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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 29, 1981)
Safety rules to live by GUESS WHAT YOU RLLEN0.3: CAN EAT Question...What do you do next in y o jr field if you have received national acclaim, is running a suc cessful business, taught many o f the other top names in the field and is respected and im itated by many others across the country? Answer...If you are drummer Mel Brown, you get involved in an up coming national television show, continue to run a thriving business, teach your craft to youngsters and continue to th r ill jazz lovers with good cookin'. Mel finds himself in this enviable position after years o f paying dues and keeping his nose to the grind stone. I can remembr Mel playing drums in the Washington High School marching band during Rose Festival parades. I next remember Mel a number o f years later working at the now defunct C otton Club. Even then, Mel must have been looking ahead to something because on his breaks you could find him sit ting in the restaurant portion o f the establishment doing his school work. A lot has happened fo r Mel between then and now. He operates M el B ro w n ’s Drum Shop at 422 S.E. Grand Avenue; a place where drummers and would be drummers can come in and buy whatever they need in the way o f equipment or lessons and/or take a lesson from the master him self. Mel has ex cellent help at the shop and i t ’ s a good thing too because he spends alot o f his time on the road with Diana Ross. Wherever Diana per form s, Mel is in the back driving that big 4Ü piece orchestra with his drums. Mel must have an ear for talent too because when Ms. Ross needed a pianist, Mel supplied one in the person o f Portlander George Mitch ell. W hile he contemplates his next musical move, Mel thinks most about the television show that w ill go into production sometime in the Spring. He says it ’ s a strip variety show, sort o f like the Johnny Car- son show. He is the contractor for the band and as such put together a ten piece group mostly New York Musicians. Another thing on his mind is get ting back into the recording studio. Many local Mel Brown fans are fam iliar with his albums done with organistBilly Larkin and guitarist Hank Swarn when they were the Delegates but what a lot o f folks don’ t know is that Mel once upon a time went to London and recorded with the Beatles. He would like to begin recording again particularly in the jazz bag. Mel is not only good, he is ver satile. I asked him what his favorite drumming situation is...jazz quin tet, trio , big band, show band, or funk. Brown says he wishes he had a situation where he could perform in each setting one night a week for a total o f five nights w ork. But he did say if he had his choice o f Portland musicians to put together a jazz quintet,he would have young George Mitchell, piano; Phil Baker, bass; Thara Memory, trumpet, and either Sonny King or Dennis Springer on Saxophone. I would like to hear that group re corded. Even though a lot o f Portland drummers readily admit either taking lessons from Mel or being in fluenced by just listening to him, he admits that two local hornmen taught him a lot about drumming. He refers to trum peter Bobby B radford and trom bonist Cleve Williams. He says the two veterans (aught him how to phrase with a band and the importance o f fo llo w in g a vocalist. Mel remembers the jazz scene in Portland 15 years ago and the fact there were more jobs than now. He says, “ If you are a pianist, drummer A downed line isn't a dead line. Television is influencing our children as much as parents and schools and far more than church. Public pressure has moderated the amount o f violence on TV during fam ily viewing hours but other worrisome TV habits must be monitored by parents. "H e a v y TV viewing removes children from direct real-life ex periences that are essential for in tellectual, social and physical development,” Straatman explains. “ In pre-schoolers, it increases rest lessness, decreases imaginative play, lowers comprehension and in te r feres with social and communicative activities.” For many, TV has become the m ajor shaper o f their view o f the w orld and how they should act in that w orld. No wonder it is often YES NO White Wine Peanut Butter □ Raisin* Sweet Potatoes □ Popcorn Red Wine Honey □ WEIGHT WATCHERS The most successful weight loss progrom in the world. EMANUEL HOSPITAL 2801 N. Gantenbein Emanuel East, Room 2001 (Nursing Home) Thurs. 7:00 p.m. NORTH PORTLAND CARPENTERS HALL 2225 N. Lombard Street Mon. 7:00p.m. Thurs. 