Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - March 12, 1977, Winnipeg, Manitoba Now cock bum s latest another Triumph. Cockburn Superb in newest album by Andy Melton Back in the Days before i started writing for the free press i had a Brief and generally unsuccessful fling As a concert promoter. 1 still have a number of pleasant memories of those Days Many of which come flooding Hack every Lime Bruce Csc Buni re leases a new album. It was nearly six years ago that my Good Friend Howard Mand Shien and i decided to Book Bruce cock bum for us first Winnipeg performance. Both of us had been totally knocked out by Bis debut album which has earned him a Well deserved Juno award As Canada s Best new male vocalist. In ear Youthful enthusiasm however we failed to consider the fact that cock the was almost completely Unk Nown around these parts. Scarcely 500 people showed up for Bis Persanni inc in to Ltd Centennial Cert although the concert was an unqualified financial disaster it was definitely successful from an aesthetic Point of View. The sat fierce was visibly impressed with this talented newcomer s singing and playing and the quietly self assured manner in which he established an immediate rapport with his listeners. Six years and As Many albums later Bruce Cockburn continues to live up to the High musical standards he set for himself from the beginning. His seventh album la the Palling dark Rales As another Triumph. Although he started out primarily As a Folk artist Cockburn has broadened his musical Range during the past few years. A number of the new album s 10 self penned songs have a decided jazz flavor while another selection Vaga bondage features French lyrics. All 10 tracks have much to offer. Whether he s simply accompanying himself on guitar As he does on water into wine Gavin s woodpile and festival of friends or utilizing the talents of a band Cockburn s haunting melodies and vivid imagery constantly create picturesque musical por traits of this country and some of its people. I especially like Silver wheels and gift bearer. The former is a striking depiction of a lengthy Highway Jour Ney while the latter is the record s sole instrumental piece. Fred Stone s work on flugelhorn and trumpet is the dominant feature with Kathyrn Moses delicate flute playing adding immensely. Their work on the Breezy i m Gonna Fly some Day is an additional highlight. Pop pour i drummer distame bassist my chel donate and Bill usher on assorted percussion instruments serve As a Strong complement to cock burs s mad guitar on seven cuts. Cock Burn continues to show amazing growth As both vocalist an guitarist his plying on water into wine and the Alburn dosing festival of friends Dis plays considerable technique and imagination. There s no question in my mind that Bruce cock Burn ranks among this country s truly Sis Landing musical figures. Due to a number of reasons he remains practically unknown out Side is soda. The fact that he acis chosen to work exclusively in Canada playing his Musk his Way without making any of the necessary Sions to achieve the wide spread expo sure he so richly deserves tells you something about this performer. Cockburn has stuck with True North records a Small artist oriented Ca Nadian Label whose roster includes Murray Mclaughun. Although Only a couple have been released stateside they have been discovered and raved about in some markets in much the same Way As Gordon Light set s first half dozen record were prior to his popularity explosion in the Early "7fc. It s not Likely Cockburn will Ever duplicate Lightfoot s commercial Suc Cess. But then that s not surprising. He has never desired to conform to the new Lightfoot tag pinned on him when his first couple of records were released preferring to map out his own unique musical territory. Cock bum is in the midst of his annual Cross Canada tour. His 10 week itinerary includes an april 19 Date in the Centennial concert Hall As Well As an april 20 performance out in Brandon. I be a feeling hell have no trouble Selling out the 2261-seat con Cert Hall this time around and deservedly so. He s one of Canada s greatest musical resources. Tonzie Wonzie rapped Shana a comic finds bitter taste by Ernie Leogrande i would never play the one dimensional Black characters you often see on television or in the Denny Greene declares. One of the worst things is in the Way kids emulate these actors. When Ron o Neal played in superfly suddenly cocaine sniffing became Chic. When i was growing up i was influenced by the negative influences i saw in life so i can imagine How kids Are affected seeing them blown up on the Greene is a remarkably serious at times even bitter Man for someone whose Public appearance is one of pure tomfoolery As a member of Shana a. Shana a is a group of 10 men who do a parody of the simplistic