Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 1, 1981)
Page 4 Portland Observer January 1. 1981 entertainment HAPPENINGS entertainment A NEW YEAR'S INTERVIEW WITH .. MICHAEL HENDERSON > Exclusive - By Lanila Duke Grassroot News, N.W.- Among the talents which makes up the entertain ment business, nothing is as pleasurable as watching a star twinkle creatively in a world where original talent takes second place. Michael Henderson is such a star who spoke with Grassroot News reporter Lanita Duke, about his development in music. Duke: How did you get started in the music business? Henderson: When I was thirteen, I started with Stevie Wonder, the Tem ptations, Four Tops, Marvin Gaye, The Spinners and The Jackson Five. 1 was the boss for the whole Motown family. Then, I started to musically in teract with Norman Conner, and spent seven years with Miles Davis. Duke: You seem to have a unique involvement in music due to the fact that you started in Soul and went into jazz. How do you explain your conversion? Henderson: Jazz is the mother of R&B. I think that everybody takes their new thoughts and ideas from jazz. Jazz is the stickiest form o f music that we have and it’s also why it’s the lowest paying. Duke: One o f the main influences in Jazz is Gospel. D id the Black church indirectly have an effect on your music? Henderson: Oh, o f course! R&B came from the church. That beat and plus all the people from Motown developed their talents through gospel. Duke: When the world was introduced to Michael Henderson, the in troduction was that o f a romantic singer. In your latest release Wide Receiver have you departed fro m your introduction? Henderson: No I haven’t. There are four slow songs on that album. I’ m a very young man and I got sick o f younger people walking up to me saying that their parents listen to me after midnight. The younger kids in the Black GOSPEL LIGHTS: Denise Wrighten, Naomi Wrighten, Genette C. Andrews. Genette Andrews. Debra Wrighten. Gospel Lights celebrate anniversary By Pam Smith There’ s a Gospel group in tow n...and they’ re spreading the word o f JesuS through song and ac tions. Under the direction o f Noami Wrighten, the Gospel Lights have a sincere dedication to the community and to issues which are concerned with equality for all. The Church o f the Living God P .G .T ., is the home base o f this organization, however, the group gives concerts in an average year to nearly 80 other audiences. In ad dition they have a regular broadcast on K .G .A .R . Radio entitled, “ Gospel T ra in ,” and have made special appearances on KBLE in Seattle. This year, the Gospel Lights per formed six (6) major concerts from which the proceeds went to the Black United Front, the NAACP, the Urban League and KGAR. The group’ s com m unity involvem ent doesn’ t stop there. They have sang at the State Penitentiary, Homes for Women, Portland C om m unity College, and King Neighborhood Facility to name only a few. Recently, they celebrated their 4th year anniversary with the Salvation Arm y Moore Street Center, by having an Awards N ight. These awards were given to the best Soloists, Duets, Choirs and Groups in the community. SEE SPORTS O N GIANT SCREEN T V. National Public Radio's JAZZ ALIVEI launches 1981 with a special, four-city New Year's Eve broadcast that will culminate with San Franscio's Keystone Korner, showcasting saxophone giants DEXTER GORDON (11 and SONNY STITT and others. The JAZZ ALIVEI New Year's Eve festivities will be heard on NPR member station KBPS-1450 A .M . Radio, Wednesday, December 31. from 6:30 p.m. until midnight. JAZZ ALIVE! NEW YEAR'S SPECIAL AIRS LIVE ON KBPS MICHAEL HENDERSON (Photo: Richard Brown) community don’ t know who Michael Henderson was. They didn’ t want to hear the slow songs, so I went back to doing something I did a long time ago. Now I m starting to funk a little bit and still keep the slow songs and let people get off. People spend their money and should enjoy the whole album. Plus I’ m suppose to enjoy what I’m doing instead o f being Mr. Suit wearer. Duke: Would you call yourself a Soul vocalist? Henderson: