University of South Carolina Libraries
Blues r< By Ward Borden G?m?cock Staff Writer Though bluesmen may "call it stormy Monday," Wednesday and Thursday can be stormy too, as evidenced by the crisp performances of the Son Seals Blues Band at the Golden Spur Nov. 28 and 29. Frank "Son" Seals, blues guitarist vocalist, is head of the five-piece band from Chicago, which has released three albums receiving favorable reviews in Rolling done and Guitar Player magazines, among others. As his band warmed up the crowd at the beginning of each set Thursday night, Seals waited patiently offstage, hands in pockets leaning against the doorway, or answering questions from the crowd. A performer most of his life, Seals does not seem to let nervousness become part of his act. When ne stepped up on stage and played a couple of chords on his Guild Starfire, it was hard to believe that he started his musical career as a drummer. Seals is the thirteenth child of the late Jim Seals, owner of The Dipsy Doodle Club in Osceola, Arkansas, and a multi-talented musician who had toured with the famous Rabbit Foot Minstrels. Jim Seals drew some of the finest bluesmen anywhere to his club, and "Son" got to listen to the best while still in the cradle. Bv ace thirteen Seals was playing drums behind Robert Nighthawk. By age fifteen, however, Seals became increasingly interested in the guitar and by age eighteen he was playing guitar with his own band. He later went on the road with blues giants Earl Hooker and Albert King. Seals feels his background has given him an advantage over other new blues musicians in that he has lived the blues as well as olavine them. "I think it helDs if vou have experienced it. You know, you could be a good cook if I taught you...but you probably wouldn't be as good as me, if I originated the recipes," Seals said. Two years after moving to Chicago in 1971, Seals released his first album, The Son Seals Blues Band, on the Alligator label. He said he was surprised, when he got to Chicago, that musicians were playing blues similar to his own style. It was while playing in a Chicago club before he was discovered I _ r._? i - r a. i a f * if uy a iriena or me presiaeni 01 Alligator Records. The friend called the president , let him listen to Seals performance over the Fogelberg cor on his newes By Michael Gooding Dan Fogelberg has yet to release a disa album. He tends to improve with every records, but to continue this trend follov classics as Netherlands and Twin Sons of Mothers, one would have to expect nothing 1 miracle. Yet, Fogelberg has once more pi work consistant with such elevated and 1 dards. On his latest release, Phoenix, Fogelberg is a masterfull musician who specializes ii His contribution to the album is almost eluding all background and lead vocals, al and lead guitars, slide guitar, percussion, synthesizer, antique ankle bells, electric am pianosv and bass guitar. Fogelberg comb talents with intriguing melodies and arrang arrive at a complex, but easy listening albui On Phoenix, Fogelberg continued his providing an instrumental tune as his albi with "Tullamore Dew,'' a melodious guitai song that ushers in the title track. "Phoenix" is another of Fogelberg's esc love songs, reminiscent of the sound he ac the Netherlands album. The chorus pi pleasing rhythm guitar, coupled with seductive vocals. The next track, "Gypsy Wind," is one o incnirind mifrc nn tho alKum hut /l/mc nttli 111^) VMUJ VII VIIV MIMUllly MUL UWO Ullll tasteful acoustic lead guitar. "The Last To Know" is another song i Fogelberg's fondness of broken heart lyric melody holds the listener's attention bee direction of each line is totally unexpec classical lead guitar following the second exceptional, proving Fogelberg is still one ol under-rated guitarist in the music industry. The last cut on side one is Fogelberg's sal anti-nuclear movement. The lyrics in "i Fire" are socially and politically oriented, in this area, and speak of the corruption v oots run ittSBmm W V9 W-- flB lE^^fcslr' f m ^iH^^r^*''*' *R^ps IlillBF "SBkV ^mmMmrn t /^jH Guitari phone and a week later the president came | Hin hor infl tii?w ^^A c 1 ? vv? VIiv MUt Uliu MOIVV^U 111111 IW 1 CVUi U. OCClld confessed, "There's nobody I admire more than Albert King," and added, "I had to develop my own style when we started recording. If everybody sounded alike, you'd only need one guitar." That style exhibited by Seals is unique. Though he blends the traits of many of the famous guitar players he learned from, the final mosaic is all his own. His drumming oacKgrouna is eviaem Decause regardless of how far his leads go into the abstract or uncoventional, he never loses the bass lines to the song. The control he exercises over energy, intensity, and pace, as well as his rapport with the crowd, quickly establish him as a professional. .X! 1 mnues upward t release 'Pho nuclear industry. The song centers Island incident, and provides philosophical direction when he rei ippointing "These men are under the power album he back memories of his hit from Twi ving such Mothers, this song is rock n' roll in utjjerent the phrase, and will probably b* ess then a tention and radio play. roduced a ofty stan- "Wishing on the Moon" is anotl rock tunes, and a good opener f Fogelberg doing a tasteful and m proves he job on slide guitar, the song ends u n melody. down that provides a smooth trans total, in- track, "Heart Hotels." 1 acoustic The orchestral arrangements i ProDhet 5 reminds thp listpnor nf thrvco ; d acoustic Netherlands, but the song quickly I >ines these segment that is nothing like Fogell ements to before. n. In "Longer", the vocals are tr< trend of lyrics are somewhat trite. "Lon urns intro been fishes in the ocean, higher t r oriented flew, longer than ther've been heavens, I've been in love with yoi anc frnm 1 urine fliof nrmri -?c w-?