T he P ori l a n d O bserver • N ovember
27, 1996
P age
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STlje sportiani* (Ohsvruvr
ENTERTAIN M
evettfo
'2'udtuf (Ac 29(A
H eatm iser, B renda Benson 9
p.m., L aL una, 215 S. e. 9th Ave.,
241-5862.
Flapjacks, Blackjacks, Scream -
I ing Furies 10 p.m., Satyricon, 125
I N. W. 6th Ave., 243-2380.
D o u g H a m a r4 p m , Heathman
Bakery and Pub, 901 S W. Salm-
| on St., 227-5700.
Rose M ahlers 8 p.m.. Umbra
Penumbra, 314 S. W. 9th Ave.,
I 223-4497.
Innovator, groundbreaker, conser
vator o f timeless traditions and clas
sic musicianship. Joe Sample is a
ja z z leg en d , a so u l se a rc h e r,
funkaphile and philosopher o f the
first degree.
With a dizzying discography that
spans decades and musical styles,
Joe Sample will not be limited by
tags and titles. Elis musician is "his
music”, and simply that, a result o f
all the manifold influences o f life,
together with an extraordinary mea
sure o f talent and virtuosity.
Texas-born, Joe Sample’s sensi
bilities were steeped in gospel, soul,
bepop, blues, Latin and classical
music. He began playing piano at age
five and by fourteen was certain o f
his life’s destiny as a professional
musician. After graduating from
Wheatley High School in Houston,
Sample, along with bassist and saxo
phonist Wilton Felder, trombonist
Wayne Henderson and drummerStix
Hooper, headed for L A. to carve out
a niche in the musical landscape and
a place in jazz history. They called
them,selves the Jazz Crusaders, and
later, merely the Crusaders.
With his feet firmly rooted in the
earthly pleasures of the juke point
and his mind hopscotching unfet
tered across the musical continuum,
alto saxophonist Sonny Simmons
stands as an avant-garde paradigm
in today’s all-too-conservative jazz
scene. After four decades o f per
forming (both as a leader and with
such legends as Eric Dolphy,
Charles Mingus and Sonny
Rollins), Simmons still possess
es every nuance o f the combi
nation o f warmth and ferocity,
brain and brawn that prompted
Clifford Jordan to dub him
“the best saxophone player
in the w orld.”
Ancient Ritual—Simmons’
first album for Qwest/W arner
Bros., breaks a twelve-year
hiatus in his recording career.
The eight extended originals,
which pit Sim m ons’ horn
against the fluid, intuitive
rhythm section o f Charnett
Moffett and Zarak Simmons
(Sonny’s skinsman son), give
ample evidence o f his skills as
com poser, im proviser and
master ofspatio-temporal con
structs. From the soft, languid
tones o f“Theme for Linda” to
the explosive title track, with
its Coltrane-esque barrage o f
asymmetrical phrasingsand rapidfire
changes, Simmons makes one instru
ment speak volumes. One listen to
pieces like the propulsive “Reincar
nation” or the intrigue-cloaked “The
Other East” may conjure up images
o f Bird blowing hot or Ornette set
ting off on a cosmic flight, but in
tense scrunity reveals Sim m ons’
unique, fully realized phrasing and
phenomenal instincts.
Huey “Sonny” Simmons was bom
sixty-one years ago on Sicily Island,
Louisiana, into a musical family
(both his parents sang and his min
ister father was also a talented trap
drummer). Before Sonny reached
his teens, the family moved across
country to Oakland, California. It
was there that he took up the English
horn (an instrument he remains con
nected to, as borne out by the re
splendent tones that billow from
A ncient R itu a l’s “ Sundow n in
Egypt” ) before his exposure to
Charlie Parker prompted a switch to
alto sax at the age o f 16.
After stints with blues and R&B
stars like Lowell Fulsom and Amos
Milburn, Sonny found a niche in the
explosive Bay Area be-pop scene of
the late ’50s alongside such musi
cians as Sonny Stitt, Cal Tjader and
Dexter Gordon. Before long, how
ever, Simmons found himself feel
ing weighed down by tradition. Like
many kindred spirits, he threw off
those shackles and turned to avant-
garde “new thing,” joining Charles
Mingus’ Jazz Workshop in 1961
The next year, Simmons formed his
own group. Their first recording,
The Cry has been hailed as a semi
nal early free music work.
at PCC’s Performing Arts Center,
was well received by both the
college and Portland-area commu
nity.
