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Wavelength Midlo Center for New Orleans Studies

12-1981

Wavelength (December 1981)

Connie Atkinson University of New Orleans

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Recommended Citation Wavelength (December 1981) 14 https://scholarworks.uno.edu/wavelength/14

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ISSUE NO. 14 • DECEMBER 1981 SONYA JBL "I'm not sure, but I'm almost positive, that all music came from New Orleans. " meets West to bring you the Ernie K-Doe, 1979 East best in high-fideUty reproduction. Features What's Old? What's New ...... 12 Vinyl Junkie ...... 13 Inflation In Music Business ..... 14 Reggae ...... 15 New New Orleans Releases ..... 17 Jed Palmer ...... 2 3 A Night At Jed's ...... 25 Mr. Google Eyes ...... 26 Toots ...... 35 AFO ...... 37 Wavelength Band Guide ...... 39

Columns Letters ...... 7 Top20 ...... 9 December ...... 11 Books ...... 47 Rare Record ...... 48 Jazz ...... 49 Reviews ...... 51 Classifieds ...... 61 Last Page ...... 62 Cover illustration by Skip Bolen.

Publlsller, Patrick Berry. Editor, Connie Atkinson. AJOodale Editor, SONY. Tim Lyman. Adnrllolaa Sala, Steve Girrord, Ellen Johnson. Art Dlrtetor, Skip Bolen. Co•lrlb•tlaa Artlats, Kathleen Perry, Rick Spain. Dlstrlb•tlo•, Gene Scaramuzzo, Sw Irvine. Co•lrlblton, Steve Alleman, Carlos Boll, BiU Cat, Tanya Coyle, John Desplu, Zeke FiJhhead, Steve Graves, Brad Palmer, Kalamu Ya Salaam, Shepard Samuels, Gene Scaramuzzo, Hammond Scott, Jim • Scheurich, Almost SUm, Rhodes Spedale, Keith Twitchell, Nancy Weldon. Imagine the Sony TA-F55 power at your fingertips, cool Wavtltngth is published monthly in New Orleans. Telephone (S04) 895·2342. Mail subscriptions, address chanaes to Wavtltngth, Box and clean. The STJ -55 has already been rated one of the U667, New Orleans, LA 7017S. Subscription rate, $10 per year. Fore.ian, SIS per year. The entire contents of Wawl~ngth are finest FM tuners in the world, regardless of price. The copyriaht CH981 Wavtltngth. beauty of these two come through in the Sony TC-K77R Auto-reverse cassette deck - the perfect way to record and BY THE RIVER listen. But you're almost there. The dynamic sound and Where does the past go beauty of the JBL-L220 truly brings the East and West Into the keys of James Booker's piano together. Come in and listen. Last night he played "my song" (you never would System price $2,625.00 say "ours", much as I wished you would), "Sunny Side of the Street." Or does the past go into the moist ~round like a flagpole TULAtJE STEilEO Iii Fl CO. Can you say that isn't the banner of one 1909 TULANE AVE 524-2343 lost lovely night of ours Convenient Storeside Parking three Julys ago still Open Daily 9·5- Ciosed Sunday fluttering in the darkness Long·term Financing Available through GECC & CIT -Free Delivery Spanish Plaza over Everette Maddox VISA - MASTER CARD - MR BOL

WAVELENGTH/DECEMBER 1981 5 How to Improve Your Component System For $33

The smallest, and usually most overlooked com­ With the two magnets, one for each channel, are ponent in the stereo component system is the phono two separate coil structures. Lower moving mass, pickup cartridge. But this component, being a trans­ separate coils, and extreme manufacturing care result in ducer (like speakers are) has the very hard job of con­ very linear and flat frequency response curves, excellent verting the mechanical undulations in the ·record groove stereo separation over the audio range. and excellent into an electrical voltage the amplifier can intensify. transient response. The tiny needle, more properly known as the stylus. We at Alterman Audio have compared Audio­ must follow all the little variations of the groove wall. technica cartridges to other cartridges, sometimes Forces as high as 10.000 pounds per square inch occur several times the cost of the Audio-technica model, on the stylus tip. Tremendous velocities are achieved. and found the Audio-technica to have a more natural And any movement of the stylus not directly caused sound, with less harshness, yet excellent detail in the by the groove walls is distortion. highs, and solid, rich bass. Audio-technica has been a leader in transducer In many of our component systems we recommend technology in Japan since about the early 1960 s. the AUDIO-TECHNICA AT HOE. This is about Many leading Japanese manufacturers of electronic the middle of the Audio-technica line of cartridges, and components call on Audio-technica to manufacture we think it merits itself in systems costing even $1000. cartridges for them. And in the last several years, The nationally advertised value of the AT llOE is more and more American audiophiles are coming to $65, but at Alterman Audio, everyday, you can buy it know Audio-technica for their excellence. for $33. 00. And considering the quality of many car­ Audio-technica cartridges include a new patented tridges a lot of stereo dealers put in stereo systems technology. Instead of one large. and somewhat heavy costing lots of money, we think you might find a very magnet, Audio-technica incorporates two tiny magnets definite sonic improvement, by changing to this car­ which the stylus and cantilever have to push against. tridge. And just think, it sells for less than you This results in lower moving mass (less inertia) and probably will pay for a replacement stylus for the car­ thus the stylus can move easier and more quickly tridge you already own (which should be replaced following the groove walls. every year anyway).

7323 Freret Street Uptown near Broadway 866-3579 10-7 Mon-Thurs, 10-6 Fri & Sat LETTERS

Wavelength:

Wavelength has certainly been the most im­ pressive music magazine in these States since its first issue - or even better, since its incep­ tion/conception as a locally-focused publica­ tion in the cradle of American music. But the new issue (#12) tops everything! I can't begin to describe the intense pleasure rhis issue has brought me. The incredible range and depth of the coverage of New Orleans musics, and the intense quality of the writing is simply beyond praise. Thanks! "Jazz Awareness Month" and the accelera­ ting activities of the Louisiana Jazz Federation, as reported in #12, are especially inspirational to those of us engaged in the same effort here in Detroit. I didn't want this issue to go by without sen­ ding along my thanks and appreciation for the magazine. For serious addicts of the musics of New Orleans, Wavelength is an utter necessity ... as you addicts damn well know. Highest personjil regards as well,

John Sinclair Executive Director Detroit Jazz Center

Wavelength: I want to take this time out to commend you for the June article {"Huey Piano Smith - So You Want To Be A Rock and Roll Star") inas­ much as this article displays truly the manifesta­ tions of a true journalist. Huey Piano Smith

Wavelength:

Since I have become acquainted with your publication I find it a great source for informa­ tion about our local New Orleans artists and use it as a reference guide quite often on my show.

Duke Dugas The Duke of Paduka wwoz

Wavelength:

A note of thanks to you, the staff of Wavelength, and especially to Almost Slim for the feature story on me in your current issue. For a change, my quotes were correct and the details exactly as they were supposed to be. So many times I have been quoted out of context... but this time Almost Slim did a super job and it's really appreciated. Only one small error: I did not do my Army basic training at Fort Leavenworth {which is a federal prison!) but at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. My manager, Ken Keene, brought that to my attention. Otherwise the article was great and we really appreciate it. Thanks.

Frankie Ford

Address letters to Wavelength, P .0. Box 15667, New Orleans, Louisiana, 70175. All letters become the property of Wavelength. Back issues may be obtained by sending four dollars to Back Issues, 4020 Magazine St., New Orleans, Louisiana, 7011 5.

WAVELENGTH/DECEMBER 1981 7 1 2 3 4 5

COPAS SPECIAL THE UPTOWN BROTHERS ATTRACTION RADIATORS ALLSTARS 75' HEINEKIN

6 7 8 9 10 FOLK COMEDY MUSIC l.OOCOVER COPAS 5PMTO l AM Donna Thompson BROTHERS NO COVER Renee Dodge 75' 25' HEINEKIN SALAD BAR Ray Perrone W/ DRINJC plus Comedy Amateurs -w v 13 14 15 16 18 19 FOLK COMEDY MUSIC l.OOCOVER KURT COPAS THE 5PMTO lAM \ LI'L \ Donn'a Thompson KASSON BROTHERS RADIATORS QUEENIE NO COVER 75' 25' Renee Dod e & THE SALAD BAR Rar Perrone Percolators W/DRINK plus l Comedy Amateurs ./ ~ ¥ 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 COMEDY l.OOCOVER BLUEGRASS COPAS SPECIAL SPECIAL Donna .:I'hompson $1.00 BROTHERS ATTRACTION ATTRACTION Renee Dodge COVER 75' Ray Perrone t~lus ~ Comedy Amateurs ~ w --v:.J ~9

27 ~ 28 29 30 31 1 COMEDY l.OOCOVER COPAS SPECIAL Donna Thompson BROTHERS ATTRACTION llenee Dodge 75' Ray Perrone HEINEKIN Ius Comedy Amateurs TOP 20

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~ \' E I~ I: 1 l .\ T PBESIBIIT Sat., Dec. 5 IVY Weds., Dec. 9 SPECIAL ATTRACTION

Georfl.e ThorOfl.OOd, openinfl. {or the Stones.

'1TUESDAY-From the Bahamas by way of authentic Cajun sound to the Maple Leaf Bar .I.New York City, Exuma now spends most of tonight only from about 10:30. David Bromberg his time in New Orleans playing his polyrhythmic plays acoustic tonight at Ole Man River's in island music in the city's music clubs. Tonight he Avondale starting about 10. opens a five-night engagement at the Old Absin­ SUNDAY - Danny Barker brings his band, the Bar at Bourbon & Conti. 13the Jazz Hounds, into the Faubourg WEDNESDAY-The last time we saw John Seafood Restaurant at 626 Frenchmen St. 2Hammond here was at Rosy's; it's been quite tonight and every Sunday for a 9 p.m. show. a while. He's appeared in town once or twice WEDNESDA Y-Fo rmer New Orlean ian JERRY LEE LEWIS since then, but this talented bluesman is rarely 16blues better John Mooney returns to the found on the local circuit. You can catch him Crescent City tonight to perform solo at tonight at Tipitina's. Tipitina's. Mooney was last seen here at the Jazz Fri., Dec. 11 THURSDAY- Thursday nights at Tyler's Fest last spring heading a red hot trio. 3you can find "A Taste of New Orleans," and ""fTHURSDAY - The Riverboat President IVY :we don't mean oysters. "Taste" is the former l I features rhinestone cowboy David Allan Meters rhythm section - George Porter and Coe on its cruise up the river tonight. Uptown at Sat., Dec. 12 Zigaboo Modeliste-backing David Torkanow­ Tupelo Tavern, 8301 Oak St., flash guitarist sky on keyboards, David Lastie on sax, and Bet­ Stevie Vaughan heads a trio called Double Trou­ Topcats tie Lastie's vocals to form a strong R&B sound, ble starting about 10:30. New Orleans-style. FRIDAY- Hard rockers from the Texas Thurs., Dec. 17 FRIDAY - The quintessential ingredients of 18panhandle, the Black Horse Band, open a 4funk may be found tonight at Tipitina's, two-night engagement tonight at Suave's on the SPECIAL ATTRACTION where Dr. John and the Meters open a two-night West Bank. That dirty old man of the blues stand. piano, Roosevelt Sykes, makes a rare ap­ SATURDAY - When the Rolling Stones took pearance at the Maple Leaf Bar. 5to the road earlier this year on a three-month SATURDAY-The now nationally known long U.S. tour, they put to rest any doubts that 19Neville Brothers finish up a two-night stint they remain the world's most cherished rock 'n' at Jimmy's tonight, crooning tunes from their roll band by quickly selling out North America's very successful album on A&M Records. largest concert venues, some in a matter of SUNDAY-Tipitina's showcases Aaron hours, weeks before the scheduled dates. The 20Neville's Christmas Show tonight. No climax of the current tour comes tonight in that doubt a family affair, this show will consist of smoky honky tonk, the Louisiana Superdome, gospel and Christmas songs by the talented where over 80,000 squeezed in to hear the Stones vocalist and friends. in '78. Opening the show tonight is a powerhouse THURSDAY-Let us not forget that be­ DAVID ALLAN COE blues/ boogie outfit that has drawn raves for 24sides being Christmas Eve today is also their oPening sets at other Stones' shows. Geoue Beethoven's birthday. The Maple Leaf Bar Thorogood and the Destroyers. Back uptown hasn' t forgotten. Oak Street regulars can settle Fri., Dec. 18 Oak Street after the concert you can choose bet­ back tonight with a longneck Dixie and listen to IRMA THOMAS ween Rockin' Dopsie at the Maple Leaf and The all nine symphonies by the great master while Uptown All Stars, led by Ivan Neville, across the their undies tumble dry in the laundry room. Thurs., Dec. 31 street at the new Tupelo Tavern (formerly Jed's). Happy birthday, Ludwig. WEDNESDAY-Having been seriously ill SATURDAY -E llis Marsalis, jazz pianist NEW YEAR'S EVE 9for much of the year, Jerry Lee Lewis is fully 26extraordinaire, headlines a night of jazz at WITH recovered and on the road again, we're happy to the Contemporary Arts Center's Jazz Factory, hear. Tonight Jerry Lee headlines a cruise on the 900 Camp St. at 9:30. For more info call the IVY Riverboat President. Ivy opens the show for this C.A.C. at 523-1216. living legend of rock 'n' roll. Uptown at Jimmy's THURSDAY-A New Year's Eve Party Sat., Jan. 2 The Blasters, a tight rockabilly foursome from 31that can't be beat (and easy on the pocket­ L.A., rock out tonight only starting at 10:30. book, too): The Radiators generate the heat SPECIAL ATTRACTION FRIDAY-The James Rivers Movement, from about 11 p.m. on at Tipitina's. Happy New n as eclectic as any band in town, hold down Year. .. THE COLD Fridays and Saturdays at Tyler's on Magazine '1FRIDAY- As we sneak into '82 Marcia Ball, Street. Rivers has some of the tastiest licks you 'II .l.that long-legged woman from Texas, opens a For Further Information Call: ever hear coming out of a tenor sax. weekend stand at Tupelo Tavern tonight with a New Orleans Steamboat Co: SATURDAY- Beau Soleil brings from the tight R&B band behind her. Here's a good way 586-8777 12bayou country around Lafayette an to start the new year.

WAVELENGTH/DECEMBER 1981 9 "::·: . . . . ·· . • ::·:-::.· .,:::: ;· .::::::.'~;:::·<;::::: DECEMBER

Chief Pete, Blues Awards Percy Lewis, Jr., From Memphis Passes The W.C. Handy Blues Awards ceremony was held November 16 at Memphis' Peabody Hotel. The My first meeting with Chief Pete awards are organized by the non­ characterizes so much of what profit, Memphis-based Blues made him special and to a large ex­ Foundation. Once again, Pro­ tent what the Black Indian tribes fessor Longhair's name came up are all about. quite a number of times. Fess, I had been preparing a program whose Crawfish Fiesta album was for WTUL seeking an answer to voted U.S. Blues Album of the the question of why the Indians Year last year, won awards for two come out on St. Joseph's Day. I records this time around. His The had lined up Chief Jolly of the London Concert on England's JSP Wild Tchoupitoulas but also label was voted Blues Album of the wanted the opinion of Chief Pete Year (Foreign), and Nighthawk of the Black Eagles, with whom Records' Mardi Gras in New Jolly had started masking. Orleans 1949-1957 won honors as After what seemed like a Vintage or Reissue Album of the hopeless search, I discovered that Year (U .S.). Perhaps most signifi­ Chief Pete was practically next cantly, the New Orleans pianist door working as Percy Lewis, Jr. was one of five new inductees into in Tulane University's physical the Blues Hall of Fame. The other plant department. Late one night, four new members are Bobby after getting directions from his "Blue" Bland, Tampa Red, Roy co-workers, I walked up several Brown and Blind Willie McTell. flights of stairs in one of Tulane's B. B. King, who was inducted in­ older buildings and heard a voice to the Hall of Fame last year, was ordering grosses of feathers and voted Blues Entertainer of the beads. Pete was already working Year this time around. Albert Col­ on the next year's costume. As he lins walked away with two awards, put it, "You never stop sewing; topping the votes for Male Blues you sew until you leave Mardi Gras Artist of the Year and Blues In­ Day. There's always something strumentalist of the Year. you should add." Golden Moments In New Orleans Bobby Bland added to his Hall To all but a handful of students of Fame honors by winning Blues and faculty, Chief Pete was Rock 'N' Roll IV Vocalist of the Year. Koko Taylor nothing more than a night was named Female Blues Artist of maintenance man, but to the July 1946 - Roy Byrd is hired to play at the Caledonia Inn. Since the Year, and Blues Album of the residents of the projects of the Byrd's band was exceptionally sharp and he was taken to wearing unusual­ Year (U.S.) went to Johnny Cope­ Sixth Ward, he was respected and ly long hair, the club owner dubs the group "Professor Longhair and the land for his Copeland Special loved as Big Chief Pete of the Four Hair Combo." -Almost Slim (Rounder). Magic Slim and the Black Eagles. Pete had started Teardrops' "Teardrop" / "Won­ masking with the Indians as "spy der Why" /"If You Need Me" boy" for his cousin, Sonny, chief Chief Pete bringing his son, head of the character who starred in (Rooster Blues) made Blues Single of the Diamond Stars. He later nephew and now six-year-old films on NBC-TV's Saturday Night of the Year, and the Japanese joined the Golden Blades, a group grandson into the Black Eagles. Live. reissue of Champion Jack so large that "when they would get Although the future of the uptown As cries of "Oooooh Noooo" Dupree's Blues From the Guffer together some mornings they tribes is unclear, if this year's St. filled the courtroom, Duplan tier was picked Vintage or Reissue thought they were meeting another Joseph's Day Super Sunday (which then cut off Mr. Bill's foot and Album of the Year (Foreign). tribe on the street but it was some saw several hundred indians in full presented it to David Derickson, of their own men." In the mid­ regalia, the majority under 40 who played "Mr. Hands" in the Local Bands Sixties Pete joined the Black years old) is any indication, this skits. The rest of Mr. Bill was then Eagles, rapidly becoming their essential thread in the city's fabric hurled to Walter Williams, the On B-97 Album chief. He then added Jolly as his is sure to survive. former staff writer for SNL who second chief in 1967. had claimed to be sole creator of the Close on the heels of the release Through his dual role as Big - Sbepard H. Samuels hard-luck little clay figure. of WRNO's Rock Album will be Chief of the Black Eagles and Court stenographer O .J . Robert, the release of the rock album by physical plant man for Tulane, pretending to be on Mr. Bill's side WEZB, Crescent City Jam. B-97's Pete's life symbolized the quest for Still No Respect by holding back Duplantier's gavel­ album, which actually was record­ dignity, respect and survival long weilding arm as he threatened to ed first, includes the Lost Boys, before a Jesse Jackson was around For Mr. Bill smash the figure, exclaimed, "I'm Crave, Jessica, Next, Cold, Top­ to shout "I am somebody." This Mr. Hands, and 1 am here to save cats, Henrietta Lee, Carl Michaels, achievement of identity while hav­ U.S. District Judge Adrian G. you from Judge Sluggo." But the Sheiks and RZA. ing an awful lot of fun in the pro­ Duplantier, wearing a " Judge Robert made no move to prevent The bands were selected from cess is what keeps the Indians of Sluggo" nametag on his black the judge from decapitating Mr. tapes submitted to WEZB's staff New Orleans sewing as you read robe, took a pair of scissors to clay Bill with his other hand. and representatives from record this. TV star Mr. Bill to enact a The dismemberment graphically labels. According to Jerry Louf­ With Chief Pete's passing on settlement of a two year-old approximated Judge Duplantier's teau of WEZB, the album is "strict-· November 3 and Chief Jolly's copyright suit in his courtroom last ruling, in which DeGeneres will ly local. It's not part of any national death in August 1980, two of the month. receive twenty-five percent of contest or anything." Distribution most venerable figures of the up­ Duplan tier snipped off Mr. Bill's profits generated from the Mr. Bill plans are not firm as yet but copies town tribes are gone. But both men head and tossed it to Cold bassist show, Derickson between five and of the album will be sold through knew the importance of encourag­ Vance DeGeneres, who claimed twenty percent of revenues, and the station and given away as prizes ing young blood to join the tribes, that he had originally developed the Williams the rest. on the air.

