Wavelength (December 1980)

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Wavelength Midlo Center for New Orleans Studies

12-1980

Wavelength (December 1980)

Connie Atkinson University of New Orleans

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Also- Bruce Springsteen Albert Collips Huey 'Pia~ ' Smith B.B. King .

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DECEMBER 1 980 VOLUME 1 NUMBER 2 - Headphone be heard a not felt.

Everyone familia r with headphones represents an advance in high fidelity stereos knows t he advantages of headphone reproduction of considerable magnitude. It's listening. They can be listened to at loud volumes mtroduction has created a sensation in the audio and you won't disturb other people in the room, world. Reviewers around the world are reporting Jet alone your neighbors. You can get great astonishment at the size, performance, comfort headphones with quality sound for alot less than and price of these new Sony headphones. quality speaker systems. You can get great stereo The key to these headphones is the new MDR separation, and, when listen ing to recordings in driver diaphragm. It is only 12 microns "binaural" sound, headphones thick, only will let you think half the thickness of Koss and Sennhe "you are there ... ". iser lightweight headphone diaphragms. This means But, headphones should be heard, and not felt. better transient response. Special samarium cobalt To set good bass, most headphones use as large a magnets over three times more powerful than diaphragm as possible. This needs to be sealed conventional types. are employed. This results in against the ear, so low frequency sounds don't high sound pressure level and excellent damping cancel out. Large, heavy, and with lots of pressure for accurate response to input signals across the on your ear, headphones like these become entire audible frequency spectrum. uncomfortable quickly . They hurt you and you The new MDR-3 weighs only 1.8 ounces. It can't enjoy the music. has less than 70 grams of pressure against your ear. Sony is a leader in the world of mini aturized It's weight and ear pressure is less than a third electronics. Sony engineers of are always looking for that of other so called lightweight a new and better headphones. It way, using new technology. Sony sounds fantastic! engineers set out to design super lightweight If you never liked headphones before, or if you headphones, with good bass, that could be worn are looking for the finest phones you can buy, be with extreme comfort for a long time . sure and sound out these new Sony MDR The result of this research is tpe new MICRO headphones, simply one of the most astonishing DYNAMIC RECEIVER.The MDR line of Sony new high fidelity products in years. 7323 fUilet 32 13 17fk Stwt UtJhuml 'BeJWul..Calwide 866-3579 834-7772 11- 7 lf(-..flli. 10-9:30. Ht-.-Sot 01* Sot tiff 6 p .Itt. DECEMBER 1 980 Features Johnny Vidacovich, Jazz Master 4 James Booker, Piano Prince of New Orleans 7 Departments Rock 9 Travel II Rhythm and Blues ------ 15 Pop 17 Reviews 19 The Last Page 22

Cover photo by Owen Murphy

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WAVELENGTH I DECEMBER 1980 3 ~======~'I WmP-len?,1hF-0 JL~======~

BY YORKE CORBIN

Johnny Vidacovich is one of the become so serious and maybe that way. I'm not patting myself on brightest people I've met. His musical frighten one's expression. If you're the back; I just think that it's a good intelligence is obvious, of course, to intimidated by the seriousness of test. If you can get some of the people anyone who's heard him play--and in another performer on the stand, in Tyler's to listen to you, then, hey, this town plenty of people have. sometimes that might freeze you up. you're doing all right. Vidacovich is a virtuoso jazz drum It's hip to use a good percentage of By the third set, you usually separate mer who works, one of the few pro humor so you can communicate with the men from the boys, when it comes gressive jazz musicians in New the other musicians more readily, and to li stening. It 's the listeners who Orleans who always has a gig. Along make the music happen easier. come in. Either that or the really with bass-man James Singleton, he's Humor's very important in any kind outrageous drunks--but it tends to be the driving force behind most of the of art, especially an art where it's go more listeners in the latter part of the ensembles that play at Tyler's; on ing to take more than one person to evening. Saturdays he's sometimes sitting in do it. What did Mose Allison think of with Ramsey McLean and the Lifers I don't know a lot about music, but playing at Tyler's? at Faubourg. In the ten days before I there are other elements that you can He seemed to be happy the whole talked with him, he'd played dates respond to, that you can key yourself time he was playing. He doesn't say with Joe Henderson, the tenor sax toward. Humor works that way for much, you have to just get the feel player f rom San Francisco, and with me. There are nonmusical things that ings from him, and the feelings I got Mose Allison, whom Tyler's had you can pick up on ... were on the bandstand. He had brought in fora three-night stand. An Right, definitely. Communication is momentum, so I guess he was com album he played on last year, Pro the secret word. Anytime you can res fortable. He didn't like all the fessor Longhair's Crawfish Fiesta, pond to anything, communication cigarette smoke. recently won the W.C. Handy A ward has been made. That's the first thing We'd never worked together as a as the best blues album of the year, you're supposed to do in playing band, we were just backing him up, and Vidacovich has just wrapped up music, is communicate. so he had to help us a little bit too. He work on Ron Cuccia's new album, It's hard. The audience has to com a lways had a smile on his face. He which is due out in January. At municate back. You're putting in a always sounded really good to me, so thirty-one, this bantam rooster of a hell of a lot of input, and if the au I would im agine that he was liking it. drummer, John Vidacovich, doesn't dience doesn't respond, it's like piss Do you work with him through need to crow; his accomplishments ing in the wind. humor? testify eloquently to his ability. Do you feel that way a lot? Mose's material is very humorous; it But the man can talk. "Just toss Well, barrooms can make you feel has that primitive kind of beat, basic your coat on a drum," he told me like that. Sometimes you feel that the beat, but then Mose doesn't approach genially when I showed up at his audience isn't really listening. But I it that way. He wants you to break house on one of his few nights off. don't feel like that a lot. Usually the things up; he wants it to sound Breaking out a boule of wine, there's people out there listening to like maybe just a tune in two, but Vidacovich held forth for a couple of you. I've been lucky enough to play he'll say, "Well, it's in two, but play hours, kept on after my tape had run good gigs. Lately I've felt that people like three on high hat, and maybe out. He had a good deal to say about li sten when we play. break it up, break the rhythm up. music, as the excerpts that follow will Are the audiences in other places Don't play straight." Even though it show, but he kept the talk focused on much different from the ones in New would be a very straight tune, you the thinking behind his music as well, Orleans? know. on the resilient humor that frees him Yeah. People here are a little more Mose is a very humorous player in to take necessary risks in his art. rowdy, and they're smarter, a little that respect. That's my musical part. It's the sense of humor, man--when more particular, sometimes. I'm not Then his part with the lyrics is very you're playing music, if you use a going to say critical, but you have to humorous, at the same time being good bit of humor, it's easier to play be a good musician around here to get very serious. If you want to get a with other musicians; things don't somebody to listen to you, let's put it point across, a serious point, try

