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Home , Charlie Christian, Margie Hyams, Mary Osborne, Side Three

Page 54 January 1978 UNICORN TIMES Ambitious Is Not the Word for Joni Mitchell's Don Juan Don Juan's Reckless Daughter a major group. Joni Mitchell But Joni Mitchell didn't record with Asylum BB-701 Weather Report—true, Jaco's all over it, and there's Saxophonist Wayne Shorter By Ken Ney with a solo or two. Not to mention Acuna and Badrena, the group's rhythm HER BEST MUSIC is built of large, section, heating up side three. But Joe drifting spaces that seem quieter and lar- Zawinul, the group's leader and force, is ger as her lyrics settle in. She is the nowhere in sight. And Weather Report smoker's head leaning back and the last without Zawinul is like without drag of the cigarette sailing forth. What- you-know-Who, or Led Zeppelin without ever her action, there remains a long the head Zeppelin. No, no collaboration stillness beneath it all, where she casual- here. Joni's left to her own compositions ly walks from one to the next; and devices, and as awesome as they are, eventually rising to rehearse the role of they're the same she produced on Hejira. the much-traveled and forever lover. In To the point where every cut but the her strolls between folk and jazz she feature-length "Paprika Plains" and the seemingly crosses rock; never staying to heady "The Tenth World/Dreamland" actually play in it, but always she changes could have come off that album, and it. Don Juan's Reckless Daughter? made it the double set instead. The lack Joni Mitchell has never received the of chances taken is the lack of interest credit for her music as she has for her received.

STAR WARS The original music soundtrack. Composed and conducted by John Williams. Performed by The London Symphony Orchestra. Produced by George Lucas. A 2-record set.

verse. While many flash the flood- Safety, then, is in numbers, and size. lights on Steely Dan for pulling the jazz The largeness of "Paprika Plains" is just into rock, Mitchell was there four years short of DeMillean, as Mitchell labors on ago recording Court and Spark with a the piano and the stirring of meaningful jazz quintet named the L.A. Express. strings inflate the premises. That this When she decided to un-pop her sound homage to the concerto slowly turns itself i!"< even more, she plucked bassist Jaco around to a more comfortable jazz Pastorius from Weather Report,_ and needn't be a statement on Mitchell's teamed him with guitarist Larry Carlton part. It's this grand scale she chooses to and percussionist Bobbye Hall to form compose in, magnifying short, im- the best American band of 1976 (though pressionistic notes into cries of high 1977 20th Century.Fox Frim Corporation THE STORY OF STAR WARS it was only a studio arrangement). Read ',:>■ 'drama. Her search for the epic has Re-live Star Wars with the original cast, dia- a review of her work, however, and what led her to this, to the same mistake others logue, sound effects and music from the film. one invariably gets is an analysis of the have made in equating importance with Album includes full color 16-page book. neatly printed lyrics, and nary a mention size. Ambitious isn't the word here— of what accompanies it. Like pretentious is. Were it not for the fact and Tom Waits, she is cheated praise of that everything she touches turns a what may be her better part. glossy shade of beauty, "Paprika Plains" That part has, for the moment, sta- would only matter for the album's cover $4.99 bilized, fracturing very little to advance art. the progression that has become her trait. running exercise in one or so Caribbean For this reason alone, Don Juan's Reck- rhythms accentuated by the Weather less Daughter is a disappointment. Report firehouse of Acuna and Badrena. Only at Miles of Aisles aside, Mitchell's last The album seems abruptly intercepted by three —Court and Spark, The the pair, a cutaway to the islands that Hissing of Summer Lawns, and Hejira— lasts for a good (?) seven minutes, and all matched a drive for sophistication and leaves one wandering around the room PENGUIN FEATHER discovery that pushed each record that looking for the Joni Mitchell record that much further along into Mitchell's move was just on the turntable. She pops back "The f riendliest record stores around" toward Jazz. One had hoped, in light of up in "Dreamland," and it becomes ap- ANNANDALE VIENNA BAILEY S CROSSROADS HERNDON reports that "Joni Mitchell is recording parent that the previous track was more 7345LittleRiverTpke. 521 MapleAve E. 5850LeesburgPike(Rt7) 691MonroeSt with Weather Report," that something or less a prelude to this. It's enjoyable, in 354-5310 938-0110 379-7677 471-1600 unprecedented was within reach—that of a major "rock" artist in collaboration with continued on page 57

