Newspapers / The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, … / March 7, 1996, edition 1 / Page 17
Part of The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, N.C.) / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
Cljarlotte THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 1996 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 'On the horn' Taylor brings fresh jazz sound to Ovens Friday By Winfred B. Cross THE CHARLOTTE POST Ever heard of Paul Taylor? Don't worry, you'll know exactl who he is after Friday. Taylor, one of the hottest new jazz Sj^ophone players to hit the iftie in years, will share the stage with Keiko Matsui, the No. 1-selling female con temporary jazz artist in America, 8 p.m. tomorrow in Ovens Auditorium. Taylor's part of Matsui's band, in which he's played sax for two years. But he recently stepped out on his own to record On The Horn (1111/2 out of five), his first solo CD. He got his record deal almost by accident. "Shortly after I started with Keiko, we played for a bunch of record representatives," Taylor said from his home in Las Vegas. "I was approached by a number of people but I decided to sign with Unity, Keiko's label." Taylor's work has been atcepted very well. His first single "Exotica" spent 12 weeks at No. 2 on Radio & Records New Adult Contemporary chart. His lat est single "Until We Meet Again" is No. 2 on the NAC. Taylor said crafting the album was fun. "Some of the tunes I've had aroimd for a few years, some I vwote just before I recorded," he said. "I just looked at all 10 tunes as a group and decided what felt right. You're really taking a chance because you never know how it will be received, so you go on your own judge ment." Taylor describes his CD as an "r&b jazz mixture, and kind of funky." He wrote all the origi nal tunes and includes two remakes that may raise eye brows of jazz fans: Chic's "I Want Your Love” and Seal's AIDS anthem "A Prayer For The D3dng." "I chose the Chic song because it's a great song. I just love that song and I thought it would be a great one to cover," he said. "I liked a number of Chic's songs. "I'm a huge Seal fan. I heard Seal's 'Prayer For The Dying' in the car one day. The melody was so clear. I thought I should do that." Taylor's influences are exten sive. He listened to Earth X PAUL TAYLOR Wind & Fire, The Ohio Players and other funk groups, which led to him playing in a funk band for a while. "I use a lot of that attitude in my show," he said. "Those were my early influences." Taylor also listened to David Sanborn, Grover Washington Jr. and the Brecker Bros. "I don't like to compare myself to anyone but you can hear someof those influences in my music," he said. Taylor was born in Denver, Colo. He received a four-year scholarship to the University of Nevada Las Vegas, where he studied music performance on saxophone. "That's what brought me to Las Vegas. I've been here ever since. It's close enough to Los Angeles and offers a great quality of life." Taylor began playing sax at 7. His younger brother Bentley played the clarinet, but gave it up, pursuing a law career instead. Tickets for Friday's show are $22.50, $19.50' and $17.50 and\ are available atl Ovens' box office, 2700 E.) Independence Blvd.' Tickets are also' available at TicketMaster loca tions. 0>ver gJo Cold Medina Gary Hardwick Dutton $22.95 By Jeri Young THE CHARLOTTE POST Gary Hardwick is an interesting author. An attorney turned screen writer, Hardwick has developed screen plays for many television series including Fox’s “South Central.” He uses all of his talents to make his first novel, “Cold Medina,” read like a well written screenplay. Cold Medina, set in a Detroit police precinct, aptly named “the Sewer,” revolves aroimd a psychotic serial killer who is one of Detroit’s most notorious drug dealers. Investigator Tony Hill, himself wrestling demons, is given the daunting task of finding a killer that many laud as a hero. The plot takes many twists and turns. Given the name “Handyman” for his penchant for cutting off his victims hands, the killer gains an almost cult-like following for his work in ridding the streets of a particularly successful black drug cartel, the “Union.” Racial tensions erupt, however, as evidence reveals that the killer may be white. “Medina” is a showcase for Hardwick’s talents. Numerous subplots wind through the novel. The “Union” introduces a dangerous, new form of crack cocaine, Medina, which further envelopes the city in violence. Crooked cops and political intrigue also abound. A native of Detroit, Hardwick takes an unflinching look at race relations and affirmative action as well as the sensation alist tendencies of the media. Hardwick paints and unflatteringly honest portrait of life as a drug dealer, or “roller”. There is no glory and there is no fame. Many innocent people lose their lives as a result of their involvement with Union drug dealers. Unlike many authors, Hardwick’s work has no perfect characters. His pohce officers are as flawed as his “rollers.” Hill and his fellow officers wonder, initially, if they should even catch the Handyman. Comments one rookie, “He is doing us a favor.” Hardwick is to be commended for his work. Tough, grit ty and sexy, “Medina” takes the reader deep into the drug infested streets of Detroit and into the minds of addict See BOOK Page 2B ‘Soul Essential’ sets worth a listen By Winfred B. Cross The Best of Isaac Hayes: The Polydor Yisdirs The Best of Peaches & Herh The Best of Ray, Goodman & Brown Isaac Hayes, Freddie! Perren, Vincent Castellano, Rahni Song and William Rhinehart, producers. JPolydor ☆ ☆ ☆ Polydor's Soul Essentials series is one of a long line of re issues record companies are pumping out to keep up with the demand for the '70s craze. Polydor has a lot to offer. A plethora of r&b acts - includ ing the Godfather of Soul James Brown - have graced the grooves of hundreds of releases. It's only fitting they give these tunes a fresh spin. Isaac Hayes' best of really isn't. He was at his best on Stax, wearing chains, winning r X k Co. r cl % DELEON RICHARDS Grammys and Oscars and selling records by the truckloads. His years afepolydor were after lie was broke«:^»d everyone had written him oil, but himself. Hayes certainly ''li^asn t through musically. He had ^uge disco hit called Dont Let Go which still ain't bad. And his foot stompin' . dis^li^light "Zeke The Freak" will-rocK a '70s party any night. What Hayes' setj^hows is that he is clearly a master at creating grooves and ballads. What he does to James Tayior s Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight" is pure magicj . ^ If there ever, was u iqiagical disco producer, it's Freddie'Pei?»n. He ‘ crafted Gloria Gaynor's ;-”I •; WiH,', I Survive," The Sylvers' "Sdb^d; Fever" an.d, as a member of The Corporation, countless hits for the Jackson Five. His best disco work argua,fej|; wa§ done with Peaches & Herb a.k.a Linda Greene apd Herb Feemster, later Herb Fame;.' The pair didn't )iaVe that many ■ hits,.but thd hits it'did have were huge. ''Shake Your Groove Thing" will, forever be -q dance classic! Folk would hurt themselves get ting to the danpe floor to do the Rock, Hustle or what ever the spirit of the boogie led them to do. "Funtime," its, most funky release, wasn't a big hit, but its pulsating baseline arid sparse,, lyrics (was there a disco hit with deep lyrics other than "I Will Survive?") were the standards of the day. But nothing compared to the group's mega smash "Reunited." It wasn't disco, but was it ever sugary sweet. The song's airplay , was incredible, popping up eveiy' other .'h.o.ur on pop and black radio sta tions. "Reunited" remains a staple during "Quiet Storm" See SOUNDS Page 2B |j|L RAY, GOODMAN & BROWN
The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
March 7, 1996, edition 1
17
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75