Portland Observer Thursday, March 30, 1978 Page 6
Entertainment Guide
by Allen Jenes
S H IR L E Y N A N E T T E - P A C K IN G E M IN * * *
Portland songbird Shirley Nanette opened a three week engagement at the Jazz
Quarry Friday night in front of a packed house. Nanette has appeared at many
Portland nightclubs in the past and it appears that her following continues to grow,
regardless of where she might happen to be gig-in at the time.
Nanette is backed-up by the very talented Sky Trio, who have brought quite a bit of
stability to the Quarry in the few short months they've been there. When you change a
clubs atmosphere from one type of music to another it can be a slow progression. But
with the quality of entertainment that's been booked there, and the walk-in talent that
just comes to sit in on a set or two - there's no question jazz has found another home in
Portland town.
'1 ¡.ore are very few female singers who can match the talent of Shirley Nanette on a
one-to-one basis, and even fewer that I think can match her talent. Nanette has all of
the qualities that are essential to make a good entertainer - voice, style, personality,
and determination - are all main ingredients, and she has them all.
Nanette prefers ballads which she does so effortlessly from selections like: “Feel
Like Making Love," a Roberta Flack composition; to Nancy Wilson’s “Guess Who I
Saw Today”; all the way to some up-tempo things by A1 Green. Her selections are
varied but her performances add up to be super!
GEORGE BENSON
George Benson instant success
They said it couldn't be done...and then
came George Benson.
Ten years ago, jazz music and its finest
interpreters were in the doldrums.
There were little signs of progress, the
musicians had minimal commercial visi
bility. Jazz music was catering to a
sophisticated, almost esoteric cult au
dience. Only in the past two years has
the music moved into the contemporary
mainstream of popular music.
In fact, the sudden realization or
revival of "jazz" music can basically be
attributed to the singular accomplish
ments of a handful of the idiom's greatest
talents.
In the past two years, a vocalist/
guitarist from Pittsburgh emerged as
somewhat of an across-the-board people’s
hero. He not only was responsible for the
Biggest Selling Jazz album of all-time,
“Breezin',” but he also captured three
Grammy's in 1976, and has been awarded
just about every other accolade that is
given in the industry for Best Jazz Artist,
and Best Jazz Album in ‘76 and ‘77. More
importantly, his own accomplishments
helped to pave the way for his fellow
musicians to be accepted and adulated as
viable "superstars."
The foundation for that can easily be
termed the “Benson executive,” Bob
Krasnow, who brought Benson into a
musical environment that proved to be
overwhelmingly successful. He was team
ed with producer Tommy LiPuma, who
he explained, "gave me the room to really
cut loose."
Says Benson, "When we went into the
studio to record tracks for “Breezin'." I
never thought it would become such a
great album. Tommy was easy to work
with because he was open for ideas. Since
he knew I wanted to sing, it was easy
when I mentioned doing some vocal
tracks.” He said, 'Why not!’
Henson actually started his profes
sional career when he landed his first
recording contract with RCA at age ten.
but it wasn’t until ten years later, when
he was invited to play with Jack McDufTs
ensemble, that he was truly appreciated
by his fellow musicians. Playing funky
R&B was McDuffs forte, but Benson was
looking to further horizons, and even
tually left the group in 1965 to form his
own group, with Lonnie Smith on organ.
Ronnie Cuber on bariton and drummer
Phil Turner.
Undeniably, the release of “Breezin’ "
ipened the door to Benson and jazz, a
door that had long been jammed shut.
The tumultuous response to “This Mas
querade," not only made it a jazz classic,
but also jetted it to number one in the pop
singles charts. “Breezin' ” went on to
become the Biggest selling jazz album of
all-time, collaring Double-Platinum re
cognition of over 2,000,000 in sales, and
“This Masquerade” became “Record of
the Year" in the Grammy Awards.