January 1978 Page 57 j UNICORN TIMES

came extremely popular and influential in Memphis, where he performed live with singers like Elvis, Wanda Jackson, and Johnny Cash. Filling in the Blanks of Women's Jazz History Fellow rockabilly, Malcolm Yelvington, By Mark Schaffer once said, "Charlie's style could have Blues" and Dardenelle Breckinridge paid her dues. Another fine all woman caught on in a big way, but he didn't have exchanges tasty post-bop phrases with an organization, The International Sweet- IN THE END, it will be the indies who Elvis' stage appeal." Few did, and most unknown guitarist on "After You Get It." hearts of Rhythm, perform a well ar- will count. Now that the majors have rockabillies, including Feathers, drifted Sings nice as well. No lack of talent at the ranged "Tuxedo Junction," Nice Elling- discovered jazz, small labels like Bernard into obscurity in the 60's. However, in keyboard. ton muted and more aggres- Brightman's Stash Records, out of Brook- 1968, Feathers came back to life with an Things change with the wind instru- sive tenor by Viola Burnside. All in all, lyn, are setting the pace for the serious excellent new single, "Stutterin' Cindy/ ments, though. Mary Lou Williams has a few well chosen statements about fe- Tear It Up," and began performing live enthusiast with provacative collections siad that one reason so few women suc- male big band jazz. in Memphis again. Since then Feathers of early jazz and blues. Brightman's first ceed at jazz is the reluctance of women to has recorded two albums for Barrelhouse releases concentrated on the rich dope have their faces distorted by the effort A highly vocal defender of jazzwomen, Records that show he hasn't lost a single song tradition in jazz and, while enter- of blowing brass and reeds. Be that as it plays on three tracks, and nervous yelp. Feathers' live show is taining as joyful celebrations of the "get- may, Brightman has managed to unearth shows the guitar musicianship that has built on an array of country, R&B, rocka- tin' high" life, these sides contain some billy, and rock'n'roll material, original of the finest jazz and jazz vocals by the and covers, that is almost a history of best of the 30's and 40's organizations, everything good about the 50's. from the early Ellington and Calloway When Feathers comes to the Delly, bands to the impeccable small swing don't expect a relic. As Peter Guralnick machines of the late 30's and 40's, fea- told it in the Rolling Stone History; turing Buster Bailey, Bechet, Chu Berry "Recently I went to see Charlie Feathers and tons more. The first rate music at a little club on Lamar Avenue in adds an extra dimension to these reefer Memphis . . . Charlie Feathers' hair is tunes, one usually absent from similar silver now, and his band consists of his collections. Brightman knows his game. daughter, son, son-in-law, and a friend of Now Stash has extended its scope with the son-in-law on drums. The music that the release of Jazz Women—A Feminist he is playing, though, is no different Retrospective, (ST-109), a two record than what he has always played—power- anthology, perhaps the first, of women ful, vigorious, crazy music that ani- playing jazz, from the 20's to the 60's, mates the audience . . . The remembered and virtually every idiom is here—tra- m& gestures are letter-perfect, the mood is ditional to soul. If this album does any- good-natured and self-deprecating, as he thing, it will further the argument that tosses the microphone from hand to hand jazz not only defies racial definitions, and flings himself about with wild, hip- but sexual ones as well. Yet, while the swiveling abandon." • lp is subtitled "feminist retrospective," don't assert ideological or social over- (Feathers will appear at the Psyche tones. What we have here is another at- Delly on Jan. 27 and 28; shows at 8:30 tempt by women to rewrite aspects of and 11:00.) popular music, ones in which their con- tribution rarely reached the recording stage. The musicians gathered here, Joni Mitchell some well-known, some long forgotten, continued from page 54 played jazz in a man's game and Bright- man deserves credit for helping fill in a silly way, and if Joni's tale of a winter some of the blanks in jazz history. hiatus to the warm and balmy beaches of The piano has been kindest to the jazz- some excellent and sax sides by earned her colleagues respect. Osborn; the Caribbean is a bit dizzy, look closer. women, so it's no wonder that the ma- Something's behind the melodious women, one of the high points of the set. was an early disciple jority of artists here are pianists, the most Dotty Jones plays a great Oliver cornet and her long fluid lines and momentum rhythm, and taken as a whole, "The visible being the phenomenal Mary Lou Tenth World/Dreamland" makes for a on "That Creole Band/ and Valaida show his influence, although she is the Williams, still going strong in the 70's. Snow (where is she now?) blows a beau- more aggressive swinger. Listen to the minor appeal for such a diverse inclu- Mary Lou, whose name is always trotted sion. tifully controlled trumpet on "St. Louis rocking rideout chorus on "Rose Room." out whenever the whole women-in-jazz Blues" with , em- She is also heard as part of a female quin- In the bands of sides one and four, in can of worms is opened, wrote the very the very excellence of the album, Joni bellishing the tango section with interest- tet on "Conversation," with Mary Lou personal liner notes on the album, and is ing