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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 17, 1981)
Page 8 Portland Observer. December 17,1981 HAPPENINGS ENTER! A IN M E N T Four Kings of Grooving ROBERT WILLIAMS KEN COVINGTON RICKIE STORY L.D.P. Promotes Entertainment Low Down Productions is a non-profit organization geared to produce and promote both quality and professional entertainment in the Portland- Vancouver. Seattle-Tacoma areas. A ll p ro fit from L.D .P .s local activities w ill be recirculated into the communities in the form o f scholarships, free community picnics, free park entertainment etc. It is the opinion o f L.D .P. that entertainm ent, especially Black, is lagging far behind the rest o f the country in quality and frequency o f entertainment activities. W ithin the last decade the electronic media has been the center o f atten tion o f the American public. The power o f this medium is not to be taken lightly, it is a serious business. It is L .D .P .’ s long-range goal to establish a medium that is more than “ a couple o f hours a day and twice on week ends, one that offers a wider variety o f Black recording artists and a fo r mat suited to fit the needs o f our community. They also plan to bring more recording artists to this area fo r m ajor concert appearances. In the mean time, L.D .P . w ill do all in its power to bring the best in entertainment, all to be given in an atmosphere in which a touch o f class w ill always be evident. This is a promise to the com m unity in hope that it w ill spark a new era in not only entertainment but in the community as well. The source o f L.D .P.s concept is a trio o f men from the Los Angeles area with a broad range o f credentials both in and out o f the entertainment field. They are Ken C ovington, a musician song-writer who has spent the last three-and-a-half years in L .A . as a studio and perform ing musician. Co vington is a native o f St. Louis where he was a disc jockey and also founded his own production company at the age o f sixteen. It is still verv active to date. Then there’ s Rickie S tory who holds a degree in business law and ac counting. Rickie has an uncanny sense o f attention to detail that not only applies to figures but to any project he is involved in. This intense young man has a long list o f credits including one o f the most successful produc tion companies in the L .A . area. Last but not least is Robert W illiam s, the wise man o f the trio . In his younger days W illiam s toured the U.S. as a perform ing musician. He has since put away his horn and pursued other interests. They include a degree in history and a long list o f community projects. W illiam s also founded and headed the Linw ood C om m unity Outreach Association, a n o n -p ro fit o r ganization designed to place the unemployed and the needy in jobs in and about the community. The group has the necessary ingredients for a successful and provocative association with the community. Portland Saturday Market more than a weekend marketplace for Christm as shoppers. It w ill be open during the week before Christm as Monday through Thursday, Dec. 21-24, 10 am-4 pm M on.-W ed., 10 am-3 pm on Christmas Eve. 230 vendors w ill be there; gift wrapping w ill be avail able; shoppers can enjoy holiday music from strolling carolers and special entertainment by juggler Roberto M organti and Scorby the Clown. Also visit the Sat. M arket retail store, open especially fo r Christmas shopping,’ 213 NW Couch St., open Tues.-Sun., 11-6, thru Dec. 24. GOLD EAGLE FISH MARKET 5626 N .E. Union M o n -F ri 10-7 S a t- S u n 11-5 Tel: 287-2060 • 287-6076 Some things do improve with age, and after twenty-seven years together, the Lour Tops have returned to dazzle a whole new musical generation with Tonight, their debut LP from Casablanca/PolyGram Records. Nobody who s been anywhere near a radio within the last seventeen years could mis take the Four Tops’ incredible sound for any other. H its such as " I Can’ t Help M yself,” “Reach Out, I ’ ll Be There,” and "Standing in the Shadows o r Love have become standards o f a M usical G olden Era. and Levi Stubbs. Lawrence Payton. Rcnaldo "O b ie ” Benson, and A bdul ’ ’ Duke” Fakir have no intention o f letting up. T o night” features "som