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14 THE CAROLINA TIMES SATI, MARCH 26, 1977
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Donald By rd and the Blackbyrds
' Donald Byrd't jm credentials are un-
'challenged and his academic credits are
likewise impressive, so it comes as no
surprise that he teaches music. But the
way he does his teaching and the way
his students do their learning have
resulted not in educational theses, but
' in three hit albums, sell-out concerts,
top singles, and awards ranging from
"Top R&B Group" to "Top Instru
mental Group."
Byrd's remarkable educational enter
prise is the outstanding pop music group
-the Blackbyrds. The same Blackbyrds
whose City Life, Flying High, and The
Blackbyrds have recruited fans from
ja, R&B, and pop lovers.
After receiving music degrees from
the Manhattan School of Music, Donald
played his trumpet with such jazz fig
ures as Art Blakey, Max Roach, Theloni
ous Monk, and Oscar Pettiford. In the
Sixties, he toured Europe, and returned
to New York to complete his doctorate
at Columbia Teacher's College. As a
working musician of outstanding repute
and ' an accredited educational ad
ministrator, Donald took on musical
academia.
Having taught at economically disad
vantaged New York schools, as well as
at the prestigious High School of Music
and Art and Performing Arts, and hav
ing been guest lecturer in many colleges,
he set out to found a music department
that would be on par with other univer
sity departments-psychology, art, en
gineering, etc. He founded the School of
Jazz Studies at Howard University, and
last year moved to North Carolina Cen
tral State University in Durham.
Donald believes very passionately
that music should be taught by musi
cians who can teach, instead of by,. edu
cators whose subject happens to be
music. And his Blackbyrds-all five of
them couldn't agree more wholeheart
edly. Each one is a serious and gifted
musician who came to Donald's atten
tion while in one of his classes. -
Detroit-born keyboardist' Kevin
Toney wanted to matriculate at a col
lege where he could study black music
and he wanted to study with a real
musician, not just a teacher. Howard
was the place a'nd Donald Byrd was. his
man. He, started playing at East Coast
jazz clubs with Donald. Their group
was augmented by many well-known
musicians.
As other students came to Donald's
attention, he wanted to give them a
chance to perform, write, record, travel,
and get to know all aspects of the
music business.
Kevin is now a senior at Howard,
soon to earn his Bachelor of Music
Degree in Jazz Studies and Composi
tion. He hopes to go on studying and to
teach in much the same way that
Donald is instructing him.
Three other young musicians who
grew up in Washington, D.C., andplayed
together in high school came separately
into Donald's music department at
Howard. Guitarist Orville Saunders went
to Howard to study with Donald direct
ly from high school. A senior now, he
plans to get his Master's in Education.
The learning experiences that Orville has
had with the Blackbyrds have been so
rich and varied that he feels there is a
book in it. All the members of thegroup
write and sing. They have traveled to
Hawaii, the Caribbean, and England,
and have learned to relate to tens of
thousands of people.
Sharing this musical and personal
growth is Keith Killgo. Keith was
with Orville in the same group during
their high school years. While an elev
enth grader, Keith met with Donald
Byrd and the teacher offered him a
scholarship to Howard University. But
Keith wanted to go out of town and
chose Bradley University in Peoria,
Illinois.
Though he had been playing since he
was nine years old and had been given
lessons by his musician father Harry),
this was Keith's first formal training.
He learned harmony and to read and
write music. Then he transferred to
Howard. Playing with the Blackbyrds
has opened new vistas for the young
drummer. He had learned about clcc-
ironies and record production and
grown musically as well as technically,
He feels that his "group musically has
new and fresh ideas, and taste. The
music can do a lot of. things. If it is
done cleverly, with taste, it has dis
tinction." Bassist Joe Hall was a third member
nf thai high school group. Joe wanted'
to go away to school too, so he put in
his freshman year at Maryland Univer
sity studying biochemistry. But now at
Howard, his program is all music except
, for a few liberal arts courses. He finds
that playing with his high school friends
"makes for a warm atmosphere because
we've overcome most of the difficulties
of getting to know one another. The
whole experience of playing with Don
ald is unique because he offers a cross
section of taste and knowledge."
The one graduate student of : the
group is Wesley Jackson, Jr., who just
received his B.A. in Music. He just start
ed work on his Master's. A native of
Atlanta, Wesley found that Howard was
the perfect school for him. It was away
from home, and provided the musical
scholarship he needed. Studious, intense,
and . eager to communicate, Wesley
praises Donald as a good teacher be
cause "he is well-rounded and involves
himself, with everything he comes' in
contact with. Then he' extends himself
so far, it's remarkable."
