music
Music for the masses
Three live shows expose KU students to wide spectrum of musical styles in one weekend.
The second River Valley Music Festival, featuring five live band performances, is scheduled for 3 p.m. Saturday.
The festival is near Eudora on Kansas Highway 10 exit 442.
The event will feature two rock bands, Little Feat and the BoDeans; a rhythm and blues band, Soul Food Cafe; a Los Angeles blues band, The Red Devils and Lawrence R&B-funk band, Baghdad Jones.
Baghdad Jones promotional photo
Gates will open at 1 p.m., and the festival will last until 11 p.m.
Parking is available at the festival, and a bus will run from Memorial Stadium to the event. The bus costs $2 to ride.
No camping or coolers are allowed. Concessions will be sold on the premises.
General admission tickets are available at Benchwarmers Sports Bar & Grill, 1601 W. 23rd St.; Streetside Records, 1403 W. 23rd St., or by calling TicketMaster at (816) 931-3330. Tickets cost $17 in advance or $20 at the gate.
For more information, call the River Valley Music Festival information line, (913) 841-0505.
River Valley Music Festival
The River Valley Music Festival on Sept. 19 features live music from five live sites. Gates open at 1 p.m. and close at 6 p.m.
Source:1992 River Valley Music Fest
Baghdad Jones, (left to right) Paul Matthews, drums, Syd Rodway, alto saxophone, David Learned, bass guitar, Buffy Barton, vocals, BobS keys, keyboard, Toyo Sano, tenor saxophone and Chris Swipe, guitar.
By Kris Belden
Baghdad Jones-local band shoots for big time
Kansan staff writer
duffy Barton won second place lip syncing Janice J朋in's "Me and Bobby McGee" in a contest at McCollum Hall.
D Later, she took the act on the road,
singing the song at Lawrence bars on
open mike nights.
In 1988, while she was singing at
Bob Bittlechick, 739 New Hampshire St., tenor saxophone and keyboard and Bob Dobbs discovered Bob.
"I thought they were two little kids," Barton said.
These two little kids incorporated Barton, who had never sung in high school or in a band, into one of Lawrence's hottest rhythm and blues-funk bands, Bagdad Jones.
The seven-member band combines a hearty saxophone section with a soulful vocal sound. Sides and guitar player Chris Swope write most of the band's music, which Swope describes as having roots in rhythm and blues with funk and rock influences. Baghdad Jones has played gigs in five
midwestern towns, but it prefers playing in Lawrence because the town is receptive to live music.
"We're reaping the benefits of a very, very good live music scene," Barton said.
Alto saxophonist Syd Rodway agreed. Rodway took a year off from KU to play full time with Baghdad Jones and make money before getting his degree in music education.
engaging, he said.
In a typical week, the hospital plays three or four guts and practices one night.
"Once you play in front of people, and once you have the hang of it, there's nothing better," Swope said.
"It's addictive," he said.
Sides agreed.
It's 10:45 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 9. It's time for practice.
Barton takes her position on the floor, legs crossed, microphone in hand.
Band members not their heads with the beat to lead into the beginning of a new song called "Cheatin", written by Sides. The band hopes to
Continued on Page 8.
music
KU students get a rare rap treat from the controversial group Public Enemy.
By Sara Bennett Special to the Kansan
C controversial rap group Public Enemy will take a break from their touring schedule this month to visit KU for a performance in the Kansas Union Ballroom. The band, described in
The band, described in Rolling Stone magazine
as "pop music's most consistently controversial, confusing and exciting group," will be in the Midwest opening for U2's Zoo TV tour and promoting their new album, "Public Enemy's Greatest Miserse."
"We've wanted work with Public Enemy before, but they've never been in the Brad Boora, Student Union Activities live music coordinator. "It's 50 parts hard work, 50 parts luck that they were here and we got them."
The concert, scheduled for $19 p.m., Sunday, is expected to accommodate 550 people, which accommodates 950 people. The items are available through SUA for $20.
Roosa said SUA's goal is to bring a better variety of music to KU.
"Hip hop has only been tried once before here at Day on the Hill," he said. "Public Enemy is the pinnacle of rap and hip hop. They're the most recognized as well as controversial group."
Since their first album "Yo! Bum Rush the Show" was released in 1987, Public Enemy's harsh lyrics depicting the African-American experience in the United States have drawn controversy and critical acclaim from every corner of the music industry.
"They're a band that says a lot," he said. "They're very socially conscious."