WAVELENGTH/DECEMBER 1981 11 ties, when Coleman forged new directions in jazz, with a swing that was fast and light, disintegrating and rematerializing in a constant dance of rebirth. On their new ECM record, Playing, Old and New Dreams sparkles and drives. The interplay among the musicians dances on the razor's edge. Haden and Blackwell stand as true creators as they continually make something out of nothing. Haden reaches an incredible place at the conclu­ sion of "Broken Shadows," a Coleman composition reminiscent of "Lonely Woman," moaning and sawing unearthly sounds out of the bass. Half of the selections on Playing were written by Coleman. These days Coleman favors a double rhythm section that in­ cludes electric guitars, while Old and New Dreams preserve that old degenerat­ ing/ regenerating swing that seemed so odd and new twenty years ago. Don Cherry's excursions into the waters of primitive musics (notably African) are reflected by "Mopti," a minor lament, 4/ 4 against 6/ 8, with a bright shade to it, love without anger. So Coleman's radical swing of twenty years ago is preserved as an "old" form by the quartet, while primitive-inspired music such as "Mopti" is presented as "new" music. Or is it the other way around? Radical approaches primitive. Don Cherry, like many other contem­ porary musicians, explores a racial and/ or universal past (archetypal) through the music that has been preserv­ ed. On most of Marianne Faithful's new LP, Dangerous Acquaintances, she's try­ ing to change her role in life, coming to grips with the demands of the present, telling a lover to "forget the past." But the concluding tune, the seven-minute "Truth Bitter Truth," asks the question, "Where did it go to, my youth?" Question follows enigmatic question, creating a labyrinth of ironies. "Truth Bitter Truth" is a song that tries to find out the truth about the truth, about what the truth did to the person who told the truth, and about what the truth did to the person whose innocence was shattered. The relent­ less succession of questions, "Who is it­ Richard Thompson's latest album, Thompson hewing his music down to the do you know? / Who did it - can I bear Strict Tempo, is a radical departure for bare bones, forsaking even his writer's it? / Who did it - do I care? / Who did it the English electric-folkie, singer-song­ mantle. What's going on? - when did it happen and where?" gives writer (who's a converted Muslim, to Well, old Rick Thompson will be back Faithful a posture of ignorance. This state boot). His singing cohort, wife Linda, is to rousing the rabble, I've no doubt. But of ignorance resembles a second in­ absent; Thompson, himself, doesn't sing his current Strict Tempo album reflects on nocence, although one of uncertainty. on any of the tunes, only one of which he some changes coursing through contem­ The question arises - can one create a wrote; and except for that one and a porary music. Joe Jackson releases an "new" innocence out of defacing an old Duke .Ellington selection, the remaining album of swing music and Elvis Costello experience? material is traditional: reels, polkas, releases a country and western album. And now we have a "new" King Crim­ hornpipes, jigs. It's quite a treat, on Meanwhile, other wavers, along with jazz son, with a new album, Discipline. several of the selections, hearing Thomp­ musicians, keep busy studying primitive Besides old Crimsonite Bill Bruford on son bending his way through ancient musics. Have we reached the limits of the drums, the new lineup includes Tony melody on his Stratocaster. Thompson "new"? Levin on bass and Adrian Belew on gives a similar "cry" to his acoustic Let's look at the jazz quartet known as rhythm guitar and vocals. I'm curious as renderings, such as "Banish Misfortune." Old and New Dreams, comprised of to whether this King Crimson, in concert, On Thompson's last album, Sunny trumpeter Don Cherry, reed man Dewey tries to come to grips with the legacy of Vista, there was a heavy indicting of Redman, bassist Charlie Haden, and the "old" King Crimson- there's no at­ Western civilization plus a good measure drummer Ed Blackwell. Minus Redman, tempt to do so on Discipline. The LP of charging rock 'n' roll (sprinkled with the other musicians accompanied Ornette grooves like a mother. Bruford and Levin Eastern licks). And now we witness Coleman in the late Fifties and early Six- bite down hard, lock in tight, and don't 12 WAVELENGTH/DECEMBER 1981 let go. Belew, who collaborated on Talk­ The best friend of the record collector is ing Heads' Remain in Light and countless the friendly cut-out bin of your favorite other new wavo rhythmic records, sings record store. Cut-out bins contain a with too much of a touch of David Byrne veritable treasure house of recorded music on "Elephant Talk" but redeems himself at cut-rate prices, less than half of full by just belting out "Frame By Frame" price. Of course you won't find the very and "Matte Kudsai." Some of the songs latest releases but quite often you'll come are wacko narratives by Belew with the up with many hard-to-find items. music bristling underneath during the spoken parts, a further and more fulfill­ Most larger record stores have cut-out ing extension of the "talking" parts of bins and prices generally run from $1.99 Robert Fripp's "Exposure" and the to $3.29, so conceivably you could buy League of Gentlemen LP. Fripp's guitar three albums for the price of a new one. playing, always interesting, shines in­ Cut-out bins can fill out your record col­ credibly in the context of this "new" lection quickly. Crimson. Even if the band becomes an ac­ Don't overlook the record departments tive/inactive operation, it looks like a of the major department stores. I'm refer­ good move from this bunker. ring to Woolworth's, K-Mart, Barker's The Penquin Cafe Orchestra is Simon and the like. Besides having sales on new Jeffes overdubbing himself, with the oc­ releases, their respective cut-out bins are casional help of other musicians. It's very notorious for containing excellent engaging music featuring violins, shakers, bargains, often for as little as 77~. Eight electric organs, and, on one cut, a tracks and cassettes, too. telephone dial tone and a rubber band. A There are plenty of sources of cheap us­ minimalist soundtrack with a studied ed records too. Although in New Orleans "primitive" feel, the accent on texture there isn't a used record exchange (some­ and evocation. The orchestra's rendition one could clean up if they opened one of the Ventures' "Walk, Don't Run" is here), there are outlets. Serious collectors interesting from an old/ new perspective. know that a good source of records are The original version by the Ventures came garage sales and flea markets. The want across as surf guitars doing a gypsy VINYL ads are full of garage sales on weekends. I melody. Jeffes takes the melody and plays find a lot of vintage records at garage it with "gypsy" instruments: violin, viola, sales and have found that a lot of recent acoustic guitar. This is a new use of an old CAN BE releases turn up for next to nothing when tune that was once itself a new tune that college students decide to liquidate their made use of a seemingly "old"-sounding possessions for quick cash. This is a good tune. Jeffes brings it full circle (or ADDICTIVE place to pick up great used stereo com­ perhaps it's just another round of the ponents inexpensively as well. spiral). Flea markets have always been a prime Finally we have a new wave group that location for record hunters. You can hit a is merely "new" and makes no attempt at ne of the disadvantages of being an lot of dealers in one place that have a wide being new wave. That is: familiar tech­ 0 avid record collector is the cost it variety of records and often at rock bot­ niques of sound, lyrics, performance are sometime involves. Most everyone can re­ tom prices, too. Make sure you closely in­ avoided. Reference points are blurred, count a tale about a record collector on a spect any purchase though. It's awfully transparent. The group is Irish; I couldn't runaway buying binge. Some serious col­ frustrating to pull a record out of a jacket tell. Their name is U2. I heard the song "I lectors have been known to sacrifice after you get home and find it is badly Threw a Brick Through a Window" on money intended for food and clothing on scratched, warped, or even cracked. TUL and at the Beat Exchange; both hard-to-get items without even thinking Locally, the weekend flea market in the times, the track came across like a fresh twice. Personally I've known of two French Market is both a pleasant way to breeze through an open window. Perusing marriages that broke up over "record pass an afternoon and a must for record the track reveals that the window that is mania" and I couldn't count the times I've collectors. Besides the vendors who usual­ broken by the brick is one that reflected had to walk home miles because I spent ly have a box of records along with the the image of the singer. my bus fare on "just one more record" I rest of their junque, there are also dealers "New" and "old" are relative terms. couldn't resist. Many a night as a teenager who specialize in just records. Often Early new wave revised the Sixties while at I had to sneak records into the house they'll take trades, and usually they have the same time providing a springboard under my coat, so as not to arouse the ire a wide variety from which to choose. One for new expression. U2's sources aren't so of my mother who would certainly think I particular dealer at the French Market has easy to pinpoint. Maybe they don't was wasting my allowance. a number of promotional coptes of the bracket one particular section of time At today's prices, the cost of just a few latest releases that have been gleaned (say, the Sixties) as an influence, but syn­ albums adds up to quite a chunk of from radio stations. During the week, thesize all the music in their experience to change. Say you buy just two albums at he's set up inside the Reality Flea Market generate a greater sweep. On their current full price in a week. That's not too bad which faces the French Market. release, October, there's a song titled really, but it still comes to around $15. In Rummage sales sponsored by churches "Tomorrow" which begins with Olean a month that's $60, and over the period of and thrift stores are also an excellent pipes, on which the Irish have played a year $720. That's not chump change. source of used records. Often you'll come traditional music for centuries. While the But at least you can justify it by saying up empty handed, but don't give up, pipes play, U2's singer, Bono, queries in you've got something to show for your sooner or later (usually sooner) your gon­ longing, "Will you be back tomorrow?" money, and better to invest on records na come up with a gem. Later on, after the guitarist (who goes by than on beer. (Remember these excuses, When you're out of town, keep these the name The Edge) has kicked the track you can use them on your friends.) outlets in mind. Checking out Goodwill into overdrive, and the group is riding However, there are ways around stores might not be the best way to see Lit­ furiously down the road, Bono sings ef­ shooting the wad that will save money and tle Rock, but for the record buff it is an fusively, "I will be back tomorrow!" 0 be fun too. All it takes is a little time and absolute necessity. Just grab a phone -Zeke Fisbbead patience. book when you hit another town and WAVELENGTH/DECEMBER 1981 13 mark down the locations on a city map. Just like a treasure hunt. Keep your friends in mind, too. I keep a couple of boxes of "traders" around to swap to other collectors for records that I INFLATION IN THE want. If you know of other collectors, find out what they're after and keep your eyes open for them. If they'll do the same MUSIC BUSINESS for you, you're both further ahead. You can also use the mail to improve your record collection and find hard-to­ get items while saving money. There are a number of wholesale mail order firms that sell records through the mail and maintain excellent catalogs. Probably the best is Down Home Music, Inc., which special­ izes in blues, gospel, jazz, rock 'n' roll, l ethnic music, and imports. ,.. ~• •.S If you collect singles, don't overlook juke box operators. Often they sell records that they take off the boxes for two bits or so. These records usually have l· a minimum of surface wear, and you can ,.. find everything from oldies to stuff that is ~ still programmed on the radios. Many collectors don't like to fool with '. -.~ ..\\\~,~~~ PRICES ARE UP= 45's because they feel that they're inco~­ : venient. Well, that's okay for the rest of ''111,\\'j us who'll glady scoop up the treasures they bypass. The classifieds of music magazines con­ tain addresses of companies that retail records through the mail at bargain prices. t's no secret that inflation has in­ "Unit sales have dropped drastically. For serious record collectors, a I filtrated everyone's lifestyle and Even with the price increases it hasn't subscription to Goldmine is a must. It livelihood. The music industry is by no evened off, and profits aren't what they contains literally thousands of record auc­ means an exception. used to be. Not only that but older tion lists and set price sales with In New Orleans this fact was emphasiz­ records in the catalogue have stopped sell­ something for every collector. For the ed last month when Alligator Records was ing. People seem only willing to pick up uninformed, the way record auctions forced to " indefinitely" cancel its New the latest releases. To try and change this, work is simple. Collectors mail in their Orleans R&B Anthology. According to a lot of the larger record companies have bids on an individual record and whoever Alligator president Bruce Iglauer, "We're brought out a mid-priced line to try and bids the highest wins the record - simple having to deal with some of the new sell their back catalogue." as that. Often the guy sponsoring the auc­ economic realities. Sales are down Pat Berry, the owner of Leisure Land­ tion will accept trades. This opens up throughout the whole record industry, ing Records and Tapes, outlined some of another avenue to record sources in other and right now we can't take on the risk of the problems he sees facing the record parts of the country and the world. such an extensive project.'' business. "First of all, since records cost Often the specialized collector shops Since the short-term outlook is bleak, more, a record store with a limited will possess hard-to-find items. Although the three-record project was scrapped amount of capital will carry fewer some are notorious for charging despite over a year of planning, and a records. That means that the small labels outrageous prices, they still have some considerable initial capital investment. and certain types of less popular music reasonable bargains. But beware and shop Why? People just aren't buying records will suffer because record stores can't af­ carefully because these shops can prey on the way they did five years ago, when peo­ ford to carry them any longer.'' the impulsive buyer. ple had more money and it bought more. This fact alone should send up an SOS As I mentioned at the outset of this arti­ With inflation and people losing jobs, a for the local music scene, as the Alligator cle, a little time and patience goes a long dollar has to be stretched even farther. Records situation amply illustrates. The way in saving money and improving your Someone on a strict budget, or a person small labels are in trouble because they collection. Certainly the hardcore record­ that has to be concerned about where the can't absorb the increased costs that the ·a-holic with a dozen-new-albums-a-week money to pay his rent will come from, major companies can. habit is beyond rehabilitation. But in my isn't the least bit interested in buying the Face it, New Orleans' indigenous music case I would estimate that less than five new Commadores album. is not within the national musical percent of my entire collection was pur­ Coupled with that, the record buyers mainstream. Other than the Neville chased at full price. And of those, most are faced with record prices that have Brothers, and recently Jean Knight, no are those attractive reissues that have sur­ jumped twice recently. Albums have risen one in New Orleans is signed to a major faced the last few years. from a $6.98list, to the present $8.98, and label. Not even Fats Domino, Pete Foun­ Many of the best records I own were singles retail at $1.69. tain or Allen Toussaint. This means that picked up at yard sales, digging through The record industry justifies the in­ the smaller labels are the life blood of the dusty warehouses and rummaging creases due to spiraling costs of shipping, local record industry. through old record shops. Sometimes the promotion, production, advertising and This is going to have a two-fold effect. story behind obtaining a record is just as materials. With a crippled record industry in New good as the record itself. But then that's Record companies have rapidly had to Orleans, there will be a lot of musicians one of the real joys of record collecting, adapt to the new economic actualities. that are going to have to lay carpet so they right? 0 Warren Hildebrand at All South can afford to eat, because records will not -Almost SUm Distributing relates their sales dilemma: insure steady and decent work on a local 14 WAVELENGTH/DECEMBER 1981 and regional basis. The other dangerous booking Edgar Winters, Dr. John, or Ray spinoff is more subtle. As groups strive Charles. But they realize they have to for national recognition, they will aban­ work more often so they take jobs in don their roots and strive to sound more smaller clubs. Club owners now have acceptable to the rest of the world. If this more acts available. Competition is keen happens, eventuaUy "The New Orleans so you can get a better price. From an Sound" will merely be a memory preserv­ owner's point of view business has been ed within the grooves of a few scratched pretty good as far as live music is concern­ records. ed." GET Berry went on to mention, "It takes Kim Wilson, member of the nationally longer to sell the same amount of records renowned Fabulous Thunderbirds, than it did three or four years ago. Besides recently related, "It's gotten so much REGGAE! costs, there is a lot more home entertain­ more expensive on the road. If you leave ment, and people are buying fewer home you need to plan it so you work in records. Right now video is coming in the same region for a number of jobs. Gas or those new to reggae, going very heavily, and anyone in the music is expensive, as are hotel rooms and Fbeyond Bob Marley, Jimmy Cliff business is going to have to contend with eating. We can't afford to drive 500 miles and Peter Tosh is sometimes difficult. that. There's just more things to get peo­ from Texas for just one gig. And if you Many people don't realize that reggae is ple's attention. I think this year a lot of have a breakdown on the road, you might more than a one beat music; there are people didn't buy records. When they come home in the hole." numerous styles of reggae music: from the have a party they still listen to Saturday Bill Johnston, manager of Neville drum/bass heavy "roots" style, to the Night Fever. Brothers, echoes Wilson's opinion. light, melodic "lover's rock." Moreover, What about making records? Certainly "Recently we booked the Nevilles for a since most of the media provides little they cost more to make, and companies short tour in Texas. For aU purposes the coverage of reggae - with most of that have adopted a cautious signings posture. tour was nearly identical to one put little confined to known superstars - it is Hildebrand noted, "The number of together last year, but the costs were easi­ difficult to choose what's worth the releases has diminished by as much as ly twenty percent more." money when confronted with a selection twenty-five percent from the major com­ The audience for live music has chang­ of fifty to a hundred recent reggae panies. This is going to hurt any new artist ed in a short period of time. Solo albums. Although anthologies have built­ or group, because developing a new group singerI guitarist Spencer Bohren notes the in limitations and are often very uneven, involves tremendous amounts of time and difference. "From where I sit I see less in the case of reggae music, a quartet of money.'' people, and they're drinking less." anthologies may be one of the best ways A few years ago it was a generally ac­ Spencer makes his living primarily from to venture into contact with a broad range cepted fact that it took two or three LPs working clubs in New Orleans. He faces of reggae artists. to establish an artist. Not so today; for problems different from national Rhythm 'n Reggae (K-Tel NE 1115) is the most part you have to go for aU the headliners. "I don't like to pass up jobs the broadest and the best reggae an­ marbles the first time around. Record out of town. But when you don't make as thology I've heard. Its format is like the companies are businesses too and can't much working out of town as you would old "sixteen great soul hits" formula. affort to mother new acts, wasting time at home, what can you do? I'd like to pay Compiled by Nigel Mason, it draws on and money. more attention to what will help my ex­ hits from Jamaica- and England-based ar­ Larkin Arnold, CBS vice-president and (..... posure." tists who recorded on sundry independent general manager of black music, related Artists must run their careers like labels such as Ensign, Stiff, Trident and the stark realities of record production in businesses and become more self­ five or six others. The record's biggest the Eighties. "I look for acts that hit right sufficient. Therefore they will have to be weakness is that the only information off the bat. I would rather sign one act more in touch with career aspects than in given is title and artist; it doesn't even list that does one million units than four acts the past. That means planning and utiliz­ recording or release dates, nor producers that do 250,000. You make a lot more ing time, patience, and, most important, and backing artists, nor whether the artist money that way, because the return on the talent. An artist better hope he has a great is Jamaican or English. But it's like find­ investment is much greater. It makes abundance of the latter, because people ing fifty dollars in a brown paper bag - more sense from a cost standpoint." are going to continue to be wary of just it's what's inside that ultimately counts. Arnold continued to explain new trends what they will spend their money on, be it An important plus is the inclusion of five in company policies. "When we sign new at the record shop or on Saturday night, female reggae singers. This is especially groups, it's just a one-album deal with an until the economy improves. noteworthy in that most recorded reggae option for another LP." What does the The way out of the financial woes for is male dominated and few of the women future look like in the record industry? the New Orleans music industry might be have achieved the status female singers "With the economy the way it is, and if via one of the direct competitors to the hold in other genres of Great Black the price of albums continues to rise, record industry - cable television. Why Music. The sixteen artists are Eddy Grant, singles may become even more important not? Our city's music has long been just Sheila Hylton, Desmond Dekker, Susan in the industry, because people won't be as exciting visuaUy as it has aurally. Cadogan, Inner Circle, Rita Marley, The able to afford LPs." Besides being interesting from a historical Paragons, Toots & The Maytals, Barbara Before we shed too many tears for the standpoint - a natural as far as educa­ Jones, U.B. 40, Third World, Judy record companies, let's look at who's tional television is concerned - it's the Mowatt, Jimmy Cliff, Steel Pulse, Dennis really caught in the musical recession kind of music that's as fun to watch as it Brown and Black Slate. While it is dif­ crunch - the artist, who seems to get it is to hear. ficult to single out any one or two (there is from every angle. What does the future hold for the local not one bummer on this album, all the Forget the apparent glamor of being a music industry? Well, Senator Jones of tunes are good, many are excellent and rock star. How would you like having to Hep' Me (what could be a more ap­ some are positively stunning), special look for a job every week? Even for propriate name for a record company mention must be made of Sheila Hylton's groups at the top things aren't all rosy. these days?) says: "Music business has "The Bed's Too Big Without You" which Jimmy Anselmo, owner of Jimmy's, an always been tough. We'll just have to take is a Taxi production from drummer· Sly Uptown music club, explains. "A lot of our knocks like always. Depressed!?! Hell Dunbar and bassist Robbie Shakespeare groups that formerly only played large the music business has always been a (the rhythm on this song pops hard as a concert halls are available for clubs now. depressed industry around here!" 0 twelve-foot bullwhip); Third World's A few years back you never got a shot at -Almost Slim "Dreamland," which features elegant WAVELENGTH/DECEMBER 1981 15 harmony singing; and Judy Mowatt's the jacket, "Clapper Records were never "My My People," which makes in­ meant to be entertainment It's A Weapon novative use of R&B influences. The Without Compromise." It features what Hylton number is available as a 12 inch they call TSOSA, The Sound Of St. Ann. single running 7:58 and every second of it St. Ann is the Jamaican parish which is jumps. the birthplace of both Marcus Garvey and Babylon, The Original Soundtrack Bob Marley. Like the Wiser Dread, (Takoma TAK 7100) is the soundtrack of although not as extensively, this album in­ a recently made English movie about reg­ cludes biographical information on the gae musicians and "sound system" peo­ jacket. There are ten tracks, almost half ple. It suffers because some of the music of which are dubs of the vocals. This stuff is obviously background-type music; is like Elmore James and Jimmy Reed in those are three Dennis Bovell tracks which that it makes no pretense at crossover into are instrumentals with a soft sound. anything, this stuff just rocks like what However, the album does have strong you can hear in the small towns popping showings from Yabby U and 1-Roy, a out of speakers bigger than a refrigerator: lover's rock number from Cassandra, and the sound is awesome, the vocals are like two cuts featuring Aswad, an English reg­ chants, and the musicians include sidemen gae band that are by themselves worth the such as legendary drummer Leroy price of the anthology: "Hey Jah "Movie Star Horsemouth" Wallace. If Children" and "Warrior Charge." you want to know what they listen to in "Warrior" features Michael Rose, leader the Jamaican countryside, take a taste of of Black Uhuru. But "Children" is the this. This is the P, pure and uncut reggae, kind of number you write home about. featuring sounds and songs from the It's essentially a dub number, meaning Jamaican heartland by various artists of that there is no lead vocal, background the soil. vocals are mixed down, the drums and The new Max Romeo Holding Out My bass are up front and there's an kinds of Love to You (Shanachie 43002), featuring fades, mixes, reverbs and other electronic guitar and engineering contributions from trickamatations done. If you heard some Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones, is of the things Steel Pulse did with the easy listening reggae, authentic enough to rhythms at Ole Man River's a couple of sound good but nothing as dangerous as months back, then you have an approx­ Max's classic "War Ina Babylon." In imation of how Aswad pushes rhythm fact, Max only penned three of the ten against rhythm, segues piano and guitar tracks, and they are the three best tracks. in and out of pulse, makes the bass boom Black Slate's Rasta Festival (Alligator and the drum heads rattle and echo. 8302) is the second offering on this blues "Children" is a textbook piece, you can label from the English reggae group. study it for days. Recorded in London, this style of reggae Wiser Dread (Nighthawk Records 301) is much more up and bouncy, sorty of like is self described in its excellent liner notes TSOP productions from Gamble and as "an anthology of Rastafarian roots Huff, except none of this has the music recorded in Kingston, Jamaica, bet­ toughness of classic 0' Jays. This is more ween 1972 and 1978," which means that like the Stylistics. (I use these images only it's hard and uncompromising music. as a means of giving the uninitiated Nighthawk must be congratulated for something to compare the music to. Black producing this manifestation of a style of Slate does not sound like the Stylistics.) music which is to reggae as Delta blues is But of the recent releases, the piece de to the blues. The production is done with resistance is RED (Mango MLPS 9625) by reverence. There is a color photo of each Black Uhuru, a vocal trio lead by Michael of the five artists: Bunny Wailer, Jackie Rose, a Jamaican singer/ songwriter, and Brown, Sang Hugh, The Morwells and supported by felow Jamaican Duckie Itals (Keith Porter), followed by Simpson, and Puma Jones, an African­ biographical information and words from American with a masters from Columbia the artist, along with excerpts from the who has converted to Rastafarianism. lyrics of featured numbers. This is the The album is produced by the ubiquitous way to introduce reggae to a new au­ rhythm team of Dunbar & Shakespeare. dience. Moreover, the selections are well Black Uhuru sings strong in the Jamaican chosen for this first in a projected series patois, with Rose out front belting like a of albums. Must make note of Bunny baptist preacher calling down fire and Wailer, who, although strictly working in brimstone. Although the album includes what he terms a "classically reggae" for­ no biographical data, all the lyrics are mat, always makes a very bold and in­ there, and this enhances the enjoyment novative arrangement of voices, in­ of the music. Rose has an uncanny way of struments and percussion. His melodic singing between the beats, and writing development is advanced and he tends to songs which seem to go in two directions employ more changes than most reggae at one time. On one hand it sounds slow, artists without sacrificing any simplicity, but on the other hand there is so much go­ which is the hallmark of roots reggae. His ing on rhythmically. This sound fills all two cuts "Life Line" and "Arab's Oil the space in your head, or like Rose says Weapon" are choicest products. in the song " Utterance," "What a Joy to Black Slavery Days (Clapper Records hear the/ utterance of a Rasta (Re­ CLPS 1982) represents the rebel element peat)!" 0 to the max; like they say on the front of - Kalamu ya Salaam

16 WAVELENGTH/DECEMBER 1981 walking• running • working • skating • bicycling • sunning • exercising • reading • studying • skiing • driving • writing • mowing • Walkman. It makes all these things of separate high fidelity components. more fun , more enjoyable. Why? Sony pioneered the transistor radio, Because now you can do them while tummy TV's, big portable radio­ listening to your favorite music - in cassettes, and of course, Betamax. Now stereo, with high fidelity sound quality. Sony brings you tiny personal stereos. What is it? It's a tiny stereo While other companies are just now cassette player. It has no speaker, but bringing out their copies of the comes with an ultra lightweight set of Walkman, Sony is introducing the sec­ headphones. They are so lightweight you ond generation - the Walkman 2. It's hardly feel them. You can listen for smaller and better than the original. It hours. has soft touch controls like an expen­ And what you hear is fantastic sive home component, and the batteries .. stereo sound. The bass is astonishing . last longer. It's even cheaper. The highs crystal clear. The stereo effect Sony, the one and only Sony excellent. The Sony Walkman weighs Walkman. It's incredible. less than a pound and sounds like a ton

The New Tiny The FM Walkman The New Economy The Walkman Stereo Walkman WM2 Stereo Radio SRF·40w Walkman WM1 Recorder TCS·310

7323 Freret Street Uptown near Broadway 866-3579 10-7 Mon-Thurs, 10-6 Fri & Sat UNCOMMON NEW blues tune, "Lonesome. Christmas." The arrangements, by Sam Henry, Jr., MUSIC are marvelously melodic and appropriate­ A BUYER'S ly instrumented - he even has a perfect Rockefeller-Center-skating-rink organ break on " The Christmas Song." My only MARKET criticism is that "Silent Night," "The Lord's Prayer," and "White Christmas" are a little too heavily wrought for my tastes, each with a ponderous tempo. It's Despite the muddled horizons as if too much obeisance is shown towards of the recording industry, a Adams, setting him up with a panegyric slew of New Orleans and New for his admittedly astounding talents. Orleans-related records have This is not necessary, since foremost among Adams' gifts are his ability to in­ been released of late. More are tegrate his incredible range into simple expected out before 1981 is melodies, and his distinctive phrasing over, including recordings by around a moderate tempo. Gatemouth Brown, the New Jazz All in all, this record is capable of doing Quintet, the Radiators, Michael what Christmas music can do - freshen­ ing the charitable and romantic spirit of White, Papa Celestin, and the short days of the year. Carl Marshall and the S.D.'s. WOODEN HEAD -Tim Lyman w/ Angelle Trosclair New Orleans Christmas in New Orleans Piano Wizard: Live! BLUES SALOON Johnny Adams James Booker Sat. Dec. 5th Hep' Me LP-159 Rounder 2027 What do you look for in a Christmas TIPITINA'S album? If you're like me, you want some The' 'piano wizard'' does it again! This is of the classic melodies of the Yuletide Booker's first United States release since his Wed. Dec. 16th delivered in fresh yet traditional ar­ singles for Ace and Peacock Records. The rangements by a fine vocalist of distinc­ record is actually a re-release of a live per­ tion. This record is all of that. formance recorded in Zurich, Switzerland, The knack that Johnny Adams has for in 1977 and originally released on Gold interpreting standards makes him a Records, so check titles and be sure you natural for a Christmas record. I'm only don't have the original release before pur­ surprised he hasn't done it before. chase. Adams' incredible timbre - the perfect The album finds Booker in a much­ modulation of his tremolo, the way in varied yet bluesy vein to strong effect. The which the richness of his deep, natural set is one of my favorites by Booker even voice propels him into the upper registers, though it does not include any original the airy power of his overlapping falsetto material by the " Piano Prince." However, - rekindles the original holiday spirit of each selection is given Booker's totally these classics. original treatment. For example: my two favorite Booker pays tribute to some of his Christmas songs are included here - favorite artists by playing their tunes, songs THE ElliS MARSALIS QUINTET "The Christmas Song" ("Chestnuts by Joe Tex, Percy Mayfield, Melvin Lastie, roasting on an open fire . . . ") and and Charles Brown. Unusual numbers like SATURDAY, DEC. 26 AT 9:30 PM "Please Come Home For Christmas" the Frank Sinatra tune "Something CONTEMPORARY JAU PIANIST, COMPOSER AND (they close sides one and two, respective­ Stupid" also come off successfully as blues EDUCATOR HAS WORKED WITH JOHN COLTRANE, ly). To my mind, the versions of these Al Hllh, AND THE ADDERLEY BROTHERS. numbers. tunes by Nat "King" Cole and Charles Booker is also in excellent voice Brown, respectively, are the standards of throughout. Standout tracks here are "Let KID THOMAS VALENTINE & the season and can never be replaced or Them Talk" and "Black Night." It is easy THE PRESERVATION HAll JAZZ superceded. But this is precisely the point to see why Rounder Records (a label of BAND - Adams delivers them in understated highest standards) found this to be worthy SATURDAY, JAN. 2 AT 9:30 PM and rich tones that send the listener of stateside release. I can recommend this beyond comparisons with the originals; he album without reservation. DANCE TO THE ClASSIC SOUND OF THE simply, and rightly, amplifies one's - Hammond Scott PRESERVATION HAll JAU BAND UNDER THE lEADERSHIP OF KID THOMAS VALENTINE understanding and appreciation of the songs. $4.00 $3.00 C.A.C. MEMBERS And more great tunes of Christmas: ''0 Street Parade BROADCAST OVER WWOZ 90.7 FM Little Town Of Bethlehem," "Silver Earl King JAZZ FACTORY Bells," and "The Bells of St. Mary," Charly 230 CAMP ST. • 523-1216 each a fine vehicle for Adams' stylings. goo The only personal favorite I can think of This is an excellent set of Seventies that's not on this album is "0 Holy Crescent City soul, proving again that our Night." Then there's a wonderfully boun­ man Earl King is a force to be reckoned cy and cleverly-arranged number, ''This with. The entire album is a tribute to Christmas," followed by a fine Christmas Earl's writing and singing ability, and oh

