Garland: Bop Is Back! Young to the Defiant Inventiveness of Parker and Dizzy Gillespie Always with That Urgent Undercurrent of Hard by J.N
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THE BERKELEY BARD — July 19-Aug. 1, 1979 11 Hawkins and Eldridge through the passion and lyricism of Webster and Garland: Bop is Back! Young to the defiant inventiveness of Parker and Dizzy Gillespie always with that urgent undercurrent of hard By J.N. Thomas inactivity of a number of great bop pianist. Back in Texas, he was first Texas blues. His style found its center pianists, all of whom seem to be playing noticed by trumpeter Hot Lipps Page, an somewhere between the percussive better than ever. Red Garland is one of Oklahoman noted for his earthy blues power of Bud Powell and the lacy, two- After years of dominance by rock and the most important and influential style. hand chords of Erroll Garner. Right on roll, jazz is again having a resurgence of playing at the Keystone Korner in San Garland developed rapidly. He was in cue, Miles Davis picked Garland for a popularity. The more ambiguous side of Francisco through Sunday, July 22nd. the great Billy Eckstine Band of the group he was putting together. Jazz this interest has talented jazz musicians Born in Dallas in 1923, Garland's Forties, a hotbed of bop experimenta hasn't gotten over the shock yet. transformed into uneasy and transient earliest musical training was on clarinet tion; later, he freelanced with some of the pop stars; the more promising side has and alto sax, one of his teachers was the greatest names in jazz, people like Ben certain uncompromising artists legendary Buster Smith, an altoist Webster, Coleman Hawkins, Roy recognized as never before. Like Dexter credited by no less than Charlie Parker Eldridge, and Lester Young. Gordon and Charles Mingus. as a pivotal influence. After a period as a By the mid-Fifties Garland was as Especially gratifying is the re- professional boxer, Garland emerged ready as he'd ever be. His experience emergence from exile, obscurity or from an Army hitch as a full-fledged ranged from the steady, driving swing of tions to the Groovies rep. (Consumer Note: The English import has a superior Record Report , choice of oldies; three different tracks, including a knock-out "19th Nervous Breakdown." They are, of course, the only rock band in the world to do justice to Look for the Hook Stones material, besides Mick and the boys.) hearing the album, I was put-off by the By Michael Snyder silliness and deaf to the inspiration. I did THE KNACK - Get The Knack dance, though there's no bass player (Capitol): Screw these contrived Image. It's what the customer is proper. (Ah, those devilish electronic Dastards and any pretensions to Beatle- buying. It's what the record company is keyboards.) On the second round with dom. Capitol must be desperate if the selling. The more recognizable the pro the disc, I was a goner. Real gone. "6060- organization is throwing promo-weight duct, the stronger the visual hook, the 842" is certifiably the coolest telephone behind such banal, ineffectual bilge. more memorable the T.V. commercial, toon since "Beechwood 4-5789" and Knuke the Knack! ad infinitum! "Lava" is hotter than, well...you know. It LENE LOVICH - Stateless (Still/Epic): A strong personality or vivid appear is rumored that singer Fred Schneider Hang on to your babushka! Lene's larynx Garland: Out of exile. ance establishes identity and a vicarious graduated magma cum loudly from the should be put under observation at the Although he could be as flashy a soloist intimacy between the performer and the Paul Lynde School of Voice, while Cindy Smithsonian. Born in Detroit, emigrated as anyone, Garland's greatest strength audience. You know John Lennon wheh Wilson and Kate Pierson, the aforemen to Europe, formerly an erotic dancer and was precisely his unrivaled sense of you see him (though rarely) and Cheap tioned space babies, received their vocal professional screamer for French horror ensemble playing. No one listened more Trick, like Kiss, are easy to spot when in coaching from Robby the Robot. Totally movies, Lene Lovich can evoke a love- intently to what the rest of the group was costume. How about DEVO's uniforms? untrue. Their independent label smash, hungry ingenue, a woman of the world, a doing or was about to do. Garland was It's marketability. (If you think John "Rock Lobster" b/w "52 Girls," is here touchtone phone or a sound-wave oscilla always exactly where he needed to be; Revolta in his white suit didn't contribute and