4 WAVELENGTH I DECEMBER 1980 I Humor's very important in any kind Of art, especially music'

PHOTO BY MICHAEL P. SMITH humor, and you might stand a better music is flexible. When you start im Toulouse. It seemed like you were chance. When you get too serious, provising with Mose, start that right up there challenging Joe you scare people. We don't want counterplay, we know that we're get Henderson. anybody to see God; we just want ting ready to come back in, and we've Well, not challenging. There was them to see the light. They're liable to got to find just the right spot. more room for me to stretch out as an feel enlightened; they're liable to feel I think I have a pretty good picture individual. With Mose, you're the joy. of what Mose's music is like, even definitely playing his music, his style. Allison really seemed to enjoy the in though I don't think I have it copped. Mose is a singer; you have to make terspersed drum and piano, the It's a hard style because he's such an sure the words are getting across, you dialogue he was doing with you. individual. Around here I've been can't be bashing away, playing all What felt so amazing was in the fortunate enough to play behind a lot kind of crazy stuff while somebody is moments he picked to come in of different people, and do a fairly trying to sing a message. precisely. It always had the feeling of decent job of copping the style Joe Henderson is a bebopper, being the right moment, but there was they're into, but Mose's music is straight-ahead bebop. "Let's go, now no way I could figure out any pattern more of a challenge, because of the we're playing bebop, boys. Let's to what he was doing. individuality and the primitiveness of play, time to play now." So you just Right. That's one of the things it, the basic thing about it. Pretty put on your shoes and start going. about Mose's music. It has an ar challenging. Was playing with Professor rangement or a pattern; it's like coun You seemed much more subdued Longhair hard? try music, in a sense. But it won't playing with Mose Allison than you At first, yeah. You've got to cop the follow that pattern precisely. The did with Joe Henderson at the style, the music has a style of its own;

WAVELENGTH I DECEMBER 1980 5 you are secondary. You have to make a decision. I like to put them in make sure you're doing the music a place where they can't make no justice, playing the style of the music decision; they just have to be part of the way the man wants it played. It's it. T he people had to think, " Huh? not like playing a bebop gig where Whatever you two guys say ... " At you can just go in and play a blues in that time in the beginning, I think he F and everybody can stretch out. The and I had a strong meaning for o ur challenge is in the task, in the job. meeting. He didn't know nothing When you take a job like p laying with about the inside, and I didn't know Fess you're not worried about ex nothing about the outside. But pressing yourself, but about doing a together we figured it out. good job. Through your good job is What kind of developments do you quite simply, the way you express yourself. see fort he }illure? How do you figure It took me about three weeks of be the ja::;::; scene here will look in the we have the ing on the road to learn the music; he next fi1·e years or so? best prices was a very patient man. He also in I don 't know, man. I think a lot of sisted that the drummer keep him go people are going to change. I ju ~t 00 ing. Like he told me in the st udio, h ave a feeling. I think it's going to g~t " Just keep kicking. Keep agoing r ight better, because there'. going to be on me. Keep agoing right on me. Just more out-of-town people coming in, musical keep pushing." I'd say, "Okay, Fess. more name people. People arc getting equipment. .. Let's go, babe." used to it. Tyler's started to do it, H e used to call me Jawaski. Alvin Batiste started to b r ing in guy~ Couldn't say Vidacovich. Where he like Joe Hender. on and .J ack De got Jawaski from I' ll never know. johnette. Ju t what we've done in the Johnny Jawaski. Cracked me up. I'd last two years, as far as bringing say, "Okay, bra, th at's my name. special people down with the help of anywhere. Okay, Fess." the Contemporary Arts Center, and One New Orleans musician I al11·ays Batiste, and thank God for Tyler's, associate with you is Ramsev that's pretty much shown that the McLean. When did you meet him? people h ere will respond, and do have tr was several years ago. We were a healthy atti tude to go o u t a nd sup both a couple of hipp ies. I had just port pecial events. I think special quit playing at th e P layboy Club. It even ts will get better because of th at. must have been aro und '74, maybe It' ll stimulate a more active attitude sunn(i) '75. H e was playing very free music, fo r the local people. and I had been coming from the It has fo r me. Before I'd just go out traditional side, but I decided to try and play any gig. ow I can be selec to approach this music, get into it. tive. Lately I have been fortunate That's h ow we got together. He talk enough to make a living p laying good ed to me one day in a health food music. If things get rough I might TAM! restaurant on Maple Street. We got wind up having to play anything that Fender DRUMS together, had a rehearsal at his h ouse. comes along. I've don e that too; I've We've been in and o ut ever since played circuses and a m illion wed then. ding . But lately I've been lucky ~ rrocg That was the first time he started to enoug h to have gigs where I could ltN1tt.•.rm get together concerts of his own play what I want o r play behind hip ~~ music, to the best of my knowledge. people. Lucky. I'm a lucky guy. And we were reall y out there with the What makes a difference is that I stars, man--1 mean the stars in space. you're performing and somebody's I 5/UuiellUvtd Really free. li stening to you. Yeah, that's what's I' m glad that he became successful, hard to get across down here, too. and I' m glad that I worked with him When you can achieve that, when you sales • service • rentals in his very beginning stages, because, get one person to listen to you, you've • like I said, I was a cat coming from a done it, man. You've made that 1945 Veterans Blvd. real traditional, established side of sacred act of communication , the music . H ere I was hoo ked up with ultimate in any art . 888-6582 this gu y. I kind of think that his If you expose people to something, outness and m y inness at the time you stand a better chance. Expose • made a perfect vehicle for the com them to the light. Just a little li ght, 215 N. Carrollton Ave. munity ... to m a ke no d ecisio ns. that's all they need, man. Sh ow You know what I' m saying? I' m sick somebod y a little li gh t, a nd you stand 482-3166 of g iving people the opportunity to a pretty good chance.

6 WAVELENGTH I DECEMBER 1980 BY ALMOST SLIM James Booker, the self-proclaimed "Piano Prince of New Orleans," is probably the finest keyboardist in our city. That's quite a claim, considering New Orleans also boasts of a JAMES BOOKER: populace that includes the likes of Roosevelt Sykes, Fats Domino, Tuts Washington, and Allen Toussaint, PIANO PRINCE among others . Ironically, Booker's reputation is weightier abroad than it is in OF NEW ORLEANS America , and even in this cit y! All o f Booker's available recordings originate from Europe. However, one of these, Junco Partner, is to be reissued this m onth by Hannibal, a subsidiary of Island Records, and wi ll be distributed domesticall y. Good news for Booker fans! Booker's reputation as a wizard on the keyboards is widespread as he is an in-demand session man who has appeared on albums as vari ed as Huey Smith, Ma ria Muldaur, and even Ringo Starr. In fact, Booker can impersonate just about anyone, and manage to improve on the original performance. W hen he gets behind the 88's Longhair, Huey Smith , Ray Charles, or even Beethoven never sounded better. J ames Carroll Booker Ill was born in New O rleans on December 17, 1939, at C harity Hospital. He was raised by his mother's sister in Bay St. Louis but visited his folks in New Orleans. Booker's gift for music became apparent at an earl y age and he was a n acknowledged child pro digy. Tuts Washington remembers going to Booker's parents' house a nd instructing a pre-adolescent J ames Booker in the rudiments of the piano. His oldest sister Betty Jean (later o f the Booker Gospel Singers) and his father, who was as mini ster, also taught Booker some earl y lessons. He received classical piano training from his sister's teacher until he was 12. Booker had been giving classical recitals since he was six, but the rascallion Booker would sneak off and teach himself boogie-woogie, his real interest. At the age of II , the j uveni le Booker took to hanging around radio station WMRY (now WY LD} on Dryades Street, while visiting his parents on weekends. His sister, by now an accomplished gospel singer, took Booker to meet the disc jockeys and show him the studio.

