Newspapers / The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, … / July 6, 1989, edition 1 / Page 7
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ENTERTAINMENT Page 7A ", M with Lisa Collins Ali Warwick Townsend Gibbs Hollywood Goes Gotham: It was quite an active week with the star-studded openings of both "Ghostbusters II" and "Batman." Warner Bros went all out for the premiere of Batman, even though it shelled its plans to turn the premiere site into a looka- llke of Gotham City. StlU for those who were able to attend the glitzy premiere and after-party, it proved to be quite a good time. Among those joining film stars Michael Keaton and Jack Nichol son were Quincy Jones, Robert Townsend, Eddie Murphy (whose entourage Included Jasmine Guy) and Prince ... Just a few days prior to the event, Columbia transfcrmed the lobby of the Holly wood Paladium to resemble Disneyland's Haunted Mansion Ride for the premiere of "Ghostbusters 11." Those turning out for the festivities Included the entire cast as well as Suzanne de Passe, Magic Johnson, Paula Abdul, Bobby Brown, and a host of stars. Meanwhile, across town, Marla Gibbs turned 30? Or at least that's how her birthday bash was billed. At any rate, she went all out for the occasion with a lavish party at the Beverly Hilton Ho tel. Those on hand to wish her a happy birthday were, of course, all her cast members from "227" wltti the noticeable exception of Jackee. Other guests Included Lou Gossett, Roxle Roker, Mayor Tom Bradley, Assembl3nvoman Maxine Waters, Lou Rawls, and Nancy Wilson. Capping off the evening was a musical number performed especially for Marla by Lou Rawls and Nancy Wilson. Actress Beverly Todd Says Thanks: "Lean On Me " co-star Beverly Todd extends her thanks to all the many Behind-The- Scenes readers who sent their condolences uf)on hearing about the recent death of her teenaged son, Malik. The actress has been spending a great deal of her time seeing that justice is done in Salt Lake City, where the incident took place. The trial has been postponed UntU October 2. In the meantime the Kwanza Founda tion, a group of black actresses, including Marilyn McCoo, Marla Gibbs, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Telma Hopkins and Sheila Frazier, have Implemented a scholarship fund in the name of Todd's son. Di rect all inquiries or donations to the Kwanza/Malik Smith Schol arship Fund, 256 S. Robertson Boulevard, Beverly Hills, CA 90211. Natalie Cole & Dionne Warwick - Dynamic Duol It was quite a show that Natalie Cole and show biz veteran Dionne War wick put on last week at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas. Both looked resplendent as they delighted audiences with medleys of their hits and rotated turns at center stage. Perhaps most touch ing is the segment focusing in on her Dad, complete with sound track and slide show. So touching was it, that Natalie's aunt Bay (the late Nat Cole's sister who was on hand) became teary-eyed. Their managers came up with the idea. At first Cole thought it was kind of crazy. 'There's a different kind of music happening and you have to really be versatile to like both of us, so it's amaz ing that this show really works. We really seem to have the same sense of music, and I feel like she's been maternal in many ways with me. When we first started on this project she said, the music should be the star and not us and I liked that veiy much, because I'rn about promoting the music, not me."... In other music news, in Cincinnati, police charged two rap groups - NWA (Niggers With AtUtude) and Too-Short-wlth dis orderly conduct after a concert at Riverfront Coliseum because of the content of their songs. The performers were fined $113. Short Takes: Look for Rain Pryor, Richard's daughter, next fall on ABC's "Head Of The Class." Rain is being touted as a shoe-ln to replace one of three original cast members who seem to have outgrown their roles and won't be returning to class in the fall. (No, Robin Givens is not among them). Muhammad Ali has pacted with Lee Caplin Productions to do a motion picture based on his life. Alfre Woodard is off to Puerto Rico to begin shooting "Show Of Force" with Amy Irving, Erik Estrada, and Lou Diamond Phil lips. V, '> V ' t ” 'X Alvin "Vinnie" Chea Claude V.McKnightlH Mervyn Warren Cedric Dent Mark Kibble Da’/idhiomas TAKE The Special Jazz Mix Of Take Six The stage is bare; guitar stands, drum sets. Only six Indi vidual mike stands. Six young men stroll onto the stage. The look...clean; contem porary. They toss casual smiles, "slap five" and take a moment to settle behind