4
Friday, April 16, 1976
University Daily Kansan
Arts & Entertainment
Glassblowing delicate art
By BECCI BREINING
An old stone barn set against rolling green hills evokes the atmosphere of an old blacksmith's shop. Within, rugged walls hold in heat pressure by roaring, glowing龌龊.
But this isn't the worksite of burly, blackened men who wrestle with hot metal. It is the studio for twelve artists who coax molten blobs into delicate glass figures.
ABOUT FOUR YEARS ago Channey dairy barn, just west of the University of Kansas Printing Service on W. 18th, was converted into a glassblowing studio by J. Sheldon Carey, The earthy, open air quality makes it a unique museum.
"it's comfortable and homely," Goei, Geier, Overland Park senior, said yesterday. "It's a mellow place for glassblowing, a break from the classroom."
Geier said she was attracted to the art of glassblowing because it was exciting and dangerous. One has to work fast to contribute all the time to avoid burning him or others, she said.
"WHILE YOU'RE BLOWING glass you have to think
constantly and know exactly what your next move will be," she said. "You can't drop what you're doing and come back later. Now when he hear the goblet, and then bind-bobgobet, I know the sweet it took and how difficult it was to make it."
While she was talking, another student dropped and broke a partially blown ball of glass.
"Excuse me," Geier said. "It's my turn. She just blew it." Geier laughed at her unintentional humor and took her place by the furnace, ready to go to work.
Because of a shortage of space, the glassblinders have to take turns using three furnaces. Each can blow one, one blowing and one helping.
"Carey said, 'It's like a dance floor. There is a rhythm in them. People are moving around and are watchful of each other."
Carey said the small area of the studio might be an asset.
"SOMETIMES HAVING the most spacious and gracious doesn't make it any better," he said.
"To make beautiful things a person has to be creative and beautiful inside, regardless of the studio."
Cecil McKenzie, Independence, Kan., sophomore, said he thought the atmosphere and snow of the barn helped him to be creative.
McKenzie, who called himself a "glassaholic," said he was adducted to glassbling.
"GLASS IS A NICE material to work with," he said. "It's different because you can't handle art hands like other art media."
"IT'S AN IMMEDIATE activity. While you're working you have to be super conscious of your movements. You have to know exactly what you're going to able to do in a few minutes."
Carey, also an instructor of ceramics, was attracted to the unusual aspects of glassblowing six years ago. During a sabbatical leave in 1869 he installed glassblowing equipment with a $3,000 grant from the National Endowment for Science. He reduced the cost by building much of the equipment himself. He also developed his own process for mixing glass.
CAREY SAID he grew up with an interest in glass. As a teenager in New York, he regularly visited the Corning Glass Co., which was nearby his home. When glassblowing
become a resurgent art form in ... United States twelve years ago, his interest was aroused. During his career he had an institute in Toledo that pioneered the formal study of glassblowing, before glass-blowing training has been done in factories.
With his new-found knowledge he renovated the barn and started teaching. His classes are full; 12 students fill two courses which are taught three times a week.
Although there appears to be an increasing interest in his glassblowing class, Carey will step down from his teaching post and retire at the end of this semester.
There are a lot of things his busy teaching schedule has prevented him from doing, be it plans to do some catching up.
"I MAY NEVER blow any more glass or make another pot," Carey said. "Then again, I carey said from now will I be doing both."
Carey said he thinks the glassblowing department has potential to become very big. There are waiting lists to get in, he said, and he gives priority to senior and graduate fine arts students, most of whom are ceramic and sculpture majors.
Staff Photo by JAY KOELZER
Delicate tapping
separate it from the glass. Mettieer will then put the glass in a cool cabinet which will cool it to room temperature by the next.
Finished with the shaping of her glass creation, Donna Meteer, Phoenix, Ariz., senior, gently taps at the base of the blowpipe to
Ferguson's album presents new style
Casual concentration
By STEVE FRAZIER
Peter Watkins, film director, has been meeting with students at KU during the past week to discuss the effects of media on contemporary life. At II a.m. Saturday in the Kansas Union, he was joined by the actors in *Wars: Games* and *Privilege*, shown Wednesday.
Marynard Ferguson's recently released "Primal Scream," the trumpet player's first album since September 1974, breaks
away from the approach that has brought him a wide following of loyal fans since his return to the United States in the late 1960s. On "Primal Scream," Ferguson abandons
Bob James, the CTI-Kudu house arranger-producer-
producer Teo Macero and one own road band in favor of Bob James and a group of studio musicians.
... and then there's rock
Staff Writer
By CONRAD BIBENS
One album, "Frampton Comes Alive," is responsible for turning a relatively obscure band into superstar. Peter Frampton, once best known as a former member of Humble Pie, has recorded a near perfect live concert from his concerts last year.
ALTHOUGH FRAMPTON is primarily an electric guitarist, his work plays mostly acoustic guitar, adding emphasis to his vocals. He songs in a pleasant, dramatic way and often uses the British accent show through.