middle-Eastern figures. She sings Williams, Rose Gottesman, drums, June surges forth with Jaco by her side; and featured on four sides, the most interest- once again employs the sharp stretches of ala Jimmy Rushing on the number as Rotenberg, bass, and Margie Hyams, a ing being "Nitelife," her first record with well. A fine performer. alumna, on vibes. guitar and bass that made Hejira her , and "Scratchin' the Gravel." most audibly beautiful work. Pastorius It goes on and on. Viola Burnside Hyams has a sparkling solo and Mary On "Nitelife" she plays a beautifully shows that even the big tenor sax can be Lou plays subtle harmonies. On "Mam- is on the end of heavier riffs this time, constructed solo, unravelling one fertile and a track like "Cotton Avenue" simply mastered as she tears through chorus blues," five women get together with idea after another, and on "Scratchin' the after chorus of "," five top post-bop jazzmen, among them drops and curls at the feet of this young Gravel," her admiration for master. He is the Orson Welles, the Boy playing both statement and response. In , Clark Terry, and Horace and Tatum's piano is nicely integrated in a more reflective vein, Kathy Stobert's Silver. Terry Pllard, a respected vibist Wonder of bass, let loose by Mitchell to an economical solo. run among the electric trains of his four reverie on Don Redman's "Gee, Baby, heard all too seldom, has a nice funky Before Williams' impact in the 30's, strings and play away across the passing Ain't I Good to You" recalls the big tenor Silverish effort. The vibes also have there were several piano leaders of note; ^ongs she has built for him. He is her sound of from the 40's. The been generous to the ladies. The kicker Lovie Austin, an early vaudeville and heavy rock, and when he is absent, as on trombone is also heard from. Billie is a swinging "Anything You Can Do," blues singer, is heard leading her own "Otis and Marlena" and "The Silky Veils Rogers offers a playful off-the-wall muted in which the same group play battle of Blues Serenaders on "Frog Tongue of Ardor," it's Joni herself who curves trombone with Woodie Herman, and the sexes with their axes. After t le en- Stomp"; from the 20's, and plays nice and bends the pieces in a way she hasn't Melba Liston shows why she plays for semble intro, Mary Osborne ai 1 the done before. Only she does it with her blues piano fills behind on "Blue Dizzy on her mellow arrangement of legendary Tal Farlow trade eigh.„ and Monday Blues." Four sides feature voice, singing a deep physicalness that "My Reverie." Let's have more of this. fours, Norma Carson on trumpet shows catches her in a low, quiet setting. Louis' wife, Lil• Hardin Armstrong, a One of the best things Stash has done lots of talent in her duet with Clark strong leader and pianist, not to mention Oh, this woman can wail when she here is bring back the all-woman or- Terry, who plays his usual musical jokes singer. Listen to her take-charge piano wants to. She rides out of "Don Juan's chestra, long the subject of thousands of as commentary behit d her. Carson's Reckless Daughter" shaking her fist, and effortless swing on "It's Murder," comics' bits ("From high atop the Hotel ideas are good and s,ie executes them high atop Jaco's bulging beat, a straight a strange vaudeville number. Dig her Feswtek in downtown Spokane, we bring beautifully. Lastly, Beryl Booker shows stream of music never slacking. She's a perfect Armstrong scat ending. "Suzie you the music of Ina Rae Hutton and her Horace Silver that she's attended his Q" features her bouncy Ethel Waters- monster, a furious sashayer, spilling a Melodears for your dancing and listen- sermons with her piano. A delight, and like delivery and superb tenor by Chu vision of this country just as she would ing pleasure"). Yes, Ina Rae and her should do a blindfold Berry, a key 30's sax man. have a lovers' quarrel in the past. Melodears live and they don't sound too test with this. Another well-known leader, Marian Her epic lies here, at least the start bad. "Wild Party," a pulsing rhythm Jazz nuts who follow things like this McPartland, a charter member of the Bix of it, and not on those paprika plains. number from the early 30's, has a will disagree with sor e of Brightman's contingent, plays the cornetist's adven- Her resolution to more-or-less stay within Henderson-like drive and features a nice- selections and offer other examples. the same musical boundaries is discour- turous "In a Mist," a tune she has prac- ly contrasted muted trumpet over the en- Maybe he has started something here. aging, but knowing that she moves with tically made her own. Dorothy Donegan, semble riffing. "Witch Doctor" is right Let's hope so. As for feminist points a greater zest and aggressiveness is a a popular night-club performer really out of that strange jungle era of early gained here, why not leave the question sign that she moves, period. Sooner or boogies out like Pete Johnson on "Doro- big band jazz, with weird chords, car- of "women's jazz" to the academics and later, she'll take that walk deeper into thy's Boogie Woogie." Two lesser known toony effects and odd structure. Play just listen to the music. As Mary Lou jazz, and carry on in her most progres- pianists are represented; Jewel Paige this one at your next party. Ina Rae, who Williams says on the album, "Thanks, sive way. • plays a fine Basie on "Beaumont Street went on to lead a big male band, really Bernie."«

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