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Page 4 • Portland Observer ■ January 31.1990
ENTERTAINMENT
Janet Jackson To Embark On First
Concert Tour Ever In 1990
World Tour Announced As Rhythm Nation Album And
Singles Top Charts And Platinum Sales Marks
A & M artist Janet Jackson, w hose Janet
Ja c k so n 's R hythm N ation 1814 has b e
com e her second straight m ulti-platinum ,
n u m b er one charted album , will begin her
first-ever concert tour on M arch 1, 1990 at
the M iam i A rena, M iam i, Florida.
T he first leg o f Jack so n 's “ R hythm
N ation W orld T our 1990' ’ will also include
initial stops in C incinnati, C leveland and
other American cities. Additional dates will
be announced next m onth.
T he Rhythm N ation album , Jack so n 's
first since Control vaulted the young singer-
songw riter perform er into superstar status
in 1986, is nearing the three m illion sales
m ark, and held dow n the N um ber One slot
on the B illboard pop album chart for four
consecutive weeks.
In addition, “ M iss Y ou M u ch ,” the
first single from the album , has been certi
fied platinum after having logged four straight
w eeks at N um ber O ne on the B illboard Hot
100; the four-w eek stint at the top w as a
first for any artist in over a year, and the
first by a fem ale artist in som e four years.
R adio & R ecords, an im portant record and
radio trade publication, picked "M iss You
M uch” as the #1 Single o f 1989. The
follow -up single, “ R hythm N ation,” was
released on O ctober 24th and is currently
charted at #2 “ with a b u lle t" on the B ill
board H ot 100.
For the “ R hythm N ation W orld T our
1990,” Jackson w ill be joined on stage by
17 other perform ers, including 11 m u si
cians and backup singers and six dancers.
A ssisting the artist as m usic d irector is
producer/recording artist Chuckii B ooker
[“ T urned A w ay ” “ (D on’tU K now ) I Love
U ” ], w hose ow n band will be the opening
act. tour choreography will be by Jackson
and Anthony Thom as, w ho also collabo
rated on the dance sequences for the Rhythm
N ation telem usical, the 30-m inute film that
accom panied the release o f the R hythm
N ation album.
The D ia b o lic a l
it
W hen Jackson and her tw o co-produc
ers, Jam es “ Jimm y Jam ” H arris and Terry
Lew is, began work on th album that w ould
becom e Rhythm N ation, they were guided
by Jan et's determ ination to fuse entertain
ment values with a social conscience, making
m usic that w ould have a positive im pact
and w ould articulate her convictions re
garding such m atters as bigotry, illiteracy,
drugs, violence, and the plight o f the hom e
less.
Along with the album itself, Jackson
B ehind -
T he -S cenes
‘On Becoming A Woman'
Focuses On Stages Of
by Lisa Collins
Womanhood’
expresses h er concerns with the Rhythm
N ation telem usical. D irected and photo
graphed by D om inic Sena ( “ L et’s W ait
A w hile,” “ Pleasure P rin cip le” ) the tele
m usical com bines m usic from the album
w ith innovative dance sequences and a
continuing storyline. Its three special pre
view s on MTV resulted in the cable chan
n e l’s largest-ever view er audiences for that
tim e slot. The telem usical is now available
in com m ercial release, and has already
topped the quadruple platinum sales mark.
Í ",
M o rg a n F re e m a n O n T he T ra il O f an O scar? Industry insiders w ho’ve tagged actor
M organ Freem an as a certain O scar nom inee for his w ork in "D riving Miss D aisy, are
feeling even m ore confident now that Freem an picked up the O scar for best actor at the
recently held G olden G lobe A w ards. T he aw ards, voted on by the foreign press, are said to
generally set the trends for the A cadem y A wards. Said Freeman (at the m ention o f getting
an O scar nom ination or aw ard): “ Y ou should never expect these things. If they happen,
y o u ’ve got to act surprised” . . . M eanw hile, Denzel W ashington took hom e a G olden G lobe
aw ard for best supporting actor for his w ork in " G lo r y ," which also stars M organ Freem an
. . . L ouis G o ssett J r . an d B lair U n d erw o o d recen tly team ed to present a project to NBC,
in w hich they w ould play father and son. The story is based on a new spaper account o f a son
Middle school and high school-age girls
from Ninth and Northeast Portland are invited
to a free Pathw ays youth conference, “ On
Becoming A W om an,” on Saturday, Feb.
3, from 10 a m. to 3 p.m . at the M att
D ishm an C om m unity Center.
A com plim entary lunch will be served
at N oon to pre-registered participants.
M others, other relatives, and friends are
also encouraged to attend.
The N ational Black W om en's Health
Project (N B W H P) is conference co-spon
sor. Sharon G ary-Sm ith, N B W H Pdevslop-
m ent specialist, will lead group discussions
on health, nutrition and im proving com m u
nication w ithin the family. Participants will
view the N B W H P film, “ On B ecom e A
W oman: M others and D aughters Talking
T ogether.”
