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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 16, 1978)
/ J PM* • Portland Observer Thursday. February 16, 1*7« Hughes Block on White THE CHECKMATES LTD Entertainment Guide The Flooney Theatre Company's pro durtioa tit Langston Hughes. "Seaman and Poet" ends its run Thursday. Feb ruary lfttb. at Portland State University. The presentation of some of Hughes' many works reflects the mask of geniality with which Hughes offerred his works and beneath which an objective reader or listener must pry with some difficulty in order to discover that all is not gaiety. The Flooney production reveals the multiplicity of Hughes' lines - the humor, the anger, the sometimes i dispassionate' acceptance, with a subtle clarity that is not easily avoided. Thus a spectator with only a smaltenng of familiarity of Hughes and his works could wonder at the production's loyalty to the characterua lions and vernacular of Hughes' Jesse B. Simple type. Butch Haynes readings of Hughes' poetry is simple and rythmic. His predictable emphasis on words which rhyme and end that line on the page reinforces Hughes playfulness but also plants a suspicion that Haynes could deliver the lines with an anger typical of LeRoi Jones reading Similarly Henry Melson's Jesse B. Simple describes the fear of death by water or falling w ith the expectable silent shudder and a flash of the eyeballs whites. Simple's foil. Anaius Boyd, spoken by Claude Melson, remains mute while the audience laughs But Hughes Simple is not Hollywood's 15*43 Simple, and w hether it’s the Flaoney production which blocks this easy escape into noatal gia or the rarity of a presentation of the works of a Black poet with the su tu re of Hughes is a question not about to be But the impression remains that the Flooney group, like Hughes, p u u the dollars under the pennies. Gerald White's piano is beyond the scope of the resources available to the Observer’s listener. He did. however, compare it to a trip be d taken once but can't remember where. Ed Bracken presents an appreciated description of Hughes life and works Bracken and White's piano set are excellent tone for the production THE CHECKMATES LTD. - SPECTBl’M IN B L IT The Checkmates are m o« definitely proa. They 've come a long way since they got together in a hallway in high school in F a rt Wayne. Indiana. Bobby. Sonny, and Sweet Lome broke into an impromptu song, and Bobby said the phophetic wards: “Let's start a group’’ They played record hops and dances until graduation. After high school they served together in the Army Special Services unit where they received honors for their high voiuge performances Back in civilian life, they perfected their style by touring dubs around the country. In 1963 Johnny Rivers brought Nancy Wilson to the Pussy Cat a-Go-Go in Las Vegas to see the Checkmates and she immediately signed them to an exclusive management contract. Through her efforts, the group signed a recording contract with Capitol Records, made appearances on network television, played major hotels in Las Vegas and concert dates around the country. In 1969 Phil Spector came out of retirement to produce their f ir « gold record. “Black Pearl," on A & M Records, Riding high on all the U.S. music charts and number one in Australia for two months, the group thought they bad it made. Instead, the apposite happened and the Checkmates received their biggest setback. A fter all the expenses had been paid far “Black Pearl" and the ensuing album, there was no money left for the group. Stunned and disiliusioned. they realized that they were controlled too much by outside interests and their dream of success was out of reach. In 1970. after twelve years together, the Checkmates split up. but after three years of pursuing individual interests. Bobby. Sonny, and Sweet Louie decided that the chemistry of the three Checkmates together was then- strongest selling point, so they regrouped Bobby took charge and initiated a plan whereby the Checkmates would have complete control of themselves. Bobby created Even Steven Productions, a personal management firm that manages the Checkmates. The Checkmates signed writh Fantasy Records earlier in 1977. and their f ir « album. “W e Got The Moves’ (F -95411. was released in December “W e feel like we've finally come home, and that with Fantasy we have a chance to expand our lounge act' image. Not that we don't like being called a lounge act - nothing wrong with that! - but it's just that we feel we have a universal appeal. When people dig us, it's because they like what we give them when they attend our appearances. W ith this new album, we feel we've captured that feeling