Wesley, as all the other Blackbyrds,
is a full-time student. All of the boys
budget their time carefully. , Studies
must nor suffer and nrarririnv i crlrlnm
neglected. Durine the school semesters. , I
the traveling, concerts, and perfor
mances are generally' limited to week
ends and school 'holidays. During the
summer vacation, more extended tours
are planned. By insisting that the Black
byrds learn the business aspects of their
profession and the1 fine points of record
production, Donald is once again illus
trating his creative and innovative
teaching technique. ' ,
There's no doubt that the Blackbyrds
are learning and growing. And Donald?
As he sees his Blackbyrds', album, City
Life, certified a gold record and Gram
my rHrninee,j docs he feel that his un
conventional teaching methods show
successful results? Of course? It is
satisfying to rum to play with the group
as a musician and. rewarding to watch
the' band develop. But the Blackbyrds
are not! an end-they're a beginning.
Each of the five, js committed to go on
to higher academic degrees and plans to
become a musicianeducator in Donald's
style.
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THE BROTHERS JOHNSON "...
Brokers JoEigbsogh Setf lo Mm$ to Mhm
Following the success of
their debut album "Look Out
for No. 1," A&M recording
artists The Brothers Johnson
have recently completed the
recording of their new al
bum, "Right On. Time." The
album was produced and
arranged by the Brothers'
mento Quincv Jones.
The Brothers Johnson sky
rocketed on to the music scene
in 1976 as they appeared from
virtual obscurity to stardom in
record time. Their debut album
achieved gold status in a mere
seven weeks, and attained pla
tinum for salves over one
million copies, five week later.'
Spurred by the success of their
two gold singes (for sales of
over one million copies each)
"I'll Be Good To You" and
"Get The Funk Out Ma' Face"
the Brothers Johnson became
overnight sensations in the true
sense of the word.
Their upcoming release
"Right On Time" follows in
the ' pattern that (hey
established with their premiere
album in that they have blend
ed their variations influences
into a sound that is uniquely
their own. With studio assis
tance from drummer Harvey
Mason, percussionist Ralph
MacDonald, The Tower of
Power Horns, and Dave Gru
sin on keyboards, "Right On
Time" promises to be an enor
mous success.
The Brother's Johnson
(George and Louis) composed
eight of the album's nine songs,
as well as playing all of the
guitars and basses, and handl
ing all of the vocal chores. The
songs range from the funk of
"Brother Man' "Feel So Good
Make Me Wanna Wiggle," the
lilting beaty of "Q" which
they composed as a musical
dedication to Quincy Jones,
the ode to love of "Love Is "
to the all out party flavor of
"Show Us You Know How
to Party Too."
"Right On Time" is sche
duled for a mid April release
and will be- available on A&M
Records and Tapes.
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The Impressions . . . Still Changing VJith ffae Times
Twenty years ago a fledg
ing group in Chicago decided
to update its image and choose
a new name. Each group mem
ber had his special favorite,
so their manager suggested
they put all the proposed
names in a fedora and let the
luck of the draw decide their
new moniker. Sam Gooden
reached in and fished out a slip
' with "The Impressions"
written on it. A new group was
born, and the history of popu
lar music was never going to
be the same.
. Sam Gooden and Fred
Cash, two kids who were
. next-door neighbors in
Chattanooga, can look back,
over the last score of years and
reflect on a string of hits any
artist would claim with pride.
From the Impressions came
, , , in the church choir where his
such s.andars as. For Your father was minister It seemed
Precious Love 'Gypsy on, natural that he join ms
Woman," "It's All Right" and lL f uic m!lrKi00 anA
Z ,ITT- hVanks f , baseball days, Fred, and tour
niw luiivjwviw liars uiigu
Rnt i, T,.t;c u e a share of the "singers' offering "
v;:', y.. H Sam a contract to play short
stop, and he moved to Chica-
Leroy Hutson (now on his own
as a singer-writer-prpducer),
and Ralph Johnson (who has
a bright solo career). "Our
background is basically gos
pel with the influences of
soul and pop," Reggie Torian
feels, adding that the key to
the Impressions' success is that
, we've moved with the times."
go to pursue dual careers in
sports and music. It wasn't
long before he was singing
with Richard and Arthur
Brooks, Curtis Mayfield, and
Jerry Butler. After they took
to the road in a station wagon,
as "The Impressions," and
their first record, "For Your
THE IMPRESSIONS
Sfjaiv Players Present "Tfee Sistuhs
RALEIGH - The Shaw
Players and Company pre
sented their spring production
in Raleigh Memorial Audi
torium, Sandra Sharpe's 'The
Sistuhs", under the direction
of Mrs. Patricia C. Caple.
