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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
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1530 N.E. Grand Ave.
Portland. Oregon 97212
287 8723
Breakfast Special
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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
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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
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” TH€ WIZ' IZ
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— 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. Charley Pride and a
host of blackxelebrities reveal
The New Muscat Version o<
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