It is based on stories by L. Frank
Baum, the author of the “W izard of
Oz,” and is a funny, warm-hearted
musical that charts Santa’s legend
ary journey from toy maker to im
mortality.
Lew Jones 7 p.m., Edgefield
Winery, 2126 S.W Elalsey St.,
[ 665-2992.
Sueno Flam enco 7 p.m.. Cafe
Sol, 620 S.W. 9th Ave., 243-2181.
Five Fingers O f Funk, Jive
Talking Robots 9 p.m., Berbati’s
Pan, 231 S.W. Ankeny St., 248-
[4579
Speeding F erlinghettis 9:30
p.m.. Ash St. Saloon, 225 S.W.
Ash St., 226-0430.
N obody’s B usiness 7 p.m.,
Eleathman Bakery and Pub, 901
S.W. Salmon St., 227-5700.
The N orm an Sylvester Band
8 p.m., Trianon Lounge,9225 S.W.
Allen Blvd., 245-2775.
C u rtis S alg ad o Band 9:30
p.m.. Key Largo, 3 1 N.W. IstAve.,
223-9919.
Kelly B roadw ay 4 p.m., Water
Tower Mall at John’s Landing,
5331 S.W Macadam Ave., 274-
I 2786.
B ughouse 5 10 p.m., 1201
Lounge and Cafe, 1201 S.W 12th
Ave., 225-1201.
John K eyser 9 p.m., Jazz De
Opus, 33 N.W. 2nd Ave., 222-
6077.
Satancbztf (Ac 3O(A \
M X PX ,T he Jim m ies, Alegro,
Slick Shoes 9 p.m., LaLuna, 215
S.E. 9th Ave., 241-5862.
Red Footed G enius, On A Lla
ma 9:30 p.m., Berbati’s Pan, 231
S.W. Ankeny St., 248-4579.
T heO cean B lueand T he D rag
9 p.m., E.J.’s, N.E.Sandy Blvd.,
234-3535.
K oonce/Bradley T rio 9 p.m.,
Buffalo Gap Saloon and Eatery,
6835 S.W. Macadam Ave., 244-
[7111.
Lucky Dogs 9:30 p.m., Can
dlelight Room, 2032 S.W. 5th
Ave., 226-3538
“C laus99 at
P CC Sylvania
“C laus,” presented by Oregon
Ch i Idren ’s Theatre, is set to encore at
the Performing Arts Theatre on the
P o rtlan d C o m m u n ity C o lle g e
Sylvania Campus, 12000 SW 49th
Avenue, the day after Thanksgiving,
Friday, Nov. 29, 7:30 p.m. The mu
sical holiday performance will run
through Sunday, Dec. 22 Friday per
formances are at 7:30, Saturday and
Sunday shows are scheduled for 2
p.m. and 7 p.m. Tickets can be pur
chased by calling 228-9571, or at
Ticketmaster outlets. Tickets are $ 16
for adults, $ 14 for children.
“Claus,” which debuted last year
I z
I
I
Jot CnriPLi
Tropicana Restaurant
Serving Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Specializing in Barbeque Ribs & Beef
Leroy V innegar and Friends
9 p.m., Atwater’s, 111 S.W. 5th
Ave., 275-3600.
The N ightcaps 10 p.m., 1201
Lounge and Cafe, 1201 S.W. 12th
Ave., 225-1201.
71ej 77urtB/t(</
Andy Snitzer possesses a gift for
creating accessible and inviting mel
odies, while never sacrificing the
kind o f interesting harmonic struc
ture that captivates the serious lis
tener Although Ties That Bind on
Reprise Records in his solo debut,
Andy has been adding aural excite
ment to the recordings o f artists like
Bette Midler, Carly Simon, Aretha
Franklin, Bob James and Chaka
Khan for some time.
Born in P hiladelphia, Andy
played clarinet as a child but
changed to sax at 15. He studied
music at the University if Miami
and while there was picked to be
part o f a horn section touring with
Bob James in 84 (Andy played on
Bob Jam es’ albums O bsession,
Grand Piano Canyon and Restless).
After graduating, he went on to
New York University where he re
ceived an MBA. While working on
his Masters, he sat in with local
bands and pursued studio work. By
90', Andy had taken his place as an
in-demand session player, carving
out aniche as a musician's musi
cian.
Portland W omen’s Theatre Com
pany celebrates its rebirth and resur
gence as a vital production company
with a weekend o f performances
December 5, 6, and 7, at 8 p.m. by
New York actress and playwright
Anna R. Nicholas.
The event includes a free open
house Sunday, D ecem bers, 2-5 p.m.
at the theater, 1807 N.E. 39.
