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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (May 3, 1995)
T he P o rtland O bserver • M ay 3, 1995 ----------------— ---------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- D a v e M a tth e w s B a n d There was a time when every rock’n ’roll movement sprung from the grass roots. W hile much has changed over the years, a band w ork ing entirely on its own - outside the parameters o f current trends - can generate the kind o f organic electric ity that marketers spend a fortune trying to create. C ase in point: C h arlottesv ille, V irg in ia ’s Dave Matthews Band. in the three years since Matthews put together the genre-blending quin tet, its charged live performances have come to pack clubs, theaters and arenas across the country. “ It’s been a very natural, very low-key progression,” says Matthews. “ I don’t feel like w e’ve had this drastic, over night success. It’s basically been a matter o f word-of-mouth -- people liking what they've seen and bring ing some friends with them the next time around.” Those die-hard fans have also snapped up copies o f the band's self- released debut, R em em ber Tw o Things (over 130,000 copies since its fall 1993 release) -- a remarkable feat, considering the album was in dependently distributed. While the band notes that the first release may have hinted at their potential, they are satisfied that U nder The Table And Dreaming, their RCA debut -- produced by Steve Lillywhite (U2, Talking Heads, Rolling Stones) -- captures the nuances o f the intricate interplay that marks the band’s com plex live shows. The critics agree: Rolling Stone Called it “one o f the most ambitious releases o f the year.” With singer/guitarist M atthews’ vulnerable, expressive voice at the fore, the band (reedm an LeRoi Moore, violinist Boyd Tinsley, Bass ist Stefan Lessard and drummer Cart er Beauford) weaves a mesh o f sounds that Details described as “unpeggable and totally addictive.” Each member Pianist Bates Gives Concert At PSll One exposure to the twelve songs on Under The Table And Dreaming imparts the sense that this band is original enough to defy pigeonhol ing. Evocative melodies soar over compact grooves on tracks like “Sat ellite" and “Jimi Thing,” while the band airs its more visceral nature on edgy rockers like “Rhyme & Rea son" and “ What Would You Say.” Such stylistic shifts occur within songs as well: the propulsive “W are house” boasts a richly-textured fu sio n -sty le d break , w hile “ A nts Marching” weds straight-up funk and a lively country fiddle. “ In the beginning, I didn’t have a fully-formed idea o f what I was going for,” Matthews admits. “1 just set out to assemble my dream group o f musicians -- people I’d been lis tening to locally for years -- and much to my surprise, they all agreed to join. And even after all this time, we sti 11 work the same way There are no rules in this band, no one to say, Wait, you can’t do that.’” With its independent refusal to re c o g n iz e b o rd e rs , th e D ave Matthews Band proves that they have what the San Francisco Chronicle said to be “a means o f expression free enough o f cliche to be an authen tic alternative. Dave Matthews Band showcases a highly individual ap proach, making the Dave Matthews Band a truly eclectic ensemble. “The way I look at it, we have five lead voices in this b an d ,” Matthews says. “I may be the first thing people notice, since I do the singing, but there are times when LeRoi’s sax is the voice, and times when Boyd’s violin is at the front. And in Carter and Stefan, we have something that goes far beyond a simple rhythm section. There are very few times when the audience has just one thing to listen to.” P age B3 The final concert o f the 1994 PSU Piano Recital Series is given Sunday by internationally renowned artist Leon Bates. The event begins at 4 p.m. in the Lincoln Performance Hall at 1620 S.W. Park. Bates will perform works by Jo h a n n e s B rahm s, L u d w ig van B eethoven, A rthur C unningham , Samuel Barber and George Walker. Tickets are $15 for general admis sion and $13 for senior adults. Bates loves to challenge stereo types at schools and gyms through out the country. As an African Amer ican male who is an internationally renowned classical pianist, Bates is a rarity; add that he is classical pianist who can bench-press 300 pounds, and the mind boggles. The Philadelphia native loves to talk with people about his career and his avocation, maintaining that body building helps him as a pianist and the discipline required for both is what has helped propel him to suc- ' With their critically acclaimed self-titled debut on G RP records in 1989, the Voices established them selves on the cutting edge o f vocal ensemble singing, breathing new life into a vocal genre pioneered in the late 50 ’s by Lambert, Hendricks, and Ross. Tight arrangements, inti mate voicings, and dare-devil scat- ting are all New York Voices trade marks, and are beautifully show cased on three additional GRP al bums: “Hearts o f Fire”, “W hat’s Inside” , and most recently, “The NYV Collection” Long-time fans o f the Voices will notice that the original five Voic es are now four. A Manhattan perfor- mance in February of 1994 previewed the new Quartet concept for the first time to a very receptive audience. The New York voices are: Darmon Meader, Peter Eldridge, Kim Nazarian (found ing members o f the group in 1987), and Lauren Kinhan (who joined the Voices in May o f 1992). The voices continue to tour in tensely with their stellar instrumental trio, and are in constant demand from Moscow, Russia to Moscow, Idaho. In addition to their concerts and clinics, the Voices have recently embarked on several new projects, in including per formances with symphonies and big bands. Their latest success with a large ensemble occurred at Carnegie hall in September of 1994, when they per formed with the great Count Basie Orchestra on a spectacular program featuring the legendary Lena Home. New & used books on Business, Music, & African-American Studies ★ ★ ★ ★ Bates says that the stereotypes held about African-American males and about classical music and musi cians always need challenging. His work in that regard includes featur ing works by contemporary African American composers in his program. W /fH f/fty , • l/f t if J 4 / / . The St. Johns Parade Com mittee is pleased to present the 33rd Annual St. Johns Parade Sat urday, May 13, from noon to 2:00 p.m.; starting at N. Burr, traveling west on N . Lombard through down town St. Johns, turning right at N. New York, and disbanding at N. St. Johns Street next to St. Johns Park. It’s the city’s third largest pa rade with lots o f floats, bands, c ¡owns, and the first appearance o f the 1995 Junior and Senior Rose Festival courts. What: 33rd Annual St. Johns Parade When: Saturday, M ay 13, N oon to 2:00 p.m. Where: Starting at N. Burr, Traveling west on N. Lombard Theme: "W e Build The Com munity” G ran d M arsh all: C a p ta in Dave Sprando, Fire Station 22 Contact Persons: Lila Estes (286-1550) or Joan Brown (286- 3570) New York Voices ★ cess. St. Johns Parade. o ic e f "New York Voices lives up to its reputation as the most exciting vocal ensemble in current jazz. ” - Boston Herald: January 1994 Pianist Leon Bates will perform in concert Sunday at 4 p.m. at Portland State University. ★ ★ Music Millennium 32nd & E.Burnside 231-8926 23rd * & NW Johnson 248-0163 ★ SPECIAL ADVANCE SCREENING POWELL'S CITY OF BOOKS 9 AM - 11 PM Monday through Saturday 9 AM - 9 PM Sundays Used books bought every day till 8:30 PM On the #20 Bus line • One hour free parking 1005 West Burnside Street 228-4651 A M A R IO VAN PEEBLES F IL M W m M M w « R b « « V. • « « « : ■ , Mffftt! iIN N M fS,- W KXOKUHAim EMiraiMI « W fflIWII M K B 1 W J U I B W I « I I I M mm m u u m »« m ä mm raro ä ? « r - sss »- I ¡ mini » m • mmwim mb o i » » » « , , uMiwnni - e «...«« ,.S£, it-,«.. ..... SouitdtriKfc AHivm Fmtwriny TK. 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