European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 10, 1977, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Tuesday May 10, 1977 the stars and stripes no Emoiy Oit Wert music in Mack and White by John Rockwell new York times k Here was a time just a few years ago when we could live under the illusion that american popular music was on the Way to obliterating racial boundaries. In the 1960sthere was a whole Host of artists Black and White who appealed both in record Sale Sand concert appearances to audiences of both races. Since Black music was so demons Ray at the Root of popular White music it was easy to extrapolate and say that one Day soon stylistic Walls would crumble altogether and that we would simply have one american popular music. Well that one Day soon is now and the Walls Are still there. Not that Commerce does t take place Over them Whites Are still influenced by Blacks and sometimes Blacks by Whites. But today it is still very possible to speak of Black popular music and to mean something recognizably different from White popular music. It Ere Are obvious reasons for this separateness. Increased Black consciousness has Ted to a sense within the Black Community that it is More honorable to speak to Blacks than to sell out to Whites. Even with the recession Blacks seem better Able to support Black artists from within the Black Community As the exactly analogous Case of the new wave of Black films  Are enough Blacks and their buying Power is hefty enough to form a self contained Market at the same time violence or the threat of violence often racially directed has discouraged White attendance at massive Arena concerts by Black artists. Today Only Stevie wonder can be said to Appeal to a genuinely integrated concert audience. Whites still buy a sex of records by the top Black groups but it s largely Anam radio dance entertainment phenomenon. The White pm audiences the kind who look to popular music to fulfil deeper emotional needs feel Cut off from the musical idioms and psychological concerns of most Black artists. This division is not necessarily bad. Certainly one welcomes the self containment of Black music insofar As it represents a genuine assertion of Black cultural identity As opposed to a forced isolation from the White american mainstream. But after listening through 20 recent albums of Black popular music one realizes All the More strongly what both Blacks and Whites Are missing from this Lack of Mutual musical Contact. T of much White music today seems Cut off from the vitality that it has derived in the past from Black inspiration. Whites today tend too often to be postal dts when incomes to Black music avidly recycling 1960s rhythm and blues even As the denounce the formulas of 1970s disco. At the same time Blacks suffer from a failure to absorb As comprehensively As they might the variety of White popular music from Punk Rock to electronic Progress visa. The Black Market would appear to be extremely conservative tied to a few familiar conventions and resistant even to what one might think would be an obvious innovation like reggae. Of course some Black musicians remain eager experimenters out they Are confined largely to jazz and the various Cross Over experiments taking place within that marginal commercial realm. The dominant stylistic characteristic of present Day Mack popular music is the sort of hard driving Funky sometimes syncopated beat that we think of As  the Best Way to discuss the 20 records in this Survey is to Divide them into various categories that express their relationship to the disco mainstream. First we have honoured veterans fro the 1960s who won their reputations in an earlier Era and who now have to come to terms with the new sounds. Al Green who digs his toes timidly into the disco Stream but remains basically a soul stylist is the most successful. His have a Good time album captures his Reedy timbre and remarkable rhythmic vitality As Well As any disc he Smade in years. Smoky Robinson s deep in my soul will disappoint those who value his great talents As a songwriter since this is a recital of others material. But he is also a wonderful Singer and the erotic intensity of his High cooing mixed and overdubbed with strings and echoes of himself can be exquisite. Less successful is Gladys Knight still buoyant and refreshing in live performance whose still together finds her mixed anonymously into a too conventional disco background. It the Core of the modern Day disco repertory and the source of Black music most successful acts is the kind of Basic disco espoused by male groups. Some of these go Back to Long before disco like the spinners whose yesterday today tomorrow is about assiduously Classy an instance of this style imaginable full of Catchy rhythmic background and smoothly flowing vocals above it. The tramps Are More fully identified with a 1970s sound and their disco in Erno is about the finest of the recent Black dance records. On a slightly lower if still massively popular level Are disc by the Ohio players the commodores and the manhattans. The Ohio players famed for their sexy sexist with ballads and Middle of the Road romanticism and make up in accessible prof ency what they Lack in individuality. The manhattans Are closest to Barr White s kind of pathos full of avuncular cavernous voice overs that almost invariably begin hey.  people who Don t respond to disco dismiss it All As formula schlock but they fail to recognize that it in t formulas that define bad popular music the greatest songs of the past 20 years have epitomized or extended formulas after All that s the essence of the Art. What makes bad music is bored perfunctory cynical unimaginative exploitation of formulas. And so just that we can establish some standards in the judgment of disco we should mention the new records of Gloria Gaynor Gloriot and George Mccrae Diamond touch. Both singers have had hits in recent years and worthily so. But Here they sound tired and Boring almost beyond belief. In Mccrae s Case it s perhaps because he is deprived of the song writing and producing talents of pc and the Sunshine band who were responsible for his Rock your baby. To this taste disco records get More interesting when they begin to allow for outside influences. Both the Isley Brothers i who Date Back forever but who were invigorated a few years ago when some new Brothers joined the band and Graham Central station a spinoff f from sly and the family Stone but Long since established on their own mix in signatures of Basic White Rock. In the Isles co for your gum the Rock comes mainly from Ernie Iciey s stinging guitar solos. Wit Graham Central station s now do you wanta dance the Rock influence is More pervasive principally a kind of grinding tight massed guitar sound reminiscent of heavy Metal bands like bad company or fog hat. Since those groups in turn rely heavily on rhythm and blues one sees that the question of Mutual influences can become Complex. Or Poge 19 conducted by a. King Cager travel writer summer fun in Garmisch situated in a Beautiful River Valley in the heart of the bavarian Alps the armed forces recreation Center at Garmisch offers a summer Paradise of scenery and sports. The town of Garmisch Parten Kirchen is located 60 Miles South of Munich and 35 Miles North of Innsbruck , Tennis Golf kayaking camping sightseeing Tours and an Active nightlife Are just some of the attractions of arc Garmisch. The Majestic scenery of the Alps surrounding the Village and the abundance of forests and lakes make Garmisch the most popular of arc s  hotels Holiday apartments and an arc Camp ground with accommodations for a total of 1.300 guests Are available in Garmisch. Nursery service is offered at the general Abrams hotel and near the Sheridan Plaza hotel. Room costs per person Are based on rank and Type of accommodations chosen and Range from $3-$8 per arc Campground with seventy Sites has a Flat fee of $4 per site per night. Campground facilities include washrooms hot showers a laundry room Tennis courts Campstone snack bar and lounge. Eight of the 70 Sites also have electrical  reservations in Garmisch Call or write the arc billeting office Apo 09053. Tel. 2s35 557 or 757 up to 90 Days in Advance of your planned arrival Date. On the sports scene Garmisch features Tennis weeks and Golf weeks from May 8 through sept. 30. Tennis Golf weeks Are five Day monday through Friday programs of instruction and play designed for All players from beginners to experts. Courses Cost to which includes Les sons court or greens fees equipment rental clubhouse party swimming party and graduation banquet. For package plan with accommodations for six nights the Cost is $87 for adults and 89 for children under 13 for room with Bath or $78 adults and 168 children for room without private Bath. Accommodations will be at the general Abrams hotel which has two Tennis courts and a Nursery on the hotel grounds. Want to try something different How about going kayaking for a Day orenday courses in kayaking on the Garmisch lakes and Rivers teach you the basics of this exciting White water sport. Courses 8 per Day. Or take a hike up the dogs pile Germany s highest Mountain at 9.633 feet. One and two Day hiking Tours led by experienced Mountain guides Are offered seven Days week. Climb the Zug Spitze Alp Sultze. Krame Spitze. Or travel to Austria with arc to climