Newspaper Page Text
Photo by Bob Johncon
Preservation Hall Jazz Band kicked off Halloween night with two houn of New Otieana jazz. Kit
Thompaon's hot trumpet and antics in the aisle provided entertainment for a large audience. Mouse
and the Boys played for a dance held at McKenna Armory after the concert.
Jazz Band Leaves
Audience Disappointed
Kit Thompson’s Preserva
tion Hall Jazz Band wedged it
self narrowly between “Eye of
the Cat” and Mouse and the
Boys. The audience unfor
tunately spent most of the two
houn either perched on the
edge of their seats waiting for
its end or in a state of semi
sleep.
As with most concerts in
the Chapel, Preservation Hall
was what you made of it. It
was nearly impossible to take
advantage of the talent offered
when more than an elbows
length distance was put be
tween the band and the crowd.
Many were disappointed from
the offset that they did not im
mediately enwrap the staunch
Chapel In soul from the open
ing number (Algiers’s Stomp).
As this was not the road
group which appeared last year
it ia unfair to compare them.
The rhythm, the mellowed
tones and shrill notes, the deep
blues soul was prevalent if
looked for. Particularly In Dark
Town Strutter’s Ball. BUI
Bailey, Kit Thompson’s Boogie
Woofie and Panama Rag. The
problem was it just didn’t grab
you out of your seat.
Reaction was nil yet the
'eptegenartans were the finest
of musicians. Manuel Paul on
sax blew the shrill sweet notes
of Big Lunch Blues, among
others. While Albert Burbank
on cUrtnette and Kit Thomp
son took their solo turns in the
finest style. Trombone Lewis
Nelson downed around on the
far left end but handled his
respective solo slides with ease.
Charlie Hamilton on piano
opened “Hindustani” as if it
were a rock ballad then swang
into the blues format of doing
one’s own thing within the re
strictive nature of the poup.
This was one noted weak-
neat. Much of the traditional
jam aaarion was lost in the Mer
cer amplifications system
DIPPER DAN
lot Cream Shoppe
3107 Vinaville Avaf/
which should be shot before
the concert series goes any
further.
The only way to get Into
the music which merged into
variations of sameness as the
end of the first half was to
stomp, clap (accompanied by
stares), sway and sing. Most of
the selections were valid jazz
numbers but they didn't ring
any bells of recognition with
most of the audience. Thus the
total impression of monotony
which could have been
thwarted by an understanding
of New Orleans Jazz itself.
To account for Preservation
Hall's lack of spontaneity is the
loss of their drummer (replaced
by Ellex Bigard) the night be
fore. They were terrific musi
cians but as far as possessing
the charisma to draw the
crowd into the mood they
missed the boat at Mercer.
(Sofry to say, the excellence of
age isn’t enough).
Preservation Hall’s head
quarters are in New Orleans in
an ancient mansion approached
by an alley built in 1750 which
has been used in its time as an
apartment house, art gallery,
tavern and today a» a walk-in
HAVE YOU VISITED WILD STRAWBERRY
ON VINEVILLE?
The unusual and fascinating shop of imports found amidst the
aroma of potpourri and incense, blossoming flowers and hanging
lanterns. Mods and iraditionals in accessories and gadgets to
please oneself.
WILD STRAWBERRY, lac.
2470 Vineville Avenue
MACON, GEOftGIA
Phone 743-6939
Fraternity Profile Sigma Alpha Jpsilon
SAE Observes
Centennial
by jwright
music hall dedicated to the pre
servation of authentic jazz. Out
of the context of continuously
flowing music and in-and-out
stream of humanity this road
group consisting of drums, sax,
trombone, darinette, piano
and trumpet lost much of the
essence and the nitty-gritty
earthiness of black music on
the formally bedecked and sen
sually restricted audience.
Down to the last three num
bers Preservation Hall didn’t
project anything but well struc
tured music. Only a toe or a
baby Anger were caught tap
ping most of the time.
For those who know and
love “Tiger Rag,” “In the
Mood,” and “When the Saints
Go Marching In” Kit Thomp
son’s march down the center
aisle — with white baby bon
net, black face shining and
trumpet in hand — was a red-
palmed, hand-clapping experi
ence.
Bring back Preservation
Hail's touring companies for a
third engagement but cram
them into 314 C.S.C. Put them
back in their authentic soul-
filled comer.
