Page 8 Portland Observer, October 15, 1981
entertainment
HAPPE INGS
The King of Blues
ENTERTAINMENT
A ..
A
A lD G rt K in g
by Lanita Duke
Grassroot News. N. H i - T h e Kin« o f Blues. Albert King, showed Port
land that the music o f his Kingdom is just as hip as its runaway child, Funk
and it’ s just as mellow as any love ballad. "Problems and troubles are thé
blues. All the music you hear comes from the blues. They come up with d if
ferent arrangements and call it soul. The fast loud stuff is called rock and
roll. Well, who knows what rock and roll is. I f it’s fast and loud then they
were doing rock and roll when I was a kid. What was Louis Jordan playing?
playing u X v
’° ,h* ’
* * * “ pUy'ns juSt “ h*P * *,u ff “ ‘ hey’re
"W h a t is Soul? I ’ll tell you what it is. Anything you do and you feel it
and the person next to you feels you doing it. T h at’s S oul!" The king held
court and schooled me as to the suffering and pleasure o f his music.
Albert King is not the stereotype blues artist just as his music is not what
you expect blues to be. He has been around and his experiences and intellect
showed in an answer to why none o f the real blues masters make any o f
those big bucks that a rock group would make o ff the same cut. " In the
first place, I don’t have a lot o f money. In the second place, I ’m Black. In
the third place, a white band could come along and someone would sign
them up for 25 per cent where I wouldn’t do that. This cat is going to push
them and make them as hot as he can because he’s getting 25 per cent. And
he may create a habit and then he’ll furnish the habit. H e ’s the agent, the
manager and the habit furnisher. Why not push them because he's making
big money." King stressed that this happens to most groups. "B u t some
times they luck out when they get big that they can make it on their own.
People have to go along with them because they have the money.”
The Houston Ballet z Civic Auditorium
Celebrity Attractions presents the highly acclaimed Houston Ballet, with
the Houston Ballet Orchestra, performing Ben Stevenson’s premiere pro
duction o f Peer G ym as well as a mixed repertoire program. Performances
arc at the Portland Civic A uditorium on October 21, 22 and 23 nightly at
8:15 p.m.
Peer G yn t was world premiered in Houston, June 1981. The story is
based on the famous Henrik Ibsen play about the life o f a charming ne’er-
do-well, following him from lusty youth through near-madness, to retribu
tion and forgiveness. The music is by another great Norwegian, Edvard
Grieg. Houston Ballet's full-length Peer Gynt, lavishly staged and superbly
danced, represents a splendid example o f the kind o f story ballet that pre
vailed at ballet's beginnings and that is returning in force today.
Bartók Concerto, choreographed by Ben Stevenson, with music by Bela
Bartók and new sets and costumes by Matthew C. Jacobs, was first per
formed by the Harkness Ballet o f New York at the therater Liceo in Bar
celona, Spain. The ballet consists o f two vigorous movements o f dance for
seven couples surrounding the central movement which is choreographed as
a lyric pas de deux.
IPIC€irHJ€EJ
FABULOUS
X
Morris Enterprises presents soprano Peggy Houston Shivers in
concert Sunday. October 18. 1981, at 4 PM at Westminster Preebyte
rian Church, located at 1624 N.E. Hancock.
»I
4
4
Making It Happen
Pe88> Shivers began formal studies in vocal music under Bruce and Paula
M arvin at the M arvin Studio o f Voice in Portland, Oregon. She attended
Portland State University at the time and although very active in the music
department there, she received her degree in Education and later a Master’s
in Guidance and Counseling from Bal! State University. Muncie. Indiana.
M s. Shivers was selected to represent the Portland State Music Depart
ment throughout the Northwest on many occasions. She was the Soprano of
the touring company, was soloist with the choir, participated in musical
stage productions and represented the school at various local, state, and re
gional functions. She also performed as soloist with local civic groups, the
Portland Summer Opera series, Holladay Bowl Productions, sang with the
Portland Junior Symphony and received the grand honor o f being personal
ly invited by M arian Anderson to participate in the Annual M arian Ander
son Awards Recital.
She was the first "M iss Royal Esquire” o f Portland, a title she won by
singing the aria “ Un bel de vedremo” from the Opera "M adam e Butterfly”
and Summertime" from Porgy and Bess. She was very active in the Allen
Temple Church music department while living in Portland but alwo worked
as soloist for several other churches in the area.
M s. Shivers moved to San Francisco and continued her studies under
Madame S. Strelova, a well-known vocal coach in the Bay Area. The high
lights o f her music experiences in that area were playing the lead role in the
San Francisco Opera Ring’s Production o f “ Lost in the Stars,” a role for
which she received wide acclaim. She was permanent soloist with the San
Francisco Concert Quartet and was selected by Duke Ellington to be fea
tured soloist in his Sacred Concert I I which was presented at Grace Cathe
dral.