The album's greatest strength is Frampton's guitar playing, which seems to soar over the audience. His style is strong and direct, but overbearing, even when he plays heavy metal material.
His backing musicians are drummer John Siomios, bassist Stanley Sheldon and keyboard player and second guitarist Bob
Mayo. They are quite capable, sounding well rehearsed as they provide steady rhythm while the band goes off on solo tangents.
A FIFTH MUSICAL presence is the audience, which claps and stumps loudly for anything he wants. For their four solo albums haven't sold more than 200,000 copies apiece, the audiences seem very familiar with his work, cheering for him as they recognize each song.
There isn't a weak moment on this album, a tribute to good recording facilities and Frampton's self-production. Some of the notable songs include "Slow Me Way," "Walk," "Soothing His Happening" and "Lines On My Faces."
A GOOD STUDY in contrasts is provided when Frampton leeds off side three with 'Penny For Your Thoughts, a nice song from the end ends, drummer Slomos kicks into an opening beat while
Frampet switches back to electric for "I'll Give You," Money," the hardest rocker of the album.
THE HIGHLIGHT of "Frampton Comes Alive" is the last track, "Do You feel Like Song? an anthelytic song that anthems the interaction between the guitarist and audience. The crowds joyously say "Yes!" whenever Frampton sings the song's title, even when he performs through an echo voice-box.
At 25, Frampton looks at least 10 years younger. His concert was engaging. He's a confident performer who's eager to please. He can get an audience when he's on stage the first time he steps on stage.
That nearly all his 1976 concerts have been sold out, including two shows in Kansas and this city. Radio air-play and word of mouth are making Peter Frampton big-time.
'I Will, I Will . . . For Now' is soulless porn
By CHUCK SACK
"I WILL. I WILL. For Now" is a traditional sex comedy. And, like the traditional marriage that it pokes fun at, its
trappings include something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue.
The "something old" is the plot. This is a straightforwardboy-meets-girl tale. The boy
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY
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THE "SOMETHING NEW" is a contract marriage, that contemporary practice of putting personal relationships on a legal basis. Les and Katie agree to try living together again after watching Katie's little sister married in a 'tenant and common' ceremony that they would say may now kiss the party of the first part," and which is catered by a fast-food chain.
and girl are Les Bingham (Elliot Gould) and Katie Bingham (Diane Keaton), a couple who were ten years divorced when they meet again at the film's beginning.
"The something blue" is the feeling you are left with when you leave the theater. "I Will, I Will . . . For Now." Is the most depressing experience I've had since last week's "Bad News Bag" campaign because it was essentially for kids. "I Will" is supposed to be sophisticated adult entertainment.
The "something borrowed" is every tired sex-face situation and dialogue of the past ten years. Katie accuses Les of making love like he's running for the 5th Avenue bus.
LETTING THE QUESTION of entertainment alone for the
"I'm not catching it very much lately." he responds.
moment, how sophisticated
*Will be* “bear” Apart from one
of the girls who played,
“The Joy of Sex” (never opened
before the camera), the movie
never moves above the level of
a classic joke in *Bad News Bears*.
THE ADMITTED THEORY behind Bob James' approach on "Primal Scream" is that it will make the album sell but the locator of the theory is seen questionable. Trump players interested in Ferguson's technique and jazz listeners, his traditional audience, will probably avoid a album, for it contains little jazz or exceptional trumpet work.
Even more depressing is the action. Several years ago, Elliot Gould appeared to be one of the most successful actors to come along in several decades. And despite a string of bombs, he still does some remarkable work in films like "A Blessed Mother" and "California Split." But his role in "I Will" shows no progress from the more ingenious and entertaining "Bob and Carol and Alice" role he began with.
Ditto for Diane Keaton. In addition to her appearances with Woody Allen, she's done some good dramatic work, and she's also known for What can she possibly hope to gain from a part like this?
IT'S DISCERNING to see two actors with great promise dressed up and locked into roles as middle-aged, upper-class characters that will be transformed into upper-aged, middle-class characters after 10 years of films just like this one.
It's just as bad behind camera. John Alonzo is the director of photography, but
Teo Macro respected what the band was doing and helped it to sound its best on record, which is far different than the producer leaving his fingerprints all over the album. It also produced a "stick" and sonically clean album is obvious, but he does so at quite a sacrifice.
there's not a hint of the interesting lighting he did in "Chinatown," or the marvelous scenes in "The Fortune." I hate to keep mentioning "Bad News Bears," but he did that, too, with slightly more care. Will Alonzo Diggle out this kind of glossy schlock?
While Ferguson's work of the past few years has never been as subtle or innovative as, say, that of the Thad Jones-Melville team, it has nearly always been at least viscerally exciting.
I DON'T FEEL disheartened about writer-director Norman Panama. He's been a veteran of Hollywood junk for over 30 years. What does worry me is the lack of development.
And the pop listeners are choosier than the formula-makers think. They are hesitant to accept a watered-down album, or to choose it when they can buy albums by true masters of the pop genre, and the money it takes to really expose the pop audience to a different music culture on even a "crossover" jazz product. So Ferguson is left with his hard-core fans, which is indeed a large and loyal bunch. But he does not an audience that any artist can appeal long.