On the strength of “Breezin’,” Benson
then went to the concert circuit to reach
audiences that would see him for the first
time. In retrospect, America seemed
almost miniscule in the uprising, as his
popularity and record sales spread on an
international scale to Europe, Japan and
Australia.
The enormous impact of Benson as a
live entertainer created the avenue for
his third Warner Brothers album, “Week
end in L.A.," (January 1978), his first live
album for the label. The double-record
set was recorded live at the Roxy in
Hollywood with a superb supportive cast
including percussionist Ralph McDonald,
drummer Harvey Mason, guitarist Phil
Upchurch, pianist Jorge Dalto, keyboard
ist Ronnie Foster, and bassist Stanley
Banks from his own band. The album was
again produced by Tommy LiPuma,
whose influences had contributed the
crossover acceptance of Benson on
“Breezin' " and “In Flight." Such tunes as
the Drifters classic, “On Broadway,"
“Weekend In L.A." and Leon Russell's
“Lady Blue," retained Benson's glittering
qualities as a vocalist and guitarist.
This year Benson undertook a mam
moth world tour of Japan, Europe and
Australia, as well as performing at
Midem, The International Music Con
ference held in Cannes, reconfirming that
"the phenomenon" is continuing in 1978.
In less than three years, George
Benson has matured as an artist of
immense international significance, yet
he remains a genuine human being, a man
who's held onto an elusive commodity,
integrity, throughout his career; this is
the inescapable conclusion about George
Benson, revealed through grooves that
just plain ring true to life.
W H A T ’S H A P P E N IN G IN E N T E R T A IN M E N T
A p ril 2nd - Stan Kenton - Civic Auditorium.
A p ril 2nd - England Dan and John Ford Coley - Paramount.
April 5th - Rhythm Aces - Paramount.
April 14th - Ebony Fashion Show - Paramount.
A p ril 15th - George Benson - Paramount.
Movie Review
by Don Fuller
Blue Collar
It's a foul, deathly sickness; a nausea,
that sinks deeply into the psyche, de
stroying any value worthy of human
aspiration, leaving only the biological
animal among animals, vegetables and
minerals. It’s suicide and genocide.
Let's talk about being human and Blade
and Art. Images, imagination, spiritual
inspiration and communication are vital
to our human purpose. The art of Black
people must do all of this within the
context of our reality, and our struggle to
change that reality by ourselves and for
ourselves.
The film title comes from the storyline
about automobile factory workers who
are getting ripped off by their union.
Dehumanization is a large part of Blue
Collar and that may be the message of
the movie on one level. But what are we
as a people inspired to do?
What
movement can be built on the half truths
that make the message of inhuman
relationships into obscene self-destruc
tive, self-hatred?
The sickness is in the half truth made
acceptable in this “R” movie, reviews of
this movie and distribution of this movie
around the world. This is genocide.
No imagination and images of resis
tance or struggle against a correctly
identified enemy and his agents, is
presented to Black people because the
purpose was not to clarify. Perversion of
reality to create a “working-class broth
erhood" lie was the superficial purpose.
Many layers below lies the pornographic
dream of willing degradation and prostra
tion of slaves before the omnipotent
system of white supremacy. Each level of
consciousness is more destructive then
the next, to the spirit of Blackness.
The sickness is in the actors who are
typecast for such images and perform the
parts with “real gusto.” This is suicide;
step’n fetch it 1978, preaching white
genocidal solutions to Black people.
No “art" here creates any sense of
collective Black strength in discussion of
Black solutions, because that direction
would require Black control over the
media. That direction would awaken
enslaved Black people to their strengths,
not cower them with their weaknesses.
The sickness in our watching the
sickness because it is free or worse
paying for the privilege of being shower
ed with insult, degradation, humiliation,
and perversion of ourselves, our very
essence, our human identity. Creative
things about Black people are not being
filmed by white America. We are being
recreated while we willingly view these
hypnotic images of programmed sickness
that incapacitate and enslave our minds
and spirits. The sickness is participatory
genocide.
