Newspaper Page Text
October 3, 1996
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~When Leon Parker makes
music, less is not just more, it’s
better. Using various hand per
cussion instruments and an im
probable minimalist drum kit
(usually a lone cymbal, a snare
and either a floor tom or a bass
drum), he creates a rich aural
tapestry iike no other.
Tothis, the percussionist, com
poser and band leader the New
York Times recently hailed “as
one of the finest jazz musicians
of his generation” adds a wealth
of inspiration and a.lifetime of
Augusta recording artist remembers
her greatest musical inspiration
“My daddy is responsible for
putting me on the right road
where my love for music and edu
cation is concerned. He always
believed that one should do ev
erything in good order and in
good taste —and that’s the way I
aspire to be as well.”
Jazz recording artist Karen
Francis, whogrew upin Augusta,
was the daughter of an accom
plished and recorded musician
who instilled in his family a love
for quality in all things, espe
cially in music. But, while C.W.
Francis II lived, his daughter
was not aware of his love for jazz,
discovering this some eight years
after his death, from her mother.
Jazz records may not have been
plentiful in the Francis house
hold, but the sides on the shelves
were tops: Nat Cole, Count Basie,
Duke Ellington, Sarah Vaughan,
Oscar Peterson, LPs by Miriam
Makeba and Marian Anderson.
Unfortunately, most of his
records were destroyed in a fire
at the school where he taught,
directed music and served as
dean of academics.
As a child, Karen remembers
waking up on Saturday morn
ing, hearing the birds sing and,
with no school in prospect, and
being full to overflowing with
the joy of the sounds.
“It made me want to sing too,”
she says, “so I would lie in bed
before rising and hum or sing
I Publix.
SUPER MARKETS
AUGUSTA FOCUS
creative and emotional experi
ences. Drawing from the past
and present of jazz and other
idioms, he makes music that
points to a brave new world of
fine, nuanced artistry and
evolved expression. And on Be
lief, Parker’s second album as a
leader and his debut for Colum
bia, he does so in a manner in
which each and every note is
carefully considered for maxi
mum impact and enjoyment be
fore being played.
“The phrase ‘less is more’ is
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Karen Francis’ debut compact disc.
anything that came to mind —
mostly nursery school ditties. My
sister didn’t dig this too much
because it usually meant that
she could be awakened early by
the music.”
At the age of four, she tried to
learn the piano, encouraged by
her father. But she was afraid to
follow through because, during a
lesson, her dad would get so ex
Its Our Pleasure.
part of my philosophy, and it’s
very logical forme,” Parker notes.
“All the other types of music that
have influenced me apart from
jazz have helped me appreciate
the importance of structure and
concept. And I consider myself a
conceptualist first, because as a
leader I'll dictate the mood and
the tone. That’s the main thing
I'm trying to get across and,
maybe because of my minimalist
approach, it doesn’t require me
to do more than what’s neces
sary as far as my input is con-
cited about her grasp of music
and the piano that he would be
come agitated and raise his voice.
She stopped playing after only a
few months, afraid she would
disappoint him. But school was
another matter, and she began
to play clarinet. Later, in high
school, she added the saxophone
and then started to properly in
vestigate the piano.
art » music ¢ literature » theatre
cerned.” ‘
Just how rewarding such an
approach canbeis demonstrated
by Belief, the sequel to Above
And Below, Parker’s critically
acclaimed 1994 debut on the now
defunct Epicure label. Produced
by Joel Dorn, who also produced
Parker’s first album, Belief is as
accomplished a sophomore effort
as any in recent memory.
With Belief, Parker has real
ized that goal and more. A mar
vel of clarity and conviction, fire
and finesse, the album’s deeply
felt music exudes joy, daring,
quiet introspection, celebration
and an unerring sense of swing.
The results affirm that this au
dacious musician is one of the
most gifted and resourceful art
ists of his era and a bold maver
ick who is steeped in the tradi
tions of jazz, Latin, blues, Afro-
Cuban music and more, yet ea
ger and able to extend them at
will.
“Your first album is the culmi
nation ofalot ofideas and years,”
says Parker, who turned 31 on
August 21 and recorded Belief
last summer just before his 30th
birthday. “Most people’s second
albums are not as good as their
first, because they are usually
not based on artistic growth, but
on having to put out the next
release. I've been pretty fortu
nate to be able to do things at my
own pace. That’s why I wanted to
wait until I was really ready. So
far, so good.”
With Belief, that goal has
started to bear a fruit that will
only grow sweeter and more fer
tile in years to come. Parker’s
combination of excitement and
restraint, understatement and
release, make Belief a memo
rable, multifaceted work that
soars, floats, struts and dances
through a series of moods and
rhythmic approaches with equal
grace and grit.
While studying for a computer
science degree in college, she
played clarinet on scholarship,
and didn’t begin to develop her
voice as aninstrument until 1992.
She studied with drummer/
singer Grady Tate and Metro
politan musician Leroy Haw
thorn.
Her debut CD, Where Is Love?
demonstrates that she certainly
hasher father’s good taste. Songs
include “Willow Weep for Me,”
“End of a Love Affair,” “I Guess
I'll Hang My Tears Out to Dry,”
“Polka Dots and Moonbeams.”
