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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 19, 1981)
Like Qraaaroot N iw a N .W . - Last Sunday, two legendary jazz men performed at Jazz de Opus; Sonny S till and Red Holloway. They bring 40 years o f playing the saxophone along with the intelligence o f their years gained from their peers. Grassroot News reporter was gran ted the following interview: Duke: Could you summarize your evolution in Jazz? Holloway: I started playing music when 1 was about five. 1 played the guitar because I like C harlie Christian, but when I heard Lester Young. then 1 wanted to play the Sax. To achieve this in high school, I played the clarinet u n til saving enough money to buy a used Sax. I've played with small bands, blues, rock and jazz. I don't think I have an outstanding career but I have been making a living out of doing something 1 enjoy, and th a t’ s playing music. S till: Now you got something else going. Bc-bop, Jazz and Blues - those are all labels they put on you. It's music to me. I f you were to play Blues, they call you a Blues player. Play Be-bop and they call you a Be bop player, play jazz and they call you a jazz player. It’ s all the same to me and I play it as I see it. They try to put you this place or that place and they really have no place to put you. They really don’ t know where to put you and they do this w ith everybody who plays music just so they can make money. Stitt: When I was in grade school, I started with the clarinet and at 14 1 got a job with a band that played at a bar so my mother would have to go with me. See, 1 didn’t drink. I've had playing time w ith classical music. Just a round musical background. Duke: When you were coming o f age, d id you fin d the impulses o f Gospel influencing your music? Holloway: Yes...no matter where you play or who you play with you find the introduction to music was made in the church. S titt: I t ’ s true, all music comes from God. Duke: Do you consider yourselves traditionists from the Bepbop era? SONNY STITT Holloway: Music is music. It can be Blues or classical. There are cer tain feelings in music. Classical musicians create different feelings, but basically we can create that same feeling by playing d iffe re n t types o f music. Now there is some music that’ s easier than others - like pop and rock and ro ll. Rock and roll is the easiest to play. You learn three chords in every key and change the rhythm - you got rock and roll. In some classical music and a lot o f jazz, you really have to do some studying. You just can’ t play the same three beats over. You really have to know what yo u ’ re doing to make it in the classical and jazz. Duke: The cats who control the music industry will put labels on, to highlight one fo rm o f music over the other, how do you get around it? S titt: You don’ t. 1 ju st keep on blowing and hope they stop trying. The best thing they can call us is musicians. H o llo w a y: People today like music that they hear a lot. Or should I say lean to what they hear a lot. Since the outlets are controlled by pop and rock, that’ s all people think th a t’ s out, but i t ’ s n ot. Even on T .V ., they w ill have a ll types o f m iddle o f the road singers and musicians. Very seldom w ill you find a jazz musician and i f you do, then th a t’ s because one o f their Black b ro th e r’ s was the M .C ., o f the program . I th in k that people should be exposed to all types o f music. That way, they can make up their own minds. But the media doesn’t do it like that. They w ill lean tow ard one thing thereby pushing jazz musicians to the side. Duke: I hate to ask such a dismal Question, but in terms o f the future, ajter yourselves and Dexter, Shepp and others are gone, who are we going to have to learn from ? S titt: T h a t’ s why we’ re hanging out now in colleges and running all over the country. There are some youngsters who are aware o f that fact but because i t ’ s so few they really don’t count. But I know what it takes to be a musician. Musicians aren’ t made, they are born. How many kids take music in graue school? A lot! But how many stay in M t. St. Helens! Let your Birthday or Anniversary Party be a blast Call: . Geneva s RED HOLLOWAY music study? Not many, so th a t’ s why I say the good Lord chooses us, not we choose it. Now when we go to college, it the other race that knows about jazz. Now some o f our young kids, all you can get them to do is dance. Instead o f listening, they want to express themselves by dancing. There is nothing wrong with that but I do believe they should pay more a ttention to w h a t’ s being played musically and listen to what the artist is doing. H ollow ay: The Black musicians sometiems lean toward what’ s easy and they want to make money. So there is not a whole lot o f students out there who wants to play jazz. Rock and Blues are the easiest and they make more money, so they say why should be play jazz? Duke: What's in jazz that makes it such a complicated art fo rm ? S tilt: Just like sports is always trying to break a record, in jazz you try to always im prove. I t ’ s not so much as you change the music or there’ s something in the music that’s wrong. Just like the basketball player who always tries to get better so does the jazz musician. EARTH, WIND & FIRE" SYNTHESIZER SELECTS CASIOTONE Botii the fans and the surroundings are different on virtually every concert appearance o f “ Earth, Hind & Eire," but for Larry Dunn, keyboard leader and synthesizer with the Los Angeles-based group, one thing is constant “ At home or on the road, I can count on the good vibes and consistency with my Casiotone M IO,” said Dunn, one o f the nine members of the famed group. This 2!/j octave, eight-note polyphonic keyboard combines the classical sounds of the piano, organ, violin and flute, all on one electronic instrument. Any of the four preset tones o f this 32-key instrument are selectable by the Denver native at a touch. Dunn has been with the internationally acclaimed organization for nine years, during which time the group has recorded 10 albums, plus four singles. The latest album offering is “ Eaces. ” A talent of wide appeal, “ Earth, Wind & E ire" is led by Maurice White, a singer, percussionist and drummer. Also appearing with the group are two of 282-6363 ASK FOR PAUL / have to say it. D o n ‘t give a ll yo u r money back to the man downtown. A TOUCH OF NEW ORLEANS BOURBON STREET 1530 N.E. Grand Ave. Portland. Oregon 97212 287 8723 Breakfast Special 2 Eggs, Ham or Bacon, Hash B ro w n ’s & Toast * $2.50 Happy Hours y 7 am to 10 am 5 pm to 7 pm Well Drinks - $1.00 7 a m t o i0 a m RESTAURANT MEAL HOURS M onday SATURDAY Friday Breakfast 7 to 10 AM Lunch 11 to 2 PM Dinner 5 to 10 PM Short Order 3 to 5 PM Dinner 5 to 10 PM SUNDAY Chablis Brunch 10 to 4 PM With Live Entertainment 1 to 4 PM COCKTAIL LOUNGE HOURS M onday Friday 7 A M to 2:3 0 A M Saturday: 11 AM to2 30 AM SUNDAY 11 AM to 2 30 AM ENTERTAINMENT Friday and Saturday 9 2 Crispus Attucks Phillis Wheatley Sojourner Truth Frederick Douglass Harriet Tubman Dr. John Rock Elijah McCoy Booker T Washington George Washington Q Mary McLeod Bethune Scott Joplin Norbert Rillieux Ida B. Wells Mme. C. J. Walker Dr. Charles Drew A. Phillip Randolph Marian Anderson Jackie Robinson Ralph Bunche Eubie Blake They had Courage, Strength & Vision! ” TH€ WIZ' IZ A WOW!" — William Giovar. Aisoeiatad Prast Maurice's brothers, Verdine (bass) and Fred (drums). Additional members include Andrew W oolfold, reeds; Johnny Graham and Al McKay, guitar; and Phillip Bailey and Ralph Johnson, vocal Per cussion. An augmented horn section includes Louis Satterfield, Mike Davis, Don Myrick and Mike Harris. Before coming on stage for each concert, the group meditates and prays. The performance itself is intermingled with acts o f magic from group members. Tracing the many achievements of Black America. Jayne Kennedy. 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