9:30 a.m. NORTHEAST PORTLAND MARANATHACHURCH 1222 N E. Skidmore Sat. 9:30a.m. MEL BROWN or bass player, you can find a lot of hornmen to get work particularly in work in Portland today but if you a quintet type setting are a horn man you’ re apt not to And there are a lot ot Mel’s fans work nearly as often." But Mel is optimistic. He says the who are hoping that one o f those quintets would be Mel Brown’s own city is easing back into a jazz type group. thing which should pave the way for referred to as the "flic k e rin g blue parent.” “ I l’s hard to say how much TV is too much, but when it crowds out running and jum ping out doors, reading or being read to, hom ework, chores, playing with others, doing things with the family, hobbies, or sleeping, it is too much,” the specialist says. "Is it alright for children to have a TV in their bedroom ?” one mother asked. “ W ould you pul a refrigerator fu ll o f food in their bedroom and allow them to eat ant amount and type of food they wanted without your supervision?" Straatman replies. We pay close attention to guiding our children’s habits and must learn to take the same responsibility for their TV intake. For inform ation cab land (503) 297-1021 8:30 to 5:30. **W‘>ht W atcher* le t I la< I9BI ewner e f t he We>ght W atchers t>edt<ee<k At If you care about your city and neighborhood, and your rig h t to voice your opinion Get governm ent back in the hands of THE PEOPLE! "A lth o u g h 98 percent of homes in the U.S. have TV, parents are not defenseless against its in tru sio n ," says Straatman. Practicing television control is no different than practicing principles o f good n u tritio n , desirable behaviors or health habits with children. “ Teamwork is the most effective method for fam ily control o f v ie w in g ." Straatman points out. "Begin with selective viewing.” I'.it chi ', and children can decide winch s tio w s w ill be watched t o g c tlic i I fiis can be done on a day- lo-da> b a s is lor small children and on a week-to-week basis for older ones. When the show is over, turn o ff the set. Be prepared to suggest other activities to follow such as outdoor play, snack time, play time or study time. Adults are needed to help children interpret what they are viewing. Four or five year old youngsters have little ab ility to separate fact from fantasy or the subtle meanings o f the behavior they view. They use words heard on TV programs without the vaguest idea o f the meaning. Adults react to most TV content with silence. Children have no way of knowing whether behavior is ac ceptable or unacceptable unless parents speak up about the scenes that are in opposition to their values and applaud or voice approval for those they do approve. Children learn their values and behavior through imitation of what they see and hear. "P arental G uidance" means that adults should be present to help children determine actions that are accep table in their family and in the world beyond. 9 Vote WILLIE Y BROWN City C oim nissioner L J TURKEYS GRADE A FROZEN Reynolds Wrap A lu m in u m Foil J » . SAVE 20« A LU M IN U M FOIL 12"x75’ $ |2 9 ROLL FACH SHOP lENOW 'S Governor Victor Atlyeh addrasaes Inmataa and fueets at obaarvanca aponaorad by tha Legal hoceee Claaa at Oregon Btata Penitentiary. Jackie Wlntara, waa honored for her volunteer vork at tha prlaon. Ma. Wlntara waa State Om- □ O n th e new 1981 W e ig h t W atchers food plans you re taught to eat them a ll—within limits ot c o u rs e -a n d still lose weight Join aWeight Watchers class near you and fin d out about our new food plans and complete program tor taking ott the pounds deliciously' lust because a line is ilowii doesn't mean it isn't alive with electric ity. The safest thing you can do is not to touch it and call us immediately TV: What is its effect on children? A fte r 20 years o f television in American homes, parents and educators arc beginning to show concern abou. the effects it has on the development o f children and y o u th ," says M a rilyn I.unner Clackamas County Extension agent. "S tudies conducted by social scientists, educators, chrld psychologists, and pediatricians are indicating strong media influences on the beliefs, attitudes, values, and behaviors o f ch ild re n ," says M ar te lle Straatman, Oregon State U n iv e riity Extension human development specialist. " A recent survey revealed that pre-schoolers watch an average o f 23.5 hours a week. In other words, ‘ looking’ takes up the equivalent o f three adult working days,” Straat man says. ON THE NEW 1981 WEIGHT WATCHERS FOOD PLANS! budaman In tha Atlyeh admlnlatratlon and her huaband held tha aama position with Governor McCall. Seated next to Tod Wlntara la prlaon auporlntandant Hoyt Cupp. (Photo; Richard Brown) Interested in current books about African Liberation? Visit: JOHN REED BOOKSTORE In the Dekum Building 519 S W 3rd Avenue Sixth Floor Or call: 227 2902 FOR B R A N D S you kn o w V A R IE T IE S y o u li k e S H IS you w o n t • I • »* A l l A H I Hancach • A l l OtelHan • H I o eesba* •* O»*a*ey • A Watt Unuid* • R e s ta i* * H l | l * R l« « a • last# O*— ego OO • A • ’ ijr»4 »’ l l O<«l»k«es • R in g C e frA I 1 H • A The Iriendlieet V eres In T e * n kn ee 1«M • I • B u A s s 'B a A H • I O I.M t* (T « h O ^ w *a one e e a r* a t U * s ( t l» ( 4 • 3 as « At É Ar -M « £ ? • ■a c (/I z W 22 1- “ " z is o « CD X. ■ z - is 2 c < a. .