Roosa said he thought Public Enemy's message and the controversy surrounding it would attract students.
"From what I understand they give a voice to a segment of the population
music
ignorance and these are the principles that Public Enemy has always been dedicated to."
Roosa said some university administrators had expressed concern about Public Enemy's logo, which is a police officer in the cross sight of a gun but added that there was more excitement about the group coming than about the controversy surrounding them.
Birdland Benefit Concert gives music enthusiasts a taste of authentic jazz in Lawrence.
Claude "Fiddler"
Williams (right)
and Queen Bey
(center), both of
Kansas City,
Mo., will perform
tomorrow night
at Liberty Hall,
6th and Massachusetts
streets. The Bird-
land Benefit Concert is a jazz
organized by Sean Saffold
(left), Cleveland,
Oh., graduate
student.
By J.R. Clairborne Kansan staff writer
or a taste of vintage jazz and a sampling of Kansas City nightlife, jazz buffs need only look to downtown Lawrence this weekend at the Birdland Benefit Concert.
The concert, which will showcase the talents of Kansas City jazz legends Queen Bye, Claure "Fiddler" Williams and Joe Cartwright, will
"My main goal is to get the University and city communities involved and let them know what we're trying to do," said Sean Saffold, Cleveland, Ohio, graduate student.
begin at 8 p.m. tomorrow at Liberty Hall. Tickets are $10.
Through the aid of KU's film department, the benefit concert and KU graduate Brian Marshall, Saffold is trying to generate the $250,000 needed to complete his film project "Birdland." The film is a documentary on the Kansas City jazz era during the early 1930s.
With special guest star comedian Paul Gulmbel, who appeared at Kansas City's Spirit Festival, the concert will also feature Charles Berg, professor of theatre and film on his Nathan, Lawrence junior. Nathan has traveled the world touring with Maynard Fernu-
Because of financial difficulties, Saffold's original plans to film portions of the concert for "Birdland," including interviews with the performers and people attending the concert, were canceled. But through the concert, Saffold will be able to plant all of what they need for their money.
son and the Nathan Berg Quartet.
He also said he wanted the concert to expose area music lovers to what music enthusiasts call spontaneous composition—authentic jazz.
"We're trying to deal with how this is a major part of the American culture that is recognized around the world as a unique African-American and American art form," Saffold said. "We want to give RU students and the faculty a chance to see really fine musicians."
Bey, one of the musicians Saffold referred to, said she looked forward to tomorrow's performance and meeting the people of Lawrence.
"It's going to be a wonderful event," Bay said.
"It will be a lesson of love, and I intend to have a
chance."
Bey said that the filming of "Birdland" is a necessary undertaking because of the recent upsurge of young jazz enthusiasts and performers.
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Real KU Life begins on the weekend.
calendar
Nightlife
Benchwarmers Sports Bar & Grill
Ginn
1601 W. 23rd St.
Tonight - Fuzz Boxes
Tomorrow - Soul Food Cafe
The Bottleneck
Saturday - Blue Dixie
737 New Hampshire St.
Tonight - Connells
Tomorrow - The Lonesome Houndogs & One
Kota
Saturday - Blue Dixie
Sunday - Groove Alley
Monday - Open mike
Tuesday - The Toasters, The Skunks
Wednesday - Spik, Groove Head and Keely Zoo
The Brass Apple
Features 10 TVs with satellite dish and offers
Monday Night Football
Congo Bar
520 N. Third St.
Tomorrow and Saturday - Outland
Dos Hombres
815 New Hampshire St.
Tonight • jonej·n·eff
Tomorrow - Chris Seegan
Saturday - Sahara
Down & Under
801 New Hampshire St.
Tonight - Keely Zoo & Blemish
Tomorrow - The Stark Weathers, The Fugitive
Kind
Saturday, Silver Torque Devil, Hallertau Trail
Saturday - Silver Tongue Devils, Hellcat Trio
Gusto's
925 Iowa St.
Tonight - Karaoke
Tomorrow and Saturday - The Willies
Wednesday - Comedy night
Henry T's Bar & Grill
Henry T's Bar & Grill
3520 W. Sixth St.
Karaoke everv Thursday night
Hockenburv Tavern
HOCKARARY FAMILY
1016 Massachusetts St.
Tonight - The Ebling Brothers
Tomorrow - Soulshaker
Saturday - Messengers
Sunday - Acoustic open mike
Jazzhaus
926 1/2 Massachusetts St.
Tonight - Chubby Carrier
Calendar continues Page 8.