PIIOTO IJ) Jl\1 S<.IIL· uRI( H Booker was a llowed an audition,

WAVELENGTH I DECEMBER 1980 7 and so impressed the station's person ignoring o lder R&B artists. In 1956, Houston, came to town in 1960 in nel that he became a regular Saturday Chess Records came into the picture. search of an A&R man. H e had heard attraction, playing blues, or gospel, Booker did a session produced by of Booker's reputation a nd sought depending on the type of show that P aul Gayten, Chess's local A&R him out. Booker wasn't interested but was broadcast. Once he got his foot man. "Heavenly Angel" was released returned an old favor by suggesting in the door, Booker returned every by Arthur and Booker but again it Edward Franks be hired. Although weekend to New Orleans and soon didn' t sell. Arthur was supposed to Booker turned down the offer, his in recruited a band to accompany his have been Art Neville but he couldn't terest in music was rekindled when Jive performances. Booker must have make the session so Arthur Booker Dee Clarke and Phil Upchurch came been quite a hustler; suddenly there (no relation) substituted . through town in need o f an organist. was a gang of teenagers on the air Booker kept plugging, though , and Well , he still had a month of school broadcasting every Saturday! in 1957, a fter graduating fro m high left, but his mother covered for him Booker's father died in 1953, and school, Booker went on the road with a nd he hit the road with the P hil Up the 14-year-old permanently moved Joe Tex, who was then on King church group, which was riding high back to New Orleans and enro lled in Records. It was this experience wi th with " I Can 't Sit Down." high school. While at school, Booker J oe Tex that led Booker in to the R&B Unfortunately, the tour broke up in became friends with Art Neville and circuit. Joe was working out of Houston, after a fi nancial disagree sax player C urtis Graves. Their Atlanta but q ui te often worked gigs ment, and Dee Clark e pawned his associatio n resulted in the formation out of town . organ to Don Robey. Robey saw that of a group , " Booker Boy and the When J oe Tex signed with Ace Booker was in a jam so he asked Rhythma ires." Booker also managed Records in Jackson , Mississippi, Booker to stick around and play a t o sec u re ai rt im e fo r th e Booker m et J ohnny Vincent and few dates at his club. Bovker also Rh ythmaires. J ohnny used him o n numerous ses worked on some Duke sides by Bobby Booker's sister, Betty J ean , in turn sions, Joe Tex included. Bland and Junior Parker. Unfor got her ex-boyfriend, Edward Franks Thanks to Bill Dogget, and records tunately, Booker's drug problem wa~ (himself a n accomplished pianist) to like " Ho nk y Tonk," the organ resurfacing again. introduce Booker to Imperial's Dave became a popula r instrument and While playing around the studio, Ba rtholemew. Bartholemew was im Booker soon became the foremost Robey suggested Booker tape a few pressed and he brought Booker into organist in the Crescent City. In fact, instrumentals to see if they could the studio to record. Imperial releas Booker was the fi rs t to bring the come up with a single. Robey was im ed " Doing the Ha mbone" and organ to Bourbon Street. In 1958, pressed by the success of many in "Think in ' About M y Baby," both Vincent decided to cut a couple of in strumentals that were bei ng cut at tough jump numbers. The vocals strumentals fo r Ace, with Booker on that time. This was the time that were fra nkly poor, but his piano was o rgan and piano . Under the guise of Booker T . and the M .G. 's were strong enough to hint that the " Li ttle Booker," "Open the Door" beginning to gain popularity. T hey 14-year-old would be a force to and " Teenage Rock" were released fi nall y came up with something but reckon with. with Lee Allen and Red T yler in tow. no one could think of a tit le for the Although Booker's record sold Vincent overdubbed J oe T ex's vocal single. Finall y, Edward Franks came poorl y and Imperi al didn't issue any on "Teenage Rock" but the record up wi th " Gonzo," which was more James Booker records, Dave was credited to Booker. Again the Booker's nickname. Actually the Bartholemew had a keen ear, a nd, disc was a financial fl op. name originated with a character noting that the teenager could mimic Booker split with Ace a nd Tex, and from the movie The Pusher. Booker a nyone he pleased , saw that Booker's hit the road with Shirley and Lee suggested the flip be called "Cool talent could be used in other ways. before returning to New Orleans. He Turkey." Surprisi ngly, Robey missed Ba rtho lemew was reponsible for also took Huey Smith 's band on the the record's obvio us drug references. writin g a nd producing sessions fo r road, impersonating Huey, who But the biggest surprise was that Imperi a l 's big hit-maker , Fats preferred to stay at home. While in "Gonzo" cl imbed all the way to Domino . New Orl eans, Booker rejo ined the number 10 on the national R&B Since Fats spent a lot of time criss Cosmo's studio unit and played the charts. crossing the country doing shows, he o rgan in various F rench Q ua rter bars, "Gonzo," though nothing out of was away from New Orleans and both solo and wit h small combos. It the ordinary, was a spontaneous tune hence away fro m Cosmo's studio. So was during this time Booker taught that succeeded. However, conscious Bartholemew used Booker to put much to Dr. John and Allen Tous efforts to recapture the hit formula down piano tracks with the st udio saint. produced nothing. By 1962 Booker band when Fats was o n the road. All Suddenly, Booker chucked his was back on the road as a sideman Fats had to do when he got back to musical career, and enroll ed at working with countless R&B units. town was lay down the vocal over the Southern Universit y in Baton Rouge, Booker at one time or another work arrangement . hoping that college studies could help ed with the likes of Roy Hamilton, By 1956, the record com panies him solve a developing drug problem, B.B. King and Little Richard out in became keenly in terested in rock and nurtured by a hectic life on the California and Las Vegas. roll and were quick to capitali ze on chitlin' circuit. Booker was now 20, The year 1963 saw Booker sitting in any new music trend . Many labels ac probably far older than his age. on the Lloyd Price "Misty" session tively pursued young artists and were Don Robey, of Duke records in Continued on page 14