Blue Collar is White “art" against Black
people. Blue Collar is White Collar Crime
against Black people, so dirty Whisk
won't touch it. For Black people to pay to
see this film is like paying America's gas
• bill before walking into the ovens.
P L A N N IN G STA G ES - Many young people from the Portland inner-city area are
preparing for the spring International Fan-Fair, A p ril 22nd, a t M a tt Dishman Center,
77 N .E . Knott Street. A kaliope of colors are going into costumes being created by
[from left | Princess Funchess, Barbara Parks, volunteer 4-H leader, and Arneta Allen,
of the International Cultural Club. The outstanding spring event w ill feature clothes,
customs, traditional items and displays from countries around the world. Further
information about the program, which w ill continue from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. A p ril 22nd,
can be obtained by calling Ira Mumford, 287-1770, extension agent. Urban 4-H
program.
NAACP awards community leaders
To kick-off the NAACP 69th Annual
National Convention for 1978, the Port-
land Branch is hosting an awards dinner
to honor local officials and activists of the
NAACP. This elegant affair will take
place at the Masonic Temple, 1119 S.W.
Park, Portland, on Sunday, April 16th,
5:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. for $12.50 per
person.
Tickets can be purchased at the
NAACP Convention Planning Office,
Board of Trade Building, 310 S.W. Fourth
Avenue, Suite 412, Portland (222-3256)
and at the usual outlets - Stevens and
Sons at the Lloyd Center, Meier and
Frank and Lipman's.
“From the Pulpit-
From the People”
Theatre event benefits school
The Tucker Maxon Performing Arts
Benefit Series for 1978 79 opens with a
performance of Lillian Helman's drama,
“The Little Foxes" at the Portland Civic
Theatre, 1530 S.W. Yamhill, Mainstage.
"Godspell," a musical celebration will
play in the Blue Room.
Both stage
productions will be presented Sunday.
April 9th, at 7:00 p.m. “The Little Foxes,"
a turn of the century drama concerning a
corrupt Southern family, is considered to
be one of Miss Helman's finest works.
“Godspell” is a modern musical version of
the Gospel according to St. Matthew,
songs include “Day By Day”, "Prepare
Ye," "All Good Gifts" and “By My Side."
Tickets for either stage play are $6 and
may be purchased as part of the entire
series, or individually.
On Monday. June 5th, at 8:00 p.m., the
Civic Choraliers will appear in concert at
the Swann Auditorium in the Portland
"Art Museum, 1219 S.W. Park. Under the
direction of Roger 0 . Doyle and accom
panied by Charles E. Charmen, the
Choraliers will present a program of
Shubert's part songs for male and mixed
choir; Brahms' “New Love Song
Waltzes"; Vaughn Williams' folk song
arrangements, and Cole Porter and
George Gershwin medleys. Tickets are
$5.
SPORTS HOUR
FRED’S PLACE
Presents
ittle Frankie Lee
Prince of Soul A Blues
Along W ith
BOBBIE
and his talking Guitar
JOE’S PLACE
1801 N.E. Alberta
WILL
DRAFT
Thursday thru Sunday p
YOU for ONLY 15<
Days: Sat., Sun., AMon.
Call: 288-87688
For more Information
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I THE BLUE PENGUIN
I Emporium
I.
"Grand Opening Sale”
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Afro Statues
Dried Feather Plants
Vases Big and Small
Wall Plaques
Offer Expires April 30th
11:00 to 7:00 Tue - Sat. Closed Sun.-Mon. 281-8489
1601 N.E. Killingswerth
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Also:
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t
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TALKING BOOK
!
Join Herb Cawthorne, Willa Dorsey
and the New Hope Baptist Choir
for a 90-minute Portland television
special based on the life and spirit of
Martin Luther King, Jr.
SUNDAY-APRIL 2