February 20,1984 Page 5 Lonnie Listen Smith jams at UMBC by Dean Dalfonzo everything, so whatever they needed, I would and he gave it a classy touch. learn the instrument just to get into the band." Lonnie himself played modestly with his band, This Friday at 8:00 n.m., Jazz pianist Lonnie He then went on to graduate from Morgan State but on occasion, he did jump up to the higher Liston Smith will be appearing in the Grand University with a Bachelor of Science degree in scales, cutting through the Latin background. "I Ballroom in the University Center. Music Education. can really hear the high notes, and although some After a creative hiatus to "take a break, and After he played professionally with Balti- pianists don't like to play that high, it comes very find a balance between the music and the busi- more's Royal Theatre House Band, who backed natural to me." ness," Smith will begin touring with his first stop up name bands like the Supremes, Smith eventu- If Smith lives up to the spirit of his Live album, at UMBC. He will later be performing at Blues ally joined Miles Davis. his coming performance should be very enter- Alley in Baltimore City before continuing on his "When I got with Miles, I saw a whole new taining. His band will include his brother, on tour of the East Coast. world and gained more confidence in myself," he flute and vocals; Pre Meik, on saxophone; Abe While his present album Dreams of Tomor- explained . "I worked with Miles for about two Speller on drums; Billy Cohburn, on bass; and row is less than a year old, he plans to do another or three years. It was fascinating. Miles is a Steve Thornton on percussion. album "in the next month or so" between concert genius, and he brings out the best of each artist Also opening for Lonnie Liston Smith will be engagements. who performs with him. If you look back at the Maximum Strength, a local R & B group who Smith may not be extensively well known to musicians who played with Miles, most of them performed previously on campus as Family. the masses, but he has played with such musical became successful solo artists." giants as Miles Davis, Max Roach, Chuck Man- Smith eventually left Miles Davis and formed gione, and Herbie Hancock. the Cosmic Echoes, which refers to the collection During his high school years in Richmond, of musicians working with Smith on a particular Entre Nous: a French tale of two women Virginia, Smith became a proficient pianist, project. While Cosmic Echoes sounds somewhat trumpeter and tuba player. "I just wanted to be in "far out," the name is strikingly descriptive of reminiscences and dreams. But as their friend- (Guy Marchand) offers to marry her and leave Smith's style of music. by Denise Lee ship grows, they begin to see flaws in their mar- the camp, she accepts. They walk 50 miles to He has been described as a jazz/funk type of Entre Nous is a powerful and thoughtful riages, and their friendship is condemned by a freedom in Italy. composer but his music can't be easily fit under movie about personal choice and freedom. society whose members believe that a woman's Madeline, meanwhile, marries her sweetheart. the labels of freeform jazz or a funk-fusion. Translated Between us, it's the story of two only dream should be for her husband and They are both art students when the French mil- Smith says that in creating his music, he con- women who meet in France in 1952. Both have children. itia (on orders from the Germans) come to arrest stantly seeks a balance between pop and jazz We first see Lena (played by Isabelle Huppert) their teacher. When the students resist on their while still providing an improvisational element. survived World War II, although one lost her as she arrives in a relocation camp in occupied teacher's behalf, her young husband is killed in "I try to be very spontaneous. Creative, but with husband and one married a man she didn't love. They soon become close friends, sharing their France. She is young and alone. When Michel the crossfire between the French underground a contemporary rhythm. Each time we play, we and the militia. After the war, Madeline marries grow, and we try to make each concert as inspir- Costa, a man in constant pursuit of quick riches. ing as possible." Lena and Madeline accidentally meet at their Smith's live album recorded in New York five children's school play. Madeline's boy, Renee, is years ago expresses what his style is all about. a shy and sensitive child. Lena and Michel have The album is so relaxing it gives one the feeling of two little girls. Soon, the two women become sitting in a hot tub, with warm water burbling close friends and the two families share picnics around. and other activities together. Michel and Costa But the mellower songs are arranged with share a business venture. inventive Latin percussion and melody changes. But Lena and Madeline have the most in com- While they sound similar to pop ballads, the mon. They begin to see flaws in their marriages as other forces in the band pull away from that their friendship deepens. They yearn for the free- sound, heading towards a more Santana/Spiro dom to follow their own dreams, and to achieve Gyra type song. Lonnie's brother, Donald, the simple, personal accomplishments that have played flute and sang vocals on the Live album been denied them. Lonnie Litton Smith These feelings upset their husbands, and Michel eventually forbids the two women to see each other. It is to the director's credit she does Writer gets stuck on giving not portray the husbands as 1970-type male chauvinists. They are realistically played as men with traditional values married to two very his time and blood to others unconventional women. by Dave Keith Overman "Are you all right?" It was the nurse. The result is that friendship wins over I nodded yes, of course I'm all right. marriage—but knowing the ending won't spoil To some of us, a blooa drive is a wondrous "You're not breathing." this movie for you. If anything, you suspect the sight; the very thought of hundreds of people Oh. I exhaled and felt much better. Okay, so I ending all along, and knowing it frees you to giving up a not insignificant amount