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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (April 24, 1996)
?.. • i > >1 *J*> »« •>'•.* « , y m* ' V * ■ »‘ < »•' î X» '? 5? ’X * A * '¿.1' T-': . .,:< ;S â t a r i â £ ? & • ; -, . > « ; t . • - • * >•* "* X '£^ÛEU0nâUiliMnS /•r« •-b<. ; f m P ori land O bserver • A pril 24, 1996 P age B3 e r/zZt EMTERTAiriMEHT (Tlje sportiani* öDhsmm* T h e T h o n if T u fth io n l a i r ■y Pamela Durant, Anesha Johnson and Joy Jackson, Ebony Fashion Fair models, showed styles from European and American designers Friday at the Oregon Convention Center. I lo w STELLA GOT 11 ER GROOVE BACK Terry Me M i 1 Ian has won the hearts o f million o f readers for her ability to write with honesty, insight, and hu mor about love, relationships, and how women can em pow er them selves. Through her novels Mama, Disappearing Acts, and Waiting to Exhale, she has emerged not only as one o f the most important chroni clers o f black life in the 1990s, but as one o f America’s hottest writers, one who has hit a nerve with her provoc ative thoughts on friendship, ro mance, and self-realization. April 29, 1996 is the national on-sale date for her new novel. How Stella Go Her Groove Back, a powerful story about a woman who reclaims her own life in a way that flies in the face both o f family, cultural, and community ex pectations, and o f her own greatest fears about herself. What would it be like for a single mother in her early forties, one with a successful, high-powered job, to follow her heart and let herself fall in love with a man half her age? What would it mean to let yourself feel totally and unequivocally free, to not worry about what people think o f you, to change from doing every thing by the book to just doing some thing because it makes you feel good? These are some o f the themes which Terry McMillan takes up in this ex hilarating new novel. Stella Payne has a failed marriage behind her, a lot o f years o f hard work and self-con- A d v e rtis e In trol, driven by a determination to create a secure, nurturing home She has a commitment to raising her young son to be a different kind of black man - different than her absent father, and less-than-adequate hus band and past lovers. ® lie I jJ o v tla n b Ny’a is creating a buzz in the industry with her debut album Em brace on the Independent label. Nap Records, distributed by Atlanta-based Ichiban Records. The 20-something New Jersey native is exploding on the scene with her versatile em bodi ment o f urban music. “ I never limit my selfto one market," says N y’a, “ I cover House, Hip Hop and R&B music.” The first single, "Do It," is a funky. bass-heavy track that personifies the rawness o f R&B music today." W ith- in the song’s context o f wah-wah funk guitars and muscular bass, N y’a has plenty o f room to stretch out and work some attitude a la Brandy and Mary J. Blige,” says Larry flick in Billboard Magazine "I D on't Want You” is a House inspired track that “serves an attitude needed to leave almost any man cowering in a cor ner” added Flick. Songs like “Chang es,” “ Dream Lover” and “Only You” are potential hits that promise to be come mainstream love anthems. N y ’a is inspired by such leg ends as M arvin G aye, D enise W illia m s , Sam C o o k e , T in a M arie and Patti L abelle. In her own right, N y ’a re p re se n ts the evolution that U rban C o n te m p o rary M usic has taken in the last tw enty years. She pro m ises to establish h e rse lf as a se rio u s a rt ist w ho E m b ra c e s y o u n g and m ature au d ien ces alike. N y’a wrote all but two songs on embrace. O regon S ïmphonï E c I OObsevucv JaiiifK DePreisl, Music D irector <S (.'niiilui liir Call 503-288-0033 3* Thursday, May 9 7:00pm - 10:45pm Toshiko Akiyoshi, conductor James DePreist, conductor A murder, a rape... "7& to X ' Interstate Firehouse This all-jazz marathon concert surely will be THE jazz event of the season! James DePreist has invited some of his favorite artists, including Max Roach and Leroy Vinnegar, to join him in an event not to be missed. Cultural Center 5340 N. Interstate Ave. Portland, OR May 9,10,11,12 May 17,18,19 Max Roach, drums Lew Tabackm, saxophone Leroy Vinnegar, bass Mel Brown, drums Geoff Lee, piano Dan Faehnle, guitar Gary Harris, tenor saxophone TICKETS $ 1 0 -$ 3 5 May 24,25,26,1996 Thurs.,Fri.,Sat. @ 7:00 p.m. Sundays 2:00 p.m. matinees Admission' $15 Seniors/Students: $10 W EDDING PHOTOGRAPHY Color or BI ac U & W h ite AfforSAble P ac I la ^ cs N o Time Limits W e SpeeiAlize in Bribe &• Groom PortrAits StMbio or LoeAtion Special Group Rates! T&V<X Its mu kin d o ffa c e ! Reservations & Information: Gpeeiafitih} 503/221-2451 a play by Mario DePri1 est «h People Media support b y KMHD, the Jan Station, Willamette Week, KOIN Channel 6 Charge Tickets 228-1353 or 1-800-228-7343 weekdays 9am - 5pm Ticketmaster: 790-ARTS Mon.-Fri. 9am -9pm ; Sat.,9am -8pm ; Sun. 10am - 6pm Codi 503-284-9570 ARLENE SW B R O A D W A Y & M A IN S C H N IT Z E R C O N C E R T HALL P O R T L A N D C E N T E R FO R THE P E R F O R M IN G ARTS First Lady Entertainment Presents Trio of Events April 30 - May 4 • 8 PM May 5 • 2 PM Intermediate Theatre Portland Center for the Performing Arts Tickets: S I3, St 1 and S7. Available at all Fred Meyer Fastix* outlets: 224 TIXX or at the PCPA Box Office. All tickets subject to additional service charges A n d r e i K it a e v Sunday, April 2 8 ,1996: Jazz Pianist Andrei Kitaev debut his new CD “ Vartan Jazz” Jazz with a Latin flavor or romantic classical side Andrei delivers it all, truly a world class artist... Journeys End. $15.00 in advance $18 00 day o f the show Two shows 8:00 and 10:00 PM D ü iu lliy M uore Friday May 3rd 8:00 PM : Former member o f the popular group Pleasure', Dennis Springer is “On The Path” the title o f Dennis’s new CD he will be previewing. Dennis has played with musical greats such as Tom Grant, Jeff Lorber and is recognized by greats like W inton Marsalis and Grover Washington Jr Dennis is Musician ofthe Month through the Oregon Jazz Society and is definitely do, to become one. Don’t miss this great opportunity to be the first to listen to Dennis in full effect on Friday May 3rd. Accompanying Dennis will be local greats Ron Steen and Andre St James. ; Y/ Saturday June 22nd 8:00 PM : Dorothy Moore kicksoff Juneteenth Celebration $15.00 advance $18 00 day o f the show. You may remember Dorothy’s great single Misty Blue, With Pen In Hand, Funny How Time Slips Away. The sweetheart o f Rhythm and Blues has maintained a consistent and well deserved place on the charts with eleven ( 11) LP releases to her credit that has spun nearly twice that number in hit singles. D on't miss the opportunity to be a part o f these great events coming soon at Annie Pearl’s Restaurant & Lounge 320 SE 2nd Street Entrance. Dennis Springer Tickets arc on sale at G .l. Joes Ticketmaster or charge by phone (5 03) 224-4400. For more information call (503) 460-9030 Dec Baker t