No. It’s too bad people label music. That’ s why Jazz has the problems that it docs now. I f people didn’t label music, I think that it would just be called music. I would like to see that day but I don’t think that it will happen too soon, because o f the way Radio stations and program managers are. I m not a soul singer. I ’ m just a singer. I can play any type o f music. I can create and produce music. So many people spend their time typecasting music that they hold it back. Duke: Do you think Motown can withstand the latest blow, tike Disco? Henderson: They already have done it. Now you find white acts recording old Motown songs. So Motown lives even longer. Duke: What does 1981 have in store fo r Michael Henderson? Henderson: I’ m going to funk a little bit and try to keep myself happy along with everybody else. I’ m not going to hold up some macho image that’ s really not me. Women that are out there today are different from a year ago, and five years ago. They are not going for the same things. Duke: What advice could you give our readers fo r 1981? Henderson: Be patient. I f you're going to be in a profession, try to have some love f o r it. Try to be creative. You need a lot o f luck because there’s somebody out there doing the same thing that you are doing. U.-HUMOROUSH-HE a ^ DO YOU REALLY WANT TO SAVE ON YOUR FOOD BILL? •• CFR U IT CPIE ‘Sizwe Bansi is Dead an outstanding Oregon Shakespearian Festival Production W e offer savings of up to 40% and more on fine quality wonder and Hostess products, plus large discounts on other baked goods Besides our every day low prices, w e feature in-store specials daily Just look for the ''bar gam" signs on the displays in our store Discover for yourself what thou sands of smart shoppers in the area have found. You'll be amazed at the savings you make at our Wonder Thrift Shop! SATISFACTIO N GUARANTEED You m u lt be comp4et»iy u tu fie d with every purchsM tx we w ll cheerfully refund your purcheee price WONDER-HOSTESS THRIFTSHOP 115 N. Cook St. Corner of Vancouver ft Cook St . Portlend. Oregon Open M o n thru S e t— tern 6pm - Closed Sundays 1801 N.E. Alberta EVE Musician/composer/author Ben Sidran hosts the New York segment of the program, with A1 Pryor as host from Detroit. Pianist/composer and regular JAZZ A LIV E ! host Billy Taylor takes over in Chicago, with educator/com- poser/ trumpeter Gerald Wilson and noted jazz historian and critic Leonard Feather doing the honors in San Francisco. "W e ’ve pulled out all the stops this New Year’ s Eve to throw the best jazz broadcasting ever,” says producer Tim Owens. “ The talent couldn’ t be more exciting and the combination promise to please and surprise.” JAZZ A LIV E ! launches 1981 with a CROSS COUNTRY NEW YEAR’S EVE PARTY which will be broadcast on KBPS LIVE via satellite from 6:30 p.m., until mignight on Wednesday, December 31. Festivities come from New York C ity’ s Seventh Avenue South; Detroit’ s Dummy George’s; Chicago’s Rick’s Cafe Américain; and San Francisco’ s Keystone Korner. Heralding the New Year in a veritable feast o f jazz sounds and styles, JAZZ A LIV E ! features the electrifying Brecker Brothers; the warm, full- bodied swing o f the Houston Person/Etta Jones Quartet; the smooth, lyrical sounds o f trumpeter Clark Terry; and the masterful bebop craftsmanship of saxophonists Dexter Gordon and Sonny Stitt, pianist Red Garland, guitarist Kenny Burrell, trumpeter Woody Shaw and much more. V JOE’S PLACE J a n u a r y 24 a n d 25, 1981 7:00 P.M. BUCKLEY CENTER AUDITORIUM UNIVERSITY OF PORTLAND Tickers A vailable: Meier Frank downtown ticket of fice EEC. Plummer and Co. Real Estate. 317 N. E. K tilings wort h and at Door Sponsored by Black Colleges Conference Committee for Scholarship Eund INFLATION BEATER H a p p y H our at the ROCKS Monday - Friday 5-9 House Brand Drinks 55* Beer 25* Movies Shown Daily OLD FIGHTS MUHAMMAD ALI JOE LOUIS and OTHERS WEDS. LADIES WED. AFTER THURS. NIGHT FRI. HOURS 1 .nl\ s no co \cr 2 Drinks lor l he prue of one SAT. Till 4:30 AFTER 9 DISCO The Best Souvlaki In Town WEDNESDAY and FRIDAY Michael J. 15N.W . 6th 228-1303