AnnaR. Nicholas makes her Port
land debut in an original one-woman
show entitled I Love Paris, about,
appropriately enough, giving birth
Special prices will be $15 for a
single donation and $25 for a cou
ple
C razy Mick D anger9:30 p.m.,
Ash St. Saloon, 225 S.W. Ash St.,
[ 226-0430.
P h illip W illia m s 7 p .m .,
Atwater’s, 111 S.W. 5th ave., 275-
3600.
Anna R. Nicholas
Lewis & Clark College presents
Javanese Shadow
Puppet Theater
Featuring internationally renowned puppet master Widiyanto
with The Venerable Showers of Beauty Gamelan
of Lewis & Clark College
LUE PARKER
(503) 281-8696
Fri. & Sat. 10:00 A.M.
to 7:00 P.M.
3217 N. Williams Ave.
Portland, OR 97212
Admission $15. $11, and $7 (sludents/semor citizens $12. $8 and $7) Tickets available through
the Portland Center for the Performing Arts box office and all Fastixx outlets 503 224 8499
8 p .m ., D ecem ber 6 -7
W inningstad Theatre, Southwest Broadw ay and M ain
P o r t l a n d A rt M u seu m
JflM filCfiN
fiSSOCIflTION
PRESENT!!!!
DISCOVERING
ELLIS RULEY
through lanuary 26, 1997
The largest exhibition of works by this
African American folk artist who was
largely unknown while he lived
Scwdatf (Ac ta t
Kelly Joe Phelps 7 p.m.. First
Congregational Church, 1126 S.W
Park Ave., 231-9233.
Ties That Bind reflects Andy
Snitzer’s musical philosophy per
fectly. “ 1 like beauty in music, mel
ody and harmony. I like music to be
commercial, but I also want sub
stance. I guess I’d say I want a
commercial record with guts, that
is, with toughness-not shallow.”
Andy’s performance is only one
facet o f his substantial talent. He
produced four tracks on his solo
debut and contributed programming
on much ofTies That Bind. “ I really
like to get inside programming.
From cut to cut, you want to make
the decision that fits each song best.”
Portland Women’s
Theatre Company
Celebrates Rebirth
P rairie D ogs9:30p.m ., Ash St.
Saloon, 225 S.W. Ash St., 226-
0430.
Leon Patillo 7 p.m., Marantha
Church o f God, 4227 N.E. 12th
Ave., I-800-525-LOVE.
A ndy Snitzer
The Meditation o f Arjuna
Tues. - Thurs. 10:00
A.M. to 6:00 P.M.
C raxy Mick D anger 9 p.m.,
Produce Row, 204 S.E. Oak St.,
232-8355.
John K eyser 9 p.m.. Jazz De
Opus, 33 N.W. 2nd Ave., 222-
6077.
The Crusaders Reached far be
yond jazz over the years, collecting
gold and platinum records along the
way Their last joint eftort was Life
In The Modern World, 1987.
Joe Sample embarked on a solo
career in ’78 and has accrued a num-
berofchart-topping jazz hits, includ
ing: Carmel, Rainbow Seeker, Voic
es In The Rain, his ’89 W arner Bros,
debut recording Spellbound, ‘90’s
Ashes To Ashes, and ‘93’s Invita
tion
On Did You Feel That?, Sam ple’s
latest offering on W arner Bros.
Records, he is accompanied by The
Soul Committee, an allegiance o f
celebrated players, each legends in
their own right, including: Steve
Gadd, drums; Freddie Washington,
bass; Arthur Adams, guitar; Lenny
Castro, percussion; Oscar Brashear,
trumpet; and Joel Peskin on tenor
sax.
Sat. Nov. 30-96
9 RM. Until...
House Of Sound
3620 N. Williams
*
Museum Members
Adults
Seniors/Students (16 and over)
Students 115 and under)
$3 at the door
Free
$6 00
$4 50
$2 50
DtUiTvrrmtf Elin Rulcu is organized and circulated by the San
Diego Museum ol Art The exhibition is made
possible by Ford Motor Company
INFO:282-9062
21 and older
Jam aican Food
& drinks available!!
The Museum is open Tuesday through Sunday 10 am to 5 pm
Every Wednesday and the First Thursday of each month
open until 9 pm
The local presentation is made possible by a gift from
Ford Credit Media support from Fox 49 KPDX
|
1219 SW Park A v e n u e 15 0 3 1 2 2 6 - 2 8 1 I
Fills Ruley D*«4p*a«iM