18 WAVELENGTH/DECEMBER 1981 New From so welcomed. Questions, No Answers album. That's Most should be familiar with the fine, because they sound much better in Rounder Records ... record's title track as it deservedly gets these versions anyway. Kahne has gotten substantial air play during Carnival, and a very full sound from the band without was included on the Mardi Gras In New resorting to sonic overkill, and, if the tem­ Clarence Gatemouth Brown's Orleans LP. pos are a little slower on the album than Hard-Driving Texas Swing Also, reworks of "Mothers Love" and they are in live performance, they make Records like Clarence Gatemouth "Mama & Papa," an obscure 45 on up in greater articulation what they lose in Brown's Alright Again! aren't often Listening Post last year, are included sheer force. made these days. The music is hard­ here. I raved about it then and my opinion That's a worthwhile trade-off, because driving rhythm 'n' blues played by a hasn't changed. In fact "Mother's Love" these guys definitely have something to big band that fuses jazz horn makes me homesick! Of course "Mama & say. For a change, here's a rock band that arrangements with a rocking blues Papa" is a sequel to Earl's "Trick Bag" doesn't just sing about how hard life is on beat. Gate calls it Texas Swing and he odyssey. the road and how they can't get laid considers Alright Again! to be the Two exceptional ballads grace Street enough (perhaps it isn't, maybe they can, finest album he has ever Parade: "You Make Me Feel Good" and I don't know). Instead they sing about not "This Is What I Call Living." Earl's wanting to die as dead heroes for the guitar takes the choppy rhythm, while the USA, about the radicalizing teenagers, horns punch in perfectly over a laid-back and about peer pressure. Political punk is organ (Toussaint?). Excellent vocals too. not dead, and it's encouraging to find "Medieval Days" and "Do The young musicians - or anyone, really - Grind" really deserve special mention. whose global awareness extends beyond The former is a humorous musical novelty the "bomb Iran" mentality. that really needs to be listened to to be ful­ Outside of a cover of Johnny Cash's ly appreciated. "Grind" is a funky second "Folsom Prison Blues," the songwriting line that recalls some of the great dance is almost evenly split among guitarists records that New Orleans produced dur­ John Griffith and James Singletary and ing the mid-Sixties, particularly Smokey bassist Darren Hill. New drummer Johnson's efforts on NOLA. Patrick Jones fits in just fine, anchoring Unfortunately, Seasaint couldn't lease the band in a style that comes straight these tracks to Atlantic after they were from the first Clash album. In general the recorded in 1972. Had they done so there songs are good enough that you don't is no telling how Earl's career might have even notice that the guitar solos don't changed, but that's speculation. vary much, but I do wish they'd cut down This and the new Irma Thomas record on the overuse of that squeal effect you James Booker's are the best Charleys out at present, and get by scraping the pick down the length Keyboard Wizardry have been imported into the U.S., so of the strings. That's a heavy metal move don't miss out. anyway. Beautifully recorded before an -Almost Slim Soon the Red Rockers will be doing a enthusiastic European audience, here national tour in support of this album. It is the definitive recording of one of the would be nice if they could also get some finest contemporary New Orleans Condition Red local support. pianists. -Steve Alleman Red Rockers 415 Records 415A-006 Dr. John Plays When the Red Rockers discovered that Mac Rebennack being the best punk band in New Orleans wasn't leading anywhere, they decided to Mac Rebennack try playing in California, where their kind Clean Cuts 705 of music is fairly popular. This turned out to be exactly the right move. Jn no time Besides the gris-gris dust, the feathers, the they had a sizeable following and several flash and the funky N'Awlins music, Dr. offers from record companies. They final­ John has been much more to the music ly settled on 415 Records, an independent scene. In retrospect, it is easy to see that the company in San Francisco, and they've Dr. has never been one to stagnate. He has now released their first album, Condition always sought new ways to express what he - . PI Wizard.: Uvel (Rounder Records '1J10) Red. feels. This latest album is an example of a New Orl-" ano Early reports indicated that the record musician who is dissatisfied with the current would be produced by Sandy Pearlman, state of the music business and is searching who works with Blue Oyster Cult and pro­ for a mode of expression. While any record 99 duced the second Clash album, but after is both a means to an end and an end in itself, ON SALE $5. each ~ cutting some demos with him the band Mac's new record is more transitional than ROUNDER found his brand of studio perfectionism most. Mac told Wavelength that "to me it unsympathetic, not to mention costly. So was like making a point. .. '' I can only gather 5500 Magazine 128 W. Chimes they wound up using producer/ engineer that Mac's point is that the accountants New Orleans - BSS-8713 Baton Rouge. LA David Kahne, who also did the record by should stick to keeping the books for the Open 7 Days a Week 389-8012 Romeo Void, another 415 band, and they record companies and let the musicians take finished the whole album in five days. care of making music. Dr. John doesn't just The Rockers apparently wanted their -complain about the stifling situation. In Dr. best songs on the record, even if it meant John Plays Mac Rebennack, he takes the repeating "Guns of Revolution" and necessary steps to break out of it. "Teenage Underground" from their Mac recorded these tracks for a small, in­ single and "Dead Heroes" from the No dependent label affiliated with Adelphi WAVELENGTH/DECEMBER 1981 19 Records. In its two or so years of existence, tion, says the pressure was unbelievable. Clean Cuts Records has placed quality as a Having no rehearsals and not having a high priority. The label's roster includes the really communicative drummer didn't Phil Woods Quartet and the exceptional help. But the music shines through and pianist Jessica Jennifer Williams. "La Rem" sounds relaxed and in tune. Dr. John Plays Mac Rebennack is a solo Her tone is very warm - close to W es performance and is by no means a landmark Montgomery's. The tunes are well chosen piano record or even a landmark in Mac's and display Remler's different tastes. career. The playing is somewhere between However, throughout the album, and par­ Professor Longhair and James Booker. ticularly on the title cut, one can hear the Most of the tunes are up tempo boogie profound influence of Montgomery. woogie, and a couple are slow blues. "The The opening tune, "Strollin'," is a Nearness of You" is the only vocal on the Horace Silver piece that receives a slow, album and sounds like what you would ex­ swinging feel and has a beautiful intro pect to hear in a good piano bar around four reminiscent of guitarist Ed Bickert. o'clock in the morning. Mac said that the "Look To The Sky" is a light and airy people at Clean Cuts just let him go into the bossa nova written by Antonio C. Jobim ITTITUDE: studio one day to have some fun. And that is and has Hank Jones adding superb ac­ the impression that the record leaves on the companiment to Remler's sensitive solo. listener. The piano playing is good with a "Perk's Blues" was written back in the (at·a·ti.id; -tti.d). n !.disposition sometimes tedious left hand. But what we Li'l Queenie days and employs a little or manner toward a person or thing must applaud here is that Mac is still search­ reharmonization of some medium-up (i.e.. music). 2. position of the body ing and changing. blues. "Firefly," which probably makes appropriate to an action. purpose. Wes smile in his grave, is an energized emotion, musical endeavor, etc. - Brad Palmer bebop excursion with Remler playing a sizzling, reaching solo. In "Moving Along" we visit Montgomery once again but this time it's his tune. Another major Firefly influence that seeps its way through this Emily Remler thriving blues in 6/ 8 time is a close friend of Emily's, Pat Martino. DESTINED TO BE Concord CJ-162 A unique solo version of "A Taste Of THE HOTTEST Emily Remler, in the company of Honey" (raw and unfiltered) is included. veteran session people of the Concord The dark chords and rhythmically dif­ NEW MUSICAL SENSATION label, has recorded her debut record. ferent bass line paint a nice contrast, in its TO ATTACK Some of you might remember Remler own sweet way. Also, this tune may have THE NEW ORLEANS SCENE playing with ace guitarist Steve been inspired by hearing the legendary Masakowski and Fourplay. Later on she Lenny Breau (another favorite of played frequently at Tyler's and with Li'l Rernler's) play it on his now defunct Queenie and the Percolators, besides do­ "live" album. ing plenty of spot jobs including the Blue The McCoy Tyner piece, "Inception," Room and Summer Pops. Since she left was written way after Coltrane's death, town, needless to say, many doors have contrary to what the liner notes say. been opened, perhaps pried open. Being Remler feels this is one of her better solos from New Jersey has probably made the on the album. It's a blues in a minor key "big" move from here to New York City with a melody containing some interesting a little less intense. chording. Bob Maize plays a nice solo One of her bigger breaks came when while Remler converses in the Herb Ellis and Barney Kessell were here background. around 1978. Remler needed an adjust­ Finally we arrive at what could be the ment on her H .E . Aria guitar, and after epitome of attaching fingers to ears. After she brought it to Ellis they played. completely reharmonizing the chords to Delighted and most probably shocked, the melody of "In A Sentimental Mood," Ellis took the privilege of "discovering" one of the freshest solos of the album un­ Remler. A few weeks later, after Ellis folds into an exquisite story. talked to Carl Jefferson o( Concord Emily's wonderful sense of timing and Records, Emily found herself on the Con­ her totally musical and discriminating ear cord pavilion stage with some big boys - are why Firefly is a welcome pleasure in Kessell, Tal Farlow, and Howard the vinyl jungle; and also why Jim Hall Roberts, to name a few. Her set with Ellis and Pat Metheny say she's "just incredi­ won a standing ovation and promises of ble.'' her name on vinyl. -Phil deGruy Maybe a year later, she got a call to play on the Clayton Brother's record All In The Family, blending beautifully with Dave Bartholomew's pianist Roger Kelloway yet only soloing New Orleans Jazz Band on a couple of cuts. Dave Bartholomew Nearly two years later, after landing gigs with Astrud Gilberto, Bob Moses and BR 1201 Eddie Gomez, and Monty Alexander, to This sure isn't the stuff that sold 100 name a few, Remler has recorded Firefly million records for our own Dave Bar­ with pianist Hank Jones, bassist Bob tholomew, no sir. Dave discussed this pet Maize, and drummer Jake Hanna. project a few months ago in these pages, Remler, in her usual state of dissatisfac- as you'll recall. Always close to his roots, 20 WAVELENGTH/DECEMBER 1981 this is really Bartholomew's tribute to the here shows that Blakey has mellowed just sound that spawned his success. a little over the past decade. If you buy Nothing here that might reactivate Im­ this record expecting drum thunder and perial Records; rather, this is a set that heavy African rhythms, then you will be tourists take back home with them and disappointed. But if you are looking for play every time they invite company over an inspired performance by six major to view slides of their vacation. talents captured in concert at the Dixieland versions of "Blueberry Keystone Korner in San Francisco, then Hill," "The Saints," "Let The Four your money will be well spent. While Winds Blow," and the like are here. Dave Blakey keeps a lower profile these days, manages a few patented horn breaks but he has not grown lazy in his drumming. on the whole the record is just too He never was a drummer to take token schmaltzy to hold my interest. solos. When Blakey solos on Straight Guess this will have to do until Dave Ahead, it is with ultimate purpose, never can get Fats back into the studio and too long nor too short. bring a little joy back into the world. 0 To single out the musicians on this -Almost Slim album and discuss each one's merits and shortcomings would be doing the set a disservice. This band is truly a well-oiled Old Fais Do Do Songs machine, a synthesis of all the musicians. Yet, in all fairness, two of Blakey's Allen Fontenot sidemen must be singled out. and his Country Cajuns First (and probably to no one's suprise), Wynton Marsalis' contribution Delta 1123 to the date should be cheered. It is a real You might have a hard time getting tribute to Marsalis that he was given so hold of this because Delta Records much space on the album. More impor­ primarily distributes their products in tantly, though, is how he uses the space. record racks at truck stops. Never fear His solos are always interesting, and his though, Allen just might have a copy or articulation is unusually clear and precise. two at his record store on Airline Marsalis's playing is effulgent on the Irv­ Highway. So if you have the "envee" for ing Berlin standard "How Deep is the this type of music, it might be worth the Ocean," as he climbs in, out, and around trouble. the melody. His interaction with pianist Fontenot really plays a wide variety of James Williams on that number is a high material on this offering: twangy country point of the set. Wynton's playing with 12/6 Fletcher's Nitery and western on "Big John_"; " Old Fais the Blakey band has the emotion that, for Fat City Do Do," of course, is a classic cajun me, was lacking in his work with 12/10-12 Steamboat Annie's waltz; a Cajun version of the R&B classic V.S.O.P. He has covered a great deal of Shreveport, La. "Honky Tonk"; an attempt at humor territory over the past year and appears to with "Great Scott"; and even a rousing be growing substantially with every move. 12/13 Fletcher's Nitery bayou version of "Rockin' Robin." He took the spotlight during this year's Fat City All is stamped with Fontenot's seal of Chicago Jazz Festival and shone brilliant­ 12/18 Quarter Note good Cajun music. Some of these tracks ly. He shines equally well on Straight were previously released on singles but Ahead. And, in this record, the degree of Fat City unless you've got a nose like a retriever on empathy among the players is greater than 12/20 Fletcher's Nitery Bayou LaFourche, you probably never what one expects from such club recor­ Fat City heard them. dings. 12/26-27 Winchester's Saloon Real downhome music. Proof that the Contributing much to the unity of man is still "The Cajun King Of New direction is James Williams. Keep an eye Breaux Bridge, La. Orleans." 0 out for this pianist. His playing is sen­ 12/30-1 /3 E.M.C. Naval Base -Almost Slim sitive; his melodies are full, yet not busy. While his touch leans toward the light style, which is gaining in popularity these Straight A head days, Williams does not spare the notes like so many players in that school. James Art Blakey Williams and Wynton Marsalis make & the Jazz Messengers Straight Ahead a special record. Siding Marsalis in the horn section are Concord Jazz 168 Bill Pierce on tenor sax and Bobby Wat­ Q. What do Charlie Mingus, Miles son, alto sax. Blakey always has had a Davis, and Art Blakey have in common? keen eye for good bassmen and his choice A. Among other things, each of these for this band is no exception. Charles great jazzmen has a reputation for picking Fambrough is the bassist here. Fam­ up relatively unknown musicians and brough is rhythmically strong. He and bringing them to the attention of the jazz Blakey inject the record with an overall public. The newest and most striking ex­ upbeat, positive rhythm. ample of this workshop approach is Art Other tunes on this record include Blakey's latest LP Straight Ahead with "Falling in Love with Love" and "Webb Ellis Marsalis' and New Orleans' son City." The sound quality of the recording Wynton Marsalis on trumpet. is excellent, with unobtrusive applause P.O. Box 20001, N.O., LA 70141 Straight Ahead is a very apt title for this between numbers from an obviously very Steve Tallman 456-0132 record since the music is just that - pleased audience. straight ahead modern bop. The playing The only complaint I have with the

WAVELENGTH/DECEMBER 1981 21 package is the liner notes by the album's producer, Frank Dorritie. Dorritie's five short paragraphs on the back of the jacket consist of the kind of rhetoric that gives liner notes a bad name. This is a minor drawback, however, when compared to the fine music on the record. -Brad Palmer

God Rest Ye Merry, Jazzmen Wynton Marsalis Quintet And Various Other Artists Columbia FC 37551 Columbia Records should enclose a sticker with this disc with the warning ' 'No Smirking.'' There is a strong tempta­ FOR tion to smirk when picking up this package. The title is corny, the graphic design is not particularly appealing, and the impression is gimmicky. But the music on this album is none of the above. God Rest ye Merry, Jazzmen consists of six Christmas standards performed by some of the most reliable jazzmen in the coun­ try. The word " reliable" is chosen here open 'til 9 dec. I because it is necessary to state that these musicians can be relied upon to deliver a quality performance in the face of all odds. Wynton Marsalis has really connected with the right people since leaving New Orleans. The Wynton Marsalis Quintet is featured here in what is the most in­ teresting track on the album, a very modern sounding and highly syncopated "We Three Kings of Orient Are." For this young talent to be included in a package alongside of old timers liker Dex­ ter Gordon, McCoy Tyner, Arthur Blythe, and the Heath Brothers is a hint of good things to come in the future. Wynton's quintet includes brother Bran­ ford on tenor sax, Kenny Kirkland on piano, Clarence Scay on bass, and Jeff FLAMINGOS Watts, drums. Kirkland and Scay play GOES TURKEYS acoustic. Branford is a very energetic sax­ ophonist and never is lacking for im­ ORDER OUR DELICIOUS HOME provisational ideas. He and Wynton make SMOKED ITEMS NOW FOR THE HOLIDAYS a tight horn section. I don't know how they did it, but some­ Large Turkey ...... $2 .30/lb one at Columbia Records got McCoy Ducks ...... 2.75 /lb Geese ...... on order Tyner to stop pounding the keys long Boneless Lamb Leg...... 6 .00/lb enough to turn out the next attraction on Brisket ...... I .80/lb this album. Tyner plays a quiet, pro­ Corned Beef...... 2.25/lb vocative " I'll Be Home For Christmas." Veal Shanks ...... 3.00/lb The playing is quiet, but Tyner isn't just Large Hams ...... 2.25/lb Beef Ribs ...... I . 75/lb playing the melody here. He goes after Pork Ribs ...... 2. 75/lb this old pop tune with both hands and Pork Ribettes...... 5. 50/lb makes it his own. He plays here on a Steinway concert grand. Order early for God Rest Ye Merry, Jazzmen is a good Christmas and New Years buy for those who like to listen to " ATTEND OUR FIRST NEW YEAR'S EVE BASH" Christmas music but sometimes get tired of the old standbys. The purchase will be doubly appreciated if the buyer likes per­ formances by some of the best jazz musi­ cians in the country. I am thankful that someone at Columbia Records still has an ear for quality. Just remember, "No Smirking!" 0 -Brad Palmer 22 By Tim Lyman

of the year Milano would get liquor licenses under each one of those ad­ dresses, and when the cops would come with their sledgehammers and beat down one door, he'd just lock it up, run to the back and get another license, and open another door. After years of harassment they finally convicted him in 1968, but he had a heart attack in the courtroom and died, so they never did get him. "That was James A. "Cheater" Milano .. . nobody ever walked out of his place a winner, the man would lay in the bushes and roll you if you tried to get out with twenty dollars. And he was a real A-bomb nut, he built the place like a bunker. When I tried to remove the safe, I JED LOOKS BACK had to get the bomb disposal unit out, and they closed the entire block. He had it The recently retired Mr. Palmer reminisces about his booby trapped with explosives and nine years in the nightclub business and his transformation from poisonous gasses." Closing the block didn't take much in a suds pumper to an innovator in the uptown music scene. those days. When Jed moved into the bunker, that area of Oak Street was only ed Palmer, the grandfather of ed. When asked to explain, he smiled and about forty percent occupied. "A lot of uptown New Orleans live music said, "I just thought it was a bit silly put­ people were afraid to cross Carrollton club operators, has retired from ting on riding britches, shouting back then," he recalled. But with beer the business. The club he owned 'tally-ho,' and chasing some poor inno­ specials, drink specials, T -bone burgers and operated at 8301 Oak Street cent fox who'd never done anything to with special sauce, and plenty of games Jfor nine years, Jed's (originally Jed's anyone.'' like foosball and air hockey, Jed's at­ University Inn), has changed hands, now Soon Palmer was going to LSU and liv­ tracted some crowds pretty quickly. In to be called Tupelo's. ing on Lowerline Street, across the street fact, Palmer claims he made more money Many things can be said about Palmer from the little bar that is now Charity's. off the games then he ever did from and his club, but you have to start with One night he got a call from the pro­ music. the fact that Jed's was consistently at the prietor who "said he'd caught his old lady So why did Palmer get into music? forefront of the musical changes of the in bed with one of the delivery men, and " Boredom," he says. He started having Seventies. Jed's essentially went through he'd had it. So he said if I paid off the groups on weekend nights- Kurt Kasson five discernable incarnations: a cigarette machine people some $470 and and the Wheeler Sisters is the first he neighborhood bar with occasional free took over the $90 a month lease, I could remembers. But by late 1974 he began to musical acts (1973 and 1974); old rock 'n' have the bar." Palmer had seen enough of hit upon a type of music his white college roll and R&B with a cover charge (1975); law school to know that the suit and tie crowd ate up - old New Orleans R&B. cosmic cowboy and outlaw music (1976 life was not for him, so he took the offer. He went downtown and talked Pro­ and 1977); national acts (1978); and punk After a time running the Lowerline fessor Longhair - who was still working rock and new wave (1979 to the present). Street bar, Palmer bought the building on as a janitor then - into playing, renting These periods overlapped some, but Oak Street as an investment. T AC him a little p.a. for each gig. There was laid out in this manner they indicate the Amusement was leasing the building then Benny Spellman, who was delivering extent to which Palmer was an innovator to Big George, leader of the Galloping Budweiser to his club, he was no problem. in uptown live music entertainment. For Gooses, a biker club, and the Gooses Irma Thomas was living in California at the better part of a decade, Palmer literally dismantled the place the night the time, but she played a couple of gigs basically ran his club by coming up with before the transaction. Prior to the on visits back to town and decided to stay an original type of entertainment (and Gooses, the place had been - well, let in New Orleans. Ernie K-Doe, Bobby Mit­ remodeling the building to suit it); riding Palmer tell the story. chell, and Tommy Ridgely played .. . the idea for a year or so until someone else " It used to be Milano's Bar and As Mardi Gras 1975 rolled around, copied the idea, diluting the scene; and Restaurant and Gambling Emporium. Palmer took a novel step: he charged peo­ then presenting a new kind of entertain­ The front room was the bar, then there ple a dollar to come into his club to hear ment. was a huge kitchen area, and the back Professor Longhair at Carnival time. Before delving into the particulars of room was where they had the crap tables " Oh, I had some irate customers! People the nightclub, it's best to do a little and the card games. Upstairs, they had it throwing beer cans at the place, scream­ background on the events that brought divided into ten rooms up there, that was ing, 'You can't charge a cover at a New Palmer and the building at 8301 Oak the bordello. And the little room on the Orleans bar!' It took them a year to stop Street together. third floor was where Milano took in all vehemently protesting the cover charge." Palmer blew into town in the wake of his race results and had all his false doors It wasn't too long, though, before Hurricane Betsy. His family got him out and escape hatches. Palmer felt a new breeze. "Rusty Weir of some sticky situation by finding him a "It was the last in a chain of gambling was the first out-of-town act I ever job with the Small Business Administra­ clubs starting at what is now the Beverly brought in. That must have been in 1976. tion as it attempted to get New Orleans and extending down River Road finally to The whole outlaw thing was just starting back on its feet. "I was exiled from my Oak Street. That's why my club originally up, and then I got David Allan Coe and a native Virginia for conduct unbecoming had so many addresses- 8301 Oak, 8303 couple of others, and they all attracted the of a Virginia gentlemen," Palmer recall- Oak, 1202 and 1208 Dante - at the end big names like Jerry Jeff and Willie to WAVELENGTH/DECEMBER 1981 23 come in, which of course was the big damn, but a lot of my acts she just bought boost for the country music." All this out from underneath me. Taj, David time Jed was running music six nights a Bromberg, and Mose Allison, to name week - with such regulars as the Earl three." Turbinton Trio (with Julius Farmer and So Jed made his final turn to punk Johnny Vidacovich, and sometimes rock. Angelle Trosclair), Leigh Harris, Brad "Nobody else was doing punk, and Smolken, and Jim & Dave in the early besides, if you could hear the lyrics, week - and the music listings in the paper they're very creative, satirical, it's just went "Fairmont Blue Room" followed by hidden behind over-amplified guitars. "Jed's." But the Copas Brothers had sup­ Plus, they were a novelty with a specific planted the Meters (who had broken up) market out there, young upper middle as his top band, indicative of the shift to class sons and daughters of doctors, cosmic cowboy music. lawyers, and the like, all of whom have Then, when Ziggy's and Huck's started money, so I had another locked-in market picking up on the country, Palmer moved there. It made economic sense. But those on again. new wavers are violently racist. Heavy "I got a contact somehow or other, and Nazi overtones, too, it's frightening. They I don't really know how it started, with won't go see a black act, they don't care national acts. I closed and remodeled to who it is, just because they're black. set the place up for it. Nobody else was "It got so that even a group like the bringing touring acts in, so 1 decided to Neville Brothers wouldn't draw much take a crack at it." David Bromberg, anymore in my club. I guess people got the Jesse Winchester, Jimmy Spheeris, the afraid to go where the purple-haired idiots Little River Band, Eddie Money, Ry hung out, afraid their girlfriends would Radiators Cooder, Elvis Costello - these are just a get ravaged or morphined-up upstairs." few names that Jed brought in. Is thay why he got out of the business? DECEMBER 1981 " Once you established in the industry "Nah. I've just kinda gotten burned Friday 4th that you provided the musicians with nice out after nine years. The game is supply dressing rooms, and that you catered to and demand, and it's obvious that now Tupelo Tavern their little prima donna whims and it's the musicians' market. Doing the (formerly Jed's) caprices - and that you paid your bills, music takes a lot of work. First you gotta which was really the bottom line - then get a band at a price you can live with, Saturday 5th the acts would just come your way. and then you gotta go out and market Dream Palace "Also, I worked well with the record them. There's such a lack of cooperation companies. They would subsidize things, in this city between the radio, the record­ l"ri. &e Bat.., llt.h c!e 12th help you with radio advertising and ad­ ing studios, the record stores, and the Jimmy's vance work, work with record stores put­ clubs; there isn't any cartel-type arrange­ ting out their displays, having the artists ment. It's just, everybody thinks they've Friday 18th sign autographs, things like that. And got their own, and they don't want to Tupelo Tavern they might drop the price of the act to me, cooperate. I've just gotten tired of it all." since I worked hard on the little things. And what kind of music does Palmer Saturday 19th Almost all acts would lose money on the listen to at home? Maple Leaf road anyway, and the companies would "I don't. I've never been one to turn on just pick up the tab and take it off future the radio. I've had to ask my kids about Tuesday 22nd royalties. groups. It used to be that when a booking T1p1t1na's "But it was always a struggle working agent called I'd have a check-list of about with radio in this town. It's a dreadful ten places to call - Peaches, the Saturday 26th radio market, somewhere around seven­ Mushroom, RNO, NOE - with questions Dream Palace tieth in the country, behind towns like Lit­ to ask, and if I'd end up with more X's tle Rock, because the stations are just tt>an O's on my checklist I'd book 'em." completely without imagination or To keep busy, Palmer and Bob Durel creativity. Even when I was doing coun­ bought a Baton Rouge bar just one try, all I had was SHO, and they went off mandatory mile from the LSU campus. the air at sundown! Plus they didn't like "You wouldn't believe the women that the hippie cowboys one bit. stroll into the place," he smiles. And, "But I kept on with the national acts holding up his Dixie beer can, he says, until the record companies started losing "I'd like to export these to Belise. Drink­ money and cutting back on their subsidies ing and gambling is the national pastime .- well, actually, it was that in conjunc­ down there, you know. And I'd also like tion with Rosy's ... to promote some concerts in that area of "Rosy came in and just went off her the Caribbean. I can't wait to hear a band gourd. She did not care. If she wanted try to do a soundcheck with their occa­ Ray Charles or Taj Mahal - I used Taj a sional electricity.'' lot - if she wanted an act, she'd pay So as Jed Palmer, raging iconoclasr, $10,000 when maybe he only wanted sails off into his Yucatan sunrise, it is best $3,000. Money was absolutely no object, to remember him as a man for the Seven­ and it completely messed up the bidding ties on the local music scene. As he says, structure. It's impossible to have a com­ ''my main success in live music was jump­ petitive process when you've got ing on things six months before anybody somebody who can just dig into her else did." Not to mention ushering local alligator purse and whip out a check for entertainment from the era of James A. more than you make in a year. She either "Cheater" Milano to the era of the had no conception or just didn't give a s~ng«. 0

