Page Four
George Benson's "On Broadway" is Off Broadway
ByGWEN BIKIS
George Benson, Jazz
guitarist, is one of the few
artists of his idiom to have
achieved "crossover" popu
larity. His last two albums,
"Breezin'," and "In Flight"
were highly succesful; this
live album should achieve the
same success for much the
same reasons, teh personnel
on this album is the same as
that of the previous nights:
Phil Upchurch, . Rhythm
Guitar, Ronnie foster, Key
boards, Jorge Dalto, Acoustic
Piano and Keyboards, Stanley
Banks, Electric Bass, Ralph
Mac Donald, Percussion, and
Harvey Mason on drums.
George Benson is highly
talented; but, it is not his best
work (as in "Blue Benson,"
for example) that has gathered
the highest acclaim. Benson
is condemned in jazz circles
for having comprised his
vast talents.
This album is a revelation
both of what Benson has,
could be, and what he has
unfortunately become.
Washington
Internship
Emerges
During the past two years
seven Guilford students have
spent the fall semester in
Washington, D.C. in a
combination internship/study
program. The program enables
students to work in Congres
sional offices and Executive
agencies as well as in many
areas of interest such as the
environment, consumer affairs,
journalism, communications,
the arts and business.
The internships enable
students to develop profes
sional skills, explore career
options and participate ir a
professional work experience
as well as to supplement their I
academic experience. Twelve!
hours of credit may be earned
on this program: eight for the
internship and four for partici
nation in a seminar.
Only a limited number of
students may participate each
year. There are no restrictions
as to a student's major. Appli
cants should be rising juniors
or seniors, have taken two
political science courses includ
ing one upper level course and
have a 2.5 Q.P.A. The dead
line for application is April 15.
For nore information contact
Dick Coe.
The two tracks that best
document the unfortunate
turn of events are "On
way" and "The Greatest Love
of All." Both have received
a moderate amount of airplay.
There is nothing wrong with
either; it is just that they could
both be so much better.
"On Broadway" is compar
able to any other cover version
of "The Same Old Song" - it
is easy listening, but there is
absolutely nothing outstanding
about it. It does, however,
contain good scat-singing
accompanied by guitar.
"The Greatest Love of All"
is another cut that showcases
Benson's voice, which is
flexible and strong, with jazz
inflections. It is my opinion,
though, that the over-use of
vocals, as evidenced in both
this album and "In Flight,"
is the mislaying of a gift,
Benson could well have been
Energy Awareness:
Local Organizations to Speak
By BILL HALL
Last November a group of
students gathered to talk
about their growing concern
for U.S. Energy Policy.
The potential hazards of
nuclear power coupled with
higher prices of electricity, the
U.S. policy of short term
planning for long-term energy
needs, wasteful use of energy,
and the present coal situation
are some of their interests.
A coalition of differentiated
interests. Energy Awareness is
also involved in alternative soft
energy paths; solar heat could
supply up to 58% of a house's
heating needs; methane can
save 20% of a car's fuel needs
with no modifications; and
satellite solar electricity pro
duction to supply growing
electricity needs.
March 26 through April 1
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The Gui/ford/an
born with a guitar in his hands.
That is what makes the two
best songs from "Weekend in
L.A." such a shame. "We All
Remember Wes," a Stevie
Wonder composition, is an
apt tribute to Wes Montgomery,
to whom George's guitar style
has been compared. This
captures Benson's brilliance:
long runs, fast finger work
and clear, light notes. Benson
swings here.
My next favorite song is a
Benson original entitled "Ode
to a Kudu." Benson is less
free-flying here than in "Wes"
but is instead more introverted
and personal. He plays alone
for most of the song, very
fittingly. The Ronnie Foster
keyboards and rock beat
would be ludicrous in "Ode"
and that perhaps is the best
indicator of the shakey state of
George Benson's art.
Energy Awareness will be
sponsoring speakers, films,
and demonstrations about
present energy policy nd
present energy policy and
alternative soft energy paths,
with people from Mother
Earth News, Duke Power,
Nuclear Alliance, and other
concerned organizations. In
an attempt to make our com
munity aware of the serious
ness of our energy decisions
and alternative soft energy
paths. With depletion of oil,
natural gas, and uranium with
in our lifetime, we must plan
for future generations needs.
If you are interested in attend
ing, a schedule will be forth
coming, if you feel you can
help Energy Awareness in
their goal please write: Energy
Awareness, P.O. Box 17121.
Tune Up Reading Skills
(This is Part I of a two-part
series)
About 85 per cent of the
work you do as a college
student involves reading. It
is the single most important
learning skill, and yet many
students are bogged down in
poor reading habits that can
make studying a chore.
Reading is the visual ability
to understand words and their
relationship one to another.
To improve reading skills you
must increase your capacity to
see and grasp the grouping of
words, or ideas, at a speed
that is comfortable for
you. The key is to move your
eyes at a rate that allows your
brain to absorb the main ideas
printed on a page.
Remember, your eyes, like
fingers for the piano or legs
for jogging, must be trained to
be skillful. If you would like
to tune up your reading skills,
these basic steps will help.
Step 1 - Evaluate Your
Reading Habits
Do you vocalize words in
your mind, or move your lips
as you read? You may be using
the childhood habit of sounding
out each word. This slows
you down.
Do strange words constantly
stop your progress? Your
vocabulary needs improving.
Do you read every single
word separately? Train your
eyes to span phrases and to
group thought units together.
Do you have to back up
and reread very often? You
are not paying attention. Force
yourself to concentrate.
Do you read everything at
the same speed? Your speed
should vary with the subject
matter.
Are you reading faster now
than when you were in high
March 21,1978
school? Skillful reading is
an art and needs continual
practice.
Step 2 - Provide the Right
Atmosphere
To read effectively, you
need to set the scene for
concentration. Pick a quiet
place where you can read with
a minimum of interruption.
Have a pencil ready for tak
ing notes.
Most individuals find that
15 inches away from their eyes
is a comfortable distance to
hold a book. Make sure the
lighting is good.
Radio, television, and music,
all pull your attention away
from the words and ideas you
are reading.
Step 3 - Use your Eyes
Efficiently
The eyes see printed words
and transmit them to the brain.
They are the key to how well
you read.
Eyes perceive words only
when they stop moving or
make what is called a "fixa
tion" During the pause, the
brain registeres what the eyes
have seen. Depending on
your eye span, you will perceive
on, two or more words in each
fixation. The average college
student, for example, has a
span of 1.1 words and makes
4 fixations per second. By
increasing the number of words
your eyes include in each
fixation, you increase your
reading speed.
Train your eyes to take in
more than one word at a time.
You can make your eyes fix
on related words, phrases, or
short lines in one brief stop.
This sentence, for example,
should be read in five fixa
tions: "The cost of oil/has
risen/because of/limited
natural resources/ and
increased imports."
Vocalizing words, even
in your mind, slows down your
eyes. Don't allow your eyes to
reread sentences. You will
find that you remember more
if you can keep moving forward
This does not mean, of
course, that you cannot
review what you have
read.
Many people need glasses
to read well. Blurred words,
constantly tired or itching eyes
are signals for an eye examina
tion. Don't put it off.