8 WAVELENGTH I DECEMBER 1980 Rock Springsteen Speaks But Not To Us

BY CHUCK BAUERLEIN The River Bruce Springsteen, Columbia, PC2 36854

When I was a junior at Loyola I took a philosophy course that was en titled "Philosophy and Literature." It was easily the most challenging col lege course I've ever taken. For 16 weeks we studied just two textbooks, z The Essential Writings of Merleau- ~ Ponty, a French phenomenologist, ""0 c. and James Joyce's Ulysses. I can't ~ begin to go into the intricate ways we ;:; tried to dissect language in an effort to get to the kernel of meaning. I didn't understand the quest eight years ago and I can't possibly recall it all now. But I do remember one essential tenet that my bespectacled, Blank," "Independence Day," and with subpar versions of his material. bearded philosophy prof drilled into "The Price You Pay" are songs Whatever his reasons, the new record us: good writing was mostly a way of capable of touching one's soul. But in is uncharacteristic of Springsteen's describing a universal experience in a a catalogue of 20 tunes, that is not previous recordings--although it does unique way. nearly enough to quell the vague feel seem to fit into a developing pattern Writers are often told to search for ing of horror in my gut that Springs of his music since Jon Landau took "a style of your own." When they teen is opting for generic rock 'n' roll. control of Springsteen's productions. have finally found that "style," what The River is loaded with great rockers It is a shame that The River does not they have really discovered is a new of the Top 40 variety. Bruce has never test Springsteen's writing abilities way of telling some very old stories. crashed the top ten with a single and because thematically, he has bitten It is then with some unhappiness I'd be surprised if he doesn't do it at off quite a challenge: the subject of that I mus t discuss Bruce least three times with songs from The marriage. Broken promises, disap Springsteen's latest album , The River. What disappoints me is that pointments, dreams that didn't pan River, as an overall disappointment. Springsteen seems to be aiming at out, they have all been part of Spring Springsteen has been my favorite that standard of excellence, instead of steen's writing repertoire before. But rock 'n' roll performer since I first his own. The River is a bit more than that. It's heard Greetings From Asbury Park in The River is loaded with hit poten not operatic, in the sense that The 1973. He is the closest personification tial and it will undoubtedly make the Who's Tommy or Quadrophenia of a writer that rock 'n' roll has ever record company people very happy. follow a plot and characters, but The produced. But whereas Asbury Park It's chock full of the kind of rock 'n' River is certainly much more than and The Wild, The Innocent, and the roll standards that Springsteen has just 20 rock 'n' roll songs spaced out £-Street Shuffle were poetic classics been giving away to other people for over two records. The first album in the rock genre, The River isn't years. Southside Johnny got "The deals almost exclusively with man's much more than a dime-store pulp Fever" and didn't do it justice. search for love and affection, finding novel. That is, Springsteen is no Robert Gordon got "Fire" and the the perfect partner for a lifetime com longer a writer who opens new dimen Pointer Sisters covered it and neither mitment. The song, "The River" sions to our experience of life. of them did it justice. Patti Smith got (easily the most poignant moment of It is not necessarily Springsteen's "Because of the Night" and she came "No Nukes") seems to turn that fault. There is enough writing on The close. But none of them did them as search around on itself. River to prove that the man is still well as the Boss. Maybe Bruce just The singer/protagonist claims to be capable of reaching a special spot in decided he was sick and tired of see a secret agent rocker, takes a trip to all of us. The title track, "Point ing other folks land in the top ten the Cadillac Ranch which eulogizes

WAVELENGTH I DECEMBER 1980 9 James Dean, Junior Johnson and even Burt Reynolds--heroes all of the open road. He steals a car, takes his new baby to town in " Ramrod," drives all night and finally encounters a wreck on the highway that makes 3129 Gentilly Blvd. , 6301 Elysian Fields, 503 S. Carrollton, him appreciate the fact that he'd bet 3300 N. Causeway Blvd 601 Terry Parkway. ter slow down a little bit or he'll end up there too, a bloody stump on a dark, deserted road. Springsteen has been going in this direction with his writing ever since Landau got into his ear. I can't really fault Landau because Bruce has found a national a udience with his music since he's made his lyrics more universal in tone, less evocative of the Jersey Shore and big city life. And yet, it strikes me as a damn shame, because in finding his record-buying audience, Springsteen has forfeited his eloquence. The River addresses a serious, adult subject, marriage and its unfulfilled promise, in the vernacular of a youthful idiom, rock ' n' roll music. Perhaps Landau believes that rock and roll will always be an idiom of the teenager and that the only way to make a living in that circle is to ad dress yourself to that audience. I disagree. There are a lot of baby boomers out there who are in their late 20's and 30's now and they still hold rock 'n' roll dear to their hearts . I can't imagine a day when I won't want to be affected by the medium that Elvis Presley and Mick Jagger and Bob Dylan and John Lennon and Bruce Springsteen have exploited for their artistic statements. It doesn't have anything to do with growing old. These men are artists who have something to say to me and dammit, it irritates me when they don't try to talk to me in a way that might il luminate my own experiences. I can't believe that there's not an audience out there that wants to be challenged as Springsteen 's earlier music challenged us. Bruce Springsteen could be T .S. Eliot with a guitar strapped on his back, James Joyce in sneakers if he really wanted to be. The man has the spark of genius in his soul but he hasn't lit any fires with it in The River.! will always love Springsteen for what he has already given to me. But I'd much rather listen to his ver sion of A Portrait of the Artist as a ~ Givethegift on sale S 5.99 Young Man than The Betsy. Tofmusic. Sale ends De~. 24 C'mon, Boss, talk to me.

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BY ALMOST SLIM

'Twas The Night Before Christmas Huey "Piano" Smith, Ace 1027 With Santa just around the corner, we thought we'd feature a Christmas CONTEMPORARY album this month. Since New Orleans has always been hot on making "gim MUSIC mick" records and with Christmas ON AIR songs always popular around this time of year, it only makes sense that Live Broadcast Concert sooner or later someone would get around to putting the two together. 10:30 p.m. Well, this one came out in 1962. and there is as very interesting story CONTEMPORARY behind it. ARTS Recorded by Johnny Vincent on Vincent was forced to withdraw the Ace, this was Huey's third album. album from release, and apparently it CENTER Released to capitalize on the yuletide only hit the market in parts of the 900 Camp St. season, it unfortunately crashed Carolinas. New OrleaPI S LA before it could get off the ground. Musically the album is predictably 523-1216 Promotional copies of the disc were Huey Smith; lots of foot-tappin' sent to radio stations across the coun rhythm and plenty of spontaneous WWNO FM Radio 89.9 try, but d.j.'s and programmers were vocal excitement. A young Dr. John so offended by Huey and Clowns' can also be heard on guitar. Dec. 5 Jimmy Robinson rock and roll treatment of such sacred The album has since been reissued and Woodenhead songs as "Silent Night" and " White with Dr. John's name printed over Christmas" that it was banned from the original cover. It's available in Dec. 12 John Vidacovich radio stations in many parts of the many local record shops and would country. (Remember, this was 1962.) make a fine Christmas gift. Trio Continued from page 8 sessions there. He later surfaced in Dec. 19 Ellis Marsalis before gigging with Wilson Pickett Cincinnati where he did some more and his old pal Joe Tex again. This session work for Starday-King nomadic existence only compounded Records. Dec. 26 Leigh Harris his drug problem and finally in the Since his return to our city, Booker and Larry Seiberth mid-sixties Booker found himself in has mostly worked solo in a host of the company of Chris Kenner. Unfor clubs, in The Absinthe Bar, Rosy 's, tunately jt wasn't on the bandstand The Maple Leaf, Jimmy's, Tipitina's Contemporary Music On Air is a but doing time in Angola! among others. With the rising series of live broadcast concerts After his release, Booker survived by popularity of American R&B over sponsored by the Contemporary doing sessions as far away as New seas, Booker found himself being Arts Center, WWNO FM, and York (parole violation?) and working called over to perform concerts in Musicians for Music. This project some clubs in the French Quarter. such venues as Germany and Sweden. is supported by a grant from the Booker worked on the Fats is Back His only available recordings were Louisiana State Arts Council, Domino set on Reprise in 1968, and made during these overseas tours. through the Division of the Arts, produced some stunning Domino-like Office of Program Development, take-offs on the piano. Available Albums by James Booker State Department of Culture, Booker had one too many brushes Boogie- Woogie and Rag-Time Con Recreation, and Tourism, and the with the law, and finally left Loui test, Cold Records 11035 National Endowment for the Arts, siana and worked for some time in James Booker--Piano Prince of New in Washington, D.C., a federal New York where he was found by Orleans, Aves International, 146.506 agency. Mike Stoller and he started working Junco Partner, Hannibal HA 1303

