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ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT
“Rays” is a prime example of the new wave of music he hoped to introduce to the
world. Its first track, “Freedom”, is the type of catchy tune you may find yourself
singing while standing in a long line to add a class.
By Jerrod Law
Staff Writer
With those words, Jimi
Hendrix invited an entire
generation of listeners to let go
of their preconceived notions
of life and music to witness a
genius who was decades
before his time. But not
everyone knows that the
man's musical vision went far
deeper than "Fire" and
"Purple Haze." He had visions
of fusing rock, funk and blues
to usher in a new level of
musical audacity that would
change music forever.
Luckily, for those of us
who were unable to hear the
man the first time around,
MCA, Polydor, as well as
hundreds of other record
companies and bootleggers
have given us a second chance.
Although nearly thirty years
after his death, he still leads all
musicians in number of
posthumous albums released.
MCA released both "First
Rays of the New Rising Sun"
and "South Saturn Delta" in
1997, yet the music is as
timeless as ever.
"First Rays..." is the
album Hendrix was working
on prior to his death in 1970.
"...Rays" is a prime example of
the new wave of music he
hoped to introduce to the
world. Its first track,
"Freedom", is the type of
catchy tune you may find
yourself singing while
standing in a long line to add
a class. "Room Full of
Mirrors," possibly the best
funk track on the album, will
show you how Jimi did the
Isley Brothers before the Isley
Brothers did. Immediately
following "Room...", "Dolly
Dagger" and "Ezy Rider" will
leave you wondering what
Jimi could have accomplished
in, say twenty more years of
sojjgwriting. This is the
perfect album for anyone who
thinks Hendrix was merely
rockand-roll's "token black
man." Hendrix was and is far
greater than mere "rock and
roll."
The second CD, "South
Saturn Delta", is a compilation
of scattered or previously
unheard demos and alternate
tracks pieced together to give
the listener a complete view of
Hendrix's career. The album
takes you through all four
years of his career with the
intensity of an out of control
freight train. The
instrumentals on "Pali Gap"
and the earsplitting guitar
solos on "The Stars That Play"
are made to impress. The
latter may be the most
sonically unbelievable song on
the album as it goes from a
simple diddy to some of the
most beautiful 'noise' ever to
be placed on record. "Drifter's
Escape," "Bleeding Heart,"
and the never-ending "Here
He Comes" are also worthy of
mention. This album might be
the best to buy if you've never
heard any of Hendrix's music
and are just testing the waters.
Jimi Hendrix cannot be
called the greatest guitarist
ever nor can his music be
judged on sonic quality alone,
for both were far beyond
comparison. Hendrix serves
as a lost hero for generations
to come; another genius who
died long before his time. Let
it be known that while the
unreleased tracks and lost
demos will run out, the image,
the myths and the history-
changing music of this cultural
icon will live on for eternity.
Directing The Colored Museum, Kenny Leon's Dream Come True
by Jade Maia Lambert
A&E Editor
Currently running at the
Alliance Theatre through
February 8, The Colored
Museum, is a classic African-
American drama written by
George C. Wolfe. ..Museum,
Wolfe's signature piece, was
premiered at Crossroads
Theatre Company in 1986,
then went into a sold-out run
at the New York Shakespeare
Festival. Wolfe's other plays
include: "Spunk," "Jelly's Last
Jam," and he co-created "Bring
in Da noise, Bring in Da Funk"
with Savion Glover.
Kenny Leon, artistic
director of the Alliance Theatre
Company, was very pleased at
the chance to direct this
signature play. " This
production was the realization
of a dream for me. I have
wanted to direct The Colored
Museum for seven years and
this is the perfect moment to
present it to our Atlanta family,
Leon said. "It is the theatre's
mission to bring pressing
issues to the forefront while
providing opportunities to
discuss and explore them
through the shared experience
of live theatre. I can not think
David Zeiger/SPECIAL
Hassan El-Amin portrays
Miss Roj in the Alliance
Theatre production of The
Colored Musuem.
of a better play to initiate that
dialogue than [...Museum]."
The beauty about the play
is that different, entertaining
choices can be made because
•every African-American
sitting in the audience has
encountered one of the
characters in this play.
Moreover Wolfe forces you to
see yourself in many of the
comically sad characters. The
“ This production
was the realization
of a dream for me.
I have wanted to
direct The Colored
Museum for seven
years”
Kenny Leon
Artistic Director
Alliance Theatre
piece reclaims Black
stereotypes so boldly that you
can not help but laugh.
Upon entering the theatre,
one is tranformed into a
museum setting, fully
equipped with a stark gray
stage scenery. This prelude of
dullness is pivotal in the
continuous element of
surprise evoked in the play.
David Zeiger/SPECIAL
Ray Ford plays Junie
Robinson, an enlightened
solider in The Colored
Musuem.
The exhibits are brought to life
by wonderful actors that
portray these stereotypes in
full form, with asides that let
the audience into the psche,
that the media is not usually
privy to. Wolfe takes these
foils that blacks are portrayed
in as every day life, and gives
them depth; from Miss Pat the
stewardess aboard Celebrity
Slaveship, to Miss Roj, the
drag queen.
The "colored
contradictions" that the
audience experiences in this
ninety-four minute "method
of madness" cannot be
ignored; Wolfe's characters
are parts of who we are.
Anyone who has seen the play
performed many times may be
a bit skeptical. But, If you
haven't figured it out already,
see this play. If you have seen
it before, see it again.
Tickets for The Colored Museum are
$16-$36 and may be purchased at the
Woodruff Art Center Box Office, by
calling (404) 733-5000, or on-line at
www.alliancetheatre.org. Youth tick
ets are available for $15 to students
with ID. A limited number of rush
tickets may be purchased, in person
only, at the Woodruff Arts Center Box
Office on the day of performance.