24 WAVELENGTH/DECEMBER 1981 1979, Summer. It's between sets on the perimeter. Not everyone is aware that Oak Street and the assemblage of a classic barroom brawl is taking place, nightclubbers from Jed's rolls out into the repleat with breaking beer bottles, flying stench of motor oil and rotting seafood, teeth, Twyla Tharpish moves in every smoking and burping and walking pell direction. mell into cars and lampposts. A punk People are slipping out the door even as with an aircraft carrier haircut is leaning the fight seems to be winding down, its out of the second floor window, happily participants more dazed than injured. But puking his last five Heinekens onto the what's left of this foray, rockers sitting in front seat of a red Volks ragtop. Funny puddles of beer, broken chair legs; this crowd, this. carnage is only the beginning. No such thing as a typical night at What sounds like the yawn of a Kodiak Jed's. Wednesdays you can catch the Up­ bear is heard from the stairs to the second town Kids in their pink alligator shirts, floor loft. Incredible baritone yelp, and waxhide Topsiders, churlish grins. Then he sounds hungry. Sure enough, it's Jed there's the R&B crowd, the men in dress himself. But wait, as nearly everyone code blue jeans and hip T -shirts that begins to notice, good old Jed isn't wear­ advertise every hip local institution from ing any clothes. Accompanied by female the Jazz Fest to the Celebrated New squeaks and a few howls from the bar Orleans Red Bean. For the women, Dan­ Jed advances toward the dance floor m skins. nothing but bedroom slippers and sock One night at Jed's is necessarily a ran­ hat, brandishing a plastic Superman cup dom choice. Tonight will do because the full of tequila, a bag of rock salt dangling Normals are playing. It's hot. And the from its rim. No one appears to under­ chess playing megalomaniacs at the Maple stand what Jed is saying, only that he is Leaf provide a perfect antithesis to the mad as a cat in a toilet. Even the Normals rockers at breaktime, the two groups leer­ look shocked and quit playing in the mid­ ing at each other across Oak Street. dle of a chain saw guitar solo. The band There's nothing more ludicrous than just stands there, looking at Jed like he punk rock and Cajun two-step bopping at was the Loch Ness Monster. the same time, in living stereo. Yes, Grabbing a kid by his black leather tonight will do fine. lapels, Jed is yelling in his best stentorian, Inside, the scene is progressing like a "Start a fucking fight in MY bar, will ya, page from Robbe-Grillet. Everyone goddam little twit. I should put yur god­ knows his part, his lines. The usual darn face in that speaker box over there, punkers rub leather up by the stage. You backwards," and starts shaking the poor can guess their choice of drugs by the sot up and down like a Planter's Punch. brand of soft drink in hand. Mainliners Taking the kid by his ass and epaulet, Jed prefer Coke and orange juice. Easy drags him across the floor and into the enough to spot the starfuckers, though, line of cars parked out front, onlookers squeezing themselves onto the stage with scrambling to follow, and pulls him up ray-gun stares and sweating palms and off the ground and over the windshield of their unrnistakeable air of purpose- only the red Volkswagon, its top still down, people in the room who know exactly why sending him headfirst into the front seat. they came. Applause from the crowd. The Normals are hitting just over 100 Jed is clearly on a roll. Thumping back decibels toward the end of the second set, into his club, customers clear a path for bass notes eating a hole in the South wall, him as if he were John Wayne in the final ears bleeding. The cold, exasperating, minutes of The Comancheros. Still in the electric, dangerous, idiot, iconoclastic, buff and sucking on his drink, Jed is up and even mysterious spirit of Jed's on stage with a microphone in hand. Peo­ University Inn is emerging once again ple are literally falling out of their chairs, from the clouds of smoke and dime store fists are pounded on tables. perfume. Some blonde guy dressed ''Shut up and drink some beers, god­ rockabilly gets slapped in mid-grab and damrnit," there is a squeal of feedback his D.A. whips around his face ala Elvis, from the mike. ''What the hell ya think expression of a child watching Fantasia this is, a goddarn zoo? I come down here for the first time. And just as things seem and I see a bunch of meatheads bangin' the closest to being out of control, the each other around, shit, I'm gonna throw rockabilly sends them over the edge. In all of 'em right out on their ass, unders­ the passing of perhaps four or five tand. Now go buy some goddam drinks seconds, a vortex of slippery punches and have a good time." surround this drunk and confused little There was no such thing as a typical cowboy, while others continue dancing at night at Jed's. -Dan Groya

WAVELENGTH/DECEMBER 1981 25 Joe was close to his mother and grand­ mother and to help bring in some extra money, he hustled a part-time job that, as it turned out, drew him even closer to a professional music career. "I must have been 12 when I got a job across the street workin' for old man Dooky Chase. I used to deliver sandwiches on a bicycle. ' 'Well, his son Edward had a band so I used to hang around their house. I spent more time around there than my own home. In fact, old man Dooky practically raised me." Being religious, Mr. G's family was against his getting involved in music, especially the blues. "My family was dead set against it. My grandmother said I'd be workin' for the devil, so they wouldn't buy me an instrument. I wanted a set of drums. Everybody else in the neighborhood had a horn or a sax. The next best thing was my voice, so that was my instrument. Music to us was a natural thing; we use to set up right in the court and start to playin' right in the middle of the project. -BIG DANCE- -reatariua- Ill. GOOGLIIDS The South's Youngest Blues Singer -Aad­ BILUE DWIOND IUIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII SOLID SINDIIS I PRESENTING Atllae GATES CLUB MR. GOOGLE EYES a..,... "*" Sts. Joe August fell into a singing career in the burgeoning NOIDAY, MAY tt11, lt4t musical climate of post-war New Orleans. Here's a look at -I:JO P.Jt- 'the world's youngest blues singer' thirty years later. M•iaiea ..... SOCeats ust about any time people up with his pace. Proud of his checkered (i..A,U Ticlrets Sold .. .,..__ recall the golden era of New career, he is eager to recall, gleefully at Orleans R&B, the name of times, his past and is full of humorous Joe August, also known as antecdotes. Google Eyes or simply Mr. G, Born in New Orleans Joseph "From workin' around Dooky Chase I eventuallyJ crops up. People like Johnny Augustus, Mr. G spent the first 10 years got to meet people likes Fats Pichon, who Adams, Ernie K-Doe, King Floyd, Tam­ of his life uptown where he got his initial would stop in after work in the morning my Lynn, and a host of others acknow­ taste of music. "There used to be shows and get a hot sausage sandwich. I told him ledge a debt to Google Eyes. over on Washington Avenue at the Lin­ I wanted to sing and would ask him ques­ Although he didn't receive the record­ coln and the Palace theatres. Vaudeville, tions." ing success of some of his contem­ they called 'em 'midnight rambles.' Used It was while working at Dooky Chase poraries, his earliest recordings pre-date to be a lot of Memphis comedians like that August was stuck with the "Google Fats Domino. 'Lollypop', Alma Parnel, that used to Eyes" tag. "When I wasn't on the bicy­ Today Mr. G lives quietly deep in the come by our house. I was a little guy, but cle, the old man would call me in the kit­ Ninth Ward, where he heads a black right then I liked that style of life. I chen and ask me to help him cook. They political organization (Blacks That Give wanted to be just like 'em. had a little window between the kitchen A Damn). He still makes an occasional ''Then we moved into the Lafitte Pro­ and the dining room, where the waitresses gig, singing and emceeing. jects when they first opened in 1940. My would come get the food. They had some Google Eyes, or G as his friends refer to grandmother got me singin' in the choir at pretty women, and I would just sit down him, has just turned 50, but you'd never the First Emmanuel Baptist Church. and stare. One night Dooky Chase caught guess by looking at him or trying to keep That's where I got my bottom from." me and said, "Come on, you better get

26 WAVELENGTH/DECEMBER 1981 your google eyes out of there.'' That night Although Paul Gayten and Roy Brown "I had another big record with 'Rock they started to rib me and it got back to recorded first, Google Eyes was right on My Soul.' I did four records for Coleman. the neighborhood and it stuck." their heels. "I was getting a good reputa­ Lee Allen and Paul Gayten backed me." Although barely a teenager, the am­ tion around town. I was in and out of the Unlike other artists, Google Eyes fared bitious youngster managed to work his Dew Drop, The Pelican, The Plum well financially with his record company. own way into bands and clubs. ''When I Room, I was workin' at Fosters with "I made more money than those people had a night off, I'd go help Dooky Wynonie Harris and did a "Battle of The paid Paul Gayten and Roy Brown. Cole­ Chase's band by carrying instruments into Blues" with Billy Eckstine at the Club man Brothers knew the business. The the dances. I talked 'em into letting me Desire - in fact, he called me Mr. G first damn record took off with such a bang sing a few numbers. I used to get my 'cause he was Mr. E. Deluxe Records that five days later they took me up to behind whipped for staying out late, but I came down first, but I recorded for the Newark to the hotel they owned. My made $3 a night!" Coleman Brothers on Coleman Records. mother said I could go, 'cause they gave Once he had his foot in the door there They were the only black record company me $750 for my first recording. I was still was no stopping the teenaged Google in the country at that time. They were on a minor so she got it. Guys like Roy Eyes, who had yet another trick up his the spiritual trail then. Brown didn't get but $50." sleeve. "I saved my money and bought a Google Eyes' records only served to PA set from Johnny's Music Shop on Rampart Street for $109. At that time -..:ery few bands had PA sets. Even Paul Barbarin didn't have one; he had to go borrow one. It was in a black cabinet; it had one 12-inch speaker. See, some of the younger guys that started bands didn't have 'em, so they would come to me. That put me in demand- they couldn't have the PA unless I sang! "The only way I could sing the blues through it, and bring it in the house, was to let the church use it on Sunday. So with my P A, I could make $3 a night, and get in the clubs when the rest of the kids my age had to peek in the windows." Google Eyes quickly became an in­ demand blues singer as he made the rounds of the clubs. "I started working the Downbeat Club on Rampart Street with Roy Brown, calling ourselves the "Blues Twins." [see WL9, the Roy l&OO ST. PHILIP ST · ST. PHlL.lPRID & oERBlGNY ''They sent Bill Coleman down from ROOS11R Newark to find some talent while he was enhance his popularity. "I always had LOUNGE here trying to set up a record distributor­ work, I was makin' more money than ship with W.B. Allen. Coleman came in everybody. I was really lucky." '·~ and heard me sing and said, 'That's who Things * f just kept rolling for the young tUESDAy .* 9 P· m. tt• I want to record.' In fact, he passed up singer as the prestigious Columbia Larry Darnel." Records bought out his contract. "Cole­ Your "'ost . . . With Only 15 at the time, Google Eyes began mans' was good to me, but being a small billing himself as the "World's Youngest company it could only go so far in MR. "G" Blues Singer." His first record was one of distributing, and Colemans' knew it. Col­ his biggest. "We did 'Poppa Stoppa's Be umbia had only two, three black people Bop Blues,' and 'Real Young Boy, Just 16 on the whole damn label, but they wanted -fR££ ALBUMS Years Old.' It was big. See, I came up to experiment, so they bought my con­ with a song with Poppa Stoppa's name on tract. That's when we did 'For You My waoK·• it, so they had to play it on the radio. I Love.' I did that with Billy Ford. He was .;TUIUNG wrote that with Miss Elsie who was Little a bandleader/ trumpet player; that was my ldt"' Brother Montgomery's wife. I remember band. That's the band that Coleman pick­ Fr.. A,bums him playin' this old beatup piano in there ed for me. while we got it together. "We did all right with those records. I "You see, Coleman was smart. I came had four on Columbia but there was a • up with the song 'No Wine, No Women,' problem with Columbia, too. I found out Brown story) Worked at the Robin Hood that was my second record. Then he got a lot of people couldn't get my records on Jackson Avenue with Paul Gayten and me to cut a commercial with Monogram because the distributors were prejudiced. Annie Laurie. This was when I was 14 Wine, singin' 'No Wine, No Women' on People were asking for me at the record years old. With that P A, I was welcomed it. Got paid a case of wine and I didn't shops but they couldn't get my records." anywhere." drink! Mr. G "settled down" in Newark for a

WAVELENGTH/DECEMBER 1981 27 few years. "I married a girl out of Newark. Newark was my jumpin' off point until 1956. I worked all 'round the country but I got back to New Orleans pretty much. I was always real close to Frank Painia, and he'd always put me up at the Dew Drop. Whenever I came to town I had a job there. "Shaw was bookin' me out of New York and he got me withAl Hibbler. Bill Cook started managing me and he got me into the Be Bop set at Birdland, with Charlie Parker, Gene Ammons and Miles Davis." This experience lead Mr. G to one of the high spots of his career. " Count Basie's wife had heard me and she told Count, so he came down to Birdland to hear me. He liked me and within three days I went into the studio with Count Basie for RCA Victor." Google Eyes was suddenly a very hot ' item. "It seemed liked everything I cut was selling. I had releases on four dif­ ferent labels in one month - Columbia, RCA, Lee and Domino. See, they would pay cash up front with no royalties. I also cut some stuff for Savoy. "By the time I was 19, I had made a quarter of a million dollars. But I ended I I had big cars. I up broke! I partied, remembered Lubinsky [Savoy president], he would buy me five pairs of silk pa­ jamas, but he wouldn't give me no money. "Shaw too. People used to send him

One show nightly Tuesday through Saturday at 10:00. Dark Sunday and Monday. h,II ncl • The ~t·w Orlc.1n, Hdrnn • Pnvdr.l' "rrccr .trhl rhc Mh~I"IJ'J'I • For rt•,crv.l!lon~ c.Jil '>2 )-4 174

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28 WAVELENGTH/DECEMBER 1981 deposits on gigs, but I never saw that New Orleans and decided to stay. He going there. So when I get out of work I money. But I enjoyed it all. Fats and them began working "The Sho Bar" on Bour­ would go over there." didn't have no cars - grown men that bon Street where he hosted a review that This liaison led to Google Eyes getting worked all their lives. I had a 1949 Buick featured Li'l Kathy, singer; Li'l Dee; the dubious distinction of being the last convertible. The seats were leopardskin, "Powerhouse" Batiste, trumpet; Edwin person to be arrested for miscegenation in the rugs were leopardskin and the trunk "Guitar" Red; Duke Johnson, bass; New Orleans (mixing of the races). The was leopardskin. Uncle Sam got that - Russel Ovey, sax; and "Mr. Soul," affair ended with Google Eyes being shot tax. drums. Mr. G became a regular on the by his former lover, and shunned by his "I had a chaffeur, a valet, so what am I strip until an incident occurred to change pals on the Strip. complaining about? Believe me, I thought his life. ''After that I moved off to Orleans into it would never end. Everytime I had ''You see, back then if you were caught a house that my cousin had in the Desire something to complain about, somebody dead with a white girl, they'd kill you Projects, to get my strength. So now Miss would stick some money in my hand and again! Segregation was heavy here. We Elsie that had the Plum Room took sick; say, "Go out and play!" could play the clubs but we could never sit they had put her out of her building. See, From Newark, Mr. G. made his way to in the club and have a drink, we had to go they were buying up the buildings on the West Coast. "I was workin' for the to the storeroom to do our drinkin' . Rampart and tear 'em down to make it mafia in Newark for Joe Cacuzzi and "I got hooked up with a white dancer at what it is today. Fucked. So she had to get Blackie Wells. They had the Crystal Club the Sho-Bar named Vicki. She cared for out. Then she moved to the Boogie Bee and I was the only black entertainer, me, but we could never go nowhere. there down the street, and then she had to move white band and all. I made a lot of money completely out of there. too. for them. My mother was out in Califor­ All she knew was the barroom business, ,.U,IT. IT, THOMAI ITI. cursed like a sailor. Big woman - get nia and she had my son, so when I went ,.HONI: 822•0128 out there, I worked in their clubs." drunk, man, sit in her bar with a pistol While in Newark, Mr. G had struck up under the bar, and her wig be sideways on an association with Johnny Otis, who was N~ 249 her head! Remember she helped me write also on Savoy Records and was a Califor­ 'Poppa Stoppa's Be Bop Blues.' Fess used nia native. Johnny was doing A&R for to play in there too. THII TICK~T E'NTITLI:I YO U Don Robey's Duke/ Peacock, and he was To A CHANC E To WIN A " I decided to stay away from Bourbon 100 % HUMAN HAIR WIG responsible for securing Google Eyes for WITH THI: PURC HAII: 0,. Street, and I told her that I'd help her, Duke. "Robey was slick, I made less A DRINK, 'cause I needed something to do. We money working· for him than anybody. started looking for a place, and found the All he wanted to pay anybody was $25 . was nowhere to go. We wanted to see old Fan Tan on Burgundy and Bienville. And I wrote a lot of stuff for him, too. I more of each other so Vicki got an apart­ See, Burgundy on back used to be all wrote 'Please Forgive Me' for Johnny ment on Orleans Street in the Quarter. It black, but there were no black bars. That Ace." was convenient, right near Bourbon place was a trap, but we fixed it up. I'm During 1960, Mr. G came back through Street, and I wouldn't look out of place the one who really put that place back in

WAVELENGTH/DECEMBER 1981 29 shape. We called the place Mr. G's Roar­ Kirschman who bought time with WBOK. good too; see they're tryin' for that Dew ing 20's. I went in the bar business and ''I created this thing called 'The Man On Drop flavor too. But they missed the boat quit singing except for that last record I The Scene.' After a while J ax and Regal entirely." cut with Allen for Instant." bought time with me, too." After the Dew Drop Mr. G had a few Once again a colorful story surrounds It was during this time that Mr. G more tries at the bar business, "Mr. G's" his final issued side. "We did 'Everything became the regular emcee at the Dew on N. Robertson, and "The Green Par­ Happens At Night.' [Instant S239] That Drop. "The Dew Drop was a beautiful rot" on First and St. Thomas. But as he was written by Victor Kirschman, the guy place. That place will never be replaced. admits, "I got tired of it; it was too hard who owns the department store But once Frank Painia got sick, things work." downtown. A lot of people don't know it, started going downhill." Throughout the Seventies, Mr. G but he wrote some stuff for Ella Fitz­ Mr. G is critical of the CAC's Charles stayed busy pursuing a variety of ac­ gerald, too. Well this record could have Neville's recent attempts to revive the old tivities. "I started Mason's Strip. I work­ done big things. Kirschman paid for the days of the Dew Drop Inn. "The first 'wo ed there for five years singing and MCing. session and said he was gonna pay for a were beautiful, man, but I think Charles I handled the Las Vegas Connection, An­ full page ad in Billboard and Cashbox. He Neville is running it into the ground. It toine Domino Jr., and Oliver and the was gonna give the money to Joe don't have that Dew Drop flavor. People Rockettes. (Banashak) but he found out Joe was don't know the difference. Now Char­ Mr. G explained how his interest in beating him out of money, so he froze on maine don't sing well enough to carry a politics was aroused. "I found I was able the whole deal just as it was taking off. whole show. Charles is trying to sell to influence a lot of people just like when Allen Toussaint says it was one of the best something that ain't there. I sang, so they won't slam the door in my things he ever produced 'cause it had that "I told Charles, 'The Dew Drop meant face. See, I knew Morial when he was a big band behind it." something and you're taking it to the kid. Despite Mr. G's obvious popularity in dogs. • It meant so much to a lot of peo­ "Our group works for no money and New Orleans, he has yet to return to the ple, still does. I don't want to be part of we just endorse candidates we feel are the studio. "They tried to get me to come it. best." down; Allen called me and Senator Jones. "Now for a finale he does this African When coaxed (it doesn't take much), But it's like this; if they can't do it right, I thing where he comes out in leotards. Mr. G will sit in and do a couple of just don't want to do it. There's just too Man, if he pulled a finale like that at the numbers. His voice is still strong and he many bad vibes out there between the Dew Drop, he'd get run on LaSalle Street! displays one of the most alluring stage musicians and Toussaint. I just don't "See now Charles Neville didn't never presences in the business. He deserves a want to get mixed up in that rat race. But work the Dew Drop. He never worked in lot more recognition than he's been get- if I can do it right - 'cause I got some the house band. They was too high a ting. Let's see that he gets it, for his place material, then I'd do it." calibre of musician. Right is right. I love in the history of New Orleans rhythm and Along with the bar business, Mr. G. got Charles but he don't even stand up to blues is an important one and mustn't be into radio as well by becoming a dj, somebody like Dave Lastie. forgotten. 0 mrough the aid of his old associate VIctor ''That play Shangri La could have been -Almost Slim

l 0 c A T I 0 N

Musical 1nstr:u:m:-_:e:-;n::-t~~=:~ WAREHOUSE 3941 Bienville St. 482-7894 30 WAVELENGTH/DECEMBER 1981 NOM IF*

THE PICTURE Original title: The Kiss of Fire Release: September 1950 Running time: 97 minutes, Filmed in Technicolor

THE CREDITS A Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Picture. Producer, Joe Pasternak. Director, Norman Taurog. Screenplay by George Wells, Sy Gomberg. Photography, William Snyder. Art Directors, Cedric Gibbons, Daniel B. Cathart. Sets, Edwin B. Willis. Editor, Gene Ruggerio. Sound, Douglas Shearer. Musical The Toast of New Orleans Director, Georgie Stoll. Choreography, Eugene Lor­ ing. Popular songs by Nicholas Brodsky (music), Sammy Cahn (words). Opera numbers conducted by o, Virginia, not all New power of reasoning. One day, director Jonny Green. Orleans music you hear at Norman taurog kept the whole cast and the picture show alternates crew on set from dawn to dusk, waiting THE CAST Kathryn Grayson (Suzette Micheline); Mario Lan­ between sleaze and tease. for the tenor. When he finally showed up za (Pepe Abellard Duvalle); David Niven (Jaques Some has a farther reach he told the director he'd slept all day Ribodeaux); J. Carrol Naish (Nicky Duvalle); (thoughN it sometimes exceeds the grasp.) because the night before, he'd stayed up James Mitchell (Pierre); Richard Hageman (Maestro The legend of that Old French House listening to records. "Well," said Taurog, P. Trellini); Clinton Sundberg (Oscar); Sig Arno notwithstanding, the city has most often "at least you've been learning some­ (Mayor); Rita Moreno (Tina); Romo Vincent been more operetta than opera. And so, it thing. What records were you listening (Manuelo). was with no small measure of the miracu­ to?" Replied Lanza: "Mine." THE SONGS lous that reactions were so favorable to His temper was often short-fused. He "The Toast of New Orleans" (sung by Mario this, perhaps the highest-browed that New became know as "the tiger." As his Lanza); " Be My Love" (Lanza, Kathryn Grayson); Orleans Music in Film has so far got. popularity accelerated, he assigned his "Bayou Lullaby" (Lanza, Grayson); "The Tina­ Guesses why: One, it pitches in a goodly bodyguard the task of keeping pests Lina" (Lanza, Grayson, Rita Moreno); ''I'll Never portion of pop, and two, Mario Lanza was away. One of the MGM prop men hung a Love You" (Lanza); "Boom-Biddy-Boom-Boom" (Lanza). at the top of his tenor timbre. sign on the singer's dressing room door. It said, in four languages, "Don't Fuck with " The Flower Song" from Carmen, by Bizet (Lan­ PRODUCTION NOTE the Tiger." za); "Jes Suis Titania" from Mignon, by Thomas The projected image was that the team (Grayson); "Love Duet" from Act I, Madame But­ terfly, by Puccini (Lanza, Grayson); "M' Appari" of Lanza/ Grayson - a latter-day version PRODUCTION NOTETTE from Martha, by Von Flottow (Lanza); of Jeannette MacDonald/ Nelson Eddy­ When RCA-Red Seal set out to record "O'Paradiso" from L 'Africaine, by Mayerbeer were amidst the mossy splendor of Lanza's version of the picture's lead song, (Lanza); "Brindisi," the drinking song from La Nouvelle Orleans. Actually, they never the company's theory was that "long­ Traviata, by Verdi (Lanza); "O' Luce di Quest left the back lot of MGM in Culver City. hairs" were entitled to a higher percentage Amina" from Linda di Chamounix, by Donizetti And when the Cajun shrimp fleet put out of money. (Lanza). After all, they figured, those boldy, it was on a bayou built over a tank. singers wouldn't sell as many records as THE STORY Mario Lanza, always beset with weight pops. Among simple fi sherfolk in Louisiana's bayou problems, was fighting his bulge more The company agreed to pay Lanza 10 country, it's 1905 and time for annual blessing of fiercely than ever. To aid the trimming, he percent. Ordinarily, the artist got five. fleet. Pepe, with golden voice, has fishing boat and often brought exercise equipment to the The disc price was $1 .29, and Lanza rack­ Tina, spitfire sweet-thing, and no room for opera studio. Sometimes, Kathryn Grayson ed up. "Be My Love" sold more than any career. Then, for festival, come Riboudeaux, joined manager of opera company in New Orleans, and in the workout, and was said to single artist had ever sold for RCA-Red Suzette, his star. Riboudeaux discovers Pepe, Pepe have been especially adept at lifting bar­ Seal. -Don Lee Keith discovers Suzette, Suzette discovers, as leading bells. (Ava Gardner later remarked, "Oh, ladies tend to, that entanglements are inevitable Katie always did have the biggest tits in *That's New Orleans Music In Film, of course, the before love gets a chance to even challenge, let alone Hollywood.'') subject of a Wavelength series by Don Lee Keith. conquer, all. Meanwhile, there's some glorious Some of his associates eventually sur­ This is the second article dealing indi¥idually with music. mised that his diet was weakening Lanza's musical mo¥ies set here. Next: King Creole.

