Portland observer., July 26, 1979, Page 8, Image 8

Page 8 Portland Observer Thursday, July 26. 1979
Portland Profile
by l. inda Thompson
SATURDAYS
BRAINSTORM
Entertainment Guide
by Allen Jones
BRAINSTORM IS HOT
TO EVERYONE
‘ ‘ We decided we were going lo go all the way wiih the boogie on Ibis album ,”
declares Chuck Overton, leader o f the fabulous group Brainstorm. There’ s no
doubt that they have accomplished their goals because hunky Entertuinrnent,
Brainstorm's third Tabu IP , is a "boogie masterpiece.”
“ We basically accomplished what we wanted to accomplish,” agrees Chuck,
‘ ‘ because we wanted to make it funky. Our last album, Journey lo the Tight,
was almost M( >R in places At that time we were trying to not be categorized as
just another Black group so we tried to lean in other directions. On hunky En­
tertainment we decided to get back into what we feel we do best: disco-funk.”
Brainstorm proved their ability to deliver disco-funk on their very first I P,
Storm in' “ Wake Up and be Somebody” and “ Lovin’ is Really my Game,”
two hit singles from that debut I P, established the group as a definite funk
band on the rise. Showing their versatility, however, Siormm ' also included the
smash ballad “ i bis Must be Haven.” I he fact that all of these initial hits were
written by group members added yet another dimension to the growing credi­
bility o f Brainstorm.
“ When the group first started there were only six o f us and that's the lineup
we used on the first album. On the second album we expanded our lineup to
nine. Although the public had no complaints, we were beginning to feel as
though we were carrying excess baggage. We didn’ t know quite what it was but
we were losing something. It took us a while but we finally agreed that the real
magic was in the smaller unit and we went back to that format on hunky Enter­
tainment. ”
I he “ smaller u nit,” in addition to Chuck (lead vocals, reeds and composer),
now consists o f Behta Woods (lead vocals, percussion and composer), Larry
Sims (brass, vocals and composer), Renell Gonsalves (drums, percussion, key­
boards and composer) and I renita “ Treaty" Womack (congas, percussion,
flute, keyboards, vocals and composer).
I his rare amalgamation of talent came together in I974 with typical bar gigs
in their native Detroit. Playing lo a packed house at I he I ondon Bridge lor
seven months, they were eventually heard by Clarence Avant, President and
1 xecutive Producer o f Tabu Productions, who had been contacted to check
them out (whereupon they signed with ( larence and I abu Records)
Rapidly building a reputation, Brainstorm earned the opening slot on a sold
out lour last summer that had the group billed with I he Isley Brothers and
I eddy Pendergrass. I he tour was beneficial because Brainstorm accrued a
whole new crop o f fans as they toured.
"T h a t tour was very good for us," Chuck says earnestly. “ We got the ex­
perience we needed and it was a big influence on this new album because both
of those acts were funky and seeing them respond so favorably to our music and
our musicianship gave us the added confidence to do what we felt we could do.
After that lour we just kind o f extended what we had learned from that
situation and incorporated those elements in the new material we were writing
for hunky Entertainment.
Another big boost to Brainstorm’ s growing confidence was the “ Heavy
Disco/Light Radio” award that the group won last year. Presented by H ill
hoard Magazine at Disco Forum VI, the award acknowledged the phenomenal
success o f "L o v in ’ is Really my Game” which is now considered to be a “ disco
classic.”
W ith hunky Entertainm ent Brainstorm has come up with one o f the
strongest disco-lunk albums ever recorded. A strong statement? Perhaps. But
tunes like “ Hot l or You,” “ A Case o f the Boogie," "P opcorn” and the sen­
sational title track made this album totally disco-funk and totally entertain­
ing. And, more importantly, it capsuliz.es what Brainstorm is really all about:
I UNKY E N TER TAIN M EN T.
American State Bank
“ The Bank that integration b u ilt"
2737 N.E. Union
282 2216
STOP LOOKING
BUY TOMORROW'S SECURITY FOR
YOUR FAMILY TODAY
There are times when a person is
gentle and kind, and we fail to see the
dynamics o f that in d iv id u a l. A
famous old saying “ Still water runs
deep” is still a wry true statement. It
appears that the author o f that state­
ment knew our role model for this
week, Benjamin F. Talley, manager,
Albina Human Resource Center. A
very in te llig e n t, understanding,
Scorpio, Talley is a native o f Detroit,
Michigan. He served time in the U.S.