Rock music of the 1950s and the attitudes of the High school toughs of that period. The nucleus for the group was formed in 1969 at Columbia University in new York City Long before grease musical based on the same sort of parody hit the Broadway stage and before Happy Days a re creation of the 1950s with similar tones hit National television and made a Star of leather jacketed Henry Fonzie Winkler. The Success of Shana a came with its appearance at the famous Wood Stock festival. Greene a founding member of the group does t hesitate to assume an important part of the credit for that Success. "1 had started out to be an he says and i had a lot of experience in dance and Street theatre so i had some knowledge of How to put a show to this Winter a Pilot for a to show called Shana a starring the group has set the stage for what they Hope will be a continuing series next fall. On some stations that showed the Pilot Jan. 11, the show preceded Happy and Laverne and Shirley another hit series based i the ittes. It him. Greene says that his talents were obscured i an overwhelmingly while setting on the to Pilot. Thing i can t stand about the Happy Days and and Shirley and grease and Foxie syndrome is Sissy s a Star Hwy spec Etc of Eccle med Young act Feifei had fatty Quick rite to Star Dom. Tha talented Taxon nominated for an Academy award for her portrayal of the title role in Carrie we be aeon in Welcome to . Denny Greene of Shana me in both Mutic and theatrical but he youn0 that the have been redefined As if Black people did t exist then. I m pressing and pushing that the producers of the Shana a to series five some Mack rep mention to the was through my participation and through using Black he was upset by being relegated to the background in a dance number with actress Riu Moreno on the Pilot pro Gram. He considers himself a Good dancer and says it was obvious that he and she had a rapport Aad danced Well uhf Stltt. It s just that resistance i m the Sha shows have always been a democracy but when you agree to do a it Man show for television it s be concedes. It s too complicated so one person has to have the say. It has to be a benevolent dictatorship by the producer or the direct his ego in t the kind of negative influence which hurdles careers. He is using his belief in himself to further his aspirations which encompass movies and theatre too. He has 5 Rete is the movie. Greased lightning starring Richard prylut and Cleavon Little due for release this Spring. It s a comedy about the first Mack race car Driver to make it in the big time. He is producing a play off Broadway Harlem rendezvous about teen age life in Harlem in the ikes. He also wrote it and will Starr it. I never put a be sing on the life of ska Nana As k performing Rock he says. I Felt h could work indefinitely. But when you re doing a group thing you have to maintain Iden Tity outside the group or else it does t Winnipeg s favorite thirty title Diamond disc better than to show by Joel Mcnally television used to be the last Refuge for people who were under the impression that Tony Orlando was what s happening baby in music today. Then Bob Dylan astounded television viewers by going on the air and pres enting an entire hour of music without a special guest appearance by Charo. Now Neil Diamond has brought what he does in concert to television. The next thing you know the tubes will go on Hollywood Square and get Suzanne Pleshette cornered in the secret Square. The two Media continue to feed on one another with the release of Dia mond s love at the greek a live album drawn from the same concert engagement As the to show. The problem with concerts on television is Hal the sound system of the average to set is More suited to merry Little jingles than to Rock music. Live albums sound a lot belter but the Pic Ture is really Lousy. This particular concert was a return to the greek theatre the outdoor theatre in los Angeles which was the scene of Diamond s hot August night that earlier live album was classic Neil Diamond As much for its cover As its contents. It featured Neil proposing to his microphone. Sensuality has always been part of Diamond s act. He was still into Black leather and Bryl Creem All through the 60s when those British bands were modelling the cutest Little Matching outfits. Unlike Many other live albums the new one is at least something other than a collection of so called greatest Hils. There Are limes though when you still May wish for something other than what you gel playback out of four sides two Are sort of Reader s digest condensations of pre Vious albums. One of those is the High lights of his most recent album Beautiful noise. If you liked the album you la love the commercial. The other is Jonathan Livingston Seagull revisited. Now that makes More sense. Most people who saw the movie