14 WAVELENGTH I DECEMBER 1980 Rhythm & Blues Albert Collins: The Iceman Is Hot!

BY HAMMOND SCOTT

Who is Albert Collins, the uninitiated might ask? Anyone who has ever seen the man perform will never forget who he is. This per former has the sheer intensity and showmanship to be compared to James Brown and Jimi Hendrix, with a heavy dose of Gatemouth Brown and Albert King thrown in. His per formances have led him to be called such names as "The Ice Picker," " The Razor Blade," "The Gun slinger," "The Houston Twister," and "The Master of the Telecaster." Collins' earliest recordings in the late 1950's and early 1960's were always imprinted with the curious signature "The cool sound of Albert Collins." From those legendary first recordings such as Frosty, The them . The authority and conv1ct1on outside, maybe boarded a bus, con Free::.e, Sno-Cone, ley Blue, Thaw of his playing as well as his stage stantly soloing on the guitar and not Out, and Don't Lose Your Cool right presence makes him a headturner. missing one bar of music. Collins is in into the 1980's with his two most re Albert Collins' concept of music is perfect meter with the band when he cent record albums lee Piekin' totally his own and perhaps the most again hits the stage. (nominated for a Grammy award in modern sound in blues guitar today. Today Albert Coll ins is 48 years old, 1979) and Frostbite, the "cool One of the unique ingredients in this and it's hard to tell. He has been a sound" has lost none of its "fire." man's style of guitar is his unor professional mus1c1an since 1949 What is the cool sound? It is both the thodox tuning: he tunes his guitar to when he formed the Rhythm Rockers soul o f the man and his knocked-out an open D-minor chord. Another in at the Manhattan Club in Galveston, guitar style. Maybe it is best express gredient is his percussive right-hand Texas. Through the 1950's he worked ed on the bac k of one of his albums: attack: he plays with his bare thumb variously with the Malcolm Moore "It burns like dry ice, like cold fi re. and index finger in the Texas picking Orchestra and the Piney Brown Or A jagged blend of shattering, ringing style pioneered by C la r e nce chestra, as well as a few stints with high notes, icy echo, jarring attack, "Gatemouth" Brown. Collins' Gatemouth Brown out of Houston. the blistering power of an arctic special combination of amplifier set Collins' recording career did not get storm. The Cool Sound. The creation tings, guitar strings and technique off the ground until 1958 when he' of a high energy guitarist who blew allows him many special effects. recorded "The Freeze." A number of out of Texas with a battered Fender From grunts, groans and talking regional hits followed through the Telecaster, an explosive stage show, sounds to automobile imitations, his 1960's. Bob Hite of Canned Heat got unlimited energy, and a whole new excellent control of feedback effects Collins a recording contract with Im concept of blues guitar. Albert Col and his tendency to stretch out more perial Records in 1968 and soon he lin s." than most blues guitarists puts Col moved to Los Angeles. These events This bluesman is not your average lins' music in the more abstract vein. introduced Collins to ecstatic aud blues performer. His music combines As soon as you feel Mr. Collins has iences at the Ash Grove in Los elements as diverse as driving blues done all he can do, he suddenly jumps Angeles and the Fill more and Matrix shuffles, rock, funk, and even a twist off the stage with his 200-foot guitar in San Francisco. Next, Bill Szym of what is known as the Motown cord, throws the band into a pro cyzk (The Eagles' producer) founded Sound. Here we have a performer pulsive number and stalks through his short-lived Tumbleweed label in who is impossible to upstage not the audience with a demonic look in 1972, and signed Collins as his first because of how many notes he plays, his eye. In no time he has covered the artist. but what notes and how he plays room, held conversations, walked Continued on next page

WAVELENGTH I DECEMBER 1980 15 Continued from previous page What A Gift! The Ice Picker did not record again until 1978 when he signed with Chicago's Alligator Records, which united Collins with the current premiere blues label and the talents of producer Bruce Iglauer. The success of that collaboration produced Ice Pick in' (Alligator 4713) and its follow-up album, Frostbite (Alligator 4719). Both albums represent Collins' best recorded work since his earliest records and feature his all-star tour ing band, the Icebreakers. The band is a treat in itself. The sax ophonist is the legendary A.C. Reed (famous as a session man and hi s vocals iden ti fy him as Jimm y Reed's brother). The top-notch rhythm sec tion is rounded out by Louisiana guitarist Marvin J ackson, \\ ith Johnny Gayden on bass (formerly wi th the Staple Singers and AI Jar reau) as well as powerhou se drummer-vocalist Casey Jones (a veteran Chicago studio drummer). Recent months have seen European tours as well as a tour of Greece where Collins and the Ice Breakers For just $5, send a little bit of played to audiences of up to 8,000 people. Coupled with these tours have been the group's constant tour New Orleans to your snow-bound ing of the United States, including a recent New Orleans appearance at friends out-of-town! Tipitina's and a certain return in the near future. Check out this performer ••••.....•...... •...... •...... •.••.•• ••...... and his fine band; Albert Colli ns wi ll certainly "break the ice" with you and your friends!

Bar Talk Will I be forty and wear a faded blue jean jacket and turn the collar up? I left a woman last summer just left her, she said why're you leaving? and I said cause I'm leaving and I did. Me and a guitar player Q. Q. travelled all over Colorado. N N "Did you grow a beard?" someone asked. "Yes," I said. He said, "Did it help?" Ron Cuccia

