Portland Obaarvar Thursday, May 17.1979 Paga 7
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The
by Allen Jones
bread
SPECTRUM IN BLUE - RONNIE LAWS
M ARY WATKINS
Watkins, Tillery band appears here
Mary Watkins has been described
by those who have worked with her
as a musician’s musician. She is a
pianist, composer, arranger, per
former and songwriter whose m ulti
faceted talents have enhanced the
music o f other artists as well as con
tributing towards the creation o f her
own unique sound. In her own music
M ary draws on a variety o f
American musical styles ranging
through classical, blues, jazz, soul,
funk, spiritual, and popular to come
up with a diversified sound which
with elaborate and rich harmonies
reflects her personal strength and
spirituality.
M ary was recognized fo r her
musical talent from early childhood.
At age eight she was engaged as
pianist to accompany a children’ s
choir in her home town o f Pueblo,
Colorado. I f you ask Mary, she will
tell you that the spirituals she accom
panied then still have a deep effect
on her music. Mary’s life has always
been about music. In high school she
realized that her spontaneous impro
visations were in reality a form o f
composing and went on to be one o f
the few women at that time to earn a
degree in composition from Howard
University.
A fte r graduation she supported
herself by playing in a variety o f
situations and with a m iltiplicity o f
groups. She accompanied modern
dance groups, played jazz piano in
clubs, worked with various combos
and, as she had done since
childhood, accompanied choirs. For
a number o f years she was the musi
cal director for a Black theatre in
Washington, Ebony Impromptu, a
job she found particularly reward
ing.
In 1973 M ary returned to
Colorado to concentrate on her com
position which at that time was most
ly classical. A number o f her major
com positions were perform ed by
local civic orchestras, most notably
the Pueblo Civic Symphony which
featured her ‘ ’ Potomac Park” as
part o f its bicentennial observances.
By 1975 Mary was half way through
her work towards a master’ s degree
when she decided to concentrate on
more popular form s.
M usic
moved her once again and she left
for Los Angeles to be near the center
o f the music industry.
In Los Angeles, through her activi
ties w ith women’ s groups, M ary
met H olly Near and Teresa Trull.
Teresa was about to record her first
album for Olivia and asked Mary to
do the keyboards. H olly was about
to go on tour and asked Mary to
provide her piano accompaniment.
Mary did both and later went on to
w ork w ith Lin d a T ille ry co
producing and co n trib u tin g both
songs and arrangements to that very
successful Olivia album . . . “ Linda
T illery.” From there it was a natural
progression for Mary to record her
own O liv ia album , “ Something
Moving,” during the summer o f ‘78.
Mary Watkins, along with Linda
T illery and their band, w ill make
their Portland debut on the heels o f a
sold-out, standing room only
engagement at San Francisco’ s
Boarding House, 8:00 p.m. Satur
day, May 27th, St. Mary's Academy,
1615 S.W. 5th. Tickets are $5 and $6
sliding scale, and available at Music
M illineum , W oman’ s Place Book
Center, House o f Sound, and at the
door. Free childcare w ill be provided
at the site.
Giovanni sorority guest
The Beta Psi Chapter o f Delta
Sigma Theta S o ro rity , Inc. w ill
salute Women o f Excellence at their
first annual awards luncheon sche
duled for May 19th, at the Jantzen
Beach Red Lion Inn, Portland.
Guest speaker w ill be N ik k i
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G iovanni, a Black contem porary
American poet and author. Included
among Ms. Giovanni’ s honors are
the Mademoiselle Award for Out
standing Achievement in 1971, an
honorary D octor o f H um anities
Degree from Wilberforce University
in 1972, and a citing by Ladies Home
Journal in 1973 as one o f eight
Women o f the Year. Additionally,
she has been given an award by
Omega Psi Phi Fraternity fo r her
contributions to Arts and Letters,
and her hometown o f Knoxville,
Tennessee, has honored her by
having N ikki Giovanni Day.
In addition to hearing this renown
writer, awards w ill be presented to
(local) women o f excellence in the
areas o f religion, community service,
business and education, and to a
senior citizen and a youth.
Net proceeds from the luncheon
w ill be used for the sorority's annual
scholarship fund. The luncheon is
from
12:00-3:00 p.m . T icket
donation is $15.
Ronnie Laws knows how thrilling it is when you receive praise from your
peers. He’ s been getting it for quite awhile now and should have even more
passed his way as a result o f his latest album, "Flam e.”
Such notable musicians as Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Lamont Dozier have
made a point o f dropping by and jamming with Laws. Clapton went as far as to
say that he wished he was as young as Ronnie and could play as well.
Lavith praise? Yes, but it has all been camel.
That enthusiasm for Laws’ talents is given an even stronger boost with the
release o f Flame, an album that re-affirms Ronnie as a progressive writer-
singer-saxophone player who also has a broader appeal than most in his field.