the mikes. Their fingers start to snap in unison as they fall into the groove of an easy jazz swing. Then the music begins, and immediately you are overwhelmed, far from that once bare stage you now hear all the elements of a tight jazz band, complete with percussion, a mellow base and a screaming horn section, coming from those six voices. The songs range from standard hymns and spirituals to contemporary Christian fa vorites to original compositions by members of the group, all dressed up in a cappella ar rangements that almost defy be lief. And the music soars, with a blend of vocal jazz, traditional black quartet gospiel and just a pinch of street-corner doo-wop. "This is going to be nice," you think to yourself as you settle back to enjoy. You're hearing Take 6 for the first time, but you determine in your heart that it won't be your last. Take 6 was formed in 1980 by four freshmen students at Oak- wood College, a small, Christian school in northern Alabama. Time and several personnel changes have brought the group to its current roster, which in cludes Alvin Chea, Cedric Dent, David Thomas, Mervyn Warren, Mark Kibble and Claude V. McKnlght, III. Claude V. McKnight: As a member of the original quartet, Claude V. McKnlght has been there from the beginning. He now serves as the group's di rector. A natural baritone, he sings first tenor in Take 6 be cause "when we first started the quartet, no one else could sing the, parts!" Claude likes basket ball, drawing, weight lifting, ex otic cars, and plans one day to own his own recording studio/ production facility. He would also like to assist up-and- coming musicians with an in ternship program at his alma mater, Oakwood College. Mark Kibble: After hearing Take 6, it's eg sy to believe Mark Kibble when he tells you "I love to gtrrange music and to see my arrangements done to the "nth" degree!" As chief arrangers, Mark is primar ily responsible for the vocal f.y- rotechnics that make the sound of Take 6. He holds a B.S. degr :e in business administration at'd is interested in gdl sports, body building, sports cars, computer programming, carpentry, travel and people. He plans to contin ue arranging while becoming more Involved in songwrltlnfe. Balladeer Freddie Jackson To Perform At Carowinds ByM.L.LaNEY Special To The Post A silky-voiced, solid-gold class act, Freddie Jackson's name means romance. The tracks on his latest gdbum, "Don't Let Love Slip Away" only hints at what lies in store by listening to the whole album. Jackson, who will perform at the Carowinds Paladium Satur day at 8 p.m., sgild his music's popularity can be attributed to his romantic ballads. Admission is $5, plus admis sion to the park. Tickets are available through area Tlcke- tron outlets or the Paladium box office. Call 588-2600 for details. "1 fgmtaslzed about my own ex periences or what someone else might have been going through," he said. Through my songs peo ple get to know the real Freddie Jackson." Charlotte and the South are special, Jackson says, because fans are really appreciative of his music. "People in the South really seem to love you. They don't need to be told anything, they come with the party, ready to party live," he said. "I like the West Coast scene too, but the South is really coming into its own. Charlotte is definitely one of my favorite cities...I've got so many friends there." Though he's a humming suc cess, Jackson remains objective and enthralled with he possibil ities in his life. For Instance, he has other Interests to pursue. Freddy Jackson he's producing an the downside of life in the drug world," Presently, album for long-time guitarist Vince Heniy. Of this project, Jackson says, "Vince Henry is one of the hottest musicians working currently." Jackson also wants to try his hand at acting, particularly comedy, but first there's a very hard-hitting movie in which he plays himself Although Jack- son wouldn't reveal too much about the movie 'The King of New York," he says he's looldng forward to public reaction and the possibility of more acting opportunities. 'The movie is going to be about he said. "I've always wanted to do some acting and the movie affords me the perfect opportunity." So what are Jackson's plans for his singing career? Well, he plans to continue performing, recording and producing musi cal projects. Jackson embraces the idea that he belongs to a se lect group of today's (and yester day's) top crooners. "1 love to croon and 1 love to sing. When I think of some of the fine singers that have been around, 1 don't mind paying homage because it keeps me in good company," he said. 