:30 P.M. and 7:30 P.M.
Smith Memorial Hall, Room 230.
An Afternoon of ECK Music, Poetry and talks
February 12, 1-5 P.M. Lincoln Hall Room 75.
At The Portland ECK Center:
Discussion Meetings 1st and 3rd Sunday at 2:00 P.M.
Film and Introductory Talk February 24, 8 P.M.
For more information visit the Portland ECK Center
1111 S.W. Alder
or Phone 228-3863 for details.
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DENTAL INSURANCE
is a valuable a sset. . .
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COMPLETE COOPERATION
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Oregon foundations,grants
The Guide to Oregon F oundation» is a
new publication from the Tri-County
Community Council which opens the field
of foundation funding to nan-professional
fund raisers.
Profiling 282 foundations which give
away $12,000,000 annually, the Guide is
now on sale from the Council for $7.50
plus 50 cents for postage.
A veritable Who's Who of Oregon
foundations, the Guide tells what founda
tions underwrite what kind of projects
and to what extent. The book contains
in-depth descriptions of each of Oregon's
general purpose foundations, special pur
pose foundations, scholarship funds,
grant-making service clubs and national
foundations giving in Oregon.
In addition to this exhaustive indi
vidual listing of foundations making
grants in Oregon, the Guide organizes the
foundations according to their areas of
interest. Included in the book's fourteen
appendices are such helpful items as a
sample grant application format and
some discussion of issues which should be
covered in the application, an alphabeti
cal listing of the board members of the 35
largest foundations, other sources of
information on foundations and other
funding sources.
The Tri-County Community Council, a
United Way organization doing social
service planning, research and coordina
tion in the Portland metropolitan area,
has long worked diligently to open the
field of foundation funding to proies
City park levy
sionals in the human services. Now, with
publication of the Guide to Oregon
Foundations, all of the necessary infor
mation is brought together in one place
for the use of all who may be interested in
approaching foundations. This includes
not only human service agencies, but all
non-profit organizations plus a host of
other individuals and institutions.
Moreover, by providing for truly sound
preparation of grant requests, the Guide
will prove an asset to foundations by
ensuring the grant requests they receive
provide them with the information they
need.
Several months in preparation, the
Guide is the product of the Council's
Planning Department and the Council's
Grants Development Specialist, Rick Le
vine. Also contributing their skills to the
production of the Guide were represents
tives of six major Oregon foundations.
Oregon's two largest banks and the State
Registrar of Charitable Trusts.
Guides may be ordered from the
Tri County Community Council either by
letter or telephone.
The Council is
located at 718 W. Burnside. Portland.
97209. telephone: 228 9131.
Dr. Jeffrey BRADY, Dentist
8.W 3RD A YAMHILL ST.. PORTLAND. OREGON
TAKE ELEVATOR TO 2ND FLOOR 3RD ST. ENTRANCE
EVIE CROW ELL
Visit:
John Reed Book Store
In the I »,-kum Building
519 S.W'. 3rd Avenue
Sixth Floor
Or Call:
(Continued from page 1 col. 3)
to do when the present director was hired
and that she be certain management
practices and goals are adequate to
effectively use and account for new funds.
Biskar also expressed his concern that
the taxpayers will probably be faced with
four tax levys - for parks, a covered
stadium, a convention center, and a
school levy. “Local government has to
be aware and carefully weigh the use of
dollars." He advocates setting priorities
and plans rather than presenting levies
on an unrelated "scattered fashion."
Biskar said he would like to support the
tax levy and that if the management
study were produced, studied by the
Council, and necessary management
changes made, a new plan for the Bureau
could be developed which he could sup
port.
227-2902
A feast for hungry ears
Take a journey from the root« of early African tribal
rhythms to the sights, sounds and excitement of M a rd i Gras today.
NO APPOINTMENT NEEDED
Come in at your convenience
Saturday 8:39 a.m to 1 p.m
&
Evie Crowell, candidate for the Demo
cratic nomination for House District #16
visited inmate's law class at Oregon Stat«
Penitentiary last week.
As a political candidate. Ms. Crowel
was asked to share her views on rehabili
tation and corrections. Her first time
inside a penitentiary. Ms. Crowell ex
pressed concern at the "general age of
the average inmate - 27 years" and the
fact that "seventeen percent of 1,450
inmates are Black, whereas only four
percent of the general population of
Oregon is Black
"We have a lot of work to do outside as
well as inside the prison." Ms. Crowell
said. I he racial balance can change with
more community concern for the youth
and unemployed.”
Interested in current
books about African Lib
eration?
WE HANDLE ALL THE DETAILS OF
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PARK FREE-Any Park n Shop Lot
HOURS* Meeb<1*7>8:30a.ai. U>5p.H.
different musicians play their instru
ments to effect the New Orleans style.
In addition to Russell's work as a jazz
historian, he is the oldest member of The
New Orleans Ragtime Orchestra, a group
that was formed in 1967, has made five
albums and toured Europe twice. The
group plays mostly Scott Joplin rags
from "The Red Back Book," a collection of
Joplin s most famous rages, which Rus
sell is credited for having located in New
Orleans when Ragtime became popular
again in the 1960's.
’’Fat Tuesday (And All That J a n ) ” It’s your ticket to an
evening of colorful, raucous entertainm ent . Partake of the plenty.
Pregnant? And
y ttu need a friend?
call ßlrlhOUHT
221*0598
Free Emeruency
preiinancy cituntehny
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°e n b s
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TUESDAY fe . z 8 P.M.
KOAP-TY Channel 10
Oregon Educational and Broadcasting Service
I