16 WAVELENGTH I DECEMBER 1980 Pop Music

Spreading Funk Throughout the South BY TIM LYMAN Pop quiz: what band is doing the their new GMC pick-up for, with most to spread the New Orleans funk such comments as "everybody who's sound to the surrounding south cen seen them has gone absolutely nuts tral states? Well, let's see, ya got yer over them" and "miss them at your Nevilles and Meters and Joyride, ya peril." Now they have gone into the got yer Radolaters and Percifiers, studio (Ultrasonic) to work on an let's see, is Leroux funk, where are album produced by Gary Edwards (of they from anyhow, uh what's Milk Is Music in St. Bernard). Chocolate up to these days ... The question naturally arises why The answer is Satisfaction. Chances they have had such a hard time are you've heard of them, as they developing a following in their home have played at Tipitina's once a town. month as long as Tip's has been Without rancor (and they could easi How in the world around. Chances are just as good you ly be bitter about it), bass player and didWWNO haven't seen them. For one reason or chief songwriter Slug Hewitt ticked another, people do not turn out in off some of the possibilities. "New gd into this jam? droves for their gigs around town. Orleans is a cliquish town. Nearly So Satisfaction goes wherever there every band I know of started out with By choice. We bring you the world's greatest jams is an audience. They regularly load up some sort of neighborhood follow on Jazz Alive with Billy Taylor. Corne with us to Nice to hear Lionel Hampton, or to the Swiss Alps to hear their Southside Church of Christ bus, ing. Being basically from out of Oscar Peterson at Montreux, or to the Smithsonian the one with "Happy" as its destina town, we've never had that." (Slug to hear \\body Herman's Herd. We take you from the blues of Lena Home to the horn of Urbie Green. tion (before that it was a Tom's and guitar player Red Holt came Whether 1t's Preservation Hall in New Orleans, or Carnegie Hall in New York, we're no sooner out of Snacks delivery van), and tour the down from Canada about four years one jam than we're into another. southland-something surprisingly few ago; drummer Paul Henehan came New Orleans bands are willing or able from New Jersey about the same to do-to the tune of 40,000 miles in time; Pepper moved here when she the last three years. was eight. Only new keyboard/ sax With their travels has come some man Armand St. Martin is a native). critical acclaim. A Houston paper Paul adds that "the New Orleans raved about lead singer Pepper scene is an old scene. Nearly all the Jazz programs Wed. thru Set. nights. Elskoe, remarking that she exuded bands feature influences that go back the energy of 10 people. And in at least to the sixties. There's very lit A CULTURAL SERVK:E o• THE UNIVERSIT\ Or NC/1 ORLEANS Austin the local daily gave them the tle seventies influence." The feeling kind of treatment a multitude of here is that's exceedingly true of local Texas musicians would have traded rock and funk stuff, and a key to (504) 283-<>315

WAVELENGTH I DECEMBER 1980 17 Satisfaction's peculiar career. New Orleans had an active counter cultural scene, and the influences of what you might call psychedelic music can still be felt. But the death of the local music industry in the late sixties might play a part in New Orleans never really getting into the post-hippie genre of heavy metal, a type of music Slug, Paul, and Red cut their teeth on. The stuff has always been big in Texas. Interestingly, Satisfaction is known as a funk band everywhere but here, where they are more often labeled a rock band. The dead local industry can be discussed ad nauseum, but Slug of fered some key contrasts with Austin . "The big thing is that there are no production companies here. In Austin there are five, all making money and competing for top artists." And of course, there's the radio. "Thank heaven for WTUL, but Austin has that kind of programm ing, and more, from commercial sta tions," Slug said . "Last time we were there KLBJ was soliciting tapes for an album of local artists. That had to be done here by a private record store . So why is Satisfaction recording here? Slug says si mply, "In order to break the jinx." It's clear that the Crescent City has had a great impact on their distinctive, hybrid sound. MUDDY WATERS•MIGHTY JOE YOUNG • WILLIE DIXON But their days here might be KOKO TAYLOR• SON SEALS• LONNIE BROOKS numbered. Meanwhile, one is hard-pressed to think of a band in town that has been Recorded live at the world's la rgest music festival working together longer. Through the ChicagoFest 1980. $4. ~ 9 eight months on Bourbon Street at Judah P. 's, the countless Friday One million people were there for all the flash and a ll the fire. Six Chicago blues greats pouring out their music for nights at the Midget on LaSalle and an ecstatic hometown crowd. Third, they have also seen all that has gone down at Tipitina's from their apartments above the nightclub. It's truly BLUES DELUXE. "Yeah," Paul recalled, "maybe the Avai lable at a special low list price. fact that we were always around Tip's Records. worked against us back then. People would see us working the door or the kitchen and think we were just some weekend band thrown together. Sometimes I felt like grabbing the microphone and saying, 'Hey, you don' t understand, this is the fantasy, not the other thing.' " Well, the fantasy seems to be rolling now, and Satisfaction is looking at the future. You can catch them one more time at Tip's on December 2 before they go back to Texas for who knows how long.

I 8 WAVELENGTH I DECEMBER I 980 Reviews

tures. Some go back 25 years. And of ing that you are hearing Joe Hender course he took some of the recent son. ones himself. By the seventies, Joe had become a But I'm sure glad they have the book major musical figure, appearing in out. -8.8. King concert in Europe, Japan, and throughout North America, and had moved away from the New York jazz Joe Henderson mecca to a more peaceful lifestyle in Toulouse Street Theater San Francisco. His Wes t Coast November 13, 14 residence coincided with a series of LP's for Milestone/ Fantasy Records in California, including some Jive The Crescent City was treated to a dates such as Joe Henderson in Japan first-time visit by one of the featuring him with a Japanese rhythm acknowledged masters and giants of section the tenor saxophone, Mr. Joe Much of Henderson's recent work, Henderson, at the Toulouse Street in fact, has been as a soloist, playing Theatre last month. with local musicians w~erever he 8.8. King, age 20. The date, arranged by the Louisiana travels. Last m onth's collaboration Forum for the Arts, Inc., a non with New Orleans premier jazz The Arrival of B.B. King profit organization committed to rhythm section was such an event. uplifting artistic possibilities in the Henderson was so impressed with By Charles Sawyer New Orleans community, teamed David Torkanowsky that he was pro Doubleday Books, $14.95 Henderson with a sterling rhythm sec mpted to quip on a Jive interview tion consisting of local musicians show on WTUL's World of Jazz pro This book review was done for David Torkanowsky (piano), James gram that he thought Black Russian Wavelength by Mr. B. B. King himself Singleton (bass), and John was a drink. while he was in New Orleans for a Vidacovich (drums). The concerts were marked b y concert at Ole Man River's. Joe Henderson was born on April memorable renditions of jazz s tan 24, 1937, in Lima, Ohio, and began dards s uch as "Invitation," "Round Well, what can you say about a book his musical development in and Midnight," and " Green Dolphin that's about yourself? I think I'm a around Detroit, a city which has pro Street," as well as some Henderson pretty good guy! The book came out duced more accomplished bebop originals like "Recorda Me officially about the 14th of October. musicians than any other of its size, (Remember Me). " If anyone who The guy who wrote the book had and arrived in New York City in wasn't there wants to know what been talking about doing the book for 1962, where he made a strong and went down, let's just say it cooked! about seven or eight years but he real lasting impression. He received inter And in a city noted for its great ly started about two years ago. national acclaim for his work during cuisine, that's saying a mouthful. What happened was that I met this period with Horace Silver, and -Andy Kaslow Charles Sawyer, a free-lance writer, can be heard on the classic LP, Song about six years ago and from time to for my Father, with that quintet. He time we would meet up and he would was also a sideman on many record 80181 interview me. He went back to where dates for Blue Note Records, in Pat Metheny I grew up in Mississippi. In fact, he cluding McCoy Tyner's 1965 debut as ECM 2-1180 dug up things that I don't even a leader, The Real McCoy. Shortly remember! Some things that people thereafter, Henderson r ecorded a said about me I didn't even know series of albums for that label under The incredible sales s uccess of Pat they felt that way, so I'm pleased with his own name including Page One, Metheny's first album must have him writing it as he saw it. There Our Thing, In 'n Out, Inner Urge, come as a surprise to record company might be a few things I might take and Black Narcissus, among others. executives, and probably prompted a issue with here and there but there Influenced strongly by the second look at the potential for a was truth in everything, I felt. domineering stature and sound of commercial jazz market. The album There are a few things I think he John Coltrane, Henderson never included no " name" studio musi might have missed, 'cause a guy can't theless developed a sound that all cians, no crossover disco tracks. It catch everything with a pen. But he listeners agree is "distinctive." He was unaccompanied, no single was said in the introduction he was utilizes all of the modal, linear, and released from the album, and it was writing it the way he saw B.B. King. harmonic techniques which have ignored by radio programmers. Yet it There were, I guess, some things that become the standard fare for modern achieved great acclaim. he thought were more significant than tenor playing, but after only one or Now Metheny, under the guidance others. He dug up a Jot of old pic- two bars of music, there is no mistak- of Manfred Eicher, and the superior

