February 5, 1987 Pg. 4 |
Previous | 32 of 181 | Next |
|
|
This page
All
|
Loading content ...
Page 4
: Thursday. Feb. 5,1987 s
MELLO CELLO
KulHagn/ThaOaa/Ccamjlan
Slavic ceHeist Nino Ruzevic performed a recital Wednesday with pianist
Alan Rea. The two musicians played pieces by Bach, Couperin, Brahms
and Schumann
African artist
lendsinsight
ByPaulWorthlngtbn
Staff Writer
While reaching audiences with the
rhythmic sound of African musk, visiting
performer Babatunde Olatunji said he aims
to enlighten his listeners with the African
heritage that underlies most modem music
and express the reality of Africa today.
Olatunji. who plays percussive
instruments, will perform with his band
tonight in the Satellite College Union.
When performing, ^Olatunji said he
seeks "a genuine response and excitement.
I find that for an audience that has not
been exposed to the land of music we
play, it might-take 30 minutes to get into
it."
But when he does play to such
unexposed audiences, Olatunji said he finds
"an almost unbelievable acceptance."
A better understanding results from his
shows, he said, because he tries to
"emphasize all the positive things about
us as human beings.
"I've discovered that you can do that
more through cultural activities than you
can through I politics." When Nigeria
obtained independence in 1960, he was
offered a diplomatic position, which he
declined, he said
"We bring people from different levels
together as one. This is one of the best
ways to tell the story of Africa and how it
has influenced world culture."
He wears an African robe, pants, and
cap ( a woven "fila"). Though he radiated
health and cheer, he said he was suffering
from a cold and offered to share his
medicine.
"It's purely natural," he said. Tm a
health food nut." He added that when in
Switzerland he even visited the factory at
which the medicine was made
Beneath his glasses are scars, now
faded with age so that they are almost
unnoticeable unless pointed .'out. "They
were done when I was nine days old, in the
family tradition," he said 'It indicates
that Tm the baby of the family."
He said that throughout the culture you
can tell a person's family position by the
scars. "Identification, you might say."
"My musical knowledge comes from my
childhood in the tiny fishing village
Ajido. Being very inquisitive I would
follow the master drummers around, carry
their instuments."
Drums are a tradition in Nigeria like
sports are here, he said. "You cannot
escape it."
He left his homeland in 1950 when he
won a Kotary International Scholarship to
attend Morehouse College, the alma matter
of Martin Luther King. Ir. in Atlanta, Ga.
He did not major in music, he said,
choosing instead political science and
economy. He minored in psychology and
sociology, and completed all his graduate
work in international relations at New
York University Graduate School, except
his dissertation.
It was at Morehouse that he "discovered
that the students and faculty had no real
image of Africa. That's how I got started
in this.
"It is the Hollywood image that people
have Tarzan, lane and headshrinkers, very
unpleasant. I wouldn't want to be an
African either."
In 1958 he released his now classic
album Drums of Passion. He says now that
someone in the audience always says, "I
came across this album 25 years ago, I
never thought I would meet you."
Olatunji direction gives Jazz Band 'A' a lift
By Paul Worthing ton
Staff Writer
Reknown percussionist Babatunde Olatunji
turned CSUFs Jazz Band "A" into one big jam
session Wednesday as he gave each section of
the band a different part of a simple tune he
wrote inl962 and then turned them loose
Olatunji sang a motif to each section, and
the members would slowly nod and smile as
they got it down.
The band played for more than 40 minutes
in Room 175 of the Music Building with
Olatunji jumping around the room, malting
suggestions and calling for tempo changes.
"There's a lot you can do with that song,
there's room for every instrument," he said
"I think I can state for all of us that it has
been quite an experience," bass player Tim
Giannopoulos said to Olatunji as the session
was about to end He then asked for "one more
song" and Olatunji gave them the basics of
"Dawn of the Dead" which he said Wynton
Marsalis will feature on his next album.
