aient MINIM Talent in Action Kashif Juggles Multi- layered Career have been signed to Arista. yard vacation town. (Continued from opposite page) JIM GLASER BY HARRY WEINGER forts jazz. And somewhat surprisingly, at Their debut albums are set for re- Kashif also acts as a design con- their Sept. 22 Irving Plaza perfor- Mama Wynette's East, Atlanta NEW YORK Arista recording art- lease next January. sultant to Synclavier. He's an avid mance, they played a substantial Admission: $5 ist Kashif says he has reached the Kashif is also at work writing his user of the -company's system for amount of music that would com- halfway mark of a grand five-year third solo album. And he's hustling stage and studio work. Nearly all of fortably conform to all but the most AS SOON AS Glaser took the stage plan. around the country on tour in sup- the background vocals and accents conservative listener's definition of Sept. 17, one fact became readily ap- Current projects for the New Mu- port of his current bulleted album, heard on tour are computer- gener- that term. parent: Unlike the somewhat out- sic Group, the in- demand production "Send Me Your Love." Kashif is ated, and are "stored" by an assis- The quintet flat-out swung more dated "outlaw" image projected by company he heads, include pre-pro- headlining mostly 3,000 -seat halls tant from the original master re- than it usually does, with bassist his brothers, Tompall and Chuck, duction on the next Kenny G album. through February, with occasional cordings. The sounds are then re- Malachi Favors Maghostut and Jim exudes the persona of a gentle- Kashif is acting as executive pro- "guest appearances" in larger ven- called via keyboards. The software drummer Famoudou Don Moye giv- manly country-pop balladeer. ducer, while Charles Brathwaite is ues opposite established stars. and packaging is engineered by ing the lie to those who think that Riding on the crest of a wave being brought in to produce. Kashif It's all fitting neatly into a timeta- Synclavier, while Kashif suggests just because you play free means which has swept him to the top of also recently completed three tracks ble laid out by Kashif, along with practical uses for music applica- you can't also keep a steady beat. the country chart with his latest hit, for Whitney Houston's forthcoming management company Hush Pro- tions. And saxophonists Joseph Jarman "You're Getting To Me Again," Gla- Arista album. ductions, at the very start of his "We come up with a need for cer- (whose tenor playing provided ser and his band were not wanting Kashif isn't stopping there. He solo career. tain kinds of instrumentation," he some of the most heated moments for material. In fact, this was, to a oversees the careers of singer/ "All of this is to build up equity in says, "and physical capability isn't of the set) and Roscoe Mitchell, large extent, a greatest -hits set, songwriter LaLa and Newport my company," Kashif says. "I'm always there. Their engineers and I along with trumpeter Lester Bowie with supremely accurate, harmony- News group -the Wootens. Both very happy with the direction of aren't sitting around dreaming up (arguably the most inventive player rich renditions of his recent chart appear in support of other Kashif - things right now. I think, though, gadgetry." in the quintet, and certainly the wit- successes for Atlanta -based Noble produced tracks, and through his ef- that I can do even better with my tiest), all had moments of jam -ses- Vision Records. solo records." sion fervor and melodic sweetness You'll never hear Glaser sing a This activity sometimes prevents Springsteen Gets that wouldn't have seemed out of true cheating song, never see him the B.T. Express alumnus from ac- place in Birdland 30 years ago. get mad. His signature songs - cepting attractive offers. Kashif Noticed In Pa. At the same time, the show fea- "You Got Me Running," "When says he was invited to produce the tured plenty of the Art Ensemble's You're Not A Lady," "Man in The forthcoming George Benson album HARRISBURG, Pa. State Repre- trademark exploratory collective Mirror" and "You're Getting To Me as a return favor for creating the sentative Correale F. Stevens has improvisation, including some atmo- Again" -are superbly crafted pop guitarist's black radio hit "Inside announced that he will introduce a spheric and totally captivating five- tunes of either boundless love or Billboard. Love (So Personal)," but had to de- resolution in the state House of way percussion exchanges. There sensitive, introspective hurt. cline because Benson's studio time Representatives to "officially pro- were also a few resolutely free- Country music is full of guys with conflicted with Kashif's own album. claim" Bruce Springsteen as the form passages -an unaccompanied a string of hits who never seem to In addition, he had hoped to work "Boss of rock'n'roll." Mitchell soprano sax solo was par- break out of the roadhouse or the with Al Jarreau on the singer's next The resolution will honor Spring- ticularly noteworthy -and quite a opening act trap. Time will tell project. Instead, as Kashif was steen for "concern and compassion bit of the eerie noisemaking and bi- whether Glaser will be able to ex- readying "Send Me Your Love," he for the young people of Pennsylva- zarre theatricality that help make pand his singles base to become the called Jarreau with an offer of his nia and throughout the country," the Art Ensemble unique. lady -killing country -pop idol his own. Rep. Stevens said. It will also cite Opening for the Art Ensemble mentors would like him to be, or if VIDEO MUSIC "I said, `Hey, Al, since I can't do the singer /songwriter's six sold -out was electric guitarist Vernon Reid, his often blunt material will deny your album, why don't you help me concerts in early September at Phil- leading a trio that veered rather him the true, broad -based support CONFERENCE with mine ?' " Jarreau appears as a adelphia's 19,500 -seat Spectrum, confusingly between free jazz and usually clinchable only by force of Nov. 15 -17, 1984 guest vocalist on "Edgartown and the "positive" contributions the heavy metal, with a lot of not entire- personality. RUSSELL SHAW Sheraton Premiere Hotel Groove," a jazzy, nearly wordless shows made to the state's economy, to Rep. ly euphonious stops in between. Universal City, California homage of sorts to a Martha's Vine- according Stevens. PETER KEEPNEWS MAZE, featuring F and Tina Turner. A FOUR CONCERTS, Luther Vandross, FOUR SELLOUTS August 1984 Crowd -pleasing talent in a crowd -pleasing new venue that's catching on fast-the Washington (DC) Convention Center. For WASHII1GTOn information about booking YOUR next sellout, call ConuEnTlon Khalil Johnson, MITER 202 -371 -3127. "WASHINGTON LS A CAPITAL CITE" BILLBOARD OCTOBER 20, 1984 39 www.americanradiohistory.com.