WAVELENGTH I DECEMBER 1980 19 THE WINE performance of some top studio musicians (Charlie Haden, Jack De Gaucho & CHEESE Johnette, Dewey Redman and Mike Brecker) has created a highly pro Steely Dan COMPANY grammable album. MCA-6102 Sonoma Red The album reflects Metheny's in and fluence by the sixties' rock styles, This is Eighties music, cocaine music with homage to the fifties' bebop, as slick 'n wierd. More morsels in Steely White Table Wine well as the immense experience (magnum) Dan's continuing quest for strange brought to the project by his accom ness in the pop format. Yes, there are Reg. 5.49 panying musicians. verses and choruses, hooks and Special 3.99 It's a two-album package that was bridges, the usual paraphenalia of recorded in May 1980 in Oslo, hit-making, but it's all so intricately Brut DeMosny Sweden. Side one is in two parts. folded, spindled, and mutilated; by (750 ml) Metheny opens with a rhythmic pat the time you're able to hum along Reg. 7.99 tern that comes right out of the six with the melody the tune already has Special 6.29 ties: rock and folksy. De Johnette the staying power so vital to a pop A good French bubbly! provides his characteristically intense cut. d_rumming, Haden provides the har Note: :;ome quantities limited. The focus, more than ever, is monic balance on the bass, but Mike Donald Fagen's exceptionally pliant 3222 Magazine St. Brecker's melody line is right out of oral cavity, and of course the roles (504) 891-WINE the seventies ... melodic, sparse, and that come out of it, as he plays Itman lilting. A drum break gets us into part on "Babylon Sisters," "Glamour two, which was composed by and Profession," and "Gaucho," Upman features Charlie Haden, with a on "Time Out of Mind," and "My melodic line that sounds like (or is) Rival," and Then man and Nowman "I'm an Old Cowhand From the Rio on "Hey Nineteen" and " Third Grande." World Man." Side two opens with the title track. It The level of craftsmanship in the is one lone melodic line played in tunes is staggering, the usual careful unison by Metheny and Dewey Red selection of sessionmen forging the man. It goes back to swing but the efforts into units as perhaps never line is very modern. "The Bat" is before. It's a very fine album, but next, and its slow, moody theme is an there's something ever-so-slightly inspiration. The side concludes with hollow in this release. "Third World Ornette Coleman's "Turnaround," Man" is the only tune that surely which is given a first-class interpreta 1214 Million ot Burma establishes a mood, the others evolv from Boston tion. ing into simple humors. And that's a with Red Rockers The most avant-garde selection on bit of a loss, despite the multitude of 12/5 IIICIIIIICII the album opens side three. It's free, lovely new edgings. -Tim Lyman IZIIIICkiDJII spacey, with each musician joining in one at a time, building to an emo 12/6 Cal• tional climax. It is appropriately en Bruce Springsteen Concert 12/10 IDCkiDJII titled "Open." I particularly like Baton Rouge 12/11 IIICIII "Pretty Scattered" because it's from Lafayette bebop with the long modern im November 11 12/12 801101 provisations. At times it reminds me of Richard Carpenter's "Walkin'." Springsteen opened with "Prove It 12/13 11111111 "Every Day (I Thank You)" opens All Night." He proceeded to do ex 12/11 Ill side four. It is in two sections, the actly that. "I've been working real 12/18 ..CIIIAICI first slow and moody, with Mike hard, trying to get my hands clean." I 12119 Cold Brecker on sax. The tempo picks up believe it. The audience believed it. slightly to get us into another guitar Springsteen is strong on belief. "And 12/20 llld IIOCklrl line with sixties folk elements. It I believe in a promised land." 12124 IZI could be religious but it could also be These are not just songs: they're an 12/25 MIChiAICI a love song. Either interpretation will thems. People are on their feet, wav 12/26 11111111 work. The album ends with Metheny ing their arms, singing along. Bruce is overdubbing three parts on "Goin' jumping from the top of the speakers 12121 Cold Ahead." to the top of the piano, sliding across 12/30 Units If jazz music is to reach out to the stage and diving into the au from San Francisco greater audiences, Pat Metheny is just dience. This is the kind of unbridled 12131 Cold the artist to develop a legion of con enthusiasm that starts religions and 1/2 11111111 verts. --Coril Joseph wars. Unbridled, but not uncontroll-

20 WAVELENGTH I DECEMBER 1980 ed. It's a river, not a flood. Spring But I was living in a world of steen knows exactly what he's doing. childish dreams. If a religion did start around him, Someday these childish dreams Bruce Springsteen would be the chief must end, priest of the First Church of To become a man and grow up to Chevrolet. He has taken the glitter dream again. out of rock and roll, and introduced - Ron C uccia the concerns of the common man: the failures at trying to keep a family 2125 Hwy. 90 West Avondale together, the frustration of trying to 436·3000 keep up with the economy, and the Chameleon Located 2 Miles West of Huey P. Long Bridge driving desperation to take charge of Lionel Hampton his life just once before he dies. H is .,.G. It .,he .,Hans ultimate metaphor is the open r oad; Glad-Hamp GHS 1021 Sat., Dec. 5•1 0 p.m . his ultimate symbol is the car. They may represent an aimless, impulsive Gret~t~Wn8h• escape from the broken dreams of the He's seventy-one years young and Thurs., Dec. II•IOp.m . "Badlands," or a determined attempt still swinging! HIIJ•nx and t'oyz to create meaning out of danger in the That's Lionel Hampton, and he's Fri.,Dec.ll•IOp.m . "Darkness on the edge of town." Or never been heard to better advantage maybe, just plain ol' fun, meeting on with a big band than on this "live" 7 and Roule••• the street, picking up something 1976 European tour recording in Sat., Dec. 13•1 0 p.m . sweet, and ripping and running all France, where he is a beloved idol. Royal Orleans night. Hamp in person with a big band con Sat., Dec. lO•IOp.m . Of course, he's back on the job in veys an electric excitement unsur the morning. Bruce is the working passed. On ballads, the band acts as a DaYHI Allan Coe pneumatic, velvet cushion; on up Fri., Sat., Sun., Dec. 26-27-l&•IOp.m . class hero; his is blue collar rock and Tickeu available at The Mushroom . Leisure Landinr. roll. His themes are universal; so is tempos, it's a charging machine that Prpes ofPan and The Establishment. his acceptance. Everybody likes rolls relentlessly. Bruce. He doesn't threaten anyone's "Barbara," well-voiced in Paul 1r111a.,ho111as Wed., Dec. 31•1 0 p.m . ego. He's short. He's ordinary look Moen's arrangement, has a glimpse ing. He's a w hole lot of fun, a real of soprano sensitivity from the ar guy's guy, he could organize a foot ranger and Horace Silver's composi ball game in the rain. The girls love tion is very well presented . There's no him because of his obvious vulner anachronism in Hamp's conception, ability, the tenderness, that sincere Silver's drafting and Moen's chart face, the total dedication of lines like ing. It's a contemporary, hom "I swear I'll drive all night just to buy ogeneous whole. you some shoes." I think he means it. "Psychedelic Sally," on the other Need adrummer? He definitely means to give the best hand, gives Hampton a chance to rock show rolling. His energy is show off his perilous, toe-tapping Got a hom to seD? ferocious. He is relentlessly attentive strut, as he skitters and scatters notes to the audience, plays a powerful a-plenty, especially on the turn Looking lor that guitar, and never holds back to save around. It's a classic example of ten his voice. He's all there along with the sion and release, of funk and finesse visible affection and full support of a well befitting the Horace Silver rare45? band that perfectly suits his needs. number. It's my favorite track on the Use the WAVELENGTH Some of their horesplay was whole album. Listen to the fine foun CLASSIFIEDS. Only transparent and corny. Some of dation Gary Mazzaroppi builds 10¢aword. Bruce's theatrics were overdone. All : beneath Hamp! in all, though, they were throwing Herbie Hancock's "Chameleon" ($1 minimum) hard and getting hoarse for three shows that though the composer and Seaulad to Waveleagtb, hours plus of solid music. The composition may be as up-to-date as Box 15667, NewOrleaDI, LA. lighting was dramatic baut not ob tomorrow, Lionel Hampton can meet 70175 trusive. The sound was as near the challenge more than ably. Moen perfect as I've ever heard in a large does a good job with his tenor solos, hall. A Springsteen concert is always and Drewes' trumpet is a fluent sur worth the price, even though Bruce prise. Zeke Mullins' organ fits in well himself is nothing special, just a kid here and fills unobtrusively and pro down the street, somebody you grew perly throughout the album. It's a Wm~e~fl-1 up with, probably a lot like yourself: good solo outing for all. Once I spent my time playing This album is warmly r ecom- New Orleans' tough-guy scenes, mended. - Rhodes Spedale Music Magazine