so's a cute, ass-backwards take of tor. Les Cnappell's arrangements are a unfailingly he inspired and supported to the triple-platinum sales of Saturday Petula Clark's "Downtown." What have perfect compliment, sometimes frenetic soloists like Davis and Coltrane in some Night Fever, then you're a candidate for you got to lose besides a fin? Bombs and futuristic, otherwise placid and con of their grandest flights, not neglecting to the Sweathogs.) away. ventional. Lovich even blows a sweet sax. take a few flights of his own. This week's models include two Unique to the point of eccentricity, she Garland's career had seemed to reach wigged-out wonders in the B-52's who scored a hit single in England this spring its peak by 1960. An unaggresive, look like extras from "Cat-Women Of The with "Lucky Number." Scour the used dignified artist like Garland didn't Moon," and the Flamin' Groovies, a band record shops for the 12-inch "Slavic change in the new scene of the Sixties. His that resides in the Bay Area while Dance Version." records sold less and less, and finally in the Seventies he dropped out. sporting tailored Carnaby Street JONI MITCHELL Mingus (Asylum): threads. There's a lady named Peacock Mitchell's infatuation with jazz is no The irony was that Garland had and a man named Tchaikovsky with new news. Her modified scat-singing, glottal matured like the finest wine. The piano L.P.'s on the rack, but the award for stops and meandering lyrics added fuel was an extension of his deepest self. What creative imagery goes to Stiff artiste to her evolution from f olkie to funky. That he was, he could play, without evasion or Lene Lovich and her consort, Les does not make an attempt at the dubious artifice. When soul singer Johnnie Taylor Chappell. practice of grafting words onto offered him a job, Garland refused On a recent promotional visit to town, established jazz compositions any less outright, saying "Play rock and roll? I'd Lene and Les left a lasting impression. feeble. Mingus music has been wash dishes first." She was cordial, yet guarded, in celebrated, on its own merits for years. Luckily for us that proved unneces European peasant garb that would have "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat," for one sary, and the Bay Area can take some graced a runner-up at the Miss Serbia number, needs no clarification by a credit. In December of 1977 he played his pageant. Her red braids were long former rock groupie turned jazz groupie, first gig outside Texas in several years at enough to make Heidi envious. He culti as tribute to the late bass great. Available Keystone Korner. There his triumph was vated a typically android-genius Mingus sessions from the '50s and '60s extended by a new recording contract persona, from his shaven head to his Who? are with Galaxy, a division of the Fantasy brightly-colored brothel-creepers. a better bet than this frizzled fusion. omnibus in Berkeley. Strolling through North Beach on a THE FLAMIN' GROOVIES Jumpin' THE WHO — The Kids Are Alright Of the three Galaxy LPs, Red Alert, Sunday afternoon, they were hard to In The Night (Sire): Flame on, rock 'n' (MCA): Soaring soundtrack from the with several horns, was something of an ignore. The powers-that-be hope Lene's rollers! This is the real stuff from the filmed Who-story. Almost as good as incohesive misfire, but the two trio sets, record is as fascinating to the public as Groovers; merely the best collection of being there. You can replay those Crossings and Equinox, are unqualified her appeal. She's her own best hook. originals and covered classics to be amazing Keith Moon drum rolls until you master-works, definitive modern jazz. waxed by the current edition of the group. believe them. Lightning struck more Matched with players the caliber of Ron It is also the finest pure playing that the than twice. The kids were/are/will be Carter and Philly Joe Jones (on The B-52's (Warner Brothers): cult band supreme has committed to alright. (Oh yeah. A cameo appearance Crossings), and Richard Davis and Roy Georgia Jetsons take New York with in record. The title track, "In The U.S.A." by Tommy Smothers is his first on record Haynes (on Equinox), Garland can do no spired silliness to a dance beat. Upon first and "Yes I Am" are astonishing addi in a decade.) wrong. Independent Repair Facility— Subscribe Sick Saab? For complete rehabilitation FREE MEMBERSHIP RUSH it to the of your ailing Saab —including— seoeeoeooeeoesoooeecocoeeeceooecoeeeoeee SAAB SAVER Engine &. 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