T he luncheon will include older
“ W om en o f W isdom ” from the greater
Portland area w ho will speak from experi
ence on how life ’s struggles can be over
com e with perseverance. C ellist K aren
Patterson will perform songs in honor of
the women.
Pathw ays is an A m erican Red Cross
youth program that em phasizes health, self
aw areness/values, and schoo 1/career issues
in an effort to divert participants from
negative behaviors such as substance abuse,
teen pregnancy, and sexually transm itted
diseases and tow ards successful adulthood.
The M att D ishm an C om m unity C enter
is located at 77 N .E. Knott. C ontact Patricia
Pem ell, M inority O utreach specialist, at
284-1234, ext. 184, or Lynn Ervins, Path
w ays specialist, at 284-1234, ext. 194, by
Thursday, Feb. 1, to pre-register and for
m ore inform ation.
w ho m eets his estranged father for the first tim e in prison . . . In other casting new s, Richard
R o u n d tre e bow ed In as a re g u la r on N B C ’s new so ap , “ G e n e ra tio n s.” T he actor, w ho
m ade his m ark as ‘‘S h a ft" m ade his first on-air appearance last week.
M em b ers o f New E d itio n S p re a d T h e ir W ings: W hile New E dition’s lead Ralph
T resvbant fulfilled his contractual prom ise to MCA records w ith regards to a solo album ,
and Johnny G ill did the sam e for M otow n Records, the rem aining m em bers of N ew E d itio n -
R onnie, Ricky and M ike, decided to get together and do theirow n thing. C alling them selves
• ‘B B D ,” (the initials o f their last n am es-B eU , B ivens, and Devoe) they w ent into the studios
to do som e recording o f their ow n. Y ou’D be able to h ear what they cam e up som etim e in
m id-M arch, w hen the album , titled “ BeU, B iv’ & D e-V oe is released. M eanw hile, there
is as yet no release date for Ralph T resvant’s solo LP. As to Johnny G ill, his album is slated
for release on M otow n Records som etim e in March. M otow n chief Jheryl Busby predicts the
album wUl sell about 5,000,000 copies. (T h at’s quintuple platinum , folks!)
O n T he T ow n: Jam es Earl Jones, Spike Lee, D enzel W ashington, “ L.A . Law star
C orbin B em sen, R obert T ow nsend, and billy Dee W illiam s were am ong those on hand in Los
A ngeles recently for the glittery opening night o f playw right A ugust W ilson s latest w ork,
“ the Piano L esson.' ’ W ilson w ho won a great deal o f critical acclaim as w ell as a T ony w ith
his B roadw ay play “ F ences” (w hich starred Jam es Earl Jones) has been called the
A m erican theater’s great find o f the d ecad e.” W ilson is currently at w ork adapting the
screenplay o f “ F ences” w hich was optioned by Param ount (at the request o f Eddie
M urphy). Incidentally, W ilson is advocating that a B lack director be hired for the project.
A w ard s, A w ard s & M ore A w ards: It is once again the season o f the award show , w hat
w ith the recent A m erican M usic A w ards, and the upcom ing G ram m ys , . . and Soul T rain
A wards. This season’s heavy hitters (big winners) are predicted to be Janet Jackson, Bobby
Brown, M illi V anilli, T one Loc, and o f course Paula A bdul. W hile on the subject o f aw ards,
when Bobby B row n picked up his first aw ard for “ favorite soul/R&B album , he dedicated
the aw ard to “ Ju an ita.” But it’s not w hat you think. T he "Ju a n ita ,” he referred to w as my
friend, Juanita Stephens, who serves as V ice-president o f publicity and artist developm ent
for M C A R ecords, and w ho w orked her ‘ ‘you-know -w hat" off to see he got all th attention
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In Short: H arpo Studios (O prah W infrey’s facilities in C hicago) is expected to be fully ni
operational by the end o f next w eek, w hich times perfectly with production on W infrey's n
new TV series, ‘ ‘B rew ster’s P la c e ," w hich is to begin shooting in M ay. A ctor-producer BUI 0
Duke has been U pped to d ir e c t. . . N ext w eek: A few w o rd s w ith J a n e t Ja c k so n .
I p
CREED OF THE BLACK PRESS
Biz Markie
The Biz Never Sleeps
G o in ’ Off: It was the aptly titled debut
album from one o f the freshest, m ost inno
vative and provocative young rappers on
the scene today. Biz M ark ie's sm ash 1988
release on C old C h illin ’/W am er Bros.
