Page 4- The Portland Observer-July 10, 1991
Portland O bserver
ENTERTAINMENT
Vesta
cy
31 NW First
It doesn’t take but a few minutes to recognize that
from the archives. I’m gonna have to pull some more stuff
Vesta is an artist of unique and seemingly limitless talent.
outta that bag! That was also the only totally live track-live
The way her voice slides easily from flat-out uptempo
drums, live keyboards, live bass-W e just cut it like the big
material to soothing love ballads displays her versatility.
girls do!”
The way she expertly balances a variety of
N ot to be
emotions on her newest A&M album Spe­
missed is the track
cial shows her to be a performer in confident
“ Rib Joint,” popu
control of her music.
lated by characters
Countless pop or R&B singers today
like Jimmy “ Night
appear impressive on the surface. They can
T ra in ”
Ripple.
dance, they can rap, they can act...but when
“ That was a lot of
it comes to standing there and actually sing­
fun,” Vesta recalls.
ing the song, they aren’t fooling anybody.
“ W e’ve alw ays
“ I call that more model than vocal,” Vesta
done little skits on
volunteers, agreeing that more and more
each album, and we
people are demanding the talents of real
decided to take it to
singers. ‘‘Without a doubt, I think that trend
the max this time. I
is already in m otion-w ith the likes of Anita
wrote the lyrics t o ‘I
Baker, Freddy Jackson and Luther Van-
D on’t Want No
dross,” she says. “ As long as those people
Woman That Look
are sellin’, there’s hope. But there’ll always
Like No Bone!’The
be a market for real singers-people are al­
video is going to be
ways gonna want to go and see someone
hilarious.”
really deliver.”
Vesta was bom
And delivering is what Vesta Williams
in the small town of
is known for-w hether on her two previous
Coshocton, Ohio,
albums, Vesta and Vesta 4 U (which boasted
but moved to Cali­
th e # l R&B smashes “ Sweet Sweet Love”
fornia at age seven
and “ Congratulations” ) or on her grueling Vesta Williams
when
her disc
schedule o f outside commitments. These
jockey father took a
range from session singing behind such artists as Sting,
job in Los Angeles. At 14, she returned to Ohio, where she
Anita Baker and Stephanie Mills to TV and radio commer­
nurtured her talent for singing, comedy and musical imper­
cials for Diet Coke, Nike-Air Jordan, Budweiser and Revlon.
sonations.
Vesta is quite pleased with how Special turned out—
Although her early association with Chaka Khan in­
and can’t disguise her pride in not only co-producing nearly
variably prompts comparison, Vesta’s singing has been in­
every track of the album, but in co-writing all of the songs.
fluenced by a number of artists. “ I’ve always been highly
(She’s also just co-written the song “ I’ll Go Crazy” with
influenced by male vocalists,” she reveals. “ Marvin Gay,
Gerald Alston for his latest album.) As expected, she has
Bill Paul...I loved the O ’Jays. As far as female singers, I’d
“ special” feelings for certain tracks on Special. The ex­
have to say Aretha, Sarah Vaughn, Joni Mitchell, lots of
tremely soulful “ Can’t Get Enough O f Your Love” may
Phoebe Snow, and Gladys Knight.”
contain her best singing of the album. “ That may be my
Vesta has truly arrived with Special-and has no plans
favorite Iyrically-it’s almost like a conversation between
to slow down. “ I’m really happy with this album. I wrote
two people. And it says exactly what one would say in that
all ol the songs but one myself. I think it shows a more so­
situation.
phisticated, more mature vocal approach-a lot of emotion,
“ Where Does The Love Go?” is the big ballad, and
a lot of control. And 1 feel the strong support of the record
Vesta explains how it ended up on the album. * ‘That was ac­
company on this one.”
tually a song I had written maybe seven or eight years ago.
“ I really feel I’m movin’ in the right direction. I don’t
I have this old raggedy tape bag that I carry around, and one
dwell too much on what I’ve done...I dwell more on what
night I pulled it out and played it for some friends. They
I’d like to do. But I’m very pleased so far. I feel very
loved the song and convinced me to record it—to rescue it
blessed.”
Oregon Public Broadcasting Wins
NEA1991 Broadcast Award
“ The Mozart Mystique with Peter
Ustinov,” a co-production of Oregon
Public Broadcasting, has been presented
a 1991 Award for the Advancement of
Learning Through Broadcasting by the
National Education Association. The
presentation was made July 1 in Miami
Beach, Florida, in conjunction with the
Association’s annual meeting.
The NEA also honored three pub­
lic broadcasting series in its 1991 list:
the PBS TV series, “ The American
Experience” and “ The Civil W ar,”
and the National Public Radio series,
“ Class of 2000: The Prejudice Puzzle.”
All have aired over Oregon Public
Broadcasting.
The award to “ The Mozart Mys­
tique’ ’ was the first NEA honor given
to an OPB production. The program
Elaine Rohrer
223-9919
WEDNESDAY JULY 10
J.C. Rico
♦
THURSDAY JULY 11
Terry Robb/
Chris Miller
\
♦
FRIDAY July 12
Crazy 8’s
♦
SATURDAY JULY 13
Crazy 8’s
♦
SUNDAY JULY 14
Calvin Walker
♦
MONDAY JULY 15
Holy Modal Rounders/
Tutu Band
♦
TUESDAY JULY 16
Mother Tones
Most pizza deliveries take place
on Friday and Saturday evenings,
surveys show.
The first practical phonograph was
invented in 1877 by Thomas Edison.
premiered in May 1990 and was re-
cently repeated over PBS nationally.
Prior programs in the series have ex­
plored the life and music of Beethoven
and Bach. All are co-productions of
OPB with Wisconsin Public Television
and TransTel, GMBH, of Cologne,
Germany.