A centennial is an occasion
for celebration in any group of
people, and the Georgia Psi
Chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsi
lon, founded September, 1870,
can be especially proud of its
one hundredth year of activity
at Mercer. The twenty-second
of one hundred-seventy-one
SAE chapters established in the
United States, Mercer’s SAE
brotherhood is recognized as
one of the flnest in the nation.
This is exemplified by the
choice of Mercer’s SAE presi
dent Charlie Witzleben as one
of four undergraduates selected
nationally for the faculty of
SAE’s annual Leadership
School.
Plans are already underway
for the big centennial celebra
tion to be held March 6 and 7,
1970. Brothers are contacting
past presidents, and a barbeque
will be held November 18 at
the lodge for Macon Alumni.
The National President,
Executive Secretar, and Emmi-
nent Supreme Chronicler will
be on hand for the spring
events, which include class re
unions, a golf tournament, a
luncheon, cocktail party, and
banquet at which Paul B.
Jacob, Jr., National President
will speak. The two-day affair
will be featured in the August
1970, Record, SAE’s national
newspaper.
Mercer’s SAE best reflects
the progressive spirit of the
by Vivian Southwell
iflcrccr Lluiuersily
national organization in its
Juvenile Rehabilitation Pro
gram. This new year long pro
ject involves co-operating with
the Macon Baptist Aswciation
to help twenty boys, ages nine
to fifteen, achusi and feel so
cially accepted after being in
detention homes.
The brothers have visited
the boys and their parents in
their homes and have brought
the boys to the SAE lodge for
informal recreation and help
with schoolwork. Each pledge
and his Big Brother are respon
sible for one boy. A cook-out
for the twenty boys is planned,
with Thanksgiving and Christ
mas parties anticipated.
Also, SAE’s go to the deten
tion home weekly to become
acquainted with other young
boys who may soon need help
readjusting. The fraternity
hopes to eventually have each
brother in charge of one
younger boy, in order to pro
mote more personal relation
ships.
This rehabilitation program
is SAE’s entry in the National
Community Service Project
competition, involving all SAE
chapters nationwide. The win
ning chapter receives one thou
sand dollars, as does the win
ning chapter’s school.
Scabbard and Blade
Announces Members
Scabbard and Blade Presi
dent Glenn Kirbo announced
today that seven bids had been
extended and accepted as new
members in the military honor
society of Scabbard and Blade.
The new members are Kyle
Carter, Ted Edwards, John Gif
ford, James Norman, Roger
Rizk, Lamar Sizemore, and
Bob Daniels.
The Scabbard and Blade
the nation’s highest honorary
cadet military leadership
society. The active membership
of the society is limited to the
advance course ROTC cadets.
Its purpose is to unite in closer
relationship the military de
partments of American colleges
and universities, to preserve
and develop the essential qual
ities of good and efficient offi
cers, and to prepare the mem
bers, as educated men, to take
a more active part in the com
munities where they reside.
The national Society of
Scabbard and Blade was or
ganized in 1904 at the Univer
sity of Wisconsin. The Chapter
at Mercer was organized as
Company “H”, 9th Regiment,
on December 13, 1950.
When asked about the role
of SAE as an active campus fra
ternity, President Charlie Witz
leben replied that he regarded
it as an “educational experi
ence.” SAE tries to provide op
portunities for learning that are
relevant to the brothers, as well
as to provide social and athletic
opportunities. The pledges
voted to have a three-hour
study hall Sunday through
Thursday nights.
The varied interests of the
brothers are evident with mem
bers of SAE participating in
almost every aspect of campus
life.
RWGASets
Plans For
This Year
At the RWGA meeting Nov.
3 programs for the coming year
were discussed. Many of these
programs will be open to the
entire student body. A com
mittee has been established to
discuss the resolutions pasaed
at the 1AWS and the possibility
of presenting a debate on one
or two of those that are most
relevant to the Mercer student.
The Christmas committee
hopes to make Christmas at
Mercer a time of community
and meaning for all women stu
dents.
Plans for next quarter in
clude Women’s Week and a day
of information for involve
ment. Tentatively all organiza
tions and opportunities for
services will be presented in
displays with members avail
able to give information about
the organization and how to
get involved.
3479 Pio Nono Ave.
788 9131
OUR ADVERTISERS
SUPPORT US
LET S SUPPORT
THEM!
Glen Kirbo congratulates two new members of Scabbard and
Blade. They are James Norman (left) and John Gifford (center).
the uoimatc-the
Peak*
X Ftmali
ui-mi
THE MERCER CLUSTER • November 11. 1<*>9