WAVELENGTH/DECEMBER 1981 31

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34 WAVELENGTH/DECEMBER 1981 THE SOUL OF TOOTS HIBBERT

The man credited with coining the word "reggae" reveals how the best innovations involve merely being a medium for the spirit of a people.

t approximately thirty-six years old, Toots Hibbert is the beginnings of rhythm and blues in the the "soul" of reggae music. sense that no one artist can claim to have and we made the song with the word into He is the most dramatic and started rhythm and blues. In fact the very a rhythm and it just grow and spread." accessible link between reg­ nature of any people's music is that its As is all other African-based musics, Agae and African-American popular music origins must be one of "slang," i.e., reggae is technically simple but (soul/ funk/ R&B - whatever one chooses something created by ordinary people rhythmically rich and emotionally deep. to call it). More than any other reggae ar­ without art~tic or commercial pretension. Much like our blues, reggae, at first ex­ tist, Toots raises, and in his own way When we asked Toots about that first amination, seems to be a rather limited answers, a few important questions about use of the word reggae in connection with music form. However, again in parallel the development of reggae, its influence a song, and did he or any of them con­ with the blues, within its own definable on other musics and the influence of other sciously intend to start something new, he parameters, reggae is full of endless varia­ musics on it, and especially about the honestly and humbly commented, " No, tion and paradox. The paradox is that a combination of sacred and secular not really. It was just a communication highly defined form, such as a blues elements in popular folk music. with the musicians and myself." rhythm scheme or a reggae bass guitar Born in the Clarendon district of The development of any true folk art is line, offers the artist almost limitless Kingston, Jamaica, Toots is credited with never a conscious departure from the freedom because, given that you start establishing the word "reggae" as the past, from tradition, or from what is com­ with the basics, there are no rules to say name of a style of music. Toots monly accepted. In fact, if it is authentic, you can't do a certain technique or that remembers that reggae ''come from a lit­ what it generally does is articulate what is you must do a certain technique. For the tle thing that ~o around town. If you have happening among the people in a style folk musician this is heaven, but for the a friend and you feel to call him "sle­ that is accepted by the people, and since schooled musician, this often turns out to reggae- it's just a word, a slang. Out of people and conditions are always chang­ be hell - on the one hand there is a rigid­ that word comes 'reggae' and that ing - particularly the conditions of Third ly defined form, but on the other hand makes slang again going around town World people post-WW II- genuine folk there are no rules. Toots enjoys this teem­ about the guitar. So myself and the musi­ art will produce new elements, new styles, ing musical trenchyard within which peo­ cians we get together and we say, 'This really new syntheses which are incremen­ ple come and go at will, bringing and tak­ song going to be reggae.' We are the first tally different in detail or emphasis rather ing various musical styles and influences. ones to bring the word into a song." than fundamentally different in structure Toots laughs about the inability of many It is important to note that Toots does or essence. In the case of reggae, although well-schooled musicians and sophisticated not claim to have originated "reggae" or Toots acknowledges that they first in­ music critics to appreciate reggae. "Reg­ even to have been the first to play the troduced the word reggae as a term gae is a good music. People think it is sim­ distinct reggae beat; rather, he simply descriptive of a style of music, they can­ ple but they cannot play it. I know it is not claims that "we" were the first to tie a not put their finger on when or how reg­ simple. It is more spiritual than other common word/ concept of the people to a gae developed its own unique identity. It music." specific type of music of the people. In is important to note that there was not Archetypal of folk musicians, Toots is this sense, although he perhaps would not one single event that gave birth to reggae an utterly unique talent. He is both articulate it this way, Toots does not view - not even the use of the word in the song representative of reggae as a whole, and a himself nor his group as the originators - but rather an accumulation of similar reggae artist immediately recognizable as but rather as the vehicles of reggae. They events. The unique beat itself which is in­ different from the others. I asked him did delivered the word. And moreover, the separably identified with reggae, accor­ he think his style was different. He confi­ word that they delivered was a common ding to Toots, came about "In the Sixties, dently and unhestitantly replied, "I don't word of the people that no one person '64 or '65." Did they or anyone else they think, I know so." could claim but which every person ac­ can identify start the reggae beat? "No, What is different about Toots is that he cepted. This is a parallel development to it's just like I say, when the word speak sounds so much like an African-American

WAVELENGTH/DECEMBER 1981 35 rhythm and blues shouter from the late part of what his "sock it to me one Fifties/early Sixties. And if one thinks time ... two times ... three times through recognized and recorded non­ ... four times .. .I (scream)" is about. American singers, one immediately A muscular little man, Toots started realizes that there are very few who can out with a desire to box. " I can do box­ capture that gut-level urgency and ing. I love to box. Right now I still remain 7713 Maple strength in singing style that is a a good boxer.'' With characteristic hones­ trademark of rhythm and blues, e.g., the ty Toots admitted, "When I was small New Orleans field holler as codified by James Brown or people tell me I had a talent for singing. I Wilson Pickett; the moan as exemplified wanted to be a boxer, but I couldn't be a Roaster.. fresh by Ray Charles or, yes, Mahalia Jackson; boxer. I could be a singer." Later, Toots the preachy repetitions and stretching of came to realize singing as not just a pro­ coffee syllables (a sort of speaking-in-tongues) as fession, but indeed as a religious calling exemplified by AI Green and Otis Red­ - and this is the final element of the reg­ delightfully ding. Watching Toots move on stage - gae/R&B folk connection we will mention the jerks, the gestures, the spins and drops here, although there are more. Quoting packaged for - and listening to Toots - grunts and biblical phrases, Toots explains his deci­ stacatto emphatic singsong enunciation of sion to sing rather than box: " 'Singers Christmas short syllables - all of this seems to be a and players of instruments will be there.' gifting. Plus wholesale copying of Otis Redding. In­ Singing is more important." deed in listing his influences Toots notes, Toots believes that his life's vocation is teas and all "I listened to Ray Charles, James Brown, to "spread the good word of love." He Wilson Pickett, AI Green, and Mahalia admits that like all mortals, "I get tired of the Jackson." Of Redding he acknowledges singing sometimes.'' But, like all religious hearing him "very late when I became a people who believe they have been called equipment for man. I think he was great." And in­ to do a duty, he knows how to overcome. terestingly Toots recalls that he and Otis "When I get tired of singing I just pray. the rituals of Redding "did a show together at a Then I get my strength together.'' stadium in Jamaica." For Toots, his whole life is a dedication friendship. But I don't think that one grasps the to his religious beliefs. " I do a lot of importance of what Toots is about by things. I pray. I live good with the people. Open 8 am-6 pm jumping to a simple conclusion that he I travel a lot and see what poor people are simply copied or borrowed what these ar­ doing. See if they want something to eat. tists did. In fact, in an oblique fashion, If I have something to give, I give it to 866-9963 Toots explained why he liked them and them. I travel in the neighborhood and see how they came to affect him. "They all what is wrong. And what's wrong, I try to had the same range of voice or whatever, make it right." Such uncomplicated com­ from the church. All those singers from mitment removed from the customary the Coptic church." "quid pro quo" basis for relationships The Coptic church? Right. What I in­ with which most of us are familiar may terpret Toots to mean is that all of these seem out of touch with reality, or "ro­ singers were right in the pocket of the mantic," but this essential belief in· the tradition in which he grew up. All of these goodness of God and people is one of the southern singers and shouters came out of core optimisms upon which all African these Black Protestant churches which are and African-derived cultures are based . the bedrock of gospel music. During his "My music carries a lot of love for the po­ concert, Toots begins a song on the ple. The love that I'm talking about is melodic structure of " Amazing Grace," coming from creation, is coming from the segues into "Amen" and "This Little Coptic church (earlier Toots had said Light Of Mine," introducing each varia­ ' 'Anyone who have a good talent, anyone tion with the statement that one or who have love, anyone who have happi­ another of his family members had taught ness, anyone who deal with the Bible is him that song in church or at home. It is from the Coptic church, whether you important to know that Jamaica has its black or you white"), is coming from the own gospel tradition, it's own sanctified Father, is coming from the Son, is coming church - holy rollers, speaking-in­ from the Holy One of creation." tongues, et alia. In Jamaica their folk I realize that these thoughts do not religion is called Kumina. immediately come to one's mind as we are Imagine, then, the immediate oneness dancing to the irresistable beat and shout­ Toots must have felt with an artist like ing back refrains on cue from Toots. One Otis Redding- why, Otis Redding could does not think of these theories as the very well have been his cousin. I think guitar solos or Toots drops to 'his knees. that for all practical purposes, the tech­ One does not reason through the whys, niques and styles developed by the afore­ wherefors', and how comes as the drum mentioned singers who influenced Toots beats and the bass booms. each have an analog in Jamaican folk But like a basic belief in the Creator, we religion/song, and therefore Toots was believe with Toots that all of this and not reacting to an "outside" influence, more is simply the evidence of things un­ but rather accepting what was actually seen, the faith of our mothers and fathers, another manifestation of a religious-bas­ the theocentric touch of what our people ed musical culture that developed out of instinctively call the "Holy Ghost" sum­ Distributed by the same or similar antecedents, i.e. moning us all to experience ONE Magnolia Liquor Co., Inc. slavery, protestant hymnals, and African LOVE! 0 retentions and syncretisms. And that's -Kalamu ya Salaam

36 WAVELENGTH/DECEMBER 1981 By Jason Berry Jonathan Foose and Tad Jones shared their research for this article.

seen the phenomenal success of Fats Domino, and knew that Dave Bar­ tholomew's session arrangements and production for Fats and others had established a New Orleans sound. Logically, he wanted part of it for Specialty. From a one-room office on North Claiborne Battiste began auditions. Dozens of singers and songwriters carne through the doors; he listened to all of them. The discs he produced were some of the freshest and most innovative R&B hits of the period- The Monitors' "Rock & Roll Fever," Art Neville's "Cha Dookey Doo" and Jerry Byrne's "Lights Out." The years 1954 to 1963 were flush years for local R&B; scores of records were pro­ duced, many careers begun. The recor­ ding scene was still a hit-and-run proposi­ tion, however: cut a tune, run with it (that is, tour}, come horne and cut another - don't stumble. With this, unfortunately, no managerial class rose in concert with the R&B artists just starting out; there AU. FOR ONE was little career guidance. Battiste saw all It was 1961, and a handful of black New Orleans of this and was bothered by it. He decided to form a label, All For One, owned and musicians decided to take the record business into their controlled by the musicians. own hands. It was a hell of a try. He found an able collaborator in Melvin Lastie, in whose family horne t has become a generally accepted a group of black musicians in New Ornette Coleman had lived in 1949. fact of musical life today that any Orleans. Their struggle is worth the telling Lastie, who died in 1972, was a brilliant band good enough to record must in 1981. cornet-trumpeter and was also a union incorporate, establish itself as a All For One was the brainchild of agent who attended sessions to make sure business enterprise on paper, work Harold Battiste, who by 1960 had a the musicians were paid for their time and hardI to control publishing rights, and not reputation both as a musician and not forced to work overtime without com­ sacrifice musical integrity or financial teacher. Battiste, who holds a degree in pensation. Battiste needed Melvin as a planning to a producer. music education from Dillard, left the city musician and business talent; he wanted a However underdeveloped the economy in 1956 for California, where he formed a diplomatic relationship with the union for of local music may be, one thing is clear: quartet with Ellis Marsalis on piano, Ed his novel plan, so he got the local's ag­ musicians today are more aware of the ex­ Blackwell on drums, and the great gressive inspector, "the bustin' man." ploitation thar1 was the case twenty years Ornette Coleman, just starting out, on AFO was a simple enough idea, but the ago. An awful lot of people have learned saxophone, with Battiste on sax rounding social, economic and political implica­ the hard way, seen big recording breaks out the group. They played in L.A. and tions were staggering in light of the times. and exciting tours leave them back on recorded a number of demo tapes. In a way, the concept is still visionary. their own front door, left to search out Battiste began knocking on doors of Battiste devised a plan by which profits gigs on the club circuit to keep food on Hollywood record companies but soon would be shared among company the table. It doesn't have to be that way, found that, in an industry obsessed with members. For years, the white recording but the cruel fact is, we live in a city in rock 'n' roll, a modern jazz group was establishment in New Orleans (mostly which the national recording producers simply not a bankable commodity or even Italian) had controlled the business; Bat­ now have little interest. On the other a safe risk for any label. One day Battiste tiste explained: "The plan I had was for hand, a lot of local records are being pro­ paid a call to Specialty Records and ran forming a record company among musi­ duced; good music is being played, and into an old acquaintance from New cians. And the only hitch was, how do we younger bands, like the Cold, are ventur­ Orleans, Bumps Blackwell, producer of satisfy the union? It wasn't a matter of ing out to try to make national names. Little Richard's 1955 " Tutti Frutti" ses­ avoiding what the union must do, but Consider, then, the story of AFO - All sion at Cosirno Matassa's studio. Bumps how do we elevate ourselves from For One- a recording venture which, for asked Harold to do arrangements for Sam employees being paid forty-one dollars a brief stretch in 1961 and 1962, released Cooke's next date. By autumn of 1957, for a record date? How do we move from some exceptional records and gave a big "You Send Me" hit the Billboard Top that point to becoming owners where we push to a handful of local artists - Willie Ten, and Battiste had a foot in the door. are using our talent and reaping the Tee, Ellis Marsalis, Tarni Lynn, Barbara He met with Art Rupe, president of benefits? My solution was to form a co­ George, and others. But beyond the mere Specialty, who asked him to return to operative and buy stock with session recording, AFO was a remarkable experi­ New Orleans and become talent money. Melvin was very instrumental in ment in self-management and business by scout/producer for the label. Rupe had that. He had a strong urge to do

WAVELENGTH/DECEMBER 1981 37 11111111111111111 IIIIIIIUIIIIUIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIUIIIIIIIIL. 16 SUPERN : business." Within a matter of months, after plac­ By summer of 1961, AFO became reali­ ing her career in Murray's hands, Barbara ty. The founding members were Chuck George's star sank swiftly. Her departure mONsJ£R;~y~~~1 Badie, Alvin "Red" Tyler, John effectively killed the distribution arrange­ Boudreaux, Roy Montrell, Lastie and ment through Sue; suddenly AFO had no Battiste, who became president. Battiste's distributing powers on the national scene. plan was for profit-sharing among In 1963, with the New Orleans R&B scene members. "See, this is what we needed to ebbing - the tide of Beatlemania was tur­ do. They say we can sing and dance. Let's ning teenagers away from R&B to the own it. Why should some cat up in the four British pop idols - Battiste and Shaw booking agency sit on his ass, on the Lastie moved to Los Angeles. Others phone, and run Ray Charles and the black followed. people around the country, and he gets to Ironically, the recordings done after be rich? Or take a cat like Art Rupe. Why Barbara George's loss are the best music should he sit on his ass, can't even keep of AFO. A number of stellar New Orleans time to music, and he becomes a wealthy artists were. recorded, and with the excep­ man, and all of us are beggin' for rent tion of AI Belletto, the bebop-influenced Wicked money? Just own it yourself." saxophonist who was cutting albums and PLA YINc AT Sensations AFO's biggest hit was "I Know" by touring widely in the early Sixties, the TfiESJio Barbara George, who was originally AFO discs are the basic progressive jazz SSat., Dec. 12 W BOA1 under contract to Jessie Hill, Fats recording legacy of New Orleans in the un., Dec. 13 Domino's Ninth Ward neighbor and Sixties. Sat., Dec ., .... s ·.c.o Melvin Lastie's uncle. AFO bought Willie Tee's LP Always Accused was a PLA Vn.. . un., Dec. 27 George's contract from Hill. The day of seminal statement; Monkey Puzzle re­ 'll'iG AT "1"1:, her session, she was accompanied by an mains the most complete recorded expres­ • nE lJohn Boudreaux, the late in mind. It's brevity allowed Lastie's in­ Mel Lastie, Tami Lynn, Richard Payne, strumental voice to rise and bridge Warren Bell, Sr., and Battiste. Simply George's rocking bluesy lyrics and that put, this was a school of modern jazzmen cornet solo began to dot countless gigs who lived in a city where the recording op­ and R&B tunes. portunities were dominated by people Meanwhile, a definite jazz sound was with whom these artists didn't want to do emerging from the AFO members. Tami their best music as business, so they did it Lynn, who shared a deep relationship themselves. with Melvin Lastie, explains that AFO Why did AFO fail? Well, the distribu­ "was like the Jazz Crusaders, advance­ tion bust with Sue was a major factor. But ment and jazz. We were playing funk jazz as Battiste explains, "Instead of all the where people could be happy, not only [local] artists coming to AFO, everybody progressive jazz where you sat and listen­ then began forming record companies. In­ ed; it was the kind of jazz you could stead of a record company that had some stomp your feet, get up and feel things clout on the national level we had fifteen with." little New Orleans record companies, But problems came down early. AFO's none of which had any clout.'' discs were being distributed by Juggy A telling footnote to this small episode Murray, black owner of Sue Records in in the history of modern New Orleans New York. In Walking To New Orleans, music: Allen Toussaint was wanted as John Broven explains what happened to pianist for the original AFO nucleus, but PLAYING POWER POP Barbara George. he had other obligations, and before long The "bad things" with Murray came to had established his business with Marshall ORIGINALS AND TOP 60's a head when he started buying her "a Sehorn. Cadillac, her clothes, the whole works. " Twenty years later, AFO is a fading C ME SEE (quoting Battiste). He never told her she moment in the flush years of R&B, which was paying for these out of her own ended in 1963. Musically, the musicians, royalties, and eventually he persuaded her led by Battiste, forged the progressive jazz to buy up her AFO contract and sign for idiom which reemerged here in the Seven­ Sue. Despite the protestations of Battiste ties. Their songs are pretty much the and Lastie, first to Murray, then to her, record of that idiom in its origins. But the the transfer went through. "It was no deeper importance of AFO is that, for a use, "said Battiste. "Fatherly advice is no brief time, a handful of exceptionally for information call 288·0261 good when you're fighting Cadi/lacs and talented New Orleans artists controlled money. " their own careers. 0 38 WAVELENGTH/DECEMBER 1981 The Alexander Brothers Band. Blues, Soul, "A" Train. R&B, Jazz. (318) 227-2682. John Roll. MS. Rep: Perry Trest, (601)268-3657; N.O. Rock, Gulf Coast Boogie. (318) 786-2061 nights; Howe, Buddy Flett, Bruce Flett, Chris McCaa, Rep: Jane Anderson, (504) 866-2161. Hugh (318) 786-4121 days. Don Alexander, Ned Pat Jacobs. O'Neil, Geofrey Bridges, Benjamin Young, Pat Alexander, various others. Astral Project. Jazz. 482-2009. John Vidacovich, Wallace, Earl Lundy. Amber. 60's Rock and Roll, New Jim Singleton, Tony Dagradi, Mark Sanders. Caliente. Afro-Cuban Jazz Fusion. Jim, Attitude. Original Pop. 733-3203. Lennie Jorns, 891-0104. Mark Sanders, Rick Parnell, Jim Scott Smith, Ken Faulkner, Carlos Nuccio, Jerry Singleton, Hector Gailardo, Rick Kriska. Nuccio. The Chiffons. 50's. 392-5856. Jeff Lasserre, Aubry Twins featuring Shirleen Aubry. Top 40. Donnie Gautreaux, Poppa Gautreaux, Floyd 454-3852. Jerome Aubry, Tyron Aubry, Shirleen Porche, C.J. Loup. Aubry, Toby Domino, Jeffrey Scott, Elbert The C.I.D. Punk, New Wave, Dance Music. Young, Jeff Tyson, Roussell White, Alonzo Henri Montegut, 834-0052. Bert Berard, Kevin Baras, Malcolm Robinson. Ritter, Todd Granell, Henri Montegut. Joe August (Mr. Google Eyes). Blues Shouting, The Cold. Original Rock 'n Roll. Bruce Spizer, M.C. 944-5016. 861-0063. Barbara Menandez, Kevin Radecker, Aura. Rock 'n Roll. Big J Productions, Bert Smith, Vance DeGeneres, Chris Luckette. 488-8821. Ronald Keller, Rick Windhorst III, Connie Jones' Crescent City Jazz Band. Tony Serio, Scott Rodriguez, Milton Borel, Traditional Jazz. 347-7791. Connie Jones, Glenn Lance Buelin, Craig Courtney. Wilson, Tom Ebbert, Dick Taylor, Buz Bad Oyster Band. Jug Band Music and Blues. Podewell. Frank Cole, 482-9552. Kent R. Davis, Frank Top 40. PBL j Cole, Hugh Horton, Mark Eckerle, Franco .t. Jackson. Wave, Top 40. Productions, 488-0852, 419-5469. George, Steve, Clem, Kenny. Danny Barker and the Jazz Hounds. Traditional Jazz, Creole Songs, and Early Popular Music. American Peddlers. Rock and Roll, 60's, Jerry Brock, 943-9401. Glenn Barrett and Special E-Fex. Space Age Synthesis. Big Ant Productions (Anthony), 469-3326. Glenn Barrett - moog source, poly­ moog, Roland - electronic drums. Joe Barbara. Eclectic Folk, American Primitive,

891-7778. Joe Pierce, Kenny Vanderpoel, Jonathan Harder, AI St. Etienne, Nyra Pierce. The Crave. All Original Rock 'n Roll. 467-8619. Steve Hill, Mitch Marks, Todd Schouest, Glen \ Leblanc.

f: ' al ,,., I ..,. Southern Rock. PBL Productions, (504) 488-0852. Amethyst. High Energy Rock 'n Roll. Warren Gambino, 888-9088. 689-3491, ext. 50 (7:00-5:00). Duffy, Bobby, Andrew Hall Society Jazz Band. Dixieland. Benny, Eric. Andrew Hall, 943-3456. Andrew Hall, Reg Daily News. Funk, Soul, 60's, Beach. PBL Koeller, Ernest Boree, Teddy Johnson, Sam Productions, (504) 488-0852. Mooney, Joe Payton. Sky Music, Ragtime, Zen. 737-3335. Soloist. Dark Star. Rock and Roll, Top 40. PBL An Overnight Excess. New Wave. Robert Erbs, Bas Clas. Rock 'n Roll, mostly originals. Steve Productions, (504) 488-0852. Five-piece: male Picou, (318) 984-7550. Steve, Donnie, Geoff, vocalist, lead guitar, bass guitar, drums, Ted. - keyboards. The Blasters. Mid 60's Rock 'n Roll Originals. Deacon John. 50's Rock 'n Roll, 60's, R&B, 70's Pete Philebar, 796-5247. Alan Thompson, Pete Pop, Blues, Boogie. Dianna Chenevert, Philebar, Bob James, Sean Johnson. 366-2785. Spencer Bohren. Folk, Blues, Delta Blues. Desire. Top 40, Funk, Soul, R&B. PBL 895-6870, 486-7178. Bonnington Truce. Straightforward Rock 'n

Mark Hanks, Holly 0' Brien, Bob Moriarty, Trip Thienemann, Felix Lee. A Taste of New Orleans. New Orleans Music. David Lastie, 283-4659. George Porter, David Lastie, Bettie Lastie.

WAVELENGTH/DECEMBER 1981 39 Productions, (504) 488-0852. Diamond. High Energy Rock 'n Roll. Dub Davis, 831-9239. Dan Midgett, Eddie Ahearn, Tom Swartzendruber. The Dirty Dozen. Second Line Brass Band. Pie, 283-4746. Benny Jones eta!. The Drapes. Rock 'n Roll, Mod-a-Billy. John, (601) 268-0138. John McMurry, Rick Rawls, Suzy Elkins, Gene Brandon, Mark Hagg. Driveways. New Wave. David, 833-8731. David Othillo, Carlos Boll, Bruce Raeburn, Larry Armstrong. E.L.S. Funk, Soul, Top 40, R&B, Beach. PBL Productions, (504) 488-0852. Export. Original Progressive Rock. Brett ::--...