dozed off Halfway through the credits and did t realize there were songs in it too. Unfortunately i did it again. This time i dreamed i was Marco Polo Chicken. The other two sides Are really More interesting. Even if they Are Well greatest hits kind of. But brother love s travelling Salva Tion show is a genuine show stopper. Its gospel Fervour hits a Crescendo at about the same time Diamond s Gravelly voice reaches train crash intensity. And glory Road the Only new song on the album is a Good Low key Ballad. Then there is song Sung Blue which features mercifully Brief guest shots by Helen Reddy and Henry Arthur Foo Zarelli Winkler. Charo must have had a Chesl cold. And what Hie Heck there is always Kentucky woman and Holly holy. Dia mond has gone on to reach the Heights of television the greatest Honor his countrymen can bestow upon him. Gene Pilney should have been so Lucky. Heartsfield is a High Energy Southern Rock band from the Hills of Chicago. They Are an opening act that frequently deserves to be the closing act. Their new album collectors 2tem demonstrates that they Aren t stuck in some holding pattern Over Macon. It includes a great gospel Rock song. With these tools a touch of Western swing. All for nothing and a quieter Ballad Southern girl. And a lot of time mask like i like it a lot and let the music play. An Early Heartsfield album the wonder of it All is one of those obscure albums Worth having. So is this one though it would be Nice if it weren t so obscure. Speaking of throwbacks naturally brings us to John Travolta famed Punk sex Symbol Vinnie Barbarino of Wel come Back Kotter. Or As he is some times known Baba Baba a Barino. Through some wicked twist of Fate i missed his recording debut and i started cold Wilh his second album can t let you go i almost said cold Turkey. Actually the surprising thing is that the album is not totally offensive. How is that for a Nice positive review for a change the music is in the genre known As easy listening which somehow in t what you expect from a swaggering sweat hog. It is the kind of soft pop musical wallpaper that is considered Good mood music. Especially if you Are Given to rather Bland moods. Some of the songs that Aren t the worst that have Ever been done include slow dancing Settle Down and what wont they say the latter was the theme from the television show. The m the plastic Belfe 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 22 23 24 26 27 28 29 30 dancing Queen new kid in town funded by the Light year of the cat torn Between two lovers walk this Way hard Luck woman Evergreen from a Star is born car Wash lost without your love night moves Fly like an Eagle somebody to love after the lovin weekend in new England the things we do for love go your own Way you Don t have to be a Star wish Dreamboat Annie i like dreaming you. Y look Good Rich girl i m scared Boogie a Huj Sherpy Gonna do my Best to love you you make me feel like Dancin maybe i m amazed Don t leave me this Way Agtos Mann s Earth Sand Ai Stewart Macgregor kiss barbra Streisand Ross bred Bob Seger Steve Miller Queen Engelbert Humperdinck Barry Manilow 10c.c. Fleetwood Mac Mccoo Davis Stevie wonder heart Kenny Nolan Joani Taylor Hall 8, Oates Burton Cummings Bee keep Keane Brothers Brian Brenda Leo Sayer wings Therna Houston into the hits with Boyd Kozak Abba the eagles Manfred Mann Al Stewart and Mary Macgregor still hang on to the first five positions on this week s Chart. As they Are All doing extremely Well wings Are Back on the Chart with maybe i m amazed from their live album and Thelma Houston a Jahub a a 39. Hotel California is still no. I on the album visit new this week is Neil Diamond s love at the greek. Barbara Streisand s Star is ascending As she takes Over the top of both . Charts with the love theme and the soundtrack from a Star is born. The top 10 in each category with last week s ratings in parentheses Are singles 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 love theme from a Star is born Fly like an Eagle night moves dancing Queen i like dream in new kid in town year of the cat blinded by the Light 9 go your own Way 10 Rich girl pop scene picks phantom writer Gary Ley and theme Quincy Jones. Albums Barbara Streisand 2 Steve Miller band 3 Bob Seger 8 Abba 7 Kenny Nolan 5 eagles 1 Al Stewart 10 Manfred Mann s Earth band 4 Fleetwood Mac 11 Hall and Gates 13 Wright roots med 1 a Star is born 2 animals 3 hotel California 4 rumours 5 songs in the key of life 6 the year of the cat 7 Fly like an Eagle 8 roaring silence 9 Boston 10 ask Rufus pop scene picks Winter Melody nights Gien Campbell. Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson 1 Pink Floyd 7 eagles 2 Fleetwood Mac 9 Stevie wonder 3 Al Stewart 4 Steve Miller band 6 Manfred Mann s Earth band 11 Boston 10 Rufus featuring kaon 12 Donna Semmer Southern i ;