- ajuw UIUV pi VV1UC LUC AldlCUUI WI hieved on the vocals take up where the lyrics ovides a "Beggars Game" is another p( equally album, with lyrics that easily ma "Longer". The song has some stroi f the less is highly emotional, but is at tir ze a very produced. The orchestral arrange tend to get in the way of the music, ndicating the album's better tracks. s, but the The album clsoes with a song pei ;uase the Fogelberg, and may prove to be on :ted. The on the album. Drovidini? a nire Hrvsi chorus is it slowly fades out. f the most Fogelberg is one of the few r< artists who is also capable of appe ute to the listener. He doesn't seem to writ Face the having a hit single, he writes for tl l:-. J.I?A ins ueoui and continues to be a very person* within the artist. deep fo H PHI S ^ ^ / s^ry |s7/Vfar/r Weaver and 'Son' Seat play the b/i Most of the songs played by Seals and his i band in the Golden Spur were originals. 5 "I've been writing songs all my life," said s Seals. His lyrics deal with the usual blues p subjects such as hard drinking, hard women t and hard times, but the music itself is anything but usual. Though certain blues conventions were recognizable, the music c was strong and upbeat, with quick changes s of pace and a prevalent bass. As opposed to c the slow "Rap-a-tap" rhythm of some blues n artists, Seals's music was catchy and i pervasive. His music captured the crowded \ room nearly as well as loud rock n' roll. f Each of the musicians in the band got the c opportunity to take a lead sometime during v the night. Rhythm guirarist Mark Weaver r did some good picking of his own, and spiral PI11V Vertamae Grosvenor, m actress from South Care Wednesday, Dec. 5 in Gar on the Three Mile The lecture is part of tl insight into his the USC Black Faculty an terates the words, A native of the South C of gold." Bringing an associated editor of n Sons of Different commentary for the Wa; the truest sense of Chicago Tribune. e given much at- A culinary anthropolog Travel Notes of a Geecht communities of low count ler of Fogelberg's She is also the author or side two. With comment on the occupatii ore than adequate autobiography. f'ith a slow winding Grosvenor has been ai sition into the next across the country and is She is at work on another I n "Heart Hotels" i the title cut of An exhibition of printed breaks into a jazzy December in the mezzanii >erg has ever done The free book exhibit s written to printed style* i jmendous, but the their reliance on the \i ger than there've manuscript books, han any bird ever The display presents fe aims up in me title page, printed illustrs j." Not the kind of century woodcut illustr; th revelations, but woodcuts and two printen leave off. Several kinds of book t )tential hit on the library of Henry VIII anc ke up for those in printed book, the Gutenbe ig guitar rifts, and The Cooper Library nes slightly over- Saturday, 8-5, and Sunday irnents sometimes but it is still one of USC choirs, bands and rformed totally by Christmas "gift" to the c e of the best songs popular yuletide traditU ng to the album as Festival Friday, Dec. 7 at Host fnr (hp fpctivitioc WIS-TV personality Joe P emaining musical Beginning the evening baling to the top 40 "Overture" arrangement ;e for the sake of and Baton Twirlers. le sake of writing, The audience will partic il and successfull well known melodies in4'C Free parking is availab r Seals jKk rn$ 'MHHH B?*> ' ?j J / ! / / *' 1 k: ;#s - -i Wi 3^$ J0S. )layed a very active backup for Seals. Snapper Mitchun played a hot bass that kept tn addictive beat. King Soloman Jenkins on >iano and David Anson on drums also urned in solid performances. After his concert in the Spur, Seals had >ne more engagement in South Carolina. He ;aid his band would go to Chicago for four lays and then appear in Nashville, Knox.:ll~ 1 ? ! ill- r. 1- ? * ' * 'me, ctnu Liuuisviue. aucn a scneauie lakes ts toll according to Seals, and he said the )lace where he is playing makes a diference also. Seals said, "Sometimes we're i little down. In a club (as opposed to a :ollege stage), we have more of a chance to vin the crowd over during the course of the light, even if we start a little slow." "Son" Seals is anything but dim. ISBKSSSBSB^HBH an internationally known black writer and >lina, will deliver a free public lecture at 8, nbrell Hall auditroium at USC. le Black Scholar Lecture Series sponsored by id Staff Association. arolina low country, Grosvenor has served as Essence magazine and has written social shington Post, the New York Times, and the ;ist, she is the author of Vibration Cooking, or t Girl, which deals with food customs in black ry South Carolina. of Thursday and Every Other Sunday Off, a on of black house maids, and has published an i actress and writer for theatre productions i developing a black soap opera in New York, book, The Folk History of Beaufort County. books from 1450 to 1550 are on display through ne of Thomas Cooper Library at USC. hows the development of printing from handn icAn m..:J ? - ? 11 .... ? uuuui uuu. rjviuem in ine prinieo dooks is lyout and decoration styles of the earlier atures unique to the printed book, such as the itions and printer's trademarks. An early 16th ation of a printing shop, two 15th-century 5' trademarks are included. >indings are on view, including ones from the I Katherine of Aragon. A facsimile of the first rg Bible, is also represented. is open Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-midnight; 1-midnight. dancers will provide the University's annual ampus and community in what has become a in fnr PnlnmKin ? /r~11?-- * ** ' >.i .?* wiwiiiMia, in me Vsiinsunas iviusic 8 in the Carolina Coliseum. will be USC President JameS B. Holderman. inner will be master of ceremonies. will be USC music professor Kick Goodwin's ; with the USC Band, Coquette Dance Corps npate in a sing-along with the band on several Christmas in Song." le in coliseum lots.