Tt 'was a very positive and moving
experience, said music major John Mattem.
"He's rally positive about the music he was
creating, a spiritually positive guy."
"When I first saw Olatunji last year, when
he was opening for the Grateful Dead on New
Year's Eve I loved him. It was really
stimulating. They had lots of dancers, tail
drums, they sang and prayed for the whole
world. It lit the whole crowd up, and we're
talking up to 15,000 people"
Giannopoulos said that Olatunji "feels
good through the power of the drums. The
drums have life. It infects you. It brings oul
that animal magnetism that everybody has."
Olatunji had no problem developing a
rapport with the student musicians, Gian¬
nopoulos said. "He connects fast, on a gut
level, very straight forward. And he was
accepted, 110 people in there and they
accepted him right away."
Would paying IN-STATE
tuition at another university
in the U.S. appeal to you?
For more information
contact Sabina Jacques in
the TAd 110 or Jennifer Albiarii
in Thomas Admin, basement OR
call 294-2636 OR 294-4668
TODAY!
APPUCATIONS WILL BE
AVAILABLE UNTIL FEB. 20.
NATIONAL STUDENT EXCHANGEj
BROADENING EDUCATIONAL
HORIZONS
Personals
are due every Thursday and are $1 each.
Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity
invites all interested men to their
SPRING SMOKER / 987
Sunday Feb. 8,1987
New Science Building 145
at
7:00pm
•
Object Description
| Title | 1987_02 The Daily Collegian February 1987 |
| Alternative Title | Daily Collegian (California State University, Fresno) |
| Publisher | Associated Students of Fresno State, Fresno, Calif. |
| Publication Date | 1987 |
| Description | Daily (except weedends) during the school year. Microfilm. Palo Alto, Calif.: BMI Library Microfilms, 1986- microfilm reels; 35 mm. Vol.1, no.1 (Feb 8, 1922)- |
| Subject | California State University, Fresno -- Periodicals. |
| Contributors | Associated Students of Fresno State. |
| Coverage | Vol.1 no.1 (Feb 8, 1922)- to present |
| Format | Microfilm reels, 35 mm. |
| Technical Information | Scanned at 600 dpi; TIFF; Microfilm ScanPro 2000 "E-image data" |
| Language | eng |
Description
| Title | February 5, 1987 Pg. 4 |
| Alternative Title | Daily Collegian (California State University, Fresno) |
| Publisher | Associated Students of Fresno State, Fresno, Calif. |
| Publication Date | 1987 |
| Description | Daily (except weedends) during the school year. Microfilm. Palo Alto, Calif.: BMI Library Microfilms, 1986- microfilm reels; 35 mm. Vol.1, no.1 (Feb 8, 1922)- |
| Subject | California State University, Fresno -- Periodicals. |
| Contributors | Associated Students of Fresno State. |
| Coverage | Vol.1 no.1 (Feb 8, 1922)- to present |
| Format | Microfilm reels, 35 mm. |
| Technical Information | Scanned at 600 dpi; TIFF; Microfilm ScanPro 2000 "E-image data" |
| Language | eng |
| Full-Text-Search | Page 4 : Thursday. Feb. 5,1987 s MELLO CELLO KulHagn/ThaOaa/Ccamjlan Slavic ceHeist Nino Ruzevic performed a recital Wednesday with pianist Alan Rea. The two musicians played pieces by Bach, Couperin, Brahms and Schumann African artist lendsinsight ByPaulWorthlngtbn Staff Writer While reaching audiences with the rhythmic sound of African musk, visiting performer Babatunde Olatunji said he aims to enlighten his listeners with the African heritage that underlies most modem music and express the reality of Africa today. Olatunji. who plays percussive instruments, will perform with his band tonight in the Satellite College Union. When performing, ^Olatunji said he seeks "a genuine response and excitement. I find that for an audience that has not been exposed to the land of music we play, it might-take 30 minutes to get into it." But when he does play to such unexposed audiences, Olatunji said he finds "an almost unbelievable acceptance." A better understanding results from his shows, he said, because he tries to "emphasize all the positive things about us as human beings. "I've discovered that you can do that more through cultural activities than you can through I politics." When Nigeria obtained independence in 1960, he was offered a diplomatic position, which he declined, he said "We bring people from different levels together as one. This is