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M.U.S.I.C. continued from page 17

M.U.S.I.C. continued from page 17 image
Parent Issue
Day
17
Month
June
Year
1976
Copyright
Creative Commons (Attribution, Non-Commercial, Share-alike)
OCR Text

…haunting "Last Day of Summer" was Spanky at her most elegant best. She registered her voice well against Wendell's pastoral-like passages on flute. I think the two lovers seated in front of me kissed all the way through this lovers' lament.

When the venerable Eddie Jefferson came forth the lips found another use, and practically everyone over thirty joined Mr. Jefferson in what was beginning to sound like a sing-a-long, a la Mitch Miller. I know for sure that the folks within earshot of me and John Sinclair got their money's worth. Mr. Jefferson appeared to take it all in stride as one memorable song after the other made the rounds. Of course, "Moody's Mood For Love" was the showstopper and Roy had to crack the whip to get the applauding, whistling audience back in their seats.

Only a so-called headliner could follow this act of sheer artistry. Grady Tate, the resplendent crooner, had this unenviable task and while there was the obvious taint of pop and commercialism, he held his own as he displayed all the polish and repetition that WJZZ could promise. Tasty and funkless, Grady offered his Standard fare of love songs with the lovely "There's Nothing Between Us Now" moving a cluster of nearby females to a deep swoon. Still, the large majority was merely tolerating him, eagerly anticipating" the finale.

The exchanges between Roy and the dancers, Paul Leonard and Bunny Cox, were reminiscent of vaudeville and the old days at the community theatre when the talent shows were in vogue. This was a very special way of highlighting Eddie Harris' "Freedom Jazz Dance." This was truly a stroke of genius and it is something we should give a bit more consideration to. The fusion of the arts at the very roots of our community is necessary if we are to realize the full benefits of this cultural revitalization.

This benefit concert was a strong and substantial step toward preserving and perpetuating the fundamental aspects of our indigenous culture. We have taken steps like this before, only to have them crash against the rocks of indifference and lack of support. Let us hope that Roy Brooks' return to Detroit and the visionaries connected with MUSIC (including Larry Nevels' Bantu Productions. who did the staging) will continue to find creative ways to sustain that which has been a most auspicious resurgence.

- Herb Boyd