A producer like Tee Macero is known for making the music of a cult band. Ferguson reach the public at its natural best, but James often fits the jazz musician into an natural and predictable format.
Panama and Melvin Frank together were the Bud Yorkin-Norman Lear combination of two of America's remote that the production system that made "I Will" will change any when Yorkin and Lear tie of endless Archie and graduate to feature films.
As Down Beat magazine quotes James, "Our goal is sales without compromising talent or intent."
keyboard man, has left his mark on albums by musicians such as Ron Carter, Paul Grover and Grover Washington Jr. The James-CTI approach used for Ferguson on the Columbia label is best exemplified by the charting album and non or disco rhythm tracks.
THE FACT IS that "I Will, I Will. For Now" is no different from television sitcoms, and that if by some blume it were hugely successful, there would be a sequel to prove it. That "somewhat blue" that "something blue" isn't just your feeling after seeing this film that isn't art, social statement, documentary or even entertainment. The "blue" is the shadow cast on the wire of an electric light of reason and discover that it is soulless pornography.
"Primal Scream" and albums like it strongly dispute James' assertions that talent is not compromised.
THE MUSICIANS ON "Primal Scream," among the finest in the studios, include Dave Sanborn, Varm Stmav, Bernie Glow, Jodfadds, Dave Taylor and Paul Faulse.
James also brought in a crew seen on several CTI records: Steve Gadd, Eric Gale and Joe Farrell; and Chick Corea is featured on one of his compositions. He is known for his Corea, however these players are given little chance to display their talents.
After the introduction and a typically Latin-influenced, Corean melody, he adds Corae and Corea embark on a joint improvised solo. The combination of tuxedo, as only one composer would synthesize proves to be an
THE IMPROVISATORY SKILLS of DAVE Sandanre are passed over in favor of a couple of brass sections. The potentially exciting brass section is given only token toks and blasts to play here and there, and even these are usually overshadowed by changing strings and seemingly the most important rhythm track.
"PAGLIACCI," an opera aria arranged by Jay Chattaway, is as embarrassing to listen to as the song "To Have Spoken with Ferguson playing the melody in a semiclassical style above a strictly orchestral string background, then breaks out of it and continues. To make matters worse, the tune "Pagliacci" itself is quickly recognized from its use on the commercial as "No more we have run out of Rice Krispies!"
"THE CHESHIRE CAT WALK," on Side I, written by and featuring Chick Corea on synthesizer, is the album's bright moment. Certainly not coincidentally, the cut contains no strings or voices, and bears insight of Corea rather than James.
Side II, consisting of "Invitation," "Pagliacci" and "Swamp," is pretty much a throwaway. On "Invitation," Ferguson is limited to playing through the melody a few times, backed by strings and the piano played by James. There are few characteristics that would distinguish the trumpet player as Maynard Ferguson. He is virtually buried by the formula. Mark Colby plays a short soprano sax which is the solo for the trumpet. That sola is punctured now and then by the brass section and string chords which fade in and out like a bad dream.
intersting exercise in tonal color and comparison of instrument capabilities.
Highlights
Exhibits
(Through May 25 at the Museum of Art)
BICENTENNIAL HISTORIC
textiles from the museum's own
collection, on display in con-
junction with the Surface
CONSIDER THE BEGINNING . . . : A four-artist show consisting of battik, jewelry and pottery, a pottery and porcelain pottery, Grace Carmody, Lawrence senior, is exhibiting jewelry and Mel Clark, Lamiot, Iowa senior, is showing his porcelain
(Through April 30 at 7E7)
Concerts
ORATORIO WORKSHOP:
A performance for Good Friday
by an ensemble of 14 solos
from the department of voice.
The group will perform "The Passion According to St. Mark." The group will play instruments, organ, harpsharp and strings. (8 tonight at the University)
RIVER CITY JAZZ BAND:
Easy-listening jazz from a
Lawrence group.
(7 p.m. and 10 p.m. Thursday at Off-the-Wall Hall)
CITY LIMITS BLUEGRASS
BAND; A trio from Denver
whose female banjo player has
competition in competition at
Winteld.
(8:30 tomorrow night at Off-
the-Wall Hall)
(2 p.m. tomorrow in the roof garden of the Kansas Union)
OREGON: This fine group of jazz musicians will perform in Off-the-Wall Hall's biggest concert this spring.
Films
THE FLESH AND THE DEVIL: Clarence Brown's
direction has its roots in German Expressionism, but the film is notable for its star, and its character. Garbo doesn't talk. Silent.
FALLAN (THE TRAP): A filmed play, dealing with the problems created by the theater company Directed by Peter Watkins.
EDVARD MUNCH; Peter Wakins' biography of the Norwegian painter in training in this country on his campus. 3-and-a-half hours long, it has been called the greatest made-for-TV painting.
ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN: A very polished and jewelled portrayal of Woodward and his search for journalistic truth. Redford and Hofman are both good, once you get past their characters, directed by Alan Pakula.