one of the best ways to tell the story of Africa and how it has influenced world culture." He wears an African robe, pants, and cap ( a woven "fila"). Though he radiated health and cheer, he said he was suffering from a cold and offered to share his medicine. "It's purely natural," he said. Tm a health food nut." He added that when in Switzerland he even visited the factory at which the medicine was made Beneath his glasses are scars, now faded with age so that they are almost unnoticeable unless pointed .'out. "They were done when I was nine days old, in the family tradition," he said 'It indicates that Tm the baby of the family." He said that throughout the culture you can tell a person's family position by the scars. "Identification, you might say." "My musical knowledge comes from my childhood in the tiny fishing village Ajido. Being very inquisitive I would follow the master drummers around, carry their instuments." Drums are a tradition in Nigeria like sports are here, he said. "You cannot escape it." He left his homeland in 1950 when he won a Kotary International Scholarship to attend Morehouse College, the alma matter of Martin Luther King. Ir. in Atlanta, Ga. He did not major in music, he said, choosing instead political science and economy. He minored in psychology and sociology, and completed all his graduate work in international relations at New York University Graduate School, except his dissertation. It was at Morehouse that he "discovered that the students and faculty had no real image of Africa. That's how I got started in this. "It is the Hollywood image that people have Tarzan, lane and headshrinkers, very unpleasant. I wouldn't want to be an African either." In 1958 he released his now classic album Drums of Passion. He says now that someone in the audience always says, "I came across this album 25 years ago, I never thought I would meet you." Olatunji direction gives Jazz Band 'A' a lift By Paul Worthing ton Staff Writer Reknown percussionist Babatunde Olatunji turned CSUFs Jazz Band "A" into one big jam session Wednesday as he gave each section of the band a different part of a simple tune he wrote inl962 and then turned them loose Olatunji sang a motif to each section, and the members would slowly nod and smile as they got it down. The band played for more than 40 minutes in Room 175 of the Music Building with Olatunji jumping around the room, malting suggestions and calling for tempo changes. "There's a lot you can do with that song, there's room for every instrument," he said "I think I can state for all of us that it has been quite an experience," bass player Tim Giannopoulos said to Olatunji as the session was about to end He then asked for "one more song" and Olatunji gave them the basics of "Dawn of the Dead" which he said Wynton Marsalis will feature on his next album. Tt 'was a very positive and moving experience, said music major John Mattem. "He's rally positive about the music he was creating, a spiritually positive guy." "When I first saw Olatunji last year, when he was opening for the Grateful Dead on New Year's Eve I loved him. It was really stimulating. They had lots of dancers, tail drums, they sang and prayed for the whole world. It lit the whole crowd up, and we're talking up to 15,000 people" Giannopoulos said that Olatunji "feels good through the power of the drums. The drums have life. It infects you. It brings oul that animal magnetism that everybody has." Olatunji had no problem developing a rapport with the student musicians, Gian¬ nopoulos said. "He connects fast, on a gut level, very straight forward. And he was accepted, 110 people in there and they accepted him right away." Would paying IN-STATE tuition at another university in the U.S. appeal to you? For more information contact Sabina Jacques in the TAd 110 or Jennifer Albiarii in Thomas Admin, basement OR call 294-2636 OR 294-4668 TODAY! APPUCATIONS WILL BE AVAILABLE UNTIL FEB. 20. NATIONAL STUDENT EXCHANGEj BROADENING EDUCATIONAL HORIZONS Personals are due every Thursday and are $1 each. Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity invites all interested men to their SPRING SMOKER / 987 Sunday Feb. 8,1987 New Science Building 145 at 7:00pm • |