on record." The Checkmates have ar impeccable reputation throughout the industry for their work on behalf of different charities. They have performed on many Joey Bishop and Jerry Lewis Telethons, have worked extensively writh the Las Vegas branch of the B'nai B'rith. and received a commendation from Nevada Governor Michael Caiahan for tbeir work at the prison in Carson City. The Checkmates, together writh their percuss * * » « and rand manager, have had a basketball team for years, and play in celebrity games for the benefit of educational institutions all over the country The team has played in New Orleans. Las Vegas. L.A .. Salt Lake City, Fort Wayne. Honolulu. Phoenix. Miami. Denver. Milwaukee. Philadelphia. Portland. Seattle, Dallas, and Vancouver, to name a few cities. The Checkmates have set attendance records in Las Vegas at the Sands. International. Flamingo Hotel. Caesar's Palace, and now, at the Aladdin. For many rears in a row they've been named “Lounge Act of the Year" in the annual Las Vegas Entertainment Awards competition. (In fact, the only years they haven't woo have been years when they didn't perform!' The Checkmates have also appeared on an infinite variety of T V programs. Early in 1978. they've scheduled appearances on the Gong Snow. Dinah Shore. M erv Griffin, and Johnny Carson. They have that kind of appeal' The Checkmates are fine gentlemen as well as artists. Individually, the Checkmates are leader Bobby Stevens. imaginative in tbe use of comedy, and an accomplished musician. vocaiiK. and crowd pleaser whose melodic tones are filled with sincerity, warmth, and spirit; organ!« Sonny Charles, one of those unique individuals blessed with the ability to vocally any type of sound from spiritual, rhythm and light jazz to rock, blues or ballads , and Sweet Louie is responsible for that hypnotizing and compelling earthinesa that is the base of the unbelievable Checkmate sound. The Cheekmate« have the versatility, imagmativenes. talent, and charisma required by top-notch performers. “W e Got The Moves’ proves it. THE LAST SESSION - Hall during a He died the same year Sam Cooke was T H E R&B male vocalist of the late fifties and early sixties. Songs like “Chain Gang,“ “You Send Me." "Cupid." “A Change is Gonna Come," and many, many more proved him to be the forerunner of virtually all Black male superstars Extrem ely handsome and articulate. Cooke waa oo the verge of busting wide open into other entertainment capacities, such as television and motion pictures. But. like Jesse Belvm. Otis Redding, and countless others before and after him, Sam Cooke never saw his peak develop as his life came to an end prematurely. But today, nearly fifteen years after his death. Sam Cooke is « ill an mflueritial force in contemporary music. His records are « ill often heard on many radio station* across the country His songs continue to be recorded by both pop and R&B acts And the musicians which were part of his Audio sessions and stage bands, have gone to make names for themselves. Lou Rawls began his career as a background vocali« on many of Cooke's smash singles, m o« notably. “Bring It oo Home to M e " Since then Rawls has become a major soloist with "Dead End Street." "Love is a Hurtin' Thing," and "Natural Man." Johnnie Taylor, who. like Rawls, started recording as a background singer writh Cooke, has become one of Stax Records' m o« consistent recording personalities with “(I Wonna) Testify," “Who's Making Love." “Jody," and “Love Bones." Bobby Womack, however, is probably the b e« example of the Sam Cooke influence It was Cooke who convinced Womack to record Bobby's f ir « hit, "It's All Over Now." since recorded by the Rolling Stones, among others. W ith the experience he gained from Cooke. Womack became one of the standout studio guitarists in the land before achieving stardom with “California Dreamin'," “More Than I can Stand," “That's tbe Way I Feel About Cha," and "Harry Hippie." Arranger Rene Hall, who was part of Sam Cooke's last recording session in 1964. has fond memories of the legendary singer, both as a professional and as a person "Sam waa a perfectionist,' Hall recalled. “He wanted everything to be right. There was never a so-so take with Sam He would do a song over and over again until he felt good writh it. During breaks for coffee and cigarettes, he'd go over writh everyone as well as himself ideas on how to make the sound better. But we didn't spend a great amount of time in the studio like people might think, because he surrounded himself writh the h e« musicians - always. All you have to do is pick up a Sam Cooke record and listen to it. I t will sound better than jiw t about any other record made at the same time. T a li Talk, Tafi.T4A, Talk T a ^ T a ll Tä/fe Täit Tax, Taik,Taik l i t k j i A ' i J J t T J k T t l k Taik. T ^ J A J a J ^ T ^ T ^ r d i k . T t t í i T ^ TaA.T*U,TaZk , T á a ^ T a d L T « í £ zT iaT«ifc.Taa-£Zl "ifl JííA,Tó4fe.,1iík, wZk,T&üfe.TsA.zT«Zt 7<ZÀTiZÌ Talk. ,üfik, «¿k .Talk. Taik T iU T«JjC T ill T ill Talk, Tiéfc, Ta/k, « lk *2k, Ta&TkÓí&Zk. T a lk T a it T a it TsJL.