Portland Observer June 18. 1981 Page 11
HAPPENINGSI
Most o f the group’ s choreography is done by Nicholas, who is alto The
Whispers’ invaluable second tenor. Reared in Southern California, Nicholas
got most of his basic vocal training from singing in glee clubs in high schools.
“ Getting a chance to do the choreography fo r the Whispers is really a
fanastic experience,” adds Nicholas. "Every member o f the group can really
dance well, including acrobatic and tap dancing.”
Scotty also seems to feel that the group’s practice o f performing older-style
The Whispers cannot be tied to any single style o f music and it is their ver
tunes really helped the group's dancing. “ When we first started together we
satility that keeps them ahead o f other performers. Just prior to their current
did a lot o f vaudeville tunes, like ‘Me and M y Shadow’ and that’ s where I
release, the group well established itself with hits including the smooth ballad
think we learned to tap dance.”
“ L a d y” and the tightly meshed up-tempo cut "A n d The Beal Goes On, “
Like Nicholas, the other members began singing in junior high school, in
from their self-titled LP, “ The Whispers, " which was the first recording to
cluding the last member to jo in the group, Leaveil. Before he ever started
obtain both gold and platinum status for the five-man aggregation thus far in singing with The Wispers, Leaveil was, as he puts it, “ One o f their biggest
their careers.
fans. 1 always thought that the group was fanastic. I'm really proud to be a
As Scotty, who with his twin brother, Walter, shares the lead tenor chores part o f The Wispers.” When he isn’ t singing, Leaveil can usually be found
for the group, says, "W e do a little bit o f everything - jazz, pop, funk. We around an auto racetrack, either watching or driving one o f his own race
haven’t got any one style.”
cars. “ I'm a fanatic about cars,” says Leaveil. “ A fte r singing, comes
racing.”
The Whispers were originally the brainchild o f the twin brothers, Scotty
and W alter. “ We had an uncle whom we would always listen to ,” says
Walter, “ and he taught us a lot about harmonizing. That’s where we learned
that kind o f singing. ” “ That’s another reason we're so versatile,” says Scot
ty. “ We’ ve been exposed to many different singers. We always picked up
whatever we could.”
After Walter and Scotty got their act together, they met with Marcus and
Nicholas, and decided to form a group. Thus, The Wispers was born.
ENTERTAINMENT
WHISPERS AT PARAMOUNT
'International Fashions"
Preaant to Some
AND
Introduce to Other»
The Dynamic Music of
"Brenda and Fantasi
(N o w closed at the Thundertrird CoHeeuml
The Whiepera and Carrie Lucas w ill ba at the Paramount Theater
Friday, June 26th, 8 p.m. Reserved seats $9 60 and $10.60.
Take five dynamite singers, blend them together in a unique vocal style,
and who do you get? W ell, if their names happen to be Wallace (Scotty)
Scott, Walter Scott, Marcus Hutson, Leaveil Degree and Nicholas Caldwell,
then you've got one o f the hottest vocal groups - the Whispers. They are
heard in all their exciting majesty and sophiscated soul on their new Solar
Records album, “ Im a g in a tio n " (manufactured and distributed by RCA
Records - B Z L l- 3578), meticulously produced by Dick G riffey with the
Wishpers.
While the Whispers have been on the music scene for years, this is by far
one o f the classy vocal quintet's finest albums to date, evidenced by such cuts
as “ Say You f Would Love f o r Me Toot, ” " I Can Make II Better” and the
title tune “ Imagination. ”
Providing their versatility is an important goal for the group’ s other mem
bers as well. “ For us to really be the best,” says Marcus, "W e have to prove
that we can get into all contemporary music. And as Nicholas comments
about The Whispers’ new Solar Records release, “ The album is a good mix
ture o f danceable R&B and ballads. A good way to describe it would be to say
it’s contemporary soul.”
Whatever The Whispers’ brand o f music is called, they manage to combine
it with excitingly choreographed dance routines that make The Wispers not
only thrilling to hear, but a delight to watch.
HERNDON TO EXAMINE
LOCAL BLACKS
CONCERNS
INTRODUCING
CARRIE LUCAS
A perfected cool and sensuous voice, dazzling self-designed choreography,
nd a carefully selected repertoire are all responsible for Carrie Lucas’ fast
rowing power and ever-increasing following.
A statuesque, sculptured beauty (she stands 5 9 in her stocking feet),
iarrie not only captivates with her vogue-like appearance but, more import-
ntly, tantalizes her audiences with her gusty, shake-the-foundation vocal
mderings.