A ir Force for four years. In 1954, he
was honorably discharged as staff
sargeant. While in the Air Force, he
attended clerical and administrative
school, he also did active duty in
Korea.
A fte r com pleting his m ilita ry
career, the aggressive Talley went on
to receive three degrees and credits
from law school. Fie holds a BA
from the University o f Portland; an
MS from Portland State University,
an 1 I B from Blackstone College of
Law, and he attended Northwest
College o f Law.
His work experience reflects his
concern for the welfare o f people
and those with infirmities inflicted
on them by many sources o f society;
1956 1961 recreation supervisor;
1961 1964 group w orker, M u lt­
nomah County Juvenile Court; 1964
1966 Juvenile Parole o ffic e r,
MacLaren School for Boys; 1966-
1968, Assistant Director o f Parole,
MacLaren School for Boys; 1968
1969 Deputy Director, Administra
lion, Portland Model Cities; 1969
D ire c to r, N orth Branch Y W C A ;
1969 1971 Director o f Guidance and
Counseling, Portland Residential
M anpower Center;
1971 1973
Assistant D irector, I I I Program ,
Portland Stale University; 1973-1974
C oordinator, Parent Involvement,
Portland Public Schools; 1974 1977
Affirm ative Action Officer, Depart­
ment o f Human Resources, Stale of
Oregon; 1977 to present Manager.
A lb in a Human Resource Center,
Department o f Human Resources,
State o f Oregon.
His concerns are not limited lo his
vocational endeavors, but to
organizations and boards dealing
with needs and changes; he currently
serves as chairman o f private con­
tract committee Multnomah County
(. ominunits Corrections; on the Ad
visory Board— Title V II (FS AA );
Chairman ot Parent Involvement,
PPS; a member ol the non-residen­
tia l com m ittee fo r M ultnom ah
( ounty Community Corrections; a
member ol PCC Advisory Board,
Departm ent o f Social Sciences;
Chairman ol the Albina Mural Pro­
ject Advisory Board.
Several certificates and awards
have been awarded to Talley in the
areas o f defensive driving, NAACP
Political Action, Water Safety First
11am 2pm UNCLE H O M E R ’S JA ZZH O LE
COVER Portland's longest-running jazz pro
gram. W ith Homer Clark.
2pm 6pm J A Z Z R A P Cookin' jazz, blues
and popular black music. W ith George Page
6 p m -8 p m
K ID N E Y STEW The blues W ith
John Head, George Page and Tom W endt
8 p m -1 2 m id n ig h t ESSENCE OF S O U L
P A R T I The only show of its kind in tow n
W ith the Groover, J.W . Friday.
12 m id n ig h t 3am
S A T U R D A Y N IG H T
I jA Z Z S H O W Swing, bop and progressive
jazz, latin music, funk and blues w ith Rick
BEN TALLEY
Aide Instructor, small crafts instruc­
tor, and National Safety Council Im ­
provement Program. The State o f
Oregon has awarded him certificates
and awards in vocational education,
oral communications and supervision.
The dynamic, soft-spoken, Tai
ley is a ffiliated with such profes­
sional organizations as the State
Management A ssociation, the
American Society fo r Public A d ­
ministrators, the NAACP, the U r­
ban League, the Kappa Alpha
Psi Fraternity, the American As­
sociation fo r A ffirm a tiv e A ction,
and the N ational Association o f
Human Rights.
Observing his physical physique, it
is easy to see that he loves such out­
door sports as swimming, tennis and
golf. He strongly believes in a phy­
sical fitness program. He also en­
joys music a ppreciation and the
guitar.
A very warm and sincere Kappa
A lpha Psi Talley's position as
manager does not prohibit him from
using the open door policy to his
staff as well as the 250 employees in
the Albina Human Resource Center
and persons in the community that
drop m with problems they feel only
the manager can handle
When I asked the prom inent
Talley what his formula for success
was for young people he had this to
say:
"There is no one success formula
tor our young people today because
success depends upon how hard one
wants to work at something he/she
enjoys, and is beneficial to them­
selves and their com m unity:
However, it I were to state a philo­
sophy, it would be in three parts: I
Treat every person as you would like
to be treated; 2 The world owes you
n oth ing ; and 3 You must earn
respect through your own actions."