'You're talking about Nat "King" Cole, Peabo Bryson, Luther Van- dross, Sam Cooke and a host of others. 1 am honored that peo ple want to emulate me, because I've been influenced by all those singers who felt a sense of re sponsibility." Jackson's glimpse into the current music scene has its dark shadows amid the highlights. 'When I look at all the rappers that are so popular right now. 1 can't help but wonder where they're headed," he said. "The rap mode is so desolate. 1 love sing ing great songs because they are always being covered by later generations. TeU me who'll do a cover of Kool Moe Dee 20 years from now. "I don't like the messages that rap conveys to the youth of to day," Jackson continued. "Rather than singing along, kids are rap ping along, and that frighte.ns me. My niece was in a school re cital of Shakespearean works and they rapped through some Romeo and Juliet. That just de stroyed the whole Impact of the passages." Jackson said he knows what his fans expect and he always goes out to give it to them. Whether listeners are in love or getting over one, music has a way of touching people. "People who aren't in love like to imagine that they are," he said. "I feel like that when 1 lis ten to other people's music...like I'm getting something from it." producing and singing. Mervyn Warren: Mervyn Warren knew at an early age what he wanted to do with his life. "I started my first group when I was 10 years old," he says. Since then he has com pleted a master's degree in mu sic theory and arranging fnjm the University of Alabama in pursuit of his goal to become a multifaceted musician. In tie tradition of his favorite produc er, Quincy Jones, arranging for and producing a variety of mu.sl- cal acts. Always on fashion's cutting edge, Mervyn enjoys swimming, running, reading, meeting people and collecting eclectic articles of clothing. Cedric Dent: Currently enrolled in a doctor al program as a graduate fellow in music theory at the University of Maryland's College Park cam pus, Cedric Dent would like to teach the world to sing. He dreams of arranging, film scor ing and ultimately opening Iris own school of music to share some of his gifts with aspiring, young Christian muslciar s. Cedric has at times been inter ested in trivial pursuits such as table games, roller skatlrg, baseball and basketball, but is now consumed by one over whelming passion - his new bride, the lovely Beverly Dawn Dent. David Thomas: David Thomas is a man with a plan. Covering all the bases, ihe sophomore chemical engineer ing student planned to relocate to Atlanta, Ga., launch his ergl- neerlng career and start his family. The success of Takt: 6 has altered those plans slightly. urging David to spend more time in songwriting, one of his favor ite pastimes. He has numerous songs to his credit and would like to start his own publishing company. David plays classical guitar and among a typical list of hobbles (basketball, skating, swimming, skiing, etc.) the engi neering student adds "I like to read math books." Alvin Chea: A classically trained pianist, Alvin "Vinnie" Chea won the San Francisco Music Teacher's As sociation Plano Competition while a junior in high school, but didn't start singing seriously un til the following year. The junior communication and Engllsli major plans to put his resonant voice and commanding pres ence to good use as a network anchor f>erson, but says "singing with Take 6 is a personal dream of mine. It shows me that with the Lord's help, if you put your mind to it, there's nothing you can't do." The son of a Liberian father and Guianese mother, his Interests Include writing, cycling and basketball. Take 6 is also the title of the sextet's dazzling debut album on Reprise Records. Produced by Mark, Claude and Mervyn and featuring such breathtaking a capella game as "Gold Mine," "David And Goliath" and "Let My Words," Take 6 brings all the ex citement, energy and joy that really great music sparks, right out of the studio, and into your heart. So take one idea whose time has come. Take two different musical idioms: jazz and gospel. Take four-part harmony and toss It out the window! Then take five, relax and get ready to enjoy....Take 6! CHECK IT OUT!! AL JARREAU & TAKE 6 WILL BE IN CONCERT AT THE CHARLOTTE COLISEUM ON SATURDAY JULY 15, 8 P.M. GENERAL ADMISSION IS $20 TICKETS ARE AVAILA BLE AT ALL TICKETRON OUTLETS. A1 Jarreau
The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, N.C.)
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July 6, 1989, edition 1
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