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‘Be Down’ conference
set for Miami, Florida
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Peter Thomas, founder of How
Can | Be Down conference.
; The How Can IBe Down urban
fmusic convention is scheduled
for Oct. 10 through Oct. 14.
In three short years, the con
vention has quickly become one
ofthe premier musicconventions
in the nation -- outdoing such
Blind Willie Blues Festival
coming to Thomson
' On Saturday, October 5, from
‘12:30 until 10 p.m., the Thomson
‘McDuffie County Convention
and Visitors Bureau will hold
the Fourth Annual International
‘Blind Willie Blues Festival. The
Festival began as the first blues
festival in the state of Georgia
‘and salutes legendary country
blues artist Blind Willie McTell
‘who was born and buried in the
Happy Valley section of
Thomson-McDuffie County,
Georgia.
-% The festival, themed “Celebrat
ing the Blues” by festival direc
tor Dorothy Jones, will feature
two stages of continuous music.
Main stage artists include Jimmy
Johnson from Chicago, acoustic
blues giant Paul Geremia from
Rhode Island, Memphis harp
player Blind Mississippi Morris
and his band, powerful Chicago
vocalist Katherine Davis, the
harmonica and guitar duo of
Madcat and Kane from Michi
gan and Eddie Kirkland from
Georgia.
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The Roper House Piazza, Overlooking Charleston Harbor
In Gharleston,
we have a sfiyfl/fy elevated view
o/ the perfec/ summer vacalion.
A vacation here is truly special.
Because not just one, but a
combination of intriguing and unique
expetiences await you. From fascinating
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World-class golf to one-of-a
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great fishing. And that's only
800-611-5548 &
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FOCUS your current news in our paper.
Call 724-7855 or fax to 724-6969.
longtime confabs as Orlando
based Jack The Rapper’s Family
Affair.
The Miami-based meeting is
the brainchild of Peter Tho;nas.
Last year, over 4,000 urbanites
converged on South Beach/z:;l at
tend the conference.
“We expect those numbers to
triple this year,” says founder,
Mr. Thomas. Topics to be dis
cussed are concert promotions,
publishing deals, entertainment
law, distribution deals, reggae
marketplace and producing.
Expected to attend are Andre
Harrell, Teddy Riley, Michael
Bivens. A celebrity modeling
show will feature Salt-N-Pepa,
Wu Tang Clan, Monifa,
Blackstreet, Soul For Real and
baseball players Gary Sheffield
and Derek Bell.
Call 212-977-6772 for more in
formation.
Also featured are Shrimp City
Slim from South Carolina fea
turing Festival Artistic Director
Gary Erwin and local favorites
The Crosstie Walkers and The
True-Tone Gospel Singers.
The Georgia Heritage Stage
will feature talent from through
out the state including Precious
Bryant, Neal “Big Daddy”
Pattman, John Lee Zeiglar and
The Shades.
The festivalis an outdoor event
which takes place rain or shine
ina 60-acre site located two miles
north of Exit 59, off I-20 at
Thomson, which is lacated 120
miles east of Atlanta and 30 miles
west of Augusta.
Tickets are $12.50 in advance
and sls on the day of the festi
val. Tickets and information can
be obtained from the Thomson-
McDuffie County Tourism Con
vention Visitors Bureau, 111
Railroad Street, Thomson, Ga.
30824. Phone (706) 595-5584 or
fax (706) 595-4710.
Charleston, South Carolina
the beginning. To help you enjoy all
the best of Charleston, Charleston
Place Hotel is pleased to offer the
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David Heath brings bass’
backbeat to musical forefront
By Timothy Cox
AUGUSTA FOCUS Staff Writer
Those who love live musicknow
him well. His name is David
Heath, and he’s the man behind
the bass guitar.
Whether the style calls for tra
ditional jazz, funk, r&b, or coun
try, don’t be surprised if you see
Mr. Heath plying his craft on
bandstands between Augusta,
Jacksonville and Charlotte.
James Brown has offered him
numerous chances to join his
outfit, but for the long-time Medi
cal College of Georgia supervi
sor, timing is everything.
A consummate perfectionist,
David says working locally and
road tours are paramount to suc
cess.
“The only way you can reach a
certain level is by staying busy.
Bandstand experience is how the
knowledge is acquired,” said the
co-founding member of Playback
“The Band,” “Gratitude Band”
and “The Storm Band.”
But, before reaching those lev
els, it was the trombone and The
Beatles that first captured his
interest.
After realizing the high de
mand for bass players over his
brass instrument, young David
eased into product generated by
Larry Graham and Stanley
Clarke. “Larry and Stanley made
us realize the bass didn’t have to
be relegated to the background.
They emphasized the solo as
pect,” said Mr. Heath, who prides
himself on playing by ear and
reading music charts-- especially
in the studio.
Though considered one of the
area’s top musicians, Mr. Heath
has also done his share of road
duty. A move to Miami in 1980,
and a longer stint in the musi
cally-diverse Oakland-San
Franscisco Bay Area, was re-
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Living Large.
AUGUSTA FOCUS
October 3, 1996
ABOVE: David Heath is con
sidered one of the area’s
premier bassmen.
LEFT: Jazzman Wynton
Marsalis (right) confers with
Mr. Heath about notes and
time signatures.
warding, he says. In Calli, he
recorded and toured with The
Emotions, Bobby Womack, Billy
Preston and Bill Summers &
Summers Heat. -
“I credit that experience with
making me the versatile player
that I am. There’s still lots of
work to be done,” he said.
While respecting the work of
bassists Louis Johnson, Waymon
Tisdale, Bootsy Collins and
Marcus Miller, it’s thetraditional
jazz of John Coltrane, Miles
Davis, and Thelonious Monk
that’s “always inspiring and chal
lenging,” he said. 5
7