Records featured a bum per crop o f real,
relevant and riveting rap, including such
standout cuts as “ V apors,” “ N obody Beat
The B iz,” “ T his Is Som ething For The
R adio” and the glorious gross o u t "P ic k in ’
B oogers.” It was an auspicious curtain-
raiser for a rap artist w ho was setting the
pace even as he pioneered a w hole new kind
o f savvy, street level rap.
W ell, since then, the Biz has fulfilled
his early prom ised by " g o in g ’ o ff’ ’ in som e
brand new directions w ith his hot new C old
C hillin' release. The B iz N ever Sleeps.
Produced by B iz w ith his ace co-conspira
tor, C ut M aster C ool V , The B iz N ever
Sleeps features Biz M ark ie’s sizzling new
single “ Just A F riend” as well as such
state-of-the-art raps as " A thing C alled
K im ,” “ Spring A gain,” “ The D ragon”
and “ T hings G et A L ittle Easier.” I t’s a hip
hop tour de force that consolidates Biz
M arkie's reputation as ra p ’s reigning prac-
Pathways Program
Sponsors First Youth
Conference
The Black Press believes that America can best lead the world away from social and
national antagonisms when it accords to every person, regardless of race, color, or
creed, full human and legal rights. Hating no person, fearing no person, the Black
Press strives to help every person In the firm belief that all are hurt as long as anyone
is held buck.
’
» 3
9 9
OREGON BALLET THEATRE
B om M arcel H all in H arlem , A pril 8,
1964, Biz M arkie seem s to be the creation
of a mad B-movie scientist, with a w eird
sense o f genetics, not to m ention humor.
It’s not at all difficult to im agine G eorge
C linton’s Dr. Funkenstein concocting Biz
Markie in hie electro-funk laboratory aboard
the M othership, although B iz is very m uch
his ow n creation, m ixing elem ents o f the
street urchin, the grand old m edicine show
tradition and the satchelm outh tom follery
o f Louis A rm strong. W ith his gift o f rap
gab, the ability to rock the house w ith
rhythm ic rhym es over a funky beat, Biz
m ixes his years of experience literally liv
ing on the streei w ith a sure-fire feel for
truth and re a li\
The result is The Biz N ever Sleeps, a
w ide-aw ake slice o f pure rap from one o f
the best in the biz-ness. B ut records and
touring are only p a rto fB iz ' busy schedule.
A brand new cartoon show , conceived by
B iz and titled The A dventures o f M ouse
M an, is currently in production, m aking
Biz one o f the first m ulti-m edia rap stars
ever.
- PRESENTS -
DANCE THEATRE
OF
A rthur
Mitchell,
DIRECTOR
THE HARLEM GLOBETROTTERS
RETURH!
Program
Swan Lake, Act 0 Tchaiktwsky
The Firebird Stravinsky
Concerto in F. Gershwin
When: Sunday, February 11 Time: 5 p.m.
Where: Memorial Coliseum
THE ÖIABOUCAL
812 MARK'S
SeCURITY
PACIFIC
BANK
Tickets on sale A0W7
The Chase Manhattan Corporation is
the 1989/90 Worldwide Tbur Sponsor
of Dance Theatre of Harlem.
Tickets now on sale at all G.l. Joe s Ticketmaster locations
and the Memorial Coliseum Box Office.
Ticket service charge $ 1.00. Charge-A-Ticket: 248-4496
Adults: $15 a n d $10 Children: $10 a n d $8
THt BIZ NEVER SLEEPS
And Portland’s Own
Krowd Kontrol
Wvw
KATU
You Are Invited!
©
JAZZY
FM 89.1
B etter E ntertainment A ttractions N etwork
Wednesday
February 7, 1990
at
S e c u rity Pacific
B ank is proud to
sponsor the Portland
performances of Dance
Theatre of Harlem. Feb. 20,
2 la n d 23,1990,800 p.m.
Portland Civic Auditorium.
Tickets $55 to $20. Call
Oregon Ballet Theatre,
227-6867, Portland Cen
ter for the Performing
Arts, 248-4496, or visit
any GI Joe'sT lcket-
m aster o u tle t
Presents
f t^Tre-Valentine s Affair <9
¡-i-Ssr
Saturday February 10th • 10 p.m. u n til 2:30 a.m.
Royal Esquire Community Center (G rand Ballroom )
1625 N.E. Alberta Street
8:00 pm
?
DONATION: $5.00 per person
Tickets Outlets:
ADMISSION INCLUDES:
LIVE MUSIC BY
JOE (BEAN) KELLER
and th e ILLUSION BAND
House o f Sound
One Stop Records
FREE
FLOWING
y CHAMPAGNE
DISCO MUSIC BY
H erb W adsworth
P roduction
FINGER SNACKS
THE CHAZZ
For Tickets and Reservations fo r Groups of 4 or More
Call Joe (Bean) Keller at 288 1662
21 and Over • Members and Guest
MT HOOD COMMUNITY COLLEGE
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