The production featured
the members of the Shaw
Players and Company, as well
as the combined members of
the Shaw Marching Band, with
music under the direction of
Curtis Moore,
The featured players in the
production were Michael
Howell, Valerie Tekosky (both
winners of the National Asso
ciation of Dramatic and Speech
Arts Award), Miss Deborah
Tekosky, Theatre Arts Teacher
The Central Harlem Tennis Club is sponsoring the Yago
San'Gria, "Black Tennis Classic" April 14-17 at the Myrtle
Beach Tennis Club, Myrtle Beach, S. C, and featuring the top
black professionals in the USA plus an open tournament for all
guests.
Because he reportedly turned down an offer of $25,000 a
show, Demond Wilson, will not be on "Sanford and Son" when
it returns to NBC-TV next season. Producers are now turning to
an alternate plan on s new format not requirng the character
played by Wilson. Redd Foxx also isn't returning since he's
signed an exclusive deal with ABC-TV for next season.
By winning the Houston Open last May, Lee Elder has been
, . ... , iul nA uawiv iu uic masiciy me juii vvrucrs ASSUWaliun lias
or Km oninn niyii uiiuui. aiiu j pu. .' -.. ...
v cr 'c? , a5U namea ciaer winner or tne snar es uar ett awara lor con- 5. . , r
Miss Susan Hairston. . tributjons tQ the betterment of sodety and heni be ted "JWi"Sp
The play , a two act musi- wjth the flward M wrjters, . v tl SSt- he S
cal with vignettes of song If ed h 90 e f h y d fl h -JJ
dance and music captured A11.Amerian are madPe in Haiti because of the cnea J the songs down cold. Years be-
comedy at their best, and por- there , , , ; , -y . ,
if
me times nave cnangea prprimi iw aiiH .m th
t,SnduS,y fnce the early charts, Butler and the Brooks
1950 s when Sam was singing brothers left the group for
separate careers. Sam and
Curtis went looking for Fred,
who had remained in Chat
tanooga. This re-organization
of the Impressions would be
the first of several. "We were
always starting over," con
fided Sam, who remains
philosophical about the rough
times in his career. Yet perhaps
the fresh " infusions of new
blood- into the group have been
one of the hidden strengths of
the Impressions. The newest
members of the foursome are
about ten years younger than
Fred and 5am. For both Reggie
and Nate Evans joining the
Impressions was a dream come
true. A friend asked Reggie,,
who had been singing with the
Enchanters in Chicago, if he'd
like to sing with the Im
pressions. Taking the question
fore he would run home from
track practice and practice
some more with a friend's tape
recorder, recording his voice
on one track and the Im
pressions on the other. For him
Curtis Mayfield was "one of
the finest tenors that ever hit
a note."
Later Ralph Johnson
followed the footsteps of the
others who had moved away
from the Impressions on solo
careers. His absence was the
dilemma which confronted
the group when, in the summer
of '76, Nate asked the
Impressions to perform at
Jackie Wilson's Latin Casino
Benefit Concert -- a concert
which Nate was promoting.
Nate, like Reggie, had prac
ticed the great Impressions'
standards for years on his
own. He asked if he might
audition as the replacement.
Although it was tod late to get
their act together for the bene
fit, the Impressions' sound was
restored better than ever. They
signed on with the newly re
activated Cotillion " Records
label under Henry Allen and
began touring the orld pleas
ing fans who had missed them
too long. Their first album
with Nate and Cotillion is
entitled, "Ifs About Time."
In many ways that title sums
up the story of a group which,
like few others, has not only
endured 20 years of ups and
downs, but also continues to
exert a lasting influence on
popular music by moving with
and often ahead, of the times.
Feel the
Black
Velvet.
Smooth Canadian.
. BLACK VtlVET BUNKO CANADIAN WHISKY. K PROOF. IMPORTED BY C 1974 HCUBLEIN, INC., HARTFORD, CONN.
trayed moments also ot trage
dy and frustration .that surr
rounds the various moods and
life styles of today's black
women.
Sports caster Art Rust,
now heard on WMCA, says he's
sold his story on Joe Louis
to Columbia Pictures.
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SHAW PLAYERS & COMPANY - Left to Right:1
Valerlt Tekowsky, Michael Howell and Susan Hairston.
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