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Broadway Is My Beat
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By JOEY SASSO
Syndicated Columnist
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The late William "Count" Basie was
a 44 sweetheart," according to saxophonist
Eric Schneider, a musician in
tne Count's orchestra for almost two
years.
"One night, right after 1 started with
the band, he called a number 1 had
never played -- and 1 had a solo in it, so
I was just awful," Schneider recalls.
"He realized what had happened, so
two songs later, he called a number
that he knew 1 played ? and 1 was
great. As soon as the set was over, he
apologized for calling a number 1
wasn't familiar with. Another time,
when he heard my clarient had been
stolen, he reached into his pocket and
gave me the money to replace it. No big
deal; didn't tell anybody; just gave me
the money."
My career moved faster than 1 grew
ud." savs Jennifer Hollidav. 23. one of
Broadway's original "Dreamgirls." In
the award-winning musical, Holliday
played the Dreamette who had the
hardest time dealing with success, missed
performances and had violent ego
attacks.
"My career moved faster than I
grew up .... My experiences
weren't the same as my
character's, but I had my share
of problems."
-Jennifer Holliday
In real life, she's had her own prohlpmc
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"Dreamgirls," there were stories about
her disappearing act and how producer
Michael Bennett had to chase her
down.
"My experiences weren't exactly the
same as my character's, but I had my
share of problems," Holliday says....
Lionel Richie recently was named
Songwriter of the Year by the
American Society of Composers,
Authors and Publishers at its first Pops
Award Dinner in Beverly Hills, Calif.
The singer-composer was honored as
the ASCAP writer whose songs were
most-performed in 1983. "Up Where
We Belong," written by Will Jennings,
Jack Nitzsche and Buffy Sainte-Marie
was named Song of the Year. Besides
Richie, among the 450 musical
notables at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel
ceremonies were Michael McDonald,
Kenny Rogers, Kenny Loggins, Donna
Summer, Henry Mancini, Quincy
Jones, Burt Bacharach and Hall
David....
Michael Jackson might have to
undergo further surgery to properly
repair his burned scalp. "He is having
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'sweetheart,'
er of his band
an excellent recovery," says his
surgeon, Dr. Steven Hoefflin.
"The scalp area is healing very
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recovering rapidly."
But, when asked if the laser surgery
to repair an area burned during the
making of a TV commerical had been
successful, Hoefflin, who is treating
the singer in Jackson's Los Angelesarea
home, said: "1 chance it may require
further surgery."...
Still no word on when and where
Jackson and his brothers will play on
their summer tour....
MCA TV's "Puttin' On The Hits,"
a new music/ comedy series, will kick
off in Septefnber with a one-hour
special.
To appear and compete on "Hits,"
everyday people choreograph an entire
routine complete with mirror-image
costumes and look-alike make up while
they lip-synch the hits of their favorite
superstars. Celebrity judges rate contestants
on originality, appearance and
lip-synching and award cash and
prizes, building up to the choice of a
national champion....
Three--time world heavyweight
champion Muhammand All has been
counted out of the British Magical
Society for breaking Rule No. 1: Never
show the public how you do it. Earlier
this week, as millions of British televi
sion viewers watched, Ali give a stepby-step
account of how he performs his
favorite tricks, including squeezing a
handkerchief and making it disappear.
Ali, a feft hand at magic, was made an
honorary member of the world's oldest
magic circle. Later, however, the society's
secretary, Barry Gordon,
lamented, "Now, he has broken the
cardinal rule of all magicians by exposing
how the tricks are done and we
have decided to remove his name from
our list of honorary members."
Ali, now a boxing promoter, was in
Britain to publicize a seven-bout lineup
in the Cayman Islands on June 29....
There's a new way to break into the
movies these days and it's very simple:
All you have to do is make a hit video.
Take Lionel Richie, who left the
Commodores to find fame and big
bucks on his own with hits like
"Truly," "Running With the Night"
and "Hello."
The man who directed his "Night"
video, Bob Giraldi, says he now wants
Lionel to d( a feature-length movie
with him. That's the good news. The
bad news is that Giraldi's first flick was
"National Lampoon's Movie
Madness," which Bob admits was
"one of the four or five worst movies
of all time."...
George Kirby reports he's turned
down a bid from a big-screen studio to
base a movie on his turbulent life.
"I'm just not ready yet," he says. "I
need more time."
Please see page C4
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Headed For The Silver
Lionel Richie, who has done nearly ever
screen next, reports columnist Joey Sas
Musical Notes
Singer Patti A
HAMPTON, Va. - Patti Austin, whose
velvet-smooth voice was spotlighted on a
handful of commerical jazz albums before
she scored pop success under Quincy Jones'
tutelage, has been added to the 1984 Hampton
Kool Jazz Festival.
Austin will team with saxophonist Tom
Scott and his band on Saturday, June 23.
They join a lineup that already includes
vocalist extraodinaire A1 Jarreau and soulinspired
jazz saxophonist David Sanborn.
Tickets for the 7:30 p.m. show ? as well as
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Lustin joins Hamp
for the other two shows of the 17th annual
jazz festival ? are selling well. Good seats
are still available, and tickets mav be Dur
chased for $15 and $14 at the Hampton Coliseum
and all Ticketron locations.
Both Patti Austin and Tom Scott and his
band have large followings among both jazz
and pop-soul music lovers. That's because
Austin and Scott perform rousing, danceoriented
music.
Austin has been called ? by none other
than her mentor, Quihcy Jones ? "one of
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i to do, may set his sights on the silver
ton jazz festival
the most musically gifted" people of our
ume.
Jones should know. He has watched Patti
develop as a singer since she was a child in
1954, when her jazz musician father brought
her to a recording session Quincy was producing
for Dinah Washington. As the story
is told, Patti afterwards repeated, note for
note, every separate take Dinah had sung.
It's said that Jones decided right then and
there he would one day produce the child
Please see page C6
about anything
da K
Dear Linda: I'm convinced that the way to hanmates
to love to argue, and have to be right, is to
lse to become involved in no-win debates.
or example, if asked your opinion of Boy George,
* your side, but if your husband disagrees, say:
'ell, that makes sense." Or, "Oh. Well, okay."
:n leave the conversation alone.
Tankly, this makes more sense than trying to
>ate entertainer Boy George, who defies explanan,
understanding or theory.
itrepeneurs Needed
Oear Yolonda: I've been noticing more and more
:ers in your column regarding problems peculiar to
nority business owners. I, for one, am glad to see
I'd like to add my opinion. I've spent 10 years in
>nomic development. Before we address the proms
blacks face in operating a business, we have to
back to the root question: "Why don't more
icks aspire to own and operate their own
sinesses?" Surely, self-employment would ease
Please see page C4