Having fully established a reputation as a tremendously talented vocalist-
omposer via her first albums for Solar Records, Simply Carrie,
Street
'orner Symphony. “ and Carrie Lucas “ In Dance Land, “ she has once again
emonstrated her ability to expand with the release o f Portrait o f C arrie.
his, her fourth solo project for Solar, manufactured and distributed by
CA Records, is by far her best collelction - featuring Carrie’ s vocal ver-
itility on tunes such as “ Fashion, ” "Justa M em ory" and “ Career Girl. ”
A native C a lifo rn ia n , Carrie comes from a fa m ily rich in musical ex-
erience and attributes much o f her early appreciation for all types o f music
j that environment. As long as she remembers, she alwayss wanted to sing,
he recalls, ” 1 was extremely shy as a youngster...except when I sang,
omehow singing transformed my character. Admittedly, during those days,
never seriously thought o f singing as a career. Yet, I was nonetheless ex-
emely moved by Judy Garland and the whole aura she created as well as
lat o f Barbra Streisand. Perhaps, subconsciously, the reason I joined every
lee club and choral group around was to satisfy a yen to develop my aura.”
Although Garland and Streisand are two among many artists Carie ad-
lires, her style is uniquely Carrie. Possibly the resemblance lies in her sense
f total showmanship, lust for life, and magical relationship with an audien-
e. One has to experience Carrie’ s commanding vocal qualities and witness
er classic elegance since both defy adequate description.
No stranger to hard work or the concert circuit, evidenced by successful
aurs with the Whispers. The O’ Jays. Johnny “ G uitar” Watson and a host
f others Carrie makes time amid her hectic schedule to pursue a variety o f
iterests.’ As she explains, " I feel that I can be an effective artist only i f I
laintain a well-rounded routine including diverse activities. To some degree
is those seemingly unrelated pursuits that strengthen one’ s own definition
nd broadens the perspective.” Leading the list, which balances her in-
tllectual/creative undertakings (writing, painting, modeling), is her earnest
assion for athletics, including tennis, swimming and even jogging
C arrie singularly credits her career development to Dick G riffe y , who
elms Solar Records. In addition to producing her last four LPs, it was G nf-
ey who convinced Carrie to cut her now famopus first demo Fairytales,
they really can come true). Carrie feels. "S o la r is more than just another
ecord label. It is a family with a distinct philosophy; one creaed by Dick and
esoected by all under the Solar umbrella.
As Griffey describes the “ Solar philosophy,” Flash-in-the-pan singers are
dime a dozen A true artist must endure the test o f time, by demonstrating a
a,t reserve? o f talent both in the studio and as a performer, thereby, in-
reasing the overall quality o f the product. Almost everyone, given enough
noney, can make a h it single but given enough talent - only a few can
«come great artists; like CARRIE! •
"L ife style s, ” a 62 KGW public
service program Sunday, June 21
w ill feature Ron H erndon, co-
chairm an o f the Black U nited
Front.
H erndon w ill discuss his c h ild
hood as well as his perspective on
treatm ent o f P o rtla n d ’ s Black
community since I960 and the local
m edia’ s representation o f Black
concerns.
Herndon also w ill feature recent
developments in P ortland’ s Black
community and the future o f local
Black and white relations.
PLUS!!
— r Ä
" A Parade o f Fashions"
Black modeling Assoc., o f N.W.
ANDA
"D ance"
„.»o'"'4 p|ace: o n the Rocks
---------IBN W Stfi
Date Sunday
July 6. 1981
Tim e 6 00 t.OOp.r
Also for ticket» cell
287 3123
or
287 1454
Advanced tickets 84 50
At the Ooor 85 50
Dorthy Smith. Consultant
..... y .n ftv -y q
5pm~9ptn pion-Jn.
Special Bcvcrade J ’riccs^
$ a r drinX? 55^/fer
T a z ^ /c a ^ li5tcninU/funk
pancind c
Live p .T -
Open panee T(e?cr
Tree Par\ind
Wann
and
aict mere-
4 r M 0spH E R E FOR
a
OA-
BAR DRINKS .55 "Happy Hour Party" GLASS BEER .25
0
New Era Soft Body
Curl may be used
on all types of hair,
from normal virgin
to permanently
hMed hair, and from
extremely curly
hair to naturally
wavy hair
$45 Special
o
on New Era Curl
through the month of June
Hak Oeeign for M en 6 W om en
15“ nWbthA^- Vortiancf, Oregon
BROADWAY EAST
1406 NE Broadway
Phone: 284-1817
P orttend O rego n »7312
AND THE BESTSOUVLAKI SANDWICH