OCR Text |
Show I THE UNIVERSITY JOURNAL• SOurH.ERN UTAH UNIVERSITY• WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 1996 ' THE ARTS AND ENTERTAINME NT .. ll~I Ballam to perform for SUU Sage to play for Unplugged Michael Ballam, the well known Ballam was also instrumental in raising performing and recording artist, will be the extensive funds needed to re-furbish the Eccles Theatre in Logan, which is the performing on the Auditorium stage of SUU in a benefit for the Utah home of the Utah Opera Festival. Shakespearean Festival. This is Ballam's only southern Utah The benefit will be hosted by the appearance this year. When he Festival Guild. Ballam, known to appeared in a fund many fans in the raiser for the Utah western region of Shakespearean the U.S., is a Festival in 1993, pianist and tenor the event was soloist who has "standing room performed in some only." of the biggest opera Fred C. Adams, houses in the executive director world, including and founder of the the Metropolitan Utah ShakesOpera Company in pearean Festival, New York. calls Ballam "one Ballam came to of the most Utah at the height exciting performers of his career to of his time. Our found the Utah festival is grateful Opera Festival, and thrilled he will based in Logan, be gracing our Utah. stages in this rare The company is benefit having a very appearance." The successful run, event, scheduled offering classical for Oct. 18 at opera performances 7:30 p.m., will be to people who held in the come from all over Auditorium to the western region Michael Ballam ensure plenty of to enjoy "cultural - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - seating for eager fare" long appreciated by Utahns. Ballam fans. For Utah's centennial celebration, A true "family event," tickets range Ballam was a featured performer, along from $10 to $15 a nd are available by with The Le ttermen and The King Sisters. calling 586-7878 for reserved seating. duo of Laird and Blithe Small give a sweet {not saccharine, more like JOURNAL STAFF WRITER brown sugar) sound to track six, Shades of Blue, a harmony-laden, Sage's new CD, Initially, is a aesthetically pleasing song about fantastic mix of acoustic guitar lost love. It will make your heart playing and the melodic voices of remember and feel that old familiar three of Southern Utah's rising tug of ache. Blithe Small delivers a powerfully playful tune, with just stars. The band's first CD is a fine the right undertones of feminism, on example of beautifully played acoustic-folk-rock. Having heard track seven, Buying That Line, the story of a woman some pretty ~"Jlai'l~~'.'F', who just isn' t pathetic attempts buying that sad ol' at a first CD before, line anymore. {Ella local band ..- :-.-"''"" Fitzgerald meets afficionados wilt be pleasantly Alanis Morrisette, if you will.) Small's surprised to find voice is a strong, Sage's first attempt: supple reminder that a nicely pulled the girl in this band together, tight can wail,too. Laird's sound. Track one, Tale Tell Romance voice, kind of a Steve-Miller-with-a{Camille) is so ~ dash-of-Eagles-and-acatchy that you'll find yourself splah-of-butterrnilk humming the slides down with the ease of key lime pie chorus, "Camille/ I want to spend my life with you/ I on a Mississippi night. wanna be the man that hold s you Initially will make you want to tight/ I wanna be the man that picks dance, laugh, cry, hum, whistle and play air drum on the countertops. the fight/," for hours after the first listen. Corey Greenlaw's voice Most of all it' ll leave--you with the comes through with such shinipg glow that always follows an passion, it makes you wish that you encounter with rising stars. Sage is today's SUU Unplugged were Camille. But Greenlaw's not the only cool- artist. They will be in the Student Center Living Room from 12 p.m. kid singer on this CD-not by a long shot. The husband and wife to 1:15 p.m. By HEATHER HANS Orchestra concert tomorrow Sexton has CD, concert in St. G~orge Music of fantasy and fun for the whole family will be performed by the Orchestra of Southern Utah during its Halloween Concert tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. in Orchestra Hall, 75 North 300 West (above the Iron County School District Offices). The orchestra will be in costume and the audience is invited to join the fun and wear costumes as wen.· T he suggested donation for attendees is $5 for adults and $2 for students. Special guest artists from the SUU dance department will perform with the orchestra for "Dance of the Marionettes" by Charles Gounod. Gwen Grimes, SUV artist in residence, choreographed the piece. Other selections include the energetic "Hall of the Mountain King" by Grieg, taken from a Peer Gynt Suite, and the prelude to "Hansel and Gretel," by Engelbert Humperdinck. A set of variations on the theme of "Pop Goes the Weasel" includes a fugue, a music box waltz and a jazz set. Concert mistress June Thorley is featured as a soloist in this piece by Lucien Caillet. .. - Two popular marches by John Phillip Sousa will complete the program. Hal Campbell and Perry Arnett conduct the Orchestra of Southern Utah. The group has been presenting a series of benefit recitals to raise funds for percussion and string basses for several years. The Southwest Symphony String Chamber Orchestra, under the direction of Virginia Stitt, is scheduled to perform the next recital on Oct. 20 at 7:30 p.m. in Orchestra Hall. Soprano Marlo Madsen has selected opera arias by Puccini, Faure and Barber for the recital. She's been cast in the lead role for the upcoming SUU production of Carmen and has appeared in several productions, including her performance in the lead role of Guys and Dolls last spring. Madsen also sings in the SUU Concert Choir and Opus. Jennifer Hartman will be her accompanist for the recital. Violinists Krista Keate and Stephanie Hart will present a duet and solo selections by Potstock and Massenet. LuAnne Brown is their teacher and accompanist for the performance. ... I artists. For instance, he utilizes, on Gypsy Woman, a violin by Johannes Ammon that rivals any piece of passionate bowing my JOURNAL EDITOR untrained classical ear has heard. Perhaps his greatest asset is a voice that A Boston-based singer/songwriter, Martin can only be called unearthly in its range, Sexton, has been gathering a load of critical acclaim from a wide variety of musicians and beauty and power. Like the elder Buckley, his voice takes on a separate dimension from critics over the past few years and he's just released his newest CD, Black Sheep, as well that of most singers and becomes an instrument all its own in its as embarking on a promotional virtuosity. tour, which brings him to Utah Black Sheep, from Eastern this week. Front Records in Medfield, He'll be at the St. George Mass., is a truly satisfying Pioneer Opera H ouse a block release, with 11 songs that are, north of St. George Blvd. and at the same time, diverse but Main St. at 7 p.m. tomorrow and nearly fully in sync with today's the second best part is .. .it's free. "Adult Acoustic Artists" or The first best part is that this is whatever it is they call this indeed one talented fellow who stuff. puts together witty and profound While he sometimes swerves lyrics and runs them through over to the other side of the road equally witty and profound with some quirky little ditty or melodies and music. He's an stylistic bit of musical eclectic type and if one reads his Martin Sexton derangement, his songs are press material there are deeply warm or cold as the topic may call comparisons to a variety of great artists sprinkled liberally throughout the narratives. for, but at the same time have a an easy listening tinge to them on the surface while Names like Van Morrison, John Hiatt, Ray also harboring deeper, more stirring and Charles, Al Green, Cab Calloway, Billie perhaps somewhat arcane content. Holiday and Stevie Wonder are used as So, if you like your music a little off-center touchstones to his style or voice. I'll go back and a lot intelligent and moving, check him 20 years and say he reminds me of Tim out in St. George (for a cheap date) and buy Buckley, father of Jeff, and perhaps a little the CD his folks probably will be marketing farther to Donovan Leitch or even T rini like crazy at the Pioneer Opera House, which Lopez. In truth, he defies all pigeonholing as is likely why the concert is free . perhaps do many of today's most popular REVIEW By LARRY BAKER |