e o f the old and some o f the new,” says lead singer Levi Stubbs. " I t has a street sound in the o ld Four Tops kind o f groove." yet it boasts perhaps the cleanest and most contemporary sound o f their career. Produced by David W olfert for the Entainment Company. "T o n ig h t” returns the Four Tops to their prime w ith brilliant tracks like the ShC. Was M y G ir,’ ’ ‘ Kcnny L ° “ ins and Rlchard Who s R'ght. W ho s W rong.” "L e t Me Set You Free.” and "Something To Remember. W ith ace sidemen like drummer Je ff Porcaro, bassist Ron (. artcr. and sax soloist Tom Saviano, " T o n ig h t" is the crowning achieve- mcnt o f a career that began on the streets o f Detroit. Born and raised in “ M otor C ity ,” the Four Tops have been best friends * cre k i d ^ O n ^ H h e first times they entertained was at a high I I a a a a a THE FOUR TOPS school graduation party back in I954! A succession o f amateur contests, local lawn parties, church socials, and school functions led the group to the C h itlin C ircu it o f exhausting one-nighters. Lawrence Payton recalls those early dues-paying days when they were known as the Four Aims: " I t was pure hell! Every single day we were on the move. No rest at all. We knew we had it together and that i f the breaks came we could make it. That was the only thing that kept us going.” A fter a name change to the Four Tops, they finally got that break: a con tract w ith M otow n in 1964. Says Levi, ’ ’ When we started we were very much influenced by the Four Freshmen and the H i-L o ’ s sound." But then Berry G ordy put them to work with the company’ s top w riting-producing team o f Holland-Dozier-Holland, and that magical combination resulted in their first single, Baby I Need Your Loving.” The rest is musical history. e never realized at the time that the music we made would set trends or be part o f som ething that really w ould la s t," says Levi. " I t sure feels go o d ." “ T o n ig h t” retains much o f the raw earthiness o f the Four Tops’ early work. "W e ’ re fortunaste because on stage we sound like we do on record,” says Levi. The reason is that we d o n ’ t use a lot o f gim m icks in our re cording sessions.” A fte r twenty-seven years, how have the Four Tops managed to stay together while so many others are memories? "W e still enjoy singing to gether,” notes Levi, " b u t we're friends first. T h a t’ s what binds us. Ever since the F our Tops firs t burst upon the musical scene, their music has helped to bond the rest o f us. "T o n ig h t” w ill undoubtedly prove no d iffe r ent. We Invite You BUFFALO F IS H ....................................................... $1 5 9 /lb C U LTU R E D PR O TE IN FED C A T F IS H ............. *2 .5 9 /lb G A R ........................................................ , ................... $2.2S/lb G 0 ° ........................................................................... 81.69/lb N E W O R LE A N S O Y S T E R .................................. $1.99/Jar Flow n in daily fro m Louisiana at a lo w lo w price. W a have D M SO Geneva's Lounge cordially invites you to a night o f fun and holiday cheer to benefit the Oregon Commission on Black A ffairs, Tues., Dec. 29 at 7:30 pm. Geneva’ s Lounge is located at 4228 N. W illiams Ave. Donation: $5.00. No host bar, hors d ’Oeuvres. z VISION i o f is t i 'CHRISTMAS’ ON-STAGE" FEATURING "THE MELLOW MAN" CEOPGB fm ourbon Street ounge 1530 N.E. Grand Ave. Date: Saturday, Dec. 19,1981 Time: 8:00 pm to 2:00 am Price: $5.00 Per Person or $9.00 per couple No Host Bar and Hors D Oeuvras from 8 00 pm to 10 00 pm Chrystal M artin TON DA LA Y E R A DESIG NER S A LO N '4 0 ! \ / ( u ll\ H l\ il „'*4 O ' 12 WONDER IN MONTEGO BAY — Recording artist Stevie Wonder spent a few restful days at the Rose Hall Inter Continental Hotel and Country Club recently. Donna Gadlshaw (right), guest relations co ordinator for the hotel, presents Stevie and friend Stephanie An drews with a Rose Hall beach bag as a souvenir. Tickets can be purchased at: • The House of Sound Record Shop • Bourbon Street Lounge For mor» information contact Viola W ashington 2S2 S M I PRO STYLE SHOP 917 S.W. Alder 224-8401 across from the Galleria Proline now offers a SUPER CUT Under these conditions ONLY *No appointment •First available operator only