From San Francisco, she moved to M a d rid , Spain w ith her husband
Clarence, a well-known artist. L ife in M adrid proved to be a unique musical
experience. Ms. Shivers was one o f 70 accepted into the "Escuela Superior
de Canto, a conservatory for singers only, where most o f the students and
all o f the instructors were performing professionals. Being accepted there
proved to be not only a great honor, but a stepping stone to further oppor
tunities to perform in the European enivronment. She studied under Isabel
Penagos, a famous Spanish Soprano and now director o f the conservatory,
and was coached by Felix Davila who was the former coach and husband o f
Theresa Berganza o f the M etropolitan Opera Company. Ms. Shivers’ ac
companists were Rogelio Oalvenez and Janet Burgemeister, an American
pianist. She was selected twice to perform in Master Classes o f Dona Lola
Rodnguez de Aragon and was awarded the roles o f Fiordiligi in the Opera
Cosi fan tutte,” and Dido in “ Dido and Aeneas.”
Along with concert w ork, Ms. Shivers performed on Spanish television
and was a regular performer on the National Radio Network. But the most
memorable musical experience was being featured perform er during the
United States Bicentennial celebration in M ad rid and being presented in
concert at the U n ited States C u ltu ra l Center under the auspices o f the
United States Embassy.
Since returning to the United States to live, in addition to concert work
Mrs. Shivers has performed with the Colorado Springs Symphony Orches
tra She received glowing reviews for her performances. One writer, John
Fetler o f the Colorado Springs Gazette wrote:
It is rare to hear any singer to have such a thorough conception o f M o
zart’s work, not only in the technical proficiency, not only in the time and
phrasing, but far more importantly, in the rhythm o f M ozart’s vocal music.
Peggy Shivers has an ability o f the higher reaches o f purely musical expres
sion which few singers possess.”
Her repertoire includes Italian, French, American and Spanish art songs,
German leider, arias and spirituals.
S H O W C A S E OF E N T E R T A IN M E N T
presents
A Special Halloween Dance Contest
/
will be held at the
Royal Esquire Club
D isco
1 V
•’ T
THE
MELLOW
M AN "
'
9:00 PM to 2:00 AM
OCTOBER 17.1981
The lyric o f the blues is centered around wanting to get some or getting
got. The story telling in this music comes from the soul o f the Black church.
The same beat you hear on some gospel songs sounds like the beat o f the
blues. So you can get just as happy when someone is singing the blues as
when in church." The king said and indicated that many o f the so-called
church people "loves the blues."
The show Albert King put on was sizzling hot. “ The old man got down,”
was among the remarks o f the audience. An added touch was a sister. Joyce
Huston, who writes and arranges the horn section. Since most road musi
cians are male it was nice to see a sister complement the brothers on stage.
We know there is nothing like L IV E entertainment and is Michael at the
Last Hurrah, along with North Country productions can bring in the talents
of various cultures, it s up to us to support them financially by coming out.
I f not, Portland will culturally be as dry as the Sahara.
PRODUCTIONS’
3 rd A N N U A L
Halloween Masquerade Ball
»» pboouctoc
F tA T M B
COkCCMAW ORGAN * A L L »
HASTF» OF G « » » J ■ r » » A T
ALSO. K S T COST!*» AWARD»
(CASH! PRIZED
SHERATON - AIRPORT
(Columbian Ballroom)
Saturday, October 31,1981
C O N T E S T E N T R Y TIM E 11:00
BEST M ALE SINGUE S2S 00
BEST F E M A L E SING LE S2S 00
BEST CO U R LE SSO 00
Ticket o u tle t:
House o f
C O -S P O N S O R E D BY:
K A R -R A D IO 1400 AM
P O R T L A N D O BSERVER
------NMtAl2]JLQ*aMUlllC..
69 P ro d u ctio n S p ecial O ffe r
f DED
ROSE
1706 N .E . A lb e rta
211 S.W. 6th Ave.
Ctothtof
•44-0 00
A Monster Funk of an Affair
FITZ
TOP OF THE COSMO
Fri, O c t. 30 and S a t. O c t. 31
from 9 pm til 2 am
C o st is $3.00
for information contact David Bowen
M acic
FEATURING
O '
fe a tu rin g
The
Staple Brothers
Band
A
FASHIONS
Portland. Ore 97204
223-4430
H a llo w e e n C o s tu m o Re n tal 26% O ff W ith C o u p o n
j
1030 NE Union
T
b n
Ticket O u lteli
TICKETS: $7.50
Monte of Sound 3624 N Witkeme
Ftwley • Beeuty Supply. 4664 N f Union o» 3612
N t 16th 282 9881 effet 6 00 p m.