Seidenberg, 821-9305, 866-5200. Wes Atkins, Larry Peter, Brett Seidenberg, Mark Wellman, Warren Williamson. Exuma. Caribbean Reggae with a touch of Rock. P.M. McCormick, 861-4451. The Fabulous T-Birds. 50's, 60's, with A Necktie or Microwave won't please floorshow. PBL Productions, (504) 488-0852. everyone on your Christmas list! Famous Monsters. Shock Pop Monster Roll

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Amplified Practice Headphones ... Reg $50°0 .•• Now $32°0 (Fun Music for Mutants). 831-2033, 835-2834. James 'Bubba' Clement, Brent Roser, George All Zildjian and Paiste Cymbals 25% to 30% off reg price Neyrey, Robet Simmons, A.G. Parr. King Floyd-Mathilda Jones. New Orleans Soul, Electronic Quartz Guitar Tuner ... Reg $89°0 ... Now $64oo Blues, and Rock 'n Roll. Clion Floyd, 466-5422. Atlas mic stands while they last ...... $15°0 The Front. Art/Performance/ Music. Star Ivrine, 827-5913. Bill Cowey, Bruce Raeburn, Professional Model Guitar Stands .. Reg $32°0 .. Now $23°0 Larry Armstrong, Star Ivrine, Carlos Bol, Skip Bolen. Godot. Early Beatles Sound, Original Tunes. Paul, 466-8926. Paul Sanchez, John Herbert, Dave Hirstius, Fred LaBlanc. The Goners. Musical Terrorism, Hardcore, In Stock Now-Musicians Jewelry Free Guitar Stand And Cord With Any Guitar Purchase Come in and find out how you can buy an amplifier and get a guitar free! The Pro Rock Shop run by Musicians for Musicians FOR INFORMATION ON OUR FREE REFERRAL SERVICE CALL 504·340-4983, METRO MUSIC, 1995 BARATARIA BLVD. (AT LAPALCO MARRERO, LA. 70072 Gone Music. Mike Goner, 887-3551 ; Sku!, 568-7345. Eddie Three-Sixes, Tad Wog, Sku!, Mike Goner. Jessie Hill. New Orleans Rock 'n Roll. 279-8179. Higher Ground. Appalachian and Rural Folk Music, British Isles Ballads and Songs. 524-1045, 895-4902. Larry Stultz, Richard Blackmon. Hot Strings. String Swing Jazz. Tommy Comeaux, 488-3236. Phil DeGruy, Hank Mackie, Eric Glaser, Tommy Comeaux, Ed Wadsworth.

40 WAVELENGTH/DECEMBER 1981 The I.F. (Inhibiting Factor). Electronic Beat. 738-1687. Charles Nils, Norman Martel, Gary Babin. The Imperial Preference. Rock in Opposition. W. Michael Orange, 466-2036. Michael Polkaine, Michael Champagne. Ivy. Top 40 Dance Music. Larry Sarrat, 288-6660. Buddy Gaudet, Terri Camarata, Richard Gray, Larry Sarrat. Jessika. Top 40, Rock and Roll, originals. PBL Productions, (504) 488-0852. Keystone. Rock and Roll, Top 40 Variety, Progressive Rock. Tomas F. Mauricio Jr., 837-5635. Doug Baron, Bobby Chandler, Bob Durand, Mike Garon, Tomas Mauricio, Greg Merritt. Ernie K-Doe Revue. New Orleans R&B. NOBA, Bill Robinson, 488-6228. King Floyd and Mathilda Jones. Louisiana Repertory Jazz Ensemble. Classic New Orleans Jazz. 865-5688. Luther Kent and Trickbag. Rhythm and Blues. Luther, 581-5613. Luther Kent, Charlie Brent, Dave Watson, A.J. Pittman, Jimmy Weber, John Brem, Ward Smith, Bob Gable, Allyn Robinson, Brian. Earl King. Blues. Dianna Chenevert, 366-2785.

NEW ORLEANS BOOKING AGENCY

REPRESENTING: Ernie K-Doe All Star Revue Lakefront. Top 40, Funk, Rock and Roll, Pop. Luther Kent and Trickbag PBL Productions, (504) 488-0852. Meters Ed Lewis Orchestra. Dance Music for hire, trios to 15-piece bands. Ed Lewis, 246-5834. Neville Brothers The Limit. Original Power Pop. George M. Aaron Neville Charmaine Neville and the Charles Neville House Band Angelle Trosclair Uptown Allstars

Frichter, 277-7562 (9:00-5:00). Manny D. Reyes, Justin Newbury, Christian Paul. Little Queenie & The Percolators. R&B. Frank Quintiru, 866-1276. Leigh Harris, John Magnie, Tommy Malone, Ricky Cortes, Kenneth Blevins, Eric Langstaff, Mike Sizer. The Look. Origjna1 Rock 'n Roll. Casey Compton or Rick Kipker, 456-0850. Rick Kipker, Joe Bennett, Jacques Grundy, Paul Crout. Lost Boys. Original Rock. Bill Coleman, 455-2572. Identity a mystery - local doctors, lawyers, TV personalities.

WAVELENGTH/DECEMBER 1981 41 Maniaxe. Hard Rock. Big J Productions, 488-8821. Larry Worthy, Carl Durham, Ricky Centineo, Mark Revels, Willis Daucat. Maggabrain. Funk, Top 40, Beach, Soul, Originals. PBL Productions, (504) 488-0852. Bobby Marchan and Higher Ground. Modern Top 40 Music. B.M., 523-5224. 8 pieces. Carl Marshall and the S.D.'s. Funk, Top 40, Soul, Beach. PBL Productions, (504) 488..()852. Irving McLean & Radar. Caribbean, Reggae. Keith Cole, 486-0452. Ken "Snakebite" Jacobs, AI "Mr. Z" Zansler, Dennis Taylor, Joe Barbara, Steve Amedee, Read Bell, Keith Cole, Irving McLean (steel drummer from Trinidad). Ramsay McLean and the Lifers. All types of music, specializing in Contemporary Jazz. 943-2082. Ramsay McLean, Tony Dagradi, and various elements of the jazz community. Men In Black. Avant-garde Heavy Mental. Duval Russell, 368-7640. Duval Russell, Jay Hagmann, Jimi Fuse. Meters. N.O. Rock, R&D, Funky Mardi Gras Music. N.O.B.A.: Bill Robinson, 488-6228. Leo Nocentelli, Joseph (Zig) Modeliste, David Torkanowski, Tony Fortenette. Metropolis. Jazz, Funk, Top 40, Standards. Mike Shaw, 283-8688. Mike Shaw, Chuck Swartz, Laury Carter, Scott Pederson, Ellis Bryant, Dennis White. The Mirrorz. New Wave. J.R. Sensibar,

835-5590, 865-1825. Rebecca Nice, James A. Quick, Don Rayner, Pancho Rudeke, Tom Zilahi. Mitchell & Peralta. Folk, Rock, Jazz Duo. Julia Winston, 897-1468, 821-3110. Cathy Mitchell, Angie Peralta. Bobby Mitchell. New Orleans R&B . 393-9448. Models. Original Rock 'n Roll. Rick

WED DEC 2 MOTHER'S MANTLE, BATON ROUGE THURS., DEC. 3 HAMMOND SOCIAL CLUB, HAMMOND, LA. Schexnayder, 834..()804; Craig Krieger, 835-4361. FRI., DEC. 4 JIMMY'S Johnny Indovina, Mike Ciravolo, Steve Juxan, WED DEC 9 CHEZ AMI, LA PLACE, LA. FRI &' SAT.: DEC 11 & 12 SCARLETT O'S, LAKE CHARLES, LA. Charlie Bouis, Chuck Jung. MON DEC 14 CHARLEY'S, RUSTON, LA. Oliver "Who Shot the LaLa" Morgan. New TUES'., DEC. 15 STEAMBOAT ANNIE'S, SHREVEPORT, LA. Orleans R&B. Dianna Chenevert, 366-2785. SAT DEC. 19 ST. DOMINICS CYO Murphy & The County Line Band. Rhythm TUE.S., DEC. 22 CHRISTMAS PARTY ! HYATT -GRAND BALLROOM Pat SAT., DEC. 26 JIMMY'S & Blues, Progressive Country. Pat Murphy, SUN., DEC. 27 ST. CHRISTOPHER'S CYO ~ (601) 467-4515; Gina Larsen, 255-3040. Gina TUES., DEC. 29 ST. ANDREW'S CYO (WE::.T BA,NK) Haas Larsen, Pat Murphy, Candy Murphy, Sid THURS., DEC. 31 NEW YEAR'S EVE AT JIMMY S Rutter, John Bezou. SAT., JAN 2 RIVERBOAT PRESIDENT Mystery Monitors. Punk 'n Western. Clark, 948-6851. Johnny Allen, John Meunier, Steve Amedie, Clark Vreeland, Bruce Raeburn, Jimmy Hymel, Becky Kury, Earl King. New Jazz Quintet. Jazz Fusion. Dave Emilion, ~ For further information call 861-0063 948-2709. Randy Weber, Dave Emilion, Lonnie Morris, Harold Scott, George Scott.

42 WAVELENGTH/DECEMBER 1981 Charmaine Neville and lhe Charles Neville House Band. Jazz. N.O.B.A.: Bill Robinson, Here Now for Christmas 488-6228. Neville Brothers. New Orleans "Party" Music. Bill Johnson, (504) 486-8990. Aaron, Art, Charles, Cyril. 030 Second Flash. Punk. 837-2042. L the P, Tom, Ricky, Rocket, Darius, Eddie. Odyssey. Top 40, Rock and Roll, Beatles, 60's. ! I I•

PBL Productions, (504) 488-0852. Onyx. Rock and Roll, Originals, Heavy Metal.

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WAVELENGTH/DECEMBER 1981 43 Perfect T een. Perfect. Troy, 737-2003; Kippy,

THE

466-4080. Prima Teen, Den Teen, Pro Teen, Oval Teen. Ed Perkins. R&B Vocalist. Junius Sanders, 283-4746. 00 Persia. Rock 'n Roll. Elridge Madere, 282-5698. James Lynch, Nick Cancella, John Proffit, Jimmy Carazzo, Joey Caluda. Broadway Pieces. Top 40, Rock and Roll, 60's, 50's. PBL Productions, (504) 488-0852. Penny Lane. Beatles, Rolling Stones, 60's to &Zimple Present, other rock and roll artists of the 60's and 70's. PBL Productions, (504) 488-0852. Piranha. Top 40, Funk, Rock and Roll, 60's, 866·9008* TUESDAY· 25t D"AFT WEDNESDAY· SOc HI BALLS THURSDAY· 25C DRAFT AND DOUBLE SHOTS ON BAR B~DS FRIDAY· 75t HI BALLS 4·1 PM SUNDAY· 8 PM· FREE VIDEO MOVIES AND IIG SCREEN TV

PO BOYS, BURGERS, SALADS, DAILY SPECIALS Ori&inals, Soul. PBL (504) 488-0852. The Plague. New Wave Rock 'n Roll. Barbee, 833-81 15; Ken, 835-3273 . Barbee Plague, Ken Mason, Mike Caracciola, John Veninata, Wade Schindler. The Pleasuremasters. Sixties Rock ' n Roll . 865-7827. Rick Spain, Kathy Bidet, Steve Amadie, Red Divecca. Potliquor. Rock 'n Roll. Big J Productions, 488-8821. Jerry Amoroso, Guy Schaeffer, Mike McQuaig, Steve Sather. T he Pregnant Men. Psychedelia. Carla, 897-0206. Carla Westcott, Sheri Romance. The Press. Early Rock 'n Roll, Beatie Style. Carla Gauthier, 861-9076. Edgar Jackson, Kurt Hoell, Robert Crayton, Rond Riggle, Chris LeGard. Quicksand. Funk, Top 40, Soul, Beach, 60's. PBL Productions, (504) 488-0852. Radiators. Rock 'n Roll. Bill Cat, 865-9210. Ed Volker, Frank Bua, Camile Baudoin, David Malone, Reggie Scanlan. The Raffeys. White Pop Jive. Hector L. Goldstein, 865-9570. Riff, Raff, Rasta, Ruben. A ~DPFEifi ~ J ohn Rankin. Solo Guitar. 866-7970. The Rebels. Rock 'n Roll. John, 392-7638. John Collins, Bryan Ory, Steve Alexander, Peppy Specializing in freshly roasteJ £r grvunJ Ruiz. Red R ockers. West Coast Punk. Darin Hill, gvurmet rojfees, continental cuisine . . . 392-1221. John Stunn, Derwood Hill, Jimmy Jet, Patrick. 7W liquor, too! The Rhythm Kings. Modern Country, Fifties, 'Exchange Jllley • Open 7 Jays • 568-0426 ahe best kept secret in the 'French Quarter R&B, Rock 'n Roll. Mike Vice, (504) 873-8730. Leon Barrilleaux, Junior Rodrigue, Lee Ray Foret, Wayne Bourgeois, Mike Vice, Tony Poincon.

44 WAVELENGTH/DECEMBER 1981 Presents Tommy Ridgley. New Orleans R&B and Blues. Louisiana Entertainment Productions 738-1972. Rock A Byes. Rock-a-Billy Rock. 895-1938. David Clements, Cranston Clements, Eric Green. Roulette. Rock 'n Roll. 456-0132. Ronnie Hufft, Jim Lockwood, Robet Schulte, Larry Hurst, Dean Vallecillo. RZA. Avant Garde Rock. 837-4184. Lenny Zenith, Jimmy Negrotto, Matt Scoggin, Ray Ganucheau, Charlie Wehr. Satisfaction. Rock, Rhythm, New Orleans Funk. 525-4400. "Pepper" Elskoe, Paul Henehan, J.D. "Slug" Hewitt, Red Priest. Sazerac. Rock 'n Roll, R&B, Funk. 288-0996. George Miller, Allen Knight, Harold Kelp, Sal DeArcangelo, Rich Hale. Scandal. Rock 'n Roll. Christine Osburn, (504) 641-1503 (Slidell). Billy Osburn, Mark Kurucar and Harold Knappenberger. The Scientists. New Rock. Mark Van Hoosier, 866-4437. Mark Wellman, Larry Peter, Warren Williamson, Weston Adkins. Semblance. Jazz Of All Styles. 866-6183. Randy Fernandez, Tony Garcia, Steve Bertram, John 40's FANTASY Kennedy. Shadow. Living Jazz. Jeff or Marty, 865-7584. D. Davis, J. Treffinger, S. Roberts, P.C. Revival of the great songs Armstrong. Shieks. Rock 'n Roll. Bio J Productions, 488-8821. Rob Sanders, Michael O'Hara, Nick of the forties era Ferber, Leslie Dunard. Shell Shock. Hard Core " Punk" Rock. Larry for the new audience For booking call 504-568-0141

Holmes, 837-2042. Greg, John, Scott, Hatch boy. The Singles. Power Pop, New Wave. 288-0261. Bryan Batt, David Claret, Steve LaFago, Charlie Wiemann, Chuck Menendez. Huey "Piano" Smith. New Orleans R&B. 1-344-8257. Sparkle. Top 40, R&B, Soul, Funk, 60's, Beach. PBL Productions, (504) 488-0852. The Sponges. Pop. Carlo Ditta, 522-6106. Rick Connick, David McGee, Micky Fisse, Keith Posey. Soulhwind. Top 40, Rock, Funk, extensive lighting and special effects including laser. Schools, clubs, & private dances. Musician's Exchange, 523-2773. Tim Weller, Eric Zeringue, Roy Caronna, Ian Fredotovich, Bruce Furlow, Mitch Carroll, Linda McGrane, Chuch Stiebing. Stargazum. Funk, Top 40, Soul, 60's. PBL Productions, (504) 488-0852. Stars Of Gold. Funk, Top 40, Beach, Soul, 60's.

PBL Productions, (504) 488-0852. Slephie & T he W hite Sox. New Wave. Larry Clement, 887-2536. Stephie Latinni, Kevin Schillage, Joey Pollizi, Eric Padua. WAVELENGTH/DECEMBER 1981 45 IN CONCERT -AT THE WAREHOUSE Tamant. Rock and Roll, Top 40, 60's. PBL Productions, (504) 488-0852. Irma Thomas. Soul, Pop. Dianna Chenevert, (504) 366-2785. Time Zone. Original Rock, Electronic Music. 488-1922. Steve Cunningham, Bob Fonseca, Chuck Phillips, Daemon Shea, Steve Sweet. Topcats. Pop Rock. Steve Monistere, 466-2287 (466-CATS). Paul Garandy, Pat Campbell, Dave Gamble, Sal Candilora, Steve Monistere, Buzzy Beano. Tntc One. Funk, Top 40, Soul, 60's. PBL Productions, (504) 488-0852. TT & The Toxic Shock. Punk. 837-2042. Nancy Nuoay, Suzi Stayfree, Lydi Light Day, Tammy Tampon, L the P, Tom, Bird. 24 K. Rock 'n Roll. Big J Productions, 488-8821. Jimmy Triay, Danny Duplantier, Gary Stute. Tntffic Jam. Funk, Soul. Chuck; 861-1211; Music Exchange, 523-2773. Chuck Turner, Russell Dyer, Rick Brown, Juan Chevalier. Angelle Trosclair. R&B. N.O.B.A.: Bill Robinson, 488-6228. Ultnt Violet. Rock and Roll. Dave Vaughn, 454-7792. Irvin, Clement, Chuck, Lenny. Uptights. Rock 'n Roll. Chuck Hancock,

~ 891-1540; Web Burrell, 486-1520. Carolyn Odell, Alan Hill, Web Burrell, Jim Hymel, John Odell. Uptown All Stars. N.O.B.A.: Bill Robinson,

ie Green III, Ivan Neville, Alonzo Bowens Jr., Gerald Trinity, Earl Smith Jr. Rehearsal Rates Urban Space Jazz Orchestnt. 20-Piece Jazz Orchestra. John Berthelot, 523-1216. Bulk Rates Vantage Point. Heavy Metal, Originals. Copies 1-456-9210, 888-4000. Charlie Johnson, Denis Mastering Herdy, Steve Bowers. Arranging Vendetta. High Energy Rock 'n Roll. Warren, 888-9088. Pat Sanders, Ronnie McCarthy, Mike Jingles Stacey, Jeff Bishop, Warren Gambino. Voltage Brothers. Top 40, Funk, Soul, 60's, 900 Seventh Street Gretna, La. 70053

Musical Instruments 392-5093 Professional Sales Service Renta ls 12-6 P.M. Mon.-Sat. 900 Seventh Street, Gretna, La. 70053 - DISCOUNTS UP TO 50% - Beach, Originals. PBL Productions, (504) 488-0852. Zebnt. Rock 'n Roll. Big J Productions, 488-8821. Felix Hanemann, Guy Gelso, Randy Jackson. Tim Williams and her Band Of Gold. Progressive Country. 467-9358, 887-0366. Tim Williams, Greg Brown, Bayne Keenan, Terry Kirn, Tues Gibbs. Woodenhead. Rock Jazz Fusion. Jimmy Robinson, 891-1328. Jimmy Robinson, Fran Comiskey, James Comiskey, Edgar Lipps, Look For Our East Bank Music Stop II at 5555 Canal Blvd. - Angelle Trosclair, Dan Cassin. Tots Washington. Storyville Piano. 833-5755.

46 WAVELENGTH/DECEMBER 1981 BOOKS

Charles, raised on church music in the Night lonesome Southern backwoods, is a Creature primitive of the highest order, a shaman, .MEET THE a magic man, a hypnotist. He improvises SONY WALK.MAN Whitnq Balliett constantly, and he will use any vocal wea­ pon - melismatics, yodels, growls, FAMILY crooning, falsetto, whispers, shouts, r- chanting, blue notes, grace notes, retards. AT CUSTOM AUDIO It no lon~er matters whether he sings blues or country-and-western or stan­ Sony's best way to carry a tune. dards or 'Eleanor Rigby' or 'America'; it Walkman's #J Stereo only matters how he sings. One waits for Cassette Player the shout that falls in a beat to a whisper, the flashing falsetto, the pine-sap diction, the pained hoarseness, the guttural asides, Portable stereo the spidery staccato sprays of notes, the freedom. polysyllabic explosions, the faster-than­ Cassette playback the-ear dynamics." that's a concert Notice, that except for the opening SCAT hall WRITING sentence which establishes Billie Holiday from THE as the contrast, Balliett compresses the ear to ear. BEBOP ERA long string of emotional adjectives and $99.95 clauses into four sentences. But alas, although Night Creature Balliett writes beautifully, he Tune in to a sound revolution. sticks only to what he can hear, see and A Journal Of Jazz, 1975-1980 Sony's FM Walkman By Whitney Balliett understand, and unfortunately he is always the outside commentator with Stereo Radio. Oxford Press, $15.95 limited understanding - sort of like a music stringer for a big city daily news­ The Passion For Jazz paper who settles in New Orleans and tries FM stereo-to-go to use his hometown Des Moines, Iowa, strolls into a new By Leonard Feather age with Sony's Horizon Press, $9.95 sensibility to explain the second line. Un­ fortunately, his "outside" critic's stance revolution distances Balliett from a scene which is in personal not an immediate part of his own herit­ listening. hese new books by two of the age. Because he does not dialogue with A miniature FM stereo T most-often published jazz writers musicians, we never learn more than receiver that clips onto your belt or are similar in structure but divergent in Balliett knows - and this narrows the hides in a pocket. $89.95 approach. Both books are collections of book, particularly as he can not under­ short pieces written between 1975 and stand nor does he like any of the major 1980. Balliett's pieces were mostly post-bop innovations (he is at his best Our legend grows smaller. published in The New Yorker and are, as writing about swing/big band). His blind Walkman-2 Stereo he notes, "considerably revised" spots cause him to ignore much of the biographs, reviews and critiques. New York music scene and, sometimes, to Cassette Player Feather's pieces appeared mainly in the make incredible statements such as this Los Angeles Times and are also bio­ one about Max Roach (who, incidentally, So small graphs, reviews and critiques. is considered, along with Kenny Clarke, it's about the Balliett is the resident jazz critic for The the originator of bop drumming, and who size of a standard New Yorker and the author of nine other played with Ellington while in his teens): cassette case. books on jazz. Feather writers a syndi­ "Roach has what With feather­ used to be called 'fast weight, full­ cated column for the Los Angeles Times­ wrists,' and much of what he does is Washington Post News Service and is the technically dazzling, but he doesn't swing. range author of eleven books about jazz. Each He leaves your feet flat on the ground, headphones, has his own temperament and style: your head and hands still. What a you'll instantly know why Balliett is effusive and descriptive while mystery!'' For those who appreciate post­ the Sony Walkman-2 is the ultimate Feather is introspective and Fifties jazz, Balliett's stylistically limited in personal portable stereo. philosophical. Whereas Balliett orders his sense of "swing," and not Roach' $179.95 book by chronology beginning with a melodic drumming, is the mystery. September 26, 1975, review of a book on Feather's approach, on the other hand, Mahalia Jackson and ending with a July is to present his subjects through a series 6, 1980, review of "new music" concerts of warm, sympathetic interviews which at New York's Town Hall, Feather, on contain a great deal of non-musical in­ the other hand, opts to categorize his formation which significantly helps to hu­ eu~tom short pieces under catch-all headings such manize and personalize Feather's portrait as "Happenings," "Places," of the musicians. Also, Feather is not reti­ "Passings," etc. Although both ap­ cent about asking questions. One of the proaches are valid and Balliett is the bet­ more important pieces is a feature on ~udio ter writer, Feather's book is more trumpeter Donald Byrd, "a lyrical, bop­ substantial. deprived trumpeter and composer with Balliett's forte is an ability to paint with Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, and a re­ 526 Metairie Road words the sounds that he hears and inter­ cording combo leader for Blue Note prets, the sights, the occasions. Listen to records since 1958 . . . He studied 831-2121 him describing Ray Charles: "Billie Holi­ the business end of music, earned a Ph.D. day was an urban woman who sang urban in music education, studied law, boned up (however silly) songs. Her successor, Ray on black history and was a professor at WAVELENGTH/DECEMBER 1981 47 RARE RECORDS The GOOGLEEYES Gold Mine Rare Records & Comics HITS THE

BIG TIME Mfrd, wodet P'oh . P'~iftv Trode Mor'• .... U.S. Pot. Oft. MotJump Blues with Vocal Columbia 38667 - Gayten- MR. GOOGLE EYES 16 rooms containing over 200,000 original Mr. G talks about this disc in this label 45's and LP's in stock month's feature. It's his first release on thousands of comics-Marvel, D. C., Dell the major Columbia label, coming out in 1951. Thousands of oldies reissues- Recorded in New York, Google Eyes is seller for Google Eyes, but it did interest Specializing in '50's, '60's & '70's in a suavy Uptown blues mood on both Nat King Cole, who had a hit with it sides, his voice being very strong and cat­ later,in the mid-Fifties. We mail order-one day service chy. Note: The title on last month's rare Billy Ford, his bandleader and trumpet record column was misleading. The Plus top-100 45's & LP's in player, worked on Mr. G's earlier Cole­ record was not Marchan's first. In fact it current, pop, rock & country man efforts and stuck with him on Col­ was his third but his first on Ace. Don't Over a thousand Christmas LP's in umbia/Okeh sides. His backup is admira­ forget to write in if you have any ques­ stock-Four Seasons, Kenny Rogers, ble, being right up to date with what was tions or suggestions for this column. Anne Murray, Smokey Robinson & Miracles, then popular. Stevie Wonder, Temptations, Elvis Presley. 0 Barbra Streisand, Johnny Mathis, Bing "For You My Love" wasn't that big a -Almost Slim Crosby, Pat Boone, many more. Continued from paf!e 48. several colleges . . . After 1972 description of the set cogently invokes the 10am-8pm Mon.-Sat. Byrd recorded a series of R&B, electronic feeling of the event which was held under Rodger Csstillo MsryRoques funk records that gained enormous popu­ "a pale-blue sky and a lemon moon." owner msnsg-.r larity. His 'Black Byrd,' on Blue Note After crisply describing the evening of Records, sold 233,356 copies." The Byrd events which ranged from Eubie Blake interview concentrates on Byrd's involve­ and the Young Tuxedo Brass Band to ment with fusion and R&B, and also with Cecil Taylor and Ornette Coleman, charges that he has "sold out." While Balliett pastelly colors the conclusion: Feather's sentiments are clearly anticom­ "Honeysuckle replaced the air, and swal­ mercialism ("Surely, I suggested, the lows rocketed between the trees. After the public is being force-fed what the music music, the President, surrounded by fami­ industry wants it to digest"), Feather is ly and friends, walked back to the White wise enough to let Byrd articulate his posi­ House at roughly the speed of a slow tion, and let the reader choose. The essay blues." Feather on the other hand spends ends with this almost unbelieveable ex­ more time describing what he considers to change: be the importance of an invitational jazz ttin other words, the more copies it concert at the White House, a historic sells, the better it is musically?" first. Feather also points out the relation­ "I think that which sells the best is the ship of the musicians to each other and best.,, their historic and stylistic position in the "In that case,, I said, ':You 've got to context of the music as a whole, a music agree that Lawrence Welk is a fantastic which Feather correctly identifies as musician.,, "Afro-American music." In Feather's With a straight face, Dr. Donald Byrd, concluding sentence, which is part of a president of Black Byrd Productions, re­ 1980 mini-essay assessment of the Seven­ spected ethnomusicologist, owner of a jet ties, Feather reinforces what he has pre­ plane that is not quite as big as James viously said about the White House Brown's, looked at me and said: ttYou're gathering by ending his book with: "Jim­ damn right I do.,, my Carter's 1978 jazz party at the White If you want to know what some of the House, broadcast nationally on NPR, was music sounds like, Balliett is a good critic unique in the prestige it brought to ·a to start with (given the limited scope of music that had spent so many years the music he likes), but if you want to beyond the fringes of respectability." understand the significance of the music, Although Feather's scope is only slight­ or grasp the philosophical and sociologi­ ly broader than Balliett's, Feather's book cal, technical and aesthetic considera­ reflects a depth that Balliett's lacks. Given tions, or the realness of generation gaps that both writers lean heavily toward and cross-generational synergisms, than music of the Thirties, Forties and Fifties, Feather's book is easily the better of the and that neither writer is comfortable two. For example, both writers have short with post-Coltrane music, Leonard pieces on the historic June 18, 1978, Feather does the better at advancing a White House Jazz Program which was or­ broader appreciation of the genre of ganized by George Wein at the invitation Great Black Music known as "jazz." 0 of then President Jimmy Carter. Balliett's -Kalamu ya Salaam