-WA.TalIt.TiM.'&a.'&a, liATaife.TaZk.TaZk, Ta/fc .Taik,Taik,-fcéfc. «ék T á A .T a ^ T a ik .T a fcJ a a .T iik T d tT d t'T d t' T a ik T k tk ,^ ,T a ik .T a íí.T a ik TatíCTdkTalk -Wte.1iífc,.rga.T4Zfc>T«£fc, T olkT Ú Í T ä k T i k T f o W W J d k . T d i . Taât.TÜtTÜt,TtZi, T aU ,'Wk,TaA..TaikTaJkTaDt,T<ik T a ik J á ik , T ^ . T d k . T t l k T i i k T a k k T ^ d k 7 d í. ' T H k T ÍÍL T ttk . “í í A IT’S CHEAPER AFTER 5. If you can w ait u n til 5 P M m ake th a t call back east, you’ll cash m on a 359 discount That's i f you dial direct without operator assistance This 359 discount holds u n © i « ) til 11 P M during weekdays A t 11, the night owl talkers get an even better b reak— 8 W off to be exact Pacific Northwest Bed "But Sam waa also a beautiful person." Hall added. "He really enjoyed people. We had a very close relationship, personally and professional* v In fact he wrote a song. Sugar Dumpling, for my wife. Sugar. We took his passing as a great loss not only for Black music in general, but for American history, too. The power this man possessed probably will never he fully known a> he died much too soon.” Without digging into the overused bag of cliches to find words to describe Sam Cooke, it caa be pointed out that if he were a legend in hi* own time, which he waa. then that, in itself, is his legacy. Though many outstanding artist* have emerged before him. and the future holds the fate of those who follow, one might be able to make a safe statement in saying there will never be another Sam Cooke - there is jtu t no way. Sorority plans Heritage Branch Delta Sigma Theta. Inc.. Beta Psi Chapter is giving their Annual Black Heritage Brunch - Sunday. February 19th at King Neighborhood Facility. 4815 N.E. 7th Avenue from 1:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. There will be a performance by Star Productions also there will be Scholar ship Awards presented. Donation: Adult* $3.90: Children under 12 $2 Co-chairpersons: Lessie Houston and Lillian Cunningham; Chapter Presi dent. Marian Gilmore. Public TV builds orchestra A KOAP Studio Orchestra of 35 mem her* is being formed by the Oregon Educational and Public Broadcasting Ser vice A C E T A T itle V I Grant of $339.123 ha* been awarded for funding this group for a period of ten months. All members m u « reside in the City of Portland, and must qualify under the CETA assistance program Applications and auditions must be made before February 21 « at the K O AP studio building at 2828 S.W. Front Avenue. All hiring m u « be completed by February 24th. Patterned after a similar public televi sion station orchestra in Wisconsin, the group will rehearse daily and perform at the K O AP facilities It will present five and one half hours of music programming weekly. Tbe music will be available for broadcast on the radio and television stations of OEPBS and on tbe Golden Hours Service to nursing homes and homes for the physically handicapped. The purpose of the grant is to provide jobs to unemployed musicians. The ten month project is intended for must cians who have been out of work for at least fifteen out of the la « twenty weeks. Positions include orchestra «rin g a. wood winds, brass instruments, percussion, piano, organ and harp, arranger librarian and other positions. John Brockway, production roordina tor and director of musical television programs at K O A P T V . Channel 10 in Portland, is coordinator of the grant. Applications may be obtained at KOAP TV. Contact John Brockway. 2828 S.W. Front Avenue. Portland. 517201, phone 229 4892. SYMPHONIC MUSICIANS WANTED A K O A P Studio Orchestra of 35 members is being formed by Oregon Educational and Public Broadcasting Service under a lOroonth C E T A T itle V I Grant. • All members m u « reside in the city of Portland and m u « qualify under the C ETA assistance program. • Applications and audition* m u « be completed before February 21, 1978. POSITIONS INCLUDE: AsptP O RCH ESTR A 8T R IN G S BRASS IN S T R U M E N T S W O O D W IN D S PERCUSSIO N P IA N O . O RG AN & H A R P A R R A N G E R L IB R A R IA N ANO O TH ERS For applications and audition* contact JO HN BR O C KW AY, coordinator K O A P T V , 2828 S.W. Front Ave.. Portland 97201. Phone: 2294892 OREGON E D U C A T IO N A L A N D PUB LIC B R O A DCA STING S E R VIC E
