| OCR Text |
Show Reborn Jazz Singer has Diamond songs By ROBIN WELLES Copley News Service HOLLYWOOD - Al Jol-son Jol-son is a tough act to follow, but Neil Diamond is doing just that in an updated movie version of "The Jazz Singer." Of course the Jolson image has faded a bit since he did the original "Jazz Singer" back in 1927. But Jolson dominated the movie in the same way that the Brooklyn-born Diamond does 53 years later. Diamond, a pop superstar (although the rock crowd has not jumped aboard his bandwagon), wrote and sang all of the 10 songs featured in the modern film. Naturally, Natural-ly, they bear the Diamond trademark of breathless balladry bal-ladry such as in "Love on the Rocks," "Summerlove" And "Hey Louise." Critics have scoffed at Diamond Di-amond for pomposity and some, comparing him to Dylan, called him a "nerd." But millions have found beauty in the Diamond lyrics which is as good a reply as any to the critics. The soundtrack of the Diamond Dia-mond movie now is being distributed by Capitol. BOZ SCAGGS - Hits (Col umbia) - Scaggs is the Texas-bred rock 'n' roller who later opted for something some-thing called blue-eyed soul but is more commonly called rhythm and blues. He and Steve Miller had one of the top psychedelic guitar bands back in the 1960s. His hits include movers like "Breakdown Dead Ahead." "Jojo," "Lido Shuffle" and "Dinah Flo." JOHN LENNON - YOKO ONO - Double Fantasy (Gef-fen) (Gef-fen) Lennon's tragic death in New York will turn this one into an instant collector's collec-tor's item, although he was just putting the finishing touches on another album at the time he died. The explosively explo-sively temperamental Len-non Len-non was separated from wife Yoko for nearly a year, but they later reunited and did the' "Fantasy" LP. It's rock and disco, even a touch of gospel, but not even a trace of Beatles music. ANY WHICH WAY YOU CAN - Movie Soundtrack (Warner Bros.) The only thing this album lacks is a vocal by that dizzy ape. but then Cliff Crofford sings "Orangutan Hall of Fame." so the omission isn't so bad. Clint Eastwood teams up with Ray Charles on one tune, and Fats Domino contributes con-tributes "Whiskev Heaven " Good time had by all. ROD STEWART - Foolish Behavior (Warner Bros.) A funtime, rock 'n' roll extravaganza ex-travaganza by ol' gravel throat. Rod doesn't take life very seriously so if you're looking for deep meaning on "new directions," turn elsewhere. else-where. He's a first-class entertainer en-tertainer who has few peers at putting across a song with maximum impact. BANDED TOGETHER -II (CBS) - Another fine roundup of country songs on this one. Moe Bandy does his gat "I Just started Hatin Cheatm' Songs Today " his one. George J0nesysin The Door" and Willie Ne, son is represented wit' Georgia on My Mini" Charlie Rich an'd John Paycheck also are ah "' MINGUS - Som! h eaBird(Atlannh late jazz genius was i wheelcha.r when his Com ' sitions were recorded Z this LP. but he still did 't to get that elusive sound he always sought. Mingu was totally involved music to the exclusion of all else, and that's what mad him a "difficult" person , R get along with. But what he ' produced was worth the sweat and fret. |