48 WAVELENGTH/DECEMBER 1981 JAZZ SONGWRITERS A New Force In Publishing Management Is Now In Atlanta

For Review of Your Original Material, Send A Tape and Lyric Sheet to: TEMMPO INC. 550 Pharr Rd./Suite 560 Atlanta, Ga. 30305

MIKE GREENE ROBSENN TAKING IT WEST JUUETHOMAS Henry Butler has received an education since moving to the Total Entertainment West Coast. So far it's more business than musical. Management/Media Production Organization t's after midnight , and pianist­ a black border notes some of his other I singer - composer Henry Butler works: among other things, he's perform­ - seated at his piano before a wall of ed at the Jazz Fest; in hotels and clubs in smoky-pinkish mirror tiles - is playing Paris, New Orleans, Michigan (where he and singing one of his own compositions got his Master's) and Louisiana; played written two or three months after he left with people like George Duke, his New Orleans home to try out Los Gatemouth Brown, Grover Washington Angeles. and the New Orleans Symphony; received That move was more than a year ago, several National Endowment for the Arts and Butler says things are now beginning grants; composed and arranged music for to happen. It hasn't been easy. Just get­ the film Dreamland; and served on the ting around the sprawling city is difficult WWNO radio advisory board. for any newcomer. Sipping on a glass of wine in his living And Butler's West L.A. duplex looks room, Butler recalls his arrival in Los like any musician's place - sparsely fur­ Angeles. "About a day later, the floods nished with comfortable sofas; music came ... had all kinds of mudslides. They books and scores piled around; one room thought this place was gonna go, too. filled with a piano, speakers, stereo, tape Very soggy. But anyway, it takes a long deck and microphones. time in a city like Los Angeles to actually But the books and cassettes are labelled get people to really accept you. in Braille, and the rooms seem somehow " . . . It's always that thing where, as unfinished until you notice there are no long as you're afar, or in a distant place, pictures or ornaments on the walls - no they say 'Well, come on out, we'll help tables or lamps on the floor. you out,' and I guess they have really Fine Clothing Butler has been blind virtually since good intentions. But when you get out, birth, and prefers to keep things you find out that they are fighting for from 1850-1950 streamlined. their very lives as well. So, you learn not The subject of his blindness doesn't to ask 'em to do very much for you." 3110 Magazine come up except in response to a direct To meet more people and keep his question. What does come up is one musi­ fingers limber, Butler started playing in 899-2098 cian's story of what it's like to move from jam sessions, ". . . which was bullshit, the Big Easy to a big city. didn't do anything for me ... A lot of Butler was no inexperienced teenager. people, these jam sessions, they pay the Open Mon-Sat He was educated at the State School for in-house group for that night, and till 5:30pm the blind in Baton Rouge, and has everybody else just comes, and, give those Bachelor's and Master's degrees in music. cats a break . . . " Look for He taught for several years at the New He also tried the showcases. '·A Rose 's Corner Orleans Center for Creative Arts (NOCCA). showcase is actually a racket that the club at 1202 Decatur And a printed resume on tan paper with owners have. It's a thing where they sel:

WAVELENGTH/DECEMBER 1981 49 drinks and anything else that they offer, and the artists come and perform for nothing with the hope that somebody in the industry will be in the audience . . . Anyway, I did that for about two, three weeks till I realized that was just a farce, bullshit . . . I guess I was making pro­ gress," he says wryly. "I don't know. I was learning, at least, what not to do." Perseverance paid off: Butler started making more contacts and subbing for people in paying gigs. Along about then was the flattery stage: "people who though I was the next genius," he smiles, "and they wanted to be my agent, my manager . .. It was hard for me to turn those things down because I hadn't been used to that kind of hype . . . "Anyway, I was fortunate enough to have the presence of mind to at least think about it overnight," he says, and the fast buck deals disappeared when Butler men­ tioned consulting an attorney. Eventually, Butler did get a good at­ torney, and started subbing more for other musicians. Meanwhile, he's also taken a job playing New Orleans style ffi 4 Maple leaf music at Homer and Edy's Bistro, a ca 5 Grant St. Dance Hall, lafayette Creole cuisine restaurant whose menu of­ ::::E 11 Tipitina's fers such items as "Crawfish Bisque - L&.l 19 Tupelo's Tavern $15.00 (when in season)." ~ 29 Tipitina's He's also worked producing demos for 31 New Year's Eve at the Blues Saloon other hopefuls. And all this time, he was c working on an album called Orleans In­ spiration, now "mastered and everything, but not pressed." Except for the title cut (a Butler com­ position), it's a collection of traditional jazz connected with New Orleans - songs like "The Saints," "Margie," "St. Louis Blues." Butler says there has been some interest in distributing the album, and he hopes to go back into the studio this fall to record another album of more contemporary original music. He says he's also scheduled to work at arranging and producing a demo single for another aspiring singer reportedly backed by a well-known rock star, and he is now sending out some of his own songs, hoping more established artists will record them. As for missing New Orleans: " If I was to missing anything, it'd be Causeway Travelers the hanging out part. Hanging out in bars (we're right off the Causeway on the left) till four or five o'clock in the morn'ing ... and the easy living. It's really easy to live ---Specializing in Seafood in New Orleans, I mean, it doesn't cost very much." But he doesn't regret moving west. " I'd Open 7 days a week for breakfast, serving done all I could do there . .. I'm giving Eggs Benedict & Sardou, a variety of omelettes, myself two or three years here to actually, you know, make some proper or some ap­ and we squeeze our own fresh orange juice. propriate, some valid inroads .. .. And it seems that things are starting to happen." Mon.-Thurs., 7 a.m.-3 p.m. In Los Angeles, he says, "Once they ac­ Fri.-Sat.-Sun., 7 a.m.-10 p.m. cept you, they're more receptive .. . Once you're in, in this town, you're in, and 340 North Causeway Blvd. then it's hard for somebody else," he Mandeville says, pausing. " Unless you make some real screw- 626-9047 ups ..." 0 - Nancy Weldon

50 WAVELENGTH/DECEMBER 1981 REVIEWS

tions, amazing ripping sounds coming from Tom's ax, like he's ripping up the blue robe. More wolf sounds. Verlaine's voice nonchalant in outer-space: "Hi­ fi/Hi-fi/ Hi-fi." That's it pops: what we've been suspecting all along; this record ellpee got heavy unknown tongue. Dies every minute. Born again every other one. "I've been given a fortune/a fortune in lies," speaks the "Laura" of "Without a Word,'' the first ballad on the record. LIVE MUSIC The lights go out, wistful sadness wells FRIDAY. DEC. 4 within the song. Darkness, and then COLD water. "So Laura came to the SATURDAY. DEC. 5 MODELS water / without a word on her breath." WEDNESDAY, DEC. 9 Dream time Real sing-songy and minor key. Took a BLASTERS Tom Verlaine while for this one to hit me but it crept up THURSDAY. DEC. 10 on a full moon and Blam! All the guitar VIPERS Warner Bros. BSK 3539 FRIDAY, SATURDAY. DEC. 11 . 12 sounds on the album cut through right RADIATORS away, but the songs themselves appeared TUESDAY. DEC. 15 SUBURBAN LAWNS one-dimensional. Exposure tilted percep­ IRS RECORDING ARTIST Ah, the first (or is it the last) of the tion revealed extra dimensions. THURSDAY, DEC. 17 Seventies' (or is it the Eighties') street sur­ Is "Mr. Blur" an elliptical song about SHEIKS FRIDAY, SATURDAY. DEC. 18. 19 realists! sex? ''I see you impersonate/A fire on the NEVILLE BROTHERS LP kicks off with "There's a Reason": walkout." Blurring of distinctions be­ WEDNESDAY, DEC. 23 "Walking slowly into romance/ Lions tween sexes? or roles? or cliches? Im­ MODELS FRIDAY, DEC. 25 roaring by the entrance." Tom V's on a prisonment by need, necessity: "Locked MODELS goodnatured relationship with danger. up fifteen times everyday/ Just because I SATURDAY.DEC. 26 The interlude between chorus and verse is have to in every way." Verlaine's ride's a COLD bristling but somehow soft. "That ain't a crunchy steam roller on a rocky road. "Walk NEW YEARS EVE. 31 reason I could go for-" the reason T.V. out of the walkout." Fred Smith's bass a COLD finds is "wonder." (Finding not a small witty conversation on the way out. 8200 WILLOW ST. amount of terror in the process: "I can't From blurring to . .. nothing. keep still I fear.") Great googlie-mooglie "Fragile . . . handle with care/l've got to 861 8200 strangling-chickens guitar on the way out face what's never there." Spider guitars as Verlaine mutters. The mother loves to weave the web of the verse. "Influences I mutter; it's as if he's saying, "Play with think I am under/ They are so discouraging it what I say, I could mean it a thousand seems to me." Think about it. Dream-state ways." guitar on the ride (how come mosta T.V.'s Drums of Jay Dee Daugherty stumble­ rides on this LP are so short? C'mon Tom: funking into "Deep Penetration"- "All you're easily the best rider riding dese daze. afternoon . . . gazing at the moon . . . Where you jamrnin'?) "Painful . . . pain­ well, I'm forgetting things before I think ful . . . but giving up is okay." them." Leaving the standard black/ white "You're a graduate from the Reemco dichotomous world of reason. Boy-boy­ School of Numbness" is the flrst line or'A boy, this mother's got a touch on the Future in Noise.'' "I got to keep about a guitar. Some weird right-on-the-one bass mile from you!Arms length just won't do" or guitar note where you'd think there'd is another. I bet a lot of people can get never be one during the chorus. Velly behind this song and push on it. "Twenty penetlating. "You build a ladder and you miles of hallways of burning glass/That's lay it on the ground/ Then you move away just where that kind of stuff will end." Roll you move away you move away / Without over Jacques Prevert and tell Andre Breton a sound." the news. "Always" - thought this was "Darl­ Masterpiece time: "Down on the Farm." ing" at first, 'cause that's whom Tom V. Tingler guitar way up there in the night sky. addresses throughout the tune. LP's Pleading and whispering vocal. "I get so beginning to get serious, blinding, wind­ tired of sleep and tears/No one believes you ing beat. "I . .. I know how easy things were there." A strange kind of love song. can rot." V's quite the sculptor of aural "Long and lonely years" goes the chorus, space. Cavernous openings in the sound. wide territories of sound; as the chorus Intervals in the lyrics. "You ... you've repeats, F. Smith's bass does a casual run heard such desperate words/You know down, opening the territory up wider. just who they serve." The mild feel of the Hmm .. . hmm ... hmm ... First git chorus: "Ooooo darling/Mysteries come ride burning with a yearning, sun rising in and go/But love remains the best kept the east, what a feast! Chorus mysteriously secret in town" - the music commencing dropped after the last verse. We're on to bite and tear on "town," then while the another ride. T.V.'s tearing silk with his music throbs, V. coming back with a drearntime flddle, is this the Ozarks or the "Think it over." Sudan? And then the introduction of three-­ Wolves in the wind, Egyptian slink four by the bass and drums turning into a beat, detective chords on the guitar. "The monster waltz. Blue Robe." Tom V. riding over strange The last song fmds us still on the farm (the sands. After usual/ unusual strangula- form?): "Dried up com/All around your WAVELENGTH/DECEMBER 1981 51 well." Easy blues stroll. "Fences breaking down." Song's name - "Mary Marie." Two sides to every story. "All these hands just won't try/ If they taste their own bit­ terness they'll fry." Is this the paralysis caus­ ed by reason? The reasons your identity gives you not to pay attention? "Mary Marie/Taking leave/Turning mirrors to the wall." USIC -Zeke Fishhead San Francisco Blues Festival Various Artists Solid Smoke SS-8009-11 (Three Volumes)

The year is full of blues festivals most of us cannot attend. One of these affairs occurs somewhere out of the reach of schedule and/ or budget, and the feeling pervades that serious mismanagement of lifestyle has occurred somewhere along the line. If you were doing things right, you'd never have to miss a blues fest. Certainly, this isn't intended to minimize the glory of rolling around in the music and joy each spring at the Fair Grounds. The purpose, instead, is to underscore the value of a series like Solid Smoke Records' three volume set of recorded performances from the 1978 and 1979 San Francisco Blues Festivals. These three records, wisely packaged and sold separately, offer an opportunity to sample the music of eleven of the acts that gathered on the West Coast from various geographic locales during two Augusts. From Louisiana, we get a full LUIC.I'\ album side of the late, stupendous Roy Brown, as well as two numbers from the 6319 ELYSIAN FIELDS NEAR U.N.O. young zydeco group Sam Brothers Five. Chicagoans Jimmy Rogers and Louis Meyers team up for a side, and hometown San Franciscoan Lowell Fulsom makes good on a side as well. From Alabama by way of Los Angeles ap­ pears Big Mama Thornton, who delivers what is easily the most emotional perfor­ mance of all, with gritty renditions of "Fo Day Blues," "Ball and Chain," and "You Don't Have to Go" (Jimmy Reed's "Baby What You Want Me to Do?" with a few alterations). Arguably the most interesting sides, however, are the remaining two, which feature a number each from several lesser known performers, mostly from the San PRESENTS Francisco area. Sugar Pie DeSanto, Little Joe Blue, Charles Houff, and Phillip Walker join Fulsom in representing West WED., DEC. 2 ...... ROCK A BYES Coast blues. These are the musicians who WED., DEC. 9 ...... RZA perform the function during the festival WED., DEC. 16 ...... RADIATORS of keeping the energy flowing between the WED., DEC. 23 .... THE REMEDY REUNION national acts, and lend the proceedings an WED. , DEC. 30 ...... HOLIDAY VACATION air of intimacy the others can't. In short, they are the ones who transform a blues festival in San Francisco into the San Francisco Blues Festival. Not to be slighted are Seattle's Isaac Scott, who delivers the most searing guitar work on the three records with 52 WAVELENGTH/DECEMBER 1981 "Goin' Back to Oakland," and Cincin­ ~ ~~ ~ nati's piano thumping Big Joe Duskin, :::: whose "Storm in Texas" marks the only :::: solo work of the entire set. r :::: Regrettably, there is no acoustic guitar :·:· playing or Delta-style blues to be found :::: here, and it's difficult to imagine a well­ :~:~ ·::::.·. balanced blues fest to be lacking in this :;:: manner. Also questionable is the decision ~: ~ : to open volume one with Brown's ,•,• numbers, since only Thornton's set really :·.·.~: ~ attains a level to match Roy. :;:: There seems no question, however, that ~=~ = ·:·:.·.· the heart of a major blues festival has :::: been captured. Though the mix is :·.-:·.· sometimes muddy, every performance Exclusive Yamaha and Baldwin dealers ::::. relays the spirit that makes a festival go, ~m: the feeling that these people aren't just :·:·: playing, they're celebrating. Drums • Keyboards • Guitars -Jerry Karp ~~ ~~: Fender Guitar Strings $3.00 I set ::::: ::::: Save on name brands such as: Siouxsie and the Banshees Yamaha, Martin/Sigma, Gibson, Polytone, Alvarez, Rogers Old Man River's Oct. 20, 1981 I CAMPO MUSIC for all Musical Needs :·.··:·. :::: "When do I do it? I'll be very specific. ~~~ ~ After one in the morning.'' ·:·: So it is then that vampires court, the ec­ 1452 N. Broad Lakeside Shopping 4401 Vets centrics stir breakfast, and Siouxsie Sioux 943-8842 Center 887-5910 undertakes her most pleasurable, personal 837-8275 horror: creating elegy after nursery rhyme destined to be the songs of Souxsie and ...:·:·""'""''!"!'!"!"!''!"!'!"!"!''!"!'!"!"!'"!'!'!'!'!"!'!'!'!'!!'!'!'!'!"!'!'!'!'!"!'!"!'!"!'!'!"!'!"!''!"!'!"!"!''!"!'!"!"!''!"!'!"!"!'"!'!'!'!'!"!'!'!'!'!"!'!'!'!'!!'!'!'!'!"~""'""'""'~ :·:·:·:·:·:·:-::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::;:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:::::::::::::::::::::;:;:;:;:;::::::::::;:::::::;:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::;::::::::::::::::::::·•:·:·••:• the Banshees. And on their newest album, juju, 'Siouxsie and the Banshees has at last again tapped the vein of sophisticated hideousness which so well nourished their second album, Join Hands. Throughout the album juju, the elements of life, liars, death, voodoo, necrophilia, witchcraft, and Siouxsie's secluded hatred of facism are rampant, hand in hand with bouquets of roses for the funeral of crass ig­ norance. The exhibition of Siouxsie and the Ban­ shees at Old Man River's on October 20 ENTERTAINMENT CONSULTANTS became a night of the living, scared, and Exclusive Acts: perplexed. Steve Severin, the Banshees' Amber American Peddlers non-bassist bassist; John McGeoch, fire of genius guitarist and flanger Opus Stargazum manipulator; Budgie, a strong, artistic, Desire Sparkle most graceful drummer; and Siouxsie Sioux, brilliant-on-brilliant vocalist, plot­ Stars of Gold Odyssey ted their precious, perfect combination on Penny Lane stage and sent the curtain up with their version of " Helter Skelter," leaving the Other Attractions: Beatles' cut in flippant consideration. Dark Star T-Birds Jubilation Thus, the evening was launched with Voltage Brothers Raffeys Sazerac severe dignity and strength, and the band E.L.S. Pieces Contenders refused throughout the show to ease the Maggabrain Ivy Lakefront pressure of you must listen-listen-listen Daily News Meters Top cats cast upon the audience. Among the gems South Persia Irma T homas of the night was a new composition, Piranha Deacon John Freedom "Fireworks." The band fulfilled its en­ core demand with ' 'Hong Kong Garden,' ' For info on these and other groups, call: an English hit from their initial album, The Scream. And all too soon came the culmination of the Banshees' nightly 504-488-0852 cemetary tap dance. Tra Ia Ia Ia Ia. P. 0. BOX 50842 New Orleans, La. 70150 Being pals with Sid Vicious at a tender

WAVELENGTH/DECEMBER 1981 53 age . . . an alcoholic father and happily asthmatic mother . . . understanding far beneath the surface and caring for none of it ... some minds, as Siouxsie's, just aren't molded by ribbons and Frosted Flakes. TORTILLA When questioned on escape from life through the existence of a statue of her choice, Siouxsie unhesitatingly chose tile figure of Christ. FLATS "Jesus Christ ... hanging on an invisi­ ble cross, or a scarecrow or a cactus." •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Not the mind of Doris Day, you see? -Carla Westcott A California - Mexican Adventure In l.aterles The Blasters • •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• The Blasters 50 1 Esplanade Slash SR-109 at Decatur 945-9212 Remember the vitality of those original Creedence Clearwater Revival rhythms? Without being imitative, The Blasters NOW OPEN have found a very similar groove- that is to say, they too have developed that rare 7 DAYS A WEEK talent of being able to forge a sound of their own while being true to roots music. NOON-10:30 P.M. The Blasters take their cue from rock, rockabilly, blues, boogie-woogie, coun­ try, and even New Orleans R&B - adding The Rose In Spanish Harlem up to no short order for this Los Angeles (actually Downey, Ca.) based quintet. But like Creedence, their California burg is only a port of departure. The Blasters lyrical home lies On The Road with fre­ quent stops at bars, all-night diners, roadhouses, and juke joints. Song­ writer/ guitarist Dave Alvin weaves these images into the most infectious songs that grab instantly like the best rock classics - refreshingly new, oddly familiar, and yet never once sounding derivative. Put the needle to the vinyl on "Marie Marie," "No Other Girl," "Border Radio," or on the unforgettable "American Music": It's a howl from the desert The screams from the slums The Mississippi rolling To the beat of the drums It's American Music, American Music It's the greatest sound right from the U.S.A. Now, don't get confused. The Blasters aren't heralding any star-spangled flagwaving trip. Their allegiance is to the Lost Highway, and to that midnight soundtrack by which you drive. Collec­ tively the group has the unique ability to synthesize rock dreams into that wild and crazy beat - a special bill few bands still can fill. And on this self-titled LP, The Blasters more than amply deliver the goods. Phil Alvin is foremost at the Blasters' helm, resurrecting the art of singing, as too few rock 'n' roHers do anymore. Alvin can wail like Big Joe Turner, or croon a Ia Jackie Wilson, and freeze frame of his facial contortions on the album's cover illustrates the intensity he applies to his vocals. Having already men­ tioned his brother's gifted songwriting, I feel it important to add that Dave Alvin 54 WAVELENGTH/DECEMBER 1981 also plays one riveting guitar, and if I've got one complaint about this album, it's that his electric twang is too often buried in the mix. The Alvin brothers are backed up by bassist John Bazz and drummer Bill Bateman, who create the group's solid locomotive drive, and by pianist Gene Sundays - John Rankin Taylor, who flavors the overall sound Tuesdays - James Booker with the tastiest keyboard runs. Taylor "The Piano Prince of New Orleans" particularly stands out on a barrelhouse Wednesdays- Louisiana homage to Professor Longhair, Repertory Jazz Ensemble "Hollywood Bed," which also features Crescent City legend Lee Allen on tenor Thursdays - Bourre saxophone. The Blasters spotlight Allen again for another rippling sax solo on "So hi. Dec. 4-Lil Queenie & the Percolators Long, Baby, Goodbye," which I'd single Sat. Dec. 5 - Rockin' Dopsie & Twisters out as my personal favorite track, were it Fri. Dec. 11 - Exuma not for all those other damned fine tunes Sat. Dec. 12 - Beausoleil I've already mentioned. Hell, there's still for that special Fri. Dec. 18- Roosevelt Sykes an uptempo Jimmy Rodgers cover I could "The Honeydripper" rave about as well, but you've got the pic­ holiday look Sat. Dec. 19 - The Radiato rs ture. I'm wearing out the grooves on my Fri. Dec. 25 -Andrew Hall's Society Jazz copy of The Blasters because it's easily Ba nd one of the most exciting albums I've Hair... Sat. Dec. 26 - Irving Mc l ean & Ra dar heard in a long, long time. My recommen­ v Makeup ... dation is that you run to you nearest • • Christmas Eve - Beethoven's Birthday record store, and if necessary, fight for a • •• Party 8 PM copy. Redken, KMS, Algele -Richard Braverman Natural Woman

