Newspaper Page Text
March, 1971
THE SPOTLIGHT
Page 3
Black women can
New student cashier
contribute to world of jazz canH do everything’
By Sheryl Harris
Is there a place
men in the world
for black
of jazz?
Angie Jackson, a Spelman so
phomore who plays the string
bass, says there is.
“The most dominating people
in jazz are black people,” An
gie said. “The more I play, the
more I find people who appre
ciate my playing as a woman,
especially men.”
Angie is an unusual young la
dy because there are not many
women string bass players. How
ever, she feels that black women
can offer much more to the world
of jazz.
“I feel that black women can
contribute more than just sing
ing and playing the piano,” Angie
said.
Angie is a fan of Dorothy
Ashby and Alice Coltrain. They
are both harpists.
“These are the only women I
know of who are doing some
thing different, other than sing
ing or playing the piano,” Angie
said.
“Both of these women have
not received the recognition they
deserve,” Angie sa'id. “Alice Col
train is better known, perhaps,
because she is the wife of the
great saxophonist John Coltrain.”
“I think Dorothy Ashby should
receive more recogntion, even
more than Alice Coltrain,” Angie
said. “She plays the koto, a
very difficult string instrument.”
The koto is an Indian instrument
that sounds like a guitar and
resembles a wooden aUtoharp.
Angie has definite views on
why these women have not been
recognized.
“Dorothy Ashby and Alice
Coltrain have concentrated on
the jazz harp,” Angie said. “The
harp is not that popular.”
Ron Carter is
idol as a string
Angie’s male
bass player.
“He not only plays jazz, but
he can play anything well,” An
gie said. “He has very good
bowing technique. This is rare
in a string bass player because
most of them concentrate on
plucking.”
Angie first became interested
in the string bass while in the
tenth grade at Palmer Memorial
Institute in Sedalia, N. C.
“They bought a bass at Palm
er,” Angie said. “The band di
rector gave me a book and a
few pointers and I took it from
there.”
Angie learned the bass tech
nique alone.
“I took the method book,
played it page by page, and tried
to learn the technique,” Angie
said. “It took me about three
weeks to go through one tech-
book.’
At Palmer
jazz combo
saxophone, piano
string bass. The
Angie played in a
that included a
drummer and
group did not
play for money.
“We played for enjoyment,”
Angie said. “We pla'yed at some
area high schools and at our
own school, Palmer.”
The group played all their
music by ear, that is, without
the aid of written music.
“We couldn’t afford to buy
sheet music,” Angie said.
4 My hands are small
and I have to
stretch them to play’
■
: : :
Lenda Gaillard, new student-
cashier at Spelman College, says
students must realize that her
dual role takes a lot of time and
should not expect the cashier’s
window to be open as much as
it was before she took over.
Lenda, a senior, took over the
job last month when Spelman’s
full-time cashier, Mrs. Pauline
Martin, was hospitalized.
“I have no help,” Lenda said.
“Some people get upset when the
window isn’t open. I can’t sit at
the window a's long as it was
open when Mrs. Martin was
working.”
Lenda was a work-study help
er in the business offi6e before
taking her new position. She
made some deposits and wrote
some of the receipts to relieve
the full-time cashier for other
duties.
Now she makes all of the de
posits from the business office
to the bank and takes in all the
money that comes into the of
fice. There are also other mis-
cella'neous duties.
“I do all of the things Mrs.
Martin would do if she were
here,’ she said.
Lenda is carrying 15 class hours
this semester. She puts in about
20 hours per week in the office.
Prior to her new job, she
worked 15 hours.
Lenda works as many hours
as possible every day between
8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. “Whenever
I’m not in class and I have ex
tra time, I go there,” she said.
Despite the added duties,
Lenda is still paid from the
work-study program. She would
rather be paid an employee’s
salary by Spelman College.
“I haven’t said anything about
it since I am a student,” she
said. “I guess there are stipula
tions and I can’t be put on a
regular salary.”
Lenda said she was chosen to
become the temporary cashier be
cause “there is no one else.”
She said since she had worked
so closely with Mrs. Martin, she
was the only one who knew
what was to be done. “It was a
sudden appointment,” she said.
Lenda is a sociology major. She
is undecided about plans after
graduation. She wants to work
as an airline stewardess or with
an Economic Opportunity At
lanta (EOA) program such as
Planned Parenthood.
Mrs. Martin is to return to
her job around March 15, and
Lenda will once again be a stu
dent helper.
Angie has had some problems
in playing the string bass, but
the biggest problem has been the
size of her hands.
Angie hands are six-and-one-
half inches long, not long enough
for her to play the bass easily.
The string bass is a difficult
instrument to play because of its
large size, but Angie copes with
the problem.
“My hands are small and 1
have to stretch them to play,”
Angie said.
Last year Angie did something
unusual. She bought her own
electric upright string bass.
The regular string bass is
about two feet in width and
five feet in length. It is made
up of many different kinds _ of
woods and has coats of differ
ent varnishes.
The electric upright string bass
is smaller, one - and - one - half
feet ahd three-and-one-half feet
in length. It is made of plastic.
Angie now plays in the Clark
College jazz band and the Spel
man woodwind esemble. She has
never played for money.
When the Clark College jazz
band had its concert in Febru
ary, Angie was the only female
participant in the band.
Angie hopes to become a pro
fessional jazz bass player.
“I would like to bring out
every aspect of black music, as
well as jazz,” Angie said. “I
would like to tour and record in
studios.”
Later, Angie would like to be
come a record producer. But
she would not just be concerned
with jazz.
“I’ll study classical music, too,
because all these areas of music
fit together,” Angie said.
Her parents have encouraged
her in her pursuit of an enter
tainment career, but they have
warned her of its dangers.
“My parents have warned me
about being too extravagant
with money, instead of saving
it,” Angie said. “They also told
me that at one time you may
be popular, and that another time
you may be unpopular. Then
you’ll have to worry about get
ting money, just to live decent
ly.”
Angie’s career in music will
not be limited to the performance
of jazz music.
“I think I can bring out all
phases of black music and music
in general in my playing,” An
gie said. “There is a place for
black women today in the world
of jazz, and in the world of mu
sic.’
Bahama restrictions announced
Students planning to visit the Bahama Islands during the spring
break are asked to note the following summary of regulations and
la'ws provided by Clement T. Maynard, Minister of Tourism, Nassau,
Bahama.
1. — ANY POSSESSION of marijuana or other dangerous drugs,
even without their use, is illegal and is punishable by up to one year
in prison and/or $1,000 fine. This law is strictly enforced.
2. SLEEPING on the beaches at night is strictly prohibited.
3. FIREARMS, even those registered in the United States or
other countries, may not be brought into the Bahamas. The legal
penalty for possession of firearms is up to two years imprisonment
and /or a $500 fine.
4. THERE is a $3 departure tax on all persons leaving the Is
lands.
5. — SPEARFISHING with guns is illegal. So is spearfishing with
SCUBA gear. Only Hawaiian slings or pole spears may be used, and
only with mask and snorkel.
6. BECAUSE it is difficult to cash personal checks in the Ba
hamas, we suggest that you carry Travelers’ checks when you visit
the Islands.
7. SHOULD you need information or assistance contact the
Ministry of Tourism (telephone 23610), the Bahamas Police (tele
phone 24444, 23333), or the American Consul General (telephone
21181, after hours 23404).