Tribe&mixedbag

TRIBE & MIXED BAG

TRIBE, "A Message From Tribe"; MIXED BAG, "FreshOut"

Aspiring Jazz Listener: Detroit, man. what a drag. No music in this town. Shit. I ought to go to New York. Only place in the world you can hear the Really Heavy Cats."

Wise Old Detroit Jazz Fan: "That's all so much shit man. Some of the best music in the whole fuckin' universe is happening right here. Tribe, Mixed Bag, Creative Profile, Eddie Nuccilli's Big Band. that's not half of it. You ought to open up your eyes and ears now and then. man. These people aren't trying to hide from you. Listen to Sundown on WJZZ (105 FM), Kenn Cox on WDHT (101.9 FM), or Bud Spangler on WABX (99.5 FM). Or read the SUN or the Detroit Free Press. They'll tell you what's going on."

Aspiring Jazz Listener: "Really, man. Do these bands have any records out or anything like that?"

Wise Old Detroit Jazz Fan: "Where the hell have you been, man? They've got lots of records. Like Tribe's latest. "A Message from the Tribe." on the TRIBE label. Tribe got it. It's beautiful, man. Wendell Harrison on tenor saxophone and flute. Phil Ranelin on trombone, Marcus Belgrave and Charles Moore on trumpet and flugelhorn, Shoo-be-do and Will Austin on bass. Keith Vreeland and Charles Eubanks on piano, Billy Turner and Ike Daney on drums. Aaron Neal on bass clarinet, Jeamel Lee singing, and composition and arrangement by Ranelin and Harrison. Beautiful. Open most of the time, and really original playing from all involved. And all packaged and produced and distributed by the cats and their friends."

Aspiring Jazz Listener: "I dig this band Mixed Bag. Any idea what they've been doing lately?"

Wise Old Detroit Jazz Fan: "Yeah, they play at the Del Rio, Baker's. lots of places. They've cut a few records, too, on Eddie Russ's label, JAZZMASTERS. In fact, they just released a new one, Fresh Out. Really strong stuff, featuring that tightest of rhythm sections, Danny Spencer on drums, Ron Brooks on bass, Eddie Russ himself on piano, Jerry Glassel on guitar, and Larry Nozero on top playing saxophones and flute."

Aspiring Jazz Listener "Yea, I heard them play once. Some funkier sounds, and some open sounds too. Lots of things. Yeah, all kinds of things."

Wise Old Detroit Jazz Fan: 'What's this about New York, uh, you were saying . . ."

Steve Wood

Rufus & Tower of Power

RUFUS featuring Chaka Khan

RAGS TO RUFUS, ABC X-809

RUFUSIZED, ABC D-837

TOWER OF POWER

URBAN RENEWAL, Warners BS 2384

These two groups deserve recognition for quality work. Rufus has been gracing the AM airwaves, getting lots of play and selling singles. Tower of Power has come a ways from their East Bay Grease; they may still be greasers one and all, but they have developed