of time and forgot to breathe. Give me a break. I mean, it's become absorbed in the emotional lives of these comfort just to perform a largely anonymous my first time, okay? Lena (Isabelle Huppert) and Madeleine (Mlou Miou) find solace in their friendship. see Movie, page 6 good deed is very touching indeed. For want of anything better to do, I calculated There are scads of volunteers needed to run a the number of tiles on the ceiling and then pro- blood drive, people who work for no external ceeded to count them. Five minutes later the reward making posters, recruiting donors, run- nurse tapped me on the shoulder and made me ning ads, working out logistics with the univer- lose count. No Heroes reveals Criminal intentions sity and the Red Cross, helping during the actual "You're done." drive, and even recruiting other volunteers. I started to get up; the nurse pushed me back music, and all of his band members, most of When the Bloodmobile comes to the UMBC by Tony Sclafani everybody else." down. 1 had forgotten about the needle that was Speaking of the radio, will No Heroes be whom are from the area, feel the same way. University Center Ballroom February 27, there still in my arm. She closed off the pack, took out releasing any records in the near future? Once No Heroes' soundcheck ended and the will be even more volunteers needed, to schedule I'd been given detention for going into the girls the needle, put a gauze pad over the site and told "Criminal Records just released a live album rest of the band arrived, we left the locker room appointments and pre-type the forms. bathroom in high school, but until! interviewed me to hold the gauze in place while holding my . pf us at Painters Mill, entitled The End. Also, and went downstairs. No Heroes equipment was I myself donate every eight weeks, like clock- Carey Ziegler, the bass player for No Heroes, I'd arm straight up. My arm joined about a dozen now that Crack the Sky is officially broken up, now fully set up. It looked and sounded as if it work. I do have a few personal reasons for carry- never been in a girls locker room! other arms already in the air. I went back to Lifesong Records, Crack's first label, should be would shatter the windows of the Commuter ing generosity to such an admittedly ridiculous Well for those who are interested, the girls counting ceiling tiles. releasing all of the old albums," Carey explained. Cafeteria if it were pushed to its full volume. extreme; then again, there are other people just locker room, located above the Commuter When I finally got off the table, I felt good. I "We were still under the old Crack the Sky deal Once the band finished messing around with the as extreme without such reasons. Maybe they do Cafeteria, is much bigger and cleaner than I it out of habit. Maybe it doesn't matter. thought it would be, and quiet. You could do an Now don't get me wrong; I hate needles. interview there without being interrupted by the Always have. I was a pediatrician's nightmare; soundcheck noises coming from downstairs. the very sight of a needle would set me screaming No Heroes played in the UMBC Commuter in anticipated pain. No matter that it never hurt Cafeteria about a week and a half ago. Four of as much as I would imagine it to. I never forgave the five members of No Heroes were with Crack the grade school nurse for telling me she was my the Sky: guitarist Bob-Hird, drummer John Tra- friend and would never hurt me and them giving cey, and bassist Carey Ziegler for three years; and me a smallpox vaccination that even left a scar on keyboardist Vinnie DePaul for seven years. Guit- my shoulder (remember those air guns?) arist Darryl Collins joined the band in Sep- So when the Red Cross Bloodmobile came to tember after John Palumbo—Crack the Sky's my high school, I made sure I stayed away. And 1 leader—had left. did stay away, until one of my fellow classmates felt damn good. I also felt a little lightheaded, but Ziegler explained why No Heroes decided to in Social Studies informed me she was going to mostly I felt good. I felt good as one feels good carry on after Palumbo had left. donate blood down at the gym and asked if I whenever one does something for someone else, "When Crack the Sky came to an end, we with Criminal Records, but we recently got out drums and guitars I spoke with them. Since they would stand by her and hold her hand. Of course even if you never meet that someone else. decided to keep the band together because we of that. [Soon,] well be trying to get a contract were going to play in about an hour I figured I'd I agreed only as a friend. The fact that I happened Since that day I have given blood 20 more had such a good time playing together," he said. with a major label—well have about 15 compan- ask them about their concerts, and East Coast to find her exceedingly beautiful never would times. I still hate needles. Some donations have "We were thinking about keeping the name ies, like Geffen, to come see us play up in New tour. have influenced my decision. In fact, I don't even been uncomfortable, a few have been downright Crack the Sky, but John [Palumbo] wasnt too York. "The receptions have been really great espe- remember making a decision. I just heard myself painful (very few—Red Cross nurses tend to be crazy about that. It was good we didn't keep it "We have about 15 songs ready for a new cially in Baltimore," guitarist/vocalist Bob Hird say yes, and that was that. well trained), yet for all my own experiences, for because we didn't want to live off that name, we album, and well be doing eight of those at the was quick to point out. all the newspaper articles about people who have wanted to start something entirely new." Aside showcase in New York," he continued. "Now the "It took a little while but people now identify donated literally gallons of blood during their from the absence of Palumbo, how does No standard procedure for a record deal is doing a with us as No Heroes," added drummer John What is it in the medical lifetimes, 1 still have a great respect for the first- Heroes differ from Crack the Sky? video, so we should be doing a video depending Tracey. time