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