WAVELENGTH I DECEMBER 1980 21 The Last Page

Professor Longhair's Crawfish Morgan, Robert Parker, Irving Fiesta recently won the W.C. Handy Banister and David Lastie ... Award for best contemporary blues Many will be saddened to hear of the album. Tad Jones reports it's got a death of R&B shouter 0. V. Wright good shot at a Grammy. Let's keep who collapsed after a performance in our fingers crossed. Biloxi. Some of his biggest hits were Bandy Records plans to reissue the "8 Men and 4 Women," "I Don't do WT/X Presents the Hits of New Windows," and "I'd Rather Be Orleans. The package contains some Blind, Crippled, and Crazy." He per of the biggest hits from Instant formed regularly in New Orleans. Records including Roger and the Stevenson Palfi has received a Gypsies 46-bar classic "Pass Off the fellowship from the Rockefeller Hatchet" ... Charlie's massive reissue Foundation for his documentary on project includes Betty Harris, The the development of New Orleans Meters, Lee Dorsey, and more. piano through three generations of Watch for reviews next piano players: Tuts Washington, month ...Shirley of Shirley and Lee is Allen Toussaint, and Professor back in town. Fats to play at Endymion Ball Longhair. Jessie Hill is still running Poo's Cab Mr. and Mrs. Larry Sieberth .. Service, running fares from the air up an impressive array of talent for (Stephanie) are singing as a duet now, port to downtown ... Neville Brothers, their Mardi Gras dance. Included are and sounding great. .. Lil Queenie and Wild Tchoupitoulas, Pete Fountain Bobby Mitchell, Earl King, Miss B, the Percolators are going on a brief and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band and the Lastie Brothers ... The late tour of Yankee-land, playing Pro recently appeared on the Mike night place to be is the Blues Saloon; vidence, Rl, with Room Full of Blues Douglas Show ... Heart has covered Luther Kent and his group Trickbag on Dec. 10 and 11, then the Club Aaron Neville's "Tell It Like It start at 2 a.m. weekends. Look for an Eighties in New York on Dec. 12 and Is" ... Neville, on hearing the record album from the group in January, 13. for the first time, said he liked it. featuring Charlie Brent and Wayne The Urban Spaces Jazz Orchestra, Watch for the "Tell It Like It Is" Devillier. a 20-piece big band, will be debuting story in a future Wavelength . Mr. Google Eyes is back on the in January at the CAC ... Rumor has it Bunny Matthews, long-time music scene. He is reviving the old Dew that Dr. John will join George critiC and writer for Figaro Drop Inn days MCing Thursday night Porter, Leo Nocentelli, and Ziggy newspaper, was fired recently. Bunny jam sessions at the Dream Palace. Modaliste at Tip's in December can be seen behind the drums with the The Las Vegas Connection helps out ... Also coming to town this month is Ballistics and look for his new poster too ...Lioyd Price is back in town " X" --despite great success, stayed out in January. helping Don King promote the loyal to its small record company. December 13-19 is women's week at Leonard-Duran fight. More on this band next month. Tipitina's ... Highlights are a benefit Eddie Bo and last month's featured The almost unpublicized Johnny on the 14th and the return of the Wavelength artist Bobby Mitchell Cash concert at Angola Nov. 6 to amazing Ellen Mcllwaine on the were recent guests on Shepard benefit the prison fellowship program 18th ... Also at Tip's in December will Samuels' New Orleans show Monday was videotaped for future television be Dr. John backed up by Leo night on WTUL. Bobby hopes to showing. The show was produced by Nocentelli, George Porter, Zigaboo have another reissue album out on Jeanne Nathan and directed by and Sam Henry ... At Jed's December himself in the not-too-distant future. WYES's John Byers ... The new com 14 is Mission of Burma from Boston. B.D. King's guitar Lucille was munity radio station is now on the air Tuts Washington is entertaining at pilfered by an over-adoring fan dur at 90.7 on your FM dial. the piano bar in the Pontchartrain ing his three-day engagement at Ole New Orleanean Don Kendrick, Hotel every Thursday to Saturday Man River's. Fortunately a keen-eyed former Copas Brothers drummer, from 8:30 to 12:30. Pretty calm at patron spotted the culprit and gave and L.J. Dimaio ("Can't Win for mosphere for the lively septegen his tag number to the police who Losing") won fourth place in the arian ... Fats Domino will play at the promptly recovered the priceless in country division of the international Court of Endymion Ball for strument. competition of American Song 1981 . .. There 's some personnel Wayward Youth is rumored to be Festival in Hollywood with their song changes in A Taste of New Orleans: disbanding soon ... The Sluts have "Delta to the Rockies." Becky Walter Washington left to work with decided to rehearse before their next Hobbs, once with Baton Rouge's his own group, and George Porter is engagement.. .RZA and the Ballistics Swamp Fox, won first place. Ken filling in on bass ... George's own usually working weekends. drick is now drummer for the Salt group Joyride is still working around Ernie K-Doe had his birthday at Creek Band, which has a single out town. Wendy's Lounge on November 24th. now, "Honky Tonk Amnesia," on The Krewe of Motha Roux has lined Ernie's invited guests included Oliver the SCR label.

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