donors, the ones who don't really know "You can tell that the group has got that Crack on how it goes on Wednesday. We did a 'Skin- "The concerts have been going especially well profession that forces what to expect, yet are brave enough to try edge to it. Like I said, we're not trying to say diver' video with Crack the Sky, but MTV said it when we play for younger crowds," mentioned anyway. we're Crack the Sky, but we do have that unique was 'too suggestive' and refused to play it. That Carey. "That's not to say we don't enjoy playing people to lie like that? And if, after reading this, you want to give but sound still within the band on certain spots, video cost around $30,000 to do. The 'Mr. DJ' for old people. are still a little nervous, bring along a friend to because we're the same guys playing together. video from the World in Motion album cost a "Our sets are composed of one half new mate- After class, during my lunch break yet, she and hold your hand. But then we have our own sound," Carey con- fraction of that and MTV is now playing it in rial, and the second half old Crack material," I went down to the gym, waited in a few lines, The blood drive will run Monday, February 27 tinued. "So you'll be able to turn on the radio and medium rotation." explained Carey. answered a few questions...and suddenly I found through Wednesday, February 29 from 10:00 say 'That sounds like No Heroes.' People are Carey said that his inspiration to play rock and "The new material is different, but it's still the myself holding a blood pack and waiting in line a.m. to 4:00 p.m. each day. To volunteer or make going to be able to tell it's us. And that's what's roll came as a kid when he was growing up in same players," continued Bob Hird. "We're hav- to donate. an appointment, call 455-3462 or -3458 or drop gonna keep us apart from all the othe/ music Sykesville, and he heard the Beatles. (No Heroes ing fun finally, because we're a band, we all con- "But I'm just here with her!" I protested. by the University Center Program Board office that's going on, because you get a lot of groups still does "I Am the Walrus" onstage.) He said trol it. There's no hero, or dictator, it's like we're "That's okay, honey," replied the nurse, giving in room 212. you hear on the radio that try to sound like that all he ever really wanted to do was play kids again, playing in a basement. me a knowing smile. "You'll get a table right next "Hey is there somewhere we can get some to her." beer?" he then asked. Seeing that the interview I was stuck. I couldn't walk out because I had was over, I asked the band if there was anything promised my friend I would stay with her (I had they would like to say to wrap things up. neglected to stipulate that I should be standing) "We're here because we really like to play, and and besides, I was slightly more embarassed than not just to cash in on the name Crack the Sky—I I was scared. When the nurse bounced up to me want to get that across," said John Tracey, the and exclaimed, "My, you have beautiful veins!"I drummer. should have walked out. The No Heroes show later that night con- Then came the worst part, the absolute torture firmed my-and a few friends'—suspicions about of the entire process, the part in which every the sound system: it was loud as hell. It didn't nurse takes at least a mild form of sadistic plea- break any windows, but it left you feeling like sure: I was methodically tickled to death with an you had wool in you ears. iodine swab for a full five minutes. (It may not The band started its set with "No More sound like much to you, but I happen to be Heroes," its heavy-metalish signature tune. It violently ticklish.) Finally she stopped to let me then went into "Hooked on Video," a new catch my breath and handed me a wooden dowel. wavish-sounding number with lots of harmony. I didn't understand the significance of this until I The metallish "Crazy Jane" followed, and then heard her say, "Now this won't hurt a bit." another new wave jingle "Love is a Physical What is it in the medical profession that forces Thing." All the tunes were catchy, and received people to lie like that? Where are the words "now an ecstatic response from the crowd, most of this wont hurt a bif'written into the Hippocratic whom looked around high school age (kids were Oath? Where do these people get the sheer audac- kissing on the dance floor, so I figured it's high ity to tell us what it's going to feel like? Of course school.) it hurt—for all of 20 seconds. Then the sting The reception signaled that No Heroes has a subsided and left me with the bizarre feeling of Maria Barrientos definite future, probably a successful one, but having something in my arm that didn't really lacks a specific direction in which to go in. It belong there, which, of course, I had. I lay there, Quoth the Ravyns... seemed as if they didn't want to lose any fans, so content knowing that it wasn't really so bad after they played all sorts of music to assure the high all and all I had to do was to squeeze the dowel WUMD played host to MCA recording artists Ravyns last air with us," exclaimed Laura Crowell, WUMD director of pro- school crowd wouldn't be peer-pressured into once every ten seconds or so. Wednesday. Two members of the band did an on-air interview motions. "We were the first station to play the album legally. 98 not liking them (you remember now it was.) I turned to my friend beside me. My friend with Chris Glass, Vince Vincera and Scott Weber of the radio Rock played the album before the release date." Being eclectic is nice, but for a new band, some wasn't there. She had been deferred from donat- station. Commenting on the Ravyns members' personalities, Crowell direction is necessary. ing because of low iron, and 1 had been shafted. Currently, the band is doing a national tour promoting their said, "They were down to earth, very pleasant." Oh well. Six, seven, eight, nine, ten, squeeze, latest vinyl, scheduled for release February 22. "They seem to be excited about the direction their band is one, two, three, four,... "We were very privileged to have them play their album on the taking," Crowell said.