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 ^
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ON YOUR FOOD BILL?
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115 N. Cook St.
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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