The 1991 award-winners, selected
from 250 entries from around the na­
tion, come from public radio and cable,
public, local, and network television.
NEA’s President Keith Geiger said
that the awards, now in their 12th year,
“ demonstrate commitment of Asso­
ciation members to education achieve­
ment beyond the classroom .’’He added
that the awards also “ serve to influ­
ence the constructive and creative use
of television and radio...”
Meet Elaine Rohrer, world traveler,
budding actress, model, and beauty
pageant winner. At 23, she’s already had
a busy life.
Now living back in her childhood
home of Portland, Oregon, Elaine re­
cently spent a year-and-a-half occupy­
ing the Beverly Hills mansion built by
actor Lionel Barrymore. While in South­
ern California, she appeared in a pilot
show for NBC called “ Whip Valen­
tine” and in the film “ Flatliners.”
Elaine, a former Miss Oregon, was
born in the Philippines, where her father
was the principal at the U.S. Embassy
School. Her first modeling assignment
was 10 years ago when she was only 13
years old. At age 19, Elaine competed in
the Miss USA pageant, making her one
of only two teenagers to vie for the title.
None of these, however, were her
original career goal.
“ For years, 1 wanted to attend the
Fountaincblcu and become a chef and
the owner of my own restaurant,” she
says. “ My life took a big turn when 1
became Miss Oregon.”
Elaine’s 18 months in Beverly Hills
came rent-free in the Barrymore man­
sion which was recently renovated at a
4 million dollar pricetag. It also in­
cluded a TV pilot with Roddy McDow-
all and C. Thomas Howell. And, of
course, a part in “ Flatliners.”
“ Did I survive,” she says of the
film. “ No.”
“ They film hours and hours and
hours...more than they can ever use.
Then you don’t know what will be in the
movie.
‘ ‘When I went to the screening, the
storyline had changed so much. I was
saying, ‘Did I work on this film?’”
“ But everybody told mc I was pretty
lucky to be involved in a feature film es­
pecially having been in Hollywood for
such a short time...I felt very fortu-
nate.”
Artquake 91 Literary Arts Finalists to
‘Read Off’ At Key Largo
^ternwheeler £>,
Thirteen Northwest literary artists
will compete in a final Artquake “ read-
o ff ’ Sunday, July 14 at Key Largo, 31
N.W. First, Portland.
Scheduled for 5:30-8:30 p.m., the
performances will yield six winners
who will join invited writers in reading
from their original works at Artquake
91 over Labor Day weekend. The writ­
ers each will receive a S75 honorarium.
Audience response determined four
OFFERS
Charters, Cruises and Fine Dining
For more information call Curt 286-ROSE
winners from each of three compet
lions in June. Among writers selectc
to advance to the July 14 read-off wei
Dan Duling, local fiction writer an
playwright; Stephen Thomas, a cabari
poet formerly of Portland, now activ
on Seattle’s literary scene; Leann
Grabel, performance poet; Ron Metl
erton-Johnson, a poet who works with
three-piece acoustic jazz combo, an
Lois Marie Lewis, a poet and poetr
publisher.
z
Creed of the black Press
T
he 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 leagal rights. Hating no
person, fearing no person, the Black Press strives to gelp every person in the
firm belief that all are gurt as long as anyone is held back.
PHENOM ENAL!
■ larry Frascella. US MAGAZINE
" T W O T H U M E B
S U P I"
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S sue
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“ M A T T Y R IC H
HAS SUCCEEDED,
B IG -T IM E !’
-J a c k
M a th e w a , N E W 3 D A Y
“FU N N Y AND
A B S O R B IN G !
T h e w o r k o f a n e x c e p t io n a l
f ilm m a k e r . Y o u c o u ld h a r d ly a s k
fo r a m o re m e m o r a b le d e b u t."
-M a tth a w
P la m m ,
4EW
YORK
POST
“ S P IK E L E E ,
M O VE OVER!
‘S t r a i g h t O u t O f B r o o k l y n ’ is
d y n a m ic , h o n e s t a n d p r o v o c a tiv e .’
A unique environment featuring a wide variety of entertainment,
astounding international vaudeville, quality crafts, delicious food
and an exceptional spirit of community.
J u d , S l o n e . S A N F R A N C I S C O C M R O N IC L B
“ ‘S T R A IG H T O U T
O F B R O O K L Y N ’ IS
S T R A IG H T F R O M
THE HEART!
N e a r V e n e ta , 13 m ile s w e s t o f E u g e n e
JULY 12,13 ®, 14
E n o rm o u s ly in vo lv in g , b e a u tifu lly a c te d .
-O a v id I w ln g , L A R I A O I R
1 1 .n n
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11:00 A
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THE SAMUEL G O i n w Y N (. ( iM P A N Y and
A M E R IC A N P LAYHO USE” T m FATRICAI FILMS present
A BLACKS N PftOGfiE SS PROOUC T lO N
A MATTY RICH FILM STRAIGHT OUT OF BROOKLYN
O riq in o i Score Composed by HAR OLD WHEELER
T>ir
Director o l Photography J O H N R O S N E ll
Editor JACK H A lO lS f« a ru i.» a Producers LINDSAY iA W
IRA D E U T C H M A N Associale Producer AUF N BLACK
W ritten Produced a n d Directed by MATTY RICH
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R EG U LAR E N G A G E M E N T STARTS FRIDAY, JULY 12.
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Friday...$6 • Saturday...$8 • Sunday. $7
12 y e a r s A u n d e r F R E E !
5 5 y e a r s A b e tte r 1/2 p r ic e !
NO dogs on property • NO public camping • NO video cameras
Take The Hus from the
Lane County Fairgrounds...lt's TREE!