Heart Throb Peabo
Bryson No Longer
Passed Over
wnen i was 18, I couldn't even
get a date,” Peabo Bryson tells
_ me, “I looked like I was 12; I didn't
even weight 100 pounds.”
Bryson, whose senuous new
Capitol album “I Am Love” re
flects an expansive new depth of
maturity in both vocal style and
lyric intensity, is candid about
acknowledging the debt he owes
1 * "'"i 1 nmingn hnd onco of
early success egotism.
Not that he’s given up the Bryson
of the natty white suits, shirts open
to tilt; waist, uuoiiing poaaionntcly
while women swoon, but Bryson
has tempered that by reaching
back to his roots as a gentleman of
the old school. “I’m still a farmboy
on the inside,” he confides. “I may
seem chic-de-la-chic on stage, but I
haven’t forgotten by Southern
manners?” 5-=
The sophistication that is
Bryson, however, is a far cry from
the Carolinian upbringing that
found him working on a farm from
age seven. At 12, he won a talent
contest, was a working singer by 14
and by age 16 was touring the
world.
“I am Love” is Bryson’s eighth
album, a solid continuation of the
songwriter's career on vinyl and
still charting after four months.
Along the way have been signifi
cant solo ventures (“Crosswinds”)
as~ welt as-duet recordings with
Roberta Flack, Natalie Cole and
Melissa Manchester. The mood of
“Love” is mellow and expressive,
revealing of Bryson’s own charac
ter. "In reality,” he says, “I am
my work, the accumulation of all
the characters in my songs seen
through all those perspectives I
project all the images because I’ve
personally played all the roles. I
relate more to those who want and
were denied than to those who had
everything and- were turned
down.”
These days, no one turns Bryson
down.
Take a pinch of bluegrass, a
_ _ i
STROKE
by Tim Walter
Copyright • INI. TSI SynOicaf fostur,,
dollop of rock and a generous aose
of funky down-home R&B jazz and
—you’ve got The Progs' bright, new
“Industry Standard,” one of the
most exciting albums introduced
so far this spring.
The Dregs were once known as
the Dixie Grits. That evolved into
the Dixie Dregs before they be
came strong, new contenders in
the Arista stable of artists. Too
powerful to be ignored, the rock
powered jazz is grabbing from the
""first hck 16 ttreiastTtff
“Industry Standard” also
includes the first vocal tracks ever
on a Dregs LP, with guest vo
calists Patrick Simmons (Doobie
Brothers) and Alex Ligertwood
----^
(Santana). Asia’s guitarist Steve
Howe drops by for “Up In The
Air,’’ a classically melodic but
entirely too short (at 2Vi minutes)
excursion into the romantically
ethereal,
I suspect you’ll hear this album
on many differ radio formats;
previous albums “Unsung Heroes" !
and “Dregs Of The Earth" topped
the charts for months as the
"most-played” jazz oriented LPs
-fln-album rock stations
Both Bryson and The Dregs were
signed to record contracts in 1976.
Ironically, that was the same year
for the discovery of Scott Hamil
No Real Secret To Skyy’s Success ?
^v-v-uiumg 10 aoiomon Roberts
Jr. of the Salsoul recording act
Skyy, there’s no real secret to the
success of their No. 1 R&B single
—llCall Me’’ from the album “Sirvy.
line.'’ “I guess it struck a nerve,”
says Sol of the song, "and sounded
good too. I think people could
either identify with the situation,
or at least imagine it.”
Likewise Skyy’s next single is
something everyone should be able
to relate to - the rollicking good
times of "Let’s Celebrate,” Ex
plains Sol, “We made it sound like
a real party, but the song is
actually about something different
“. the celebration of love between
two people. It’s them announcing
to themselves: ‘We love each
other.’
“But when we started playing it
in concert, it exnanded in»n a
. . * I
| RICHARD
PRYOR
.- UV1 ON THE _
SUNSET STRIP
M9 m
-1 ^ rrci.V.
4th Laugh-Filled -
Week Start* Tomorrow
Fri.: Mon.-Thur. 7:3* Fri.; Mon.-Thur. 7:*5
-9:30. Sat. A Sun 2:15 -»:1S
- 4:55 - 5:49 - 7:3#- - _ * S«n. 2:3# - 4
9:3# |2.M ALL :45 - 7:N - 9:15
SEATS 2:15 Sat. A »2 M ALL SEATS
San. _ 2:35 Sat. A San.
party. So it starts out as a personal
salute to love, but by the time we
get done it’s about something
everyone loves - a good party.”
Du key Of Hazzard
Cletus is in charge of Hazzard
while the Dukes, Boss Hogg and
Rosco are held at the Duke farm by
escaped prisoners, on “The Dukes
of Hazzard,” Friday, April 2 at 8
p.m. on WBTV, Channel 3.
Two dangerous criminals escape
while being transported through
Hazzard and hide out at the Duke
farm, holding Luke, Bo, Daisy and
Uncle Jesse prisoner.
ton. Concord's stunning tenor saxo
phone discovery whose full-bodied,
mature sound has been sweeping
theT jazz world.
At 27, Hamilton blows a tradi
tional sweet cool on an old Selmer
tenor that, at 30. is older than he is.
He’s a melody improviser in the
family of a Coleman Hawkins or a
Ben Webster with just a touch of
RllHHy Tafp___
Concord’s latest Hamilton
release (he’s on 15 other albums> is
a collection of great classics called
“Apples & Oranges.” Included are
East and West Coast sessions with
Dave McKenna, Bob Maize and
Jake Hanna on three cuts and
Jimmy Rowles. George Mraz and
Joe LaBarbera on the others
You’ll find everything from "Ten
derly to "Silk Stockings.” It's
only fair to wam you, you can't buy
just one. You’ll be back in the store
for other Hamiltons after you hear
this one.
A tip to friends and relatives
visiting Washington, D C. Arm
yourself with The Shoestring Gour
met for the best inexpensive res
taurants. This city is a wallet-bust
er without it. You’ll make back the
$7.45 on one well-chosen meal
order from P O. Box 5029
Alexandria, VA 22305 All the other
information guides you need are
available in town and are general
ly free, but this guide is vital.
-^^“^^aaassssSSSSSSSS
HAMILTON'S BEAUTY
“^SAUMlns
(Formerly Ingram’s Beauty Salon
4431 —B North Tryon St.
(Beside Church's Chicken) 597-1484
Eliza both Hamilton Ingram
— Ownei
Roxie Blukeney- Operator
Linda Bowman - Operator
(SPECIALIZING IN
HAIR WEAVEING )
SPECL4L RA TES FOR:
Families & Students