U n til next week remember: Il
lakes a real man to be quiet and ob­
serve before speaking
CLARK
PAGE
MITCHELL
Music Millennium
Proudly Presents:
This Week's Top Selling
Soul & Disco LPs & Tapes
1. Pleasure/’’Future N o w "/5 .00
2. Teddy Pendergrass/"Teddy” /6 00
3. Earth, Wind, b Fire/"I A m "/6 00
4 McFadden + W hitehead/“ Ain’t No Stoppin U s "/5 .00
5. Anita W ard/' Ring My BeH'75.00
6 Sun/ "Destination'75.00
7. Michael Henderson/’’Do It A ll'7 5 00
8. Bootsy/"These B o ots"/5.00
9. Jones Girls/5.00
10. Donna Sum m er/11.00
8 T ra c k s & C a sse tte s o f th e sam e
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COUPON
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B rin g in th is C o u p o n fo r an e x tra 50C o ff th e a lre a d y
lo w p ric e on a n y o f th e a b o v e LPs o r T apes, w h ile
s u p p lie s last. A t 32nd b E. B u rn s id e or NW 21st ft
Irv in g .
*
I
• tio o d thru August I, 1979
JACK ROBERTS PRESENTS
FRI. AUG. 3
Starring the
incomparable
Charley Pride
and the
Pridesmen, w ith
Charly McClain!
Community Calendar
This is your invitation to enter the Jimmy Bang Bang Walker Miss Tan Port
land! For ladies between 18-25; brown, tan. Black or bronze. There will be
prizes for all contestants. W in: cash, scholarship, clothes, gifts and a
programming in fashion modeling, TV commercials, photography, etc. For
information call 288-8491 Enter today!
The Northwest Film Study Center will present on Saturday, July 28th at 2:00
p.m. the film Jungle Book. Alexander Korda directed Sabu in this original film
version o f the Kipling story about a boy raised by wolves to be seen at the Port­
land Art Museum
,4zi Evening ot Gospel Music, featuring 1st AM E Church Choir o f Seattle,
Washington. Presented by Bethel’ s Young Adult Usher’ s. To be held Saturday,
August 4th, 7:00 p.m., Bethel AM E Church, 5828 N.E. 8th Avenue. Reception
follows.
Portland CETA Advisory Council meets 3:00-5:00 p.m., August 2nd, Room
106, City Hall, Portland.
Portland State University's schedule o f classes, listing more than 800 courses
to be offered this fall term, is available at the University's Registration Office
in Neubergcr Hall, Broadway and S.W. Hall. Day and evening classes begin
Monday, September 24th, at the Park Blocks campus. For information or to
obtain a fall term class schedule, persons may call 229-3412, during regular
business hours.
Dialogue with Host/Producer Ullysses Tucker, Jr. on Sunday, July 29th,
10:00 p.m. w ill be discussing the subject “ Student Interns Around Portland,”
with guests: Mobie Oliver, University o f Portland, First State Bank, Mary
Strayhand, University o f Portland. First Slate Bank; Cornelia Stokes, Portland
State University, First State Bank; and James Taylor, Linfield College, U.S.
National Bank
FRIDAY
“ The B ad d est B lo c k on R a d io “
The
CHARLEY
PRIDE
Show
CIVIC AU D .-7 & 10 P.M.
T ic k e ts $6 $7 $8
On sale at Civic Aud Box Office
Meier & Frank
Stevens b Son,
Salem b Lloyd Center
Gl Joes Stores in N Portland, Beaverton,
Rockwood, Oak Grove, and Eastport Plaza Mail orders include stamp
ed self addressed envelope with check or money order and mail to Civic
Aud. Box Office, 222 SW Clay. Portland, OR 97201 For information
call 248 4496
Hear C h a rle y P ride on K W J J !
Interested in current books about African Liberation?
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519 S.W. 3rd Avenue - Sixth Floor
Or Call: 227 2902
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2511 NE Union
AUGUST 2-4, 9pm-2:30am