8316 Oak Street Eddie Harris 4132 Magazine 866-9359 At The Faubourg 895-0022 October 16-17, 1981 ~ ~

Saxophonist Eddie Harris showed up at New Orleans Steamboat Company the Faubourg sans electronic enhancers, Proudly Presents all the better to see what a consummate straight ahead player he is. Surrounded by an exceptionally hot rhythm section con­ sisting of John Vidacovich on drums, James Singleton on bass and Ellis Mar­ salis on piano, Harris navigated adroitly through hts sets, mamtammg mterest Mathilda through stylistic variety - the way most people do - since he had brought no 1222 Decatur St. New Orleans gadgets with him outside of his reed trumpet. The man does have a penchant for prolixity, though, and I found myself expecting a set to end (wanting a break) a vintage tune or so before Harris decided to end it. He played standards almost exclusively, clothing from the jazz and classic pop repertoire, which is surprising considering the for men amount of original music he has created. Aboard the Riverboat Harris has a demanding, heady style and women which uses dramatic contrast only infre­ PRESIDENT American quently. He spends most of his solo time Saturday, Dec. 5 issuing streams of notes with minimal ·.·~~ Moonlight Cruise and rhythmic or dynamic variety, focusing Wednesday, Dec. 9 our attention on melodic and harmonic / movement. His playing is so fast and with Jerry Lee Lewis Eur~P_ean flawless that he makes smooth surfaces Friday, Dec. 11 j milztary out of notes, rendering the theoretic con­ Moonlight Cruise cept of harmonic distance into something / surplus absolutely palpable, almost visible. Dec. 31 Harmonic distance is what distin­ New Year's Eve 12-6 pm guishes "inside" from "outside" playing. Think of the key that a tune is in as its For I 524-7027 tonal center of gravity. Now each chord in further information concerning J the these and other December bookings, harmonic structure of the tune will Call 288-6660 or 589-2649 revolve around that center at some WAVELENGTH/DECEMBER 1981 55 distance from it, and each chord in turn will function as its own brief tonal center. Every note of the 12-tone chromatic scale will fall somewhere on a continuum of consonance to dissonance in relation to the tonal center of each chord as it comes up. When Harris stays with notes which are always relatively consonant with the tonal centers of the prevailing chords, then he's playing "inside." And if his Monday-Friday, 4-6 notes are mostly dissonant with those centers he's playing "outside." Wed. DRAFT BEER NIGHT Most "outside" playing is done with 2 for 1 very simple harmonic structures that en­ tail little chord movement. Harris, Thursdays though, easily plays whirlwind "outside" 3 Free! lines on tunes with rapid chord move­ Ladies Night ment, as he demonstrated in his lead-off 8-12 piece of the evening, the Cole Porter stan­ Pool, Patio, Pinball dard "Love for Sale." Then, after slow­ ing things down, proving himself equally & One Helluva Jukebox at home with the mellow pace of Tadd plus . . Dameron's classic "Lady Bird," he laun­ ched into a somewhat lesser known Clif­ ford Brown tune "Daahoud," a hard­ swinging, rapidly modulating piece, whose melody has a near-Eastern flavor. Here he started off playing "inside," then gradually, chorus by chorus worked his way out, all the time riding a rapid, breakneck, non-stop line. Then he went a step farther by playing increasingly dis­ Serving Hot n' Hearty and junct melodies, lines with larger and For further information call larger noteskips in them, while maintain­ Assorted Cold Sandwiches Musician Exchange 523-2773 ing the same speed. The excitement and Snacks reaches a high level, though it remains mental. He keeps the listener's emotions in harness, filtering them through the purely intellectual medium of his con­ tinuous, rhythmically and dynamically unvarying lines. The music separates your mind from your body and levitates it up­ ward. The imaginative experience comes close to out-of-body travel. Harris's energy infected everyone else & RESTAURANT in the quartet. Marsalis was a dynamo. A master of rhythmic inflection, he mostly Now serves sandwiches, avoided it that night in favor of lines seafood, salads and similar to Harris's in their speed and lack of inflection, although he remained much hot lunches daily more "inside" than Harris. His playing Saturday night was a marvelous ~ demonstration of pianistic bravura, which seemed to turn into a cutting contest with Harris during the Miles Davis standard "Tune Up." It is really regrettable that the Hyatt has not renewed Marsalis's regular gig in the Atrium. As one of the city's most skilled and versatile jazz artists, it was a luxury to be able to listen to him any day of the week. ~~~~FREE Singleton's solos seemed to come from an especially deep place. Beyond the technical skill and melodic beauty that he OYSTERS offered, there was an authoritative resonance of some primordial subterra­ & 25¢ draft nean voice coming through his bass that night. And Vidacovich was right there, on Fridays constanting making everything more of what it essentially was. Harris's style of 4300 LAUREL playing tended to reduce Vidacovich's (Corner Gen. Pershing) role as a dramatizer, so he seemed to play more actively during the bass solos. 895-9130 Especially apposite were his bursts of

56 WAVELENGTH/DECEMBER 1981 M-14 fire punctuating Singleton's solo in "Tune Up." Although Harris had left his electronic gear at home, he did offer a few choruses of his closing blues in a vocal parody of a synthesizer. It was a good-natured jibe at the rest of his reputation and well-chosen comic relief at the end of a long set. -Joel Simpson

Autumn in Armstrong Park October 31-November 1, 1981

If you are among those whose finances were ravaged by the glorious excesses of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festi­ val last year, then you should have been at Armstrong Park the weekend of October 31 and November 1 to recover some of last year's investment. The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation sponsored Autumn in Armstrong Park on that week­ end. The event was the climax of Jazz Awareness Month, a publicity blitz by the Louisiana Jazz Federation to call atten­ tion to the rich musical environment in New Orleans. An appropriate climax it was. Autumn in Armstrong Park consisted of four stages with something for everybody. There was gospel, rhythm and blues, and traditional and modern jazz by the finest musicians in New Orleans. There was also a children's area with music and theatre. Admission to the two-day celebration was free, a feat made possible by revenues from the 1981 Jazzfest. Autumn in Arm­ strong Park cost the Foundation $67,000 of which $34,000 was not covered by the 81.5 FM sale of concessions and had to be culled STEREO from Jazzfest profits. Mayor Morial and the Musicians Local 174-496 gave the foundation valuable support to make the event happen. Turnout for the weekend was very WE NEED YOUR SUPPORTI good. The Congo Square stage appeared business should become one of our to draw the most consistently large Your crowds. That stage held performances by sponsors. gospel groups all day Saturday, and Sun­ day shifted its emphasis to rhythm and Sponsor one of our programs, and have your blues with Roosevelt Sykes, the Blues business's name announced on the radio. Rockers, and one of the highlights of the weekend, Deacon John and the New It's easy, inexpensive, tax deductible, and it Orleans Blues Revue with Earl King. Pete Fountain drew a large crowd at the works. main stage Saturday. On the same stage To deliver our fine variety of programming were fine performances by the James Drew Quintet, a provocative set from Hot uninterrupted by commercials, we need your Springs, and a real crowd pleaser, the One Mo' Time House Band. financial support. The musical highlight of the weekend Please contact us at our business office. was also the final event, which took place at the Jazz Complex stage. That was the Ellis Marsalis Quartet with Earl Turbin­ 861..0288 ton on alto sax, Julian Garcia, drums, and Chris Everett, bass. Andrea Taxman Also performing were Danny Barker, Tommy Yetta Jazz Band, Kidd Jordan Business Director and the Improvisational Arts Group, Ger­ maine Bazzle and the Gentlemen of Jazz, Ramsey McLean and the Lifers, and the

WAVELENGTH/DECEMBER 1981 57 Plato Smith Quartet, among others. Both era of a decade earlier, it was how the au­ days began with a jazz parade. The last set dience acted and dressed that captivated on Saturday was a contemporary jazz the media's attention. This time it was jam, and while Ellis and his quartet were called "punk," and then, more palatably, playing the last set on one stage Sunday, "new wave." Major recording labels saw there was a traditional jazz jam on green and signed every imitative skinny­ another stage. tied combo in town, leaving the city's best A variety of south Louisiana dishes to fend for themselves. were provided by Paul Prudhomme, One group , X, transcended all Austin Leslie of Chez Helene, Sonny expectations with two explosive Vaucresson, and various neighborhood homespun albums that have amassed organizations. For me, the particular overwhelming national critical acclaim. Raffey's & Reunion WRNO Night delights were the alligator sausage from Now, seemingly following in X's Wed, Dec. 2 Paul Prudhomme and the stuffed peppers footsteps, L.A.'s Alley Cats have just Dean Darling & The Wanderers from Chez Helene. Other offerings that issued their first lp, Nightmare City, were popular with those attending Fri./Sat. Dec. 4 & 5 were which is unquestionably the hardest driv­ St. Mark's Community Center's red ing rock 'n' roll album I've heard this Persia & 24K beans and rice and the host sausage po­ year! Wed, Dec. 9 boys of Sonny Vaucresson. Guitarist Randy Stodola, bassist Diane Sheiks To make the event happen, the founda­ Chai, and drummer John McCarthy Thurs, Dec. 10 tion hired many of the same producers create the kind of rock that forces the ac­ Sheiks that it uses for the annual jazz festival. celeratior to the floor. In guitar-riff tradi­ The move paid off in a well put-together, tion, echoing Wed, Dec. 16 Eddie Cochran and the best smoothly run affair. Even the overly of the Rolling Stones, this is the stuff Zebra manicured, gaudy setting of Armstrong that's impossible to listen to while remain­ Sat, Dec. 19 Park did not detract from the good vibra­ ing seated. Not only is this music that Sheiks tions. makes you want to move, but like their Thurs, Fri, Sat, Dec. 31, Presently there are no plans to make contemporaries, X and the Alley Cats Autumn in Armstrong Jan 1 & 2 Park found write penetrating lyrics. the Jazz and Heritage Foundation giving Nine of Nightmare City's ten songs are Heritage Festival is the only revenue­ methedrine-laced visions of the L.A. Call for updated COilOscar Peterson at Montreux. or to the Smithsonian to hear Woody Herman's Herd. We take you from the blues of Lena Home to the hom of Urbie Green. Whether 1t's Preservation Hall 1n New Orleans, or Nightmare City Chuck Mangione Carnegie Hall in New York, we're no sooner out of one jam than we're into another. The Alley Cats At The Saenger Time Coast Records October 13, 1981

In the late Seventies, while new music It's more than appropriate that on the exploded from London and New York, day after Columbus Day Chuck succeeding generations of rock 'n' rollers Mangione returned in concert at the carne into their own on the West Coast. Saenger. Few cities (other than perhaps Jazz programs Wed. thru Sat. nights. Those who dismissed the territory as San Francisco) celebrate that Italian­ "mellow" were undoubtably safely tuck­ American holiday as fervently as New ed in bed when the sun went down. For it Orleans (e.g., Festa d' Italia) A CULTUAAL SERvoCE 0~ THE UNIVERSil\ Or N(.// ORLEANS . Moreover, was then, unaware to all but the cult few cities have as strong an Italian­ underground, that amplified guitar-bass­ American musical heritage as does New drum (504) 283«315 poetry began to rise again in the Los Orleans. Angeles night. Lyricism, the joy of playing, and the With uncanny similarity to the Doors concept that music is fun - all of these 58 WAVELENGTH/DECEMBER 1981 aspects are part of the Italian musical See Dick See Jane tradition; and that heritage shaped much CYPRESS IS: of the jazz from New Orleans: Nick LaRocca's efforts with the original Dixie­ land Jazz Band is one example. Listen to their recording of "At The Jazz Band Ball" and Nick's solo for an aural exam­ ple of these characteristics. Tony Parenti's joyous clarinet and composi­ tional talents graced the New York scene for years; but he came from New Orleans. The lyrical bent of the late Sharky Bonano, the melodiousness of Santo Pecora, the bursting-with-emotion tenor solos of Sam Butera (when he's not jiving) and the entire musical personality of the THE SHOW departed Louis Prima are local examples of these phenomena. featuring Bringing this all up to date on the inter­ national level are the compositional and TIME ZONE performing talents of Chuck Mangione. A New York Italian-American raised THE WESTBANK'S a rock performance piece within the hearing of modern jazz throughout his life (live and on record), HOTTEST Sat, Dec. 5 11pm Mangione continues that tradition of joy, accessibility, and lyricism. In introducing ROCK GROUP "Feels So Good" he commented on that Sat, Dec. 19 11pm accessibility verbally. His flugelhorn lec­ tured on that same subject throughout the Coming evening to a most receptive, large au­ dience. At You! Opening with "The Hill Where The Lord Hides," a vintage work, it was evi­ <>([ dent that Chuck's chops were not up to FOR LOCATIONS AND BOOKINGS the technical proficiency of his other CALL: 340-9977 OR 436-7482 900 Camp St. 523-1216 featured soloists: Chris Vadala (reeds, flute) and Grant Geissman (guitar). What Mangione does on flugelhorn reminds me of Lester Young's tenor saxophone lyrical accents, though without their sparseness. "Land of Make Believe" featured one of 400 Bourbon MOCfHER'S the most inventive guitar solos I've ever heard. Grant Geissman started at a cross­ December 1 561-9231 rhythm, and then built a tremolo solo Caliente T~VERN criss-crossing not only the melodic and •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• own improvisation . December 2·5 MONDAY NIGHT • rhythmic line, but his • It meritoriusly garnered great applause . Exuma FOOTBALL • "Chase The Clouds Away" had $2.50 Pitchers • especially melodic reed work from Vadala December 6·8 NIGHT plus electric piano from the composer. Caliente LADIES was Vadala's best Tuesday & Thursday "Bellavia," though, outing. It appears to me that he's good on .WEDNESDAY NIGHT all instruments, but not an outstanding December 9·12 : Double Shot Bar Liquor soloist. Bassist David Pilch, formerly TBA : $1.00 heard here with Blood, Sweat, and Tears, displayed awesome techique on the selec­ December 13·19 : MONDAY-FRIDAY the Fun and Games album, tions from Aubry, Inc. : Happy Hour: 4:30 - 6:30 and he adds a bottom to the group that : Hi-Balls $1.00 wasn't as solid previously. "Children of • Draft Beer 50¢ Sanchez Overture" roared even with a December 20·24 reduced assemblage of musicians. Closed for Christmas SUNDAY Perhaps Mangione is the George Shear­ $2 .50 Pitchers ing of the Eighties; by that, I mean he has December 25·26 $1.00 Hi-Balls made a repertoire and "sound" of con­ TBA temporary jazz accessible to and popular Shorty Rogers did with a large audience. December 27·29 in the Fifties; now those sounds the same Caliente are as commonplace as the next TV com­ mercial. Stan Getz and Charlie Byrd ••••••••••••••• popularized bossa nova later on. All of December 30 corner of these jazzmen, however, should not be and New Years Eve Carrollton & Maple. tainted by the fact that they were and are Metropolis ''A step off appreciated by large audiences; for, they the trolley '' have not "sold out" or lost their musical integrity on the way to financial success. WAVELENGTH/DECEMBER 1981 59 What annoys me most, however, is the failure on the part of so many to put Mangione into the musical historical jazz context I set out herein. For example, though the group was coming back from Japan, couldn't some gesture have been made by any of the many organizations connected with Festa d' Italia to give some sort of recognition to Mangione and his contributions to music, jazz, and his heritage? Are those people unaware that he performed and recorded a concert for the benefit of the Italian earthquake vic­ tims? Some time ago I discussed with drum­ mer Phil Zito the city's lack of apprecia­ tion of its musical heritage. The idea of an Italian-American Jazz Festival was con­ sidered. I fear, however, that there'd be a lack of ethnic support for such a venture, especially in view of what I feel was a Dedicated to the slight to Mangione at such a time when appreciation would have been most Pr.ervalion of Rock 'n' RoD! significant and appropriate. -Rhodes Spedale Tues., 8pm-10pm: Drinks 2 for 1 Thursday and Sunday - Ladies Night Toots and the Maytals Every other drink free all night At McAlister Auditorium Bar Brands $1.00 Draft Beer soeall the time November 15, 1981

3232 Edenborn Ave. I know that Toots and the Maytals is a Metairie great band. Toots Hibbert has been singing 887-9858 and recording with Jerry Mathias and Raleigh Gordon since 1960, and has been backed up by the same musicians for almost as long. Their albums for the most part have been excellent, each one contain­ ing classics like "Time Tough," "Funky Kingston," "Monkey Man," "Rasta­ man," etc. And then, of course, the songs "Pressure Drop" and "Sweet and Dandy" are well known from being in the sound­ track of the movie The Harder They Come (that was Toots and company singing "Sweet and Dandy" in the scene in Sir Hilton's recording studio). I also know that Toots and the Maytals can be better than they were at Tulane University on Nov. 15 . Although the performance was not bad (in fact, Toots was tremendous), problems such as the band not arriving at Tulane un­ til 10 p.m. and having to practically jump right onstage after travelling by bus from Austin might explain why the band didn't Wednesdays seem to have much energy. Free Dance Lessons . And always our pool But even if the sound wasn't perfect and 7-9 pm tables, punching bag, the band was nothing to look at, there was Thursdays mechanical bull, still Toots! I don't know what he's like off­ Ladies Night long neck beers. stage, but onstage he is one of those rare human beings who projects a warmth so free drinks for 3027 Jean real that the audience is immediately cap­ the ladies Lafitte Pkwy. tured by it. His smile, which never left his Thursday­ face, was magnetic. He sang close to the Chalmette, La. edge of the stage and often bent down to Saturday touch the audience, and the audience Live Country Music 277-8245 response seemed to be motivated by something other than hero worship, something more spiritual. My most lasting impression of the concert will be of Toots the man rather than Toots the singer. -Gene Scaramuzzo 60 WAVELENGTH/DECEMBER 1981 CLASSIFIEDS

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SONGWRITER who sings and plays guitar and bass seeks keyboardist to play original Awards to rock music. Davy 834-6423. deserving Volunteers SERIOUS MUSICIANS wanted to perform 6PM to with professional singing artists. Call246-0986 MIDNIGHT and Supporters. after 6 p.m. to set up an audition. Food, drink and many SUNDAY CONN TENOR SAX, good condition. $250 or best offer. After 5 p.m. 486-4924. DEC. 13 SPECIAL MusiCAL GuESTS!! FOR SALE, two acoustic guitars. Yamaha at Tipitina 's FG-345 with case $150. Alvarez 12-string 5021 with case $130. Call Johnny 947-7198 or 885-0997. Piano Tuning and Repair All models, professional tuning, major-minor repairs. Expert antique restoration. 100Jo dis­ count on all new business. Discount on con­ tract arrangements. Marklyn Piano Co. 522-0148. EXPERT BRASS & WOODWIND REPAIR Free estimates, reasonable rates, fast quality service. Ron (the Doctor), Repairman. 949-5907.

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Mistaken Identity the sounds of ED PERKINS

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WAVELENGTH/DECEMBER 1981 61 LAST PAGE

_... ..--. .. -- -::t-- -·- Irma Thomas - I __. i20l Washington 1 Miss Irma Thomas has been seen lately Houston ... Speaking of Lee, he is featured on yet another television commercial, this on Lowell Folson's latest JSP album and Ave. time for wrought iron security bars. Maybe was in attendance with Earl Turbinton at 486-4873 other advertisers will take the hint and take B.B. King's recent spectacular sellout advantage of the wealth of talented local performance on the S.S. President. Not to musicians for their ads. mention blowing on the Rolling Stones tour. Maze's latest album, recorded at the He also appears on the latest Blasters Saenger, Maze Live In New Orleans, alhum. recently passed the one million mark in James Lincoln Collier, the celebrated sales ... Spencer Bohren out of action last author of The Making Of Jazz, is in town month for two weeks due to a throat doing research for a biography of Louis infection ... Bryan Lee, "The Blind Giant of Armstrong to be published by Oxford the Blues," is rumored to be moving to New Press... New Orleans keyboard player ~he< you'Australia yourself or someone else. Prout's is still packing them in for the likes with ex-Animal Eric Burden.•. Dr. John was you'll find it at of Bobby Blue Bland, Latimore, and ZZ Hill in Los Angeles recently working on the this past month. Don't miss "The King of soundtrack for Nick Nolte's next film, Rockin' Soul'' Solomon Burke there early in Cannery Row... Is is true that Earl King will December. .. Neville Brothers were recently actually tour Switzerland next May? featured on Channel 26. The Neville Brothers opened for the ~Jfr Watch for The History ofMotown, a five­ Rolling Stones at the Stones' Louisville record anthology. Great complement to show ... the private party after the Stones' their recent reissue series ... Nancy Weldon, local show will be held on the President and

62 WAVELENGTH/DECEMBER 1981 "THE PRO ROCK SHOP RUN BY MUSICIANS FOR MUSICIANS."

BE SURE TO LOOK FOR OUR OTHER AD IN THIS ISSUE OF WAVELENGTH FOR SOME REALLY USEFUL CHRISTMAS SPECIALS. HAVE A MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM THE MUSICIANS AT METRO MUSIC.

MUSICIANS WANTED EARLY 60'S SOUL MUSIC GROUP SEEKING KEYBOARDIST WITH KEY BOARD PLAYERS ROCK BASS PLAYER INTO ZEP, RUSH, HEART WANTS GROUP SMALL PORTABU PIANO & ORGAN. CONTACT GUN MAYER CAll JAMES AT 34 1 64&7 455-0097 AfTER 6:00 PM. NEW WAVE GROUP INTO ORIG . NEEDS VOCALIST, KEYS. CAll PIANO PLAYER-All STYLES. SEEKS WORK- SOME SAl & FlO­ BASS PLAYER-Al l STYLES-WANTS SERIOUS GROUP-tALL CHUCK m -1090 SYMPHONIC. 60's POP, NEW WAVE, ROCK BAND SEEKS PRO­ OlE- HAVE EQUIPMENT CAll CHUCK 522-8516 ARTIE 347-IS33 MOTIONAL MANAGER • C8NTACT TOll AT 165·1825 50's-60's GROUP SEEKS KEYBOARDISJ.PLENTY Of WORK CALL MULTI INSTRUMENTALIST (PIANO, VIBES, MARIMBA, DRUMS, EXP. 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FUNK, OLDIES SEEKS GROUP SINGERI GUIURIST SEEKS R&B, ROCK , OR ORIG. BAND CAll lEAD GUITARIST SEEKING GROUP, LOOKING TO WORK WITH CAll Bill AT 347-9644 JAZZ fUSIONI R & B GROUP SEEKS BASS PLAYER CAll Al PAUl 731-3195 ROCK, R&B, OR TOP 40 ROCK GROUPS CAll ELLIOT AT &65-9517 219-7061 ROCK-JAZZ DRUMMER lOOKING FOR BAND CALL GUY AT FEMALE VOCALIST SEEKING FULL TillE WORKING BAND SINGS 945-7859 DR 271-64&0 ROCK lAND INTO BENATAR, PRETENDERS, ETC. NEEDS BASS All STYUS.C.W. SALLY 195-2679 GUITAR PLAYER INTO R&B. R&R, COUNTRY AND OLDIES, & DRUMS • CAll CARLA 134-0135 lOOKING FOR BAND READY AND WILLING TO WORK CAll UGLY DRUMMER INTO ROCK-JAZZ LOOKING FOR WORK fOR fEMALE VOCAliST WHO SINGS All STYLES FROM ROCK TO WilliE AT 131-3067 MALLY WITH HY-JINl CAll STEVE 111-5766 HEAVY METAL GROUP · COOPER, UFO, KISS, ETC. WANTS BASS COUNTRY. CONTACT IDE AT METRO MUSIC 340-4913 REGAR­ & lfAD PLAYER CAll Till 1-764-7D75 DING DONNA. ROCK DRUMMER FORMALLY WITH MELANGE, lOOKfOR FOR BAND-CAll PAUl 134-'«0 DR 464-06$4 WANTED-lEAD DR KEYS fOR ROC1t GROUP-CAll JACK DR FEMALE VOCAliST SEEKS TOP 40 GROUP. CAll SHARON AT BASS PLAYERS ROBERT AT 366-1617 454-7115 BEFORE 5:00 Pll. UP. DRUMMER lOOKING FOR WORKING BAND-INTO R&B, FUNK, BLUES AND ROCK-tAU MILTON 191-6946 HEAVY METAL GROUP ODES HAUN, PRIEST, ETC. NEEDS SINGER INTO TOP 40, FUNK , JAZZ lOOKING FOR GROUP CALL YOUNG GUITARIST·CAU LINWOOD 341-14$4 IOHN 1·652-9090 PROGRESS ROCK BASS PLAYER SEEKS EITHER BAND, OR DRUMMER SEEKS RU GROUP-~REFERS HARD ROCK CAll DWIGHT AT 341-3191 MUSICIANS TO FORM BAND. CALL CHARLES 1·536·3386 GROUP LOOKING fOR KEYBOARD PLAYER fOR ORIG. MUSIC EXP. IIAU VOCALIST lOOKING FOR WORKING ROCK OR R&B DRUMMER SEEKING OTHER MUSICIANS FORM CAll DRVEY AT 134-6423 BAND-CAll JERRY EXPERIENCED ROCK BASS PLAYER lOOKING TO ROCK AT 131-4331 FOR WORK CAll GROUP. AVAILABLE 10 JOIN EXISTING BAND CAll 211·4334 JOE AT METRO MUSIC CONCERNING JAMES AFTER 2:00 Pll. BAND INTO ORIG. ALLMAN BROS •• SANTANA SEEKS KEYBOARD fEMALE VOCALIST SEEKS MOTIVATED BAND-INTO R&R, JAZZ, PLAYER CAll JEff 166-0347 CAll HOLDEN AT 195-1110 JAZZ BASS PLAYER lOOKING FOR SPOT GIGS CAll 213-6523 EXPERIENCED HEAVY METAL DRUMMER WITH EQUIPMENT ASK fOR REBECCA REGARDING Jill SEEKS SERIOUS BAND-CONTACT BOBBY AT 211-1956 fORMER COLO RECORD SINGER fORMING NEW SHOW ACT. MALE VOCALIST SEEKING JAZZ ORIENTED GROUP, PRUER· SEEKING MUSICIANS AND FEIW.£ VOCALIST-CAll BOBBY RABlY WORKING-HAVE PA-WIU 00 SO's, 60's, POSSIBLY BASS PLAYER lOOKING FOR WEEK END WORK-I PlAY OLD EXPERIENCED DRUMMER LOOKING FOR WORKING GROUP. UWIS AT 245-1307 NEW WAVE-CAll ROCCl AT 561-0141-UAVE MESSAGE STANDARDS AND JAZZ-tAU BRUCE AFTER 6-AT 361-3863 PREFER ROCK. JAZZ, COUNTRY. CAll STEVE 134-0446

FOR INFORMATION ON OUR FREE REFERRAL SERVICE CALL 504·340·4983, METRO MUSIC, 1995 BARATARIA BLVD. AT LAPALCO MARRERO, LA. 70072 Give the gift of music.

Includes: HERE IN ANGOLA INDIAN SUMMER ON THE BORDER ECAT

$9.99LP/ TAPE

$9.99LP/ TAPE

$5.99LP/ TAPE

BARRY MANILOW If I Should love Again $5.99LP/ TAPE

$5.99LP/ TAPE

Includes: THE OLD SONGS LET'S HANG ON SOMEWHERE DOWN THE ROAD Available on Arista Records and Tapes $5.99LP/ TAPE

Open 10 till 9 Daily Noon till 6 Sunday

NOW OPEN-3627 S. CARROUTON AVE. 6301 ELYSIAN FIELDS 283-4080 3129 GENTILLY BLVD. 282-3322 601 TERRY PKWY. 361 -5656 OPEN TIU 11 PM 3300 N. CAUSEWAY BLVD. 831-1655 714 S. CARROLLTON 866-3656