Classics. Of more recent vintage,
but no less aurally refreshing,
are “Where the Grass Is
Greener,”“OnaClear Day,” “May
I Come In?” and “Sweet Pump
kin.”
The title track is a moving duo
between Karen and pianist
George Colligan, whose introduc
tion shows his fine feeling and
great musicality. “He Never Men
tioned Love” tells a quiet story:
direct, sad, pretty.
Through all this diverse mate
rial, Karen Francis has the con
fidence and class to impose her
own style and vision. She is not
overly swayed by any of her in
fluences and, even when dealing
with numbers strongly associ
ated with particular artists,
avoids the temptation to serve
up an impression of the familiar.
Her work is her own.
Nimoy to narrate
Ancient Mysteries series
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A&E Television Networks has
changed its acclaimed weekly
mystery series, Ancient Myster
ies. The show, to be hosted and
narrated by Leonard Nimoy, has
been retitled as Ancient Myster
ies with Leonard Nimoy. The
program is a“ sweeping world
wide look at the extraordinary
wonders of ancient technology
and the baffling mysteries ofhow
and why these marvels existed.
The wonders include the build
ing of the Egyptian pyramids
with stone blocks weighing more
than 40,000 pounds; the baffling
Nazca Lines of Peru, sometimes
New Outkast LP ATLiens
changes face of hip-hop
ATLANTA
Abriefthree weeks followingits
release, LaFace Records record
ing duo OutKast’s sophomore al
bum ATLiens certified gold, sell
ing over 500,000 copies and ship
ping over one million while the
debut single “Elevators” certifies
platinum, selling over one million
copies.
ATLiens debuted No. 2 on the
Hot 100 chart behind Pearl Jam
and No. 1 on the r&b chart, and
has held in the top 10 since its
release. It has been praised by
hip-hop critics and fans alike. The
young rappers describe their new
album as a salute to individuality
on an upcoming MTV News pro
file. “We don’t want people to get
caught up in the beats and not
listen to the lyrics,” said 21-year
old Dre. “If you listen to the lyrics
you will see how we talk about
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I.What instrument does Charlie
Mingus play?
2. What is the date of the Savan
nah Jazz Festival?
3. Name the trumpeter that was
featured at the ’96 Olympics in
Atlanta.
4. What saxophonist withdrew
from thejazz life entirely for more
than a year to re-examine the
content and techhnique of his
playing?
5. What is the name of the West
three miles long in the shape of
animals seen only from the ai{;
the secret formula for Damascg‘s
steel used by swordsmen against
the crusaders; an electric bat
tery discovered in Baghdad ard
built thousands of years before
modern batteries; plus the an
cientinventions of China, includ
ing gunpowder, rockets, the com
pass and the printing press.
The first episode of Ancient
Mysteries: “Before Their Timg:
Ancient Inventions,” will featuze
the brilliant inventor and artist,
Leonardo da Vinci, who creatéd
weapons such as the machire
gun and tank, as well as designs
for other modern inventions such
as the airplane, helicopter and
parachute. The program fea
tures some of the most astonish
ing technological achievements
ofancient times and investigatep
the baffling circumstances sur
rounding their creation. The
program will air on Sunday, Oe¢-
tober 6, at 8 p.m./12 a.m. ET, &
p.m./9 p.m. PT. q
Leonard Nimoy is best known
for his role as the logical halft
Vulcan alien Spock of Star Trek.
Besides being an actor, he is alse
an accomplished director, pror
ducer and writer. o 4
people uplifting themselves. In a
time when there is so much negar
tivity, all you have to hold on te
are your spiritual beliefs and your
self respect,” he continues. Big
Boi, also 21, goes on to say, “We
aren’t gangsters or anything like
that. We are regular guys rappin’
about the things that we see liv
ing in the A-T-L (Atlanta).” |
OutKast were featured hosts;
on MTV Network’s MTV Jams:
Wednesday and Thursday of this
week and can be seen on an up
coming MTV News segment.
OutKast'’s platinum debut al
bum, produced by Organized
Noize, marked the first rap re
lease on LaFace Records. LaFace
is home of blockbuster Grammy
Award-winning sellers Toni
Braxton and TLC and platinum
selling newcomer The Tony Rich
Project. |
coast trumpeter considered the
“white Miles Davis”? ‘
6. What does Earl Warren and
Marshall Royal havein common?
7. What instrument do they play?
8. Who was Basie’s drummer
from 1936-1948? ; |
9. Who was Count Basie’s fa
ther?
10. When did his father die and
how old was he when he died?
11. Was Catherine Basiehis wife
or his daughter? |
12. What did Basie do for relax
ation? ?
13. What does Billy Harper and
Wilton Felder have in common?
14. Who was Monk’s first record
date with? i
15. Who was the one person that
Miles Davis used as hisarranger?
16. Who was Boris Vian? |
17. He was called “Mr. B” What
was his name? E
18. He is a tenor sax player and
leader of the band Playback “The
Band.” What is his name? ?
19. Who is a saxophonist and
leaderof the jazz ensemble called
Confirmation?
20. A trumpet and fluegel horn
player, he was born in India
napolis. What is name? g
Answers on page 16 x