Unquestioningly his roots are deep in jazz. However, he injects a mixture o f
rock’ n’ roll, rhythm and blues and straight blues into his music, which is being
appreciated by a steadily-growing audience.
Ronnie was born into a musical family that includes his brother Hubert, a
world-renown jazz and classical flutist; sister Eloise, gaining recognition as a
talented singer/actress; and mother Miolla, a gospel pianist. There is also a
strong association with Earth, Wind & Fire. For a while Ronnie was a member
of that group, leading the horn section. After working with Earth, Wind & Fire
on its first Columbia album, Laws moved on to a stretch with Hugh Masakela.
Ronnie, however, doesn’ t need past associations to draw attention to his re
markable abilities. He’ s truly an artist in his own right. In 1976 he was named
the number one top new male artist and number one jazz flutist in Record
World Almanac.
“ There are lots o f jazz players who can’t go out and play other forms,” says
Ronnie. “ They play at it, but they can’t really feel it.” Ronnie, however, de
finitely can play other forms, which is why he is still working hard to pick up an
even younger audience. "H ey, when you get them young, you got them,” he
explains.
Ronnie was hooked at an early age. When he was twelve he picked up the alto
saxophone. He now plays all woodwinds. Even while he was still in the elemen
tary stages o f learning the sax, he spent his afternoons watching a group o f
local teenagers rehearse their jazz band in an old building across the street from
his classroom in Houston, his hometown. As he developed his taients, he be
came a part o f the Houston music scene. His family was friendly with the
people who became the Crusaders. Ronnie first began performing with a local
group called the Lightmen while still in high school.
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I TRICES GOOD THRU SAT., MAY 19, 1979.
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RONNIE LAWS
Community Calendar
“ The First Year o f Parenting” and “ Parenting the Toddler and Preschool-
e r” ~ » series o f five evening classes, two hours per week. Charge $10 per
parent for either course. Open to the public. For further information or regi
stration, call 9:00-1:00 p.m., Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, 285-9321,
Ext. 345.
A talent show "Y o u th in Action” to be presented on Sunday, June 3rd. The
search is on.'!! Help to spotlight hidden talent in the community. For more in
formation or to submit the name o f a talented person who can: dance, sing or
play an instrument. Call 281-3898. The deadline date is May 23rd.
Hard Times Film Festival presents: two films “ Bush M am a” , a powerful
portrait o f urban Black America. The film focuses on Dorothy, a Black woman
living on welfare in Watts, trying to raise her daughter while her man is in jail
for a crime he didn’t commit. And "A M inor Altercation, ” a unique film in
vestigation o f the racial conflict growing out o f the Boston school situation.
These two films may be seen Friday, May 18th at Sunnyside Methodist Church,
3520 S.E. Yamhill, and on Saturday, May 19th at Mallory Avenue Church, 126
N.E. Alberta. A ll programs begin at 7:30 p.m., admission is $1.50 and child
care is provided.
The Jefferson Dancers in Concert — two entirely different shows to be pre
sented May 17th and 18th (same performance), 8:15 p.m. and May 19th (new
show), 8:15 p.m. Jefferson Performing Arts Center. Tickets at Jefferson Box
Office, PSU Box Office, Meier and Frank — downtown, Longhair Music —
downtown, Stevens and Sons — Lloyd Center, The Lost Works Bookstore —
Vancouver; $3 adults, $2 students through high school and senior citizens.
The Columbia Group o f the Siena Club is holding its fifth annual Auction-
Faire on Saturday, May 19th at the Old Church, S.W. 11th and Clay, in down
town Portland. The doors will open at 7:00 p.m. The Faire w ill feature baked
goods, plants, handcrafted items, and outdoor equipment donated by mem
bers. A silent auction w ill begin at 7:00 p.m. and the oral auction w ill start at
8:30 p.m. A donation o f $1 w ill be taken at the door with children under twelve
admitted free. For more information, please call 224-6552 (night) or 645-6464
ext. 1142 (day).
May 21st — N orth Portland Citizens Committee. Board o f Directors, 7:30
p.m., Neighbors North, 7508 N. Hereford.
May 21st — Sabin Community Association meeting, 7:30 p.m., Sabin
School, 4013 N.E. 18th.
May 22nd — King Improvement Association meeting; 1) King Park Play
ground, 2)CEDS. 7:30 p.m., King Facility, 4815 N.E. 7th.
The Mayor’ s Office announced that City Hall will celebrate Senior Citizen
Month by holding a “ Senior Citizens Open House and Inform ation Fair, ” May
18th, from 1:00-3:00 p.m. A ll Portland senior citizens are especially invited.
The event w ill begin with a program in Council Chambers featuring the City
Council and entertainment by the Rose City Banjoliers. Transportation to City
Hall from local senior centers will be available and refreshments w ill be served.
.For further information on transportation arrangements please call 248-4752.
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