Newspaper Page Text
- 4 y^f gfff
THE PANTHER - Page 4 - March 1974
KUUMBA
CC Players Present 'Purlie’
By ROBERT C. COOK
The Clark College play
ers will premiere March
14-19 the play “Purlie.”
“Purlie” is the comedy-
musical based on the play
“Purlie Victorious” writ
ten by Ossie Davis, centers
around the efforts of Pur
lie, who is a country prea
cher man, to buy back Big
Bethel. The time of the
play is not too far into
yesterday.
The original play star-
redCleavon Little and Mel
ba Moore and premiered
March 15, 1970 at the
Broadway theatre in New
York City.
The Clark production is
under the expert direction
of Mrs. Joan Lewis and
assistant director Mrs. Lois
Talley, a speech instruc
tor at Clark.
Clark College is in for
a bad happening. I don’t
want to give away too much,
but the play is one laugh
after another.
Purlie is played by Sam
Jackson, with a superb sup
porting cast of some of
Clark’s finest. Some of the
characters that will have
you rolling on the floor are
Lutiebelle played by Clark’s
own Deborah Bowman, a
freshmen. Gitlow, a slap-
happy cotton chopper, is
played by Clarkite Leon
Brown.
Leon Brown and Jackie
Adkin are the only Clark
ite among the baddest
dancers on the college scene
today.
The Clarkites who are
singing in the play are
Reginald Joseph, Arthur
Jones, Brian Herron, De
bra Oxidine and Doris
Jackson.
Admission to the play
will be by reserved seat
only. Tickets to the play
are free and can be pick
ed up at the box office in
Haven-Warren or call Mrs.
Talley at ext. 251. No one
will be admitted to the
theatre without a ticket,
so get yours early or you
maymiss one of the mean
est plays to hit the A. U.
Center.
BLACK VIBES
By RONALD HARRIS
LAYERS - Les McCann - Atlantic 1973
Personnel - Les McCann - piano, electric piano, ARP
synthesizer, clavinet, drums, tympani; Buck Clarke - conga
drums, bongo drums, blocks, bells, percussion; Ralph Mac
Donald - conga drums, bells, percussion; Donald Dean-
drums, bells, percussion; Jimmy Rowser - bass violin,
electric bass, bells, percussion.
Stevie Wonder started the idea of one musician playing
almost all of the instruments on his recording date, but
Les McCann, with the release of “Layers,” has added a
new dimension to that concept.
This LP in many ways is a direct extension of Les’
“Invitation To Openess” (the album notes say so) which
as everyone knows was the max.
“Layers” is a musical excursion into Les McCann’s
childhood which was probably very similar to most Black
kids growing up in an urban surrounding (or rural for that
matter).
It includes such universal theme as “The Dunbar High
School Marching Band,’’“The Harlem Buck Dance Strut,”
and “Let’s Play (‘Til Mom Calls)” and everybody knows
how Mom was.
It’s senseless to try to give an analytical breakdown
of this recording cut by cut, each side is like one con
tinuous song. The titles are only there to give the listener
an idea of the feeling that inspired the various color
changes that take place in the total composition.
Les masterfully changes moods and rhythm with the
greatest of ease and coordination. He moves out of “Some
times’ I Cry” , a moving ballad, and before you know it
you find yourself bouncing and dancing to "The Dunbar
High School Marching Band.’
Les makes extensive use of the ARP synthesizer on this
recording date. In some spots the synthesizer sounds like
a horn, at other spots a flute, and at times it sounds
like a human voice which makes one reminiscent of Les’
vocalizing on “With These Hands.”
Many musicians are making use of various types of
synthesizer, some in an effort to make up for or hide
their lack of musical expertise. In the hands of a master
like Les McCann, however, the use of the synthesizer
is a joy to behold. Thank you Les.
Les’ backup personnel on this recording worked with
him when he put together “Invitation to Openness.” They
seem to work very well together.
Les McCann’s recent recordings seem to have become
in succession, further extensions of his individual per
sonality and our collective experience as Black people.
“Layers” is another stop on Les McCann’s musical
evolution.
CALENDER OF EVENTS
March 14-19 - Clark College Players will present “Pur - *
lie.” Tickets must be picked up in advance at the bod
office in Haven Warren. Show time 8 p.m. in Davage
Auditorium.
March 15-15 - Harlem Globetrotters at Coliseum Time:
8:00 p.m.
March 16-17 - Royal Lippizzan Stallion Show Time:
8:00 p.m., on the 17, Show Time is at 2:00 p.m.
March 13 - The Group “Chicago” at Georgia Tech
March 17 - Georgia Tech presents “A Taurus Produc
tion” with “Rare Earth” Kool and the Gang, and
“Funkadelics”
March 18 - Humble Pie and Spooky Tooth Time: 8:00 p.m.
Prices: 4.50, 5.50, 6.50.
March 18 - “Stunt Night” at David T. Howard High
Presenting “Ideas in Motion” Time: 8:00 p.m..
Tickets: $2 in advance, $3 at door.
March 20 - Hawks vs Boston Celtics Time: 8:05 p.m.
March 21 - Flames vs New York Rangers Time: 8:05 p.m.
March 22 - Roller Games vs New York Chiefs Time:
8:00 p.m.
March 23- Hawks vs Capital Bullets Time: 8:05 p.m.
March 24 - Flames vs New York Islanders Time: 7:05 p.m.
March 28 - Flames vs Philadelphia Flyers Time 8:05 p.m.
March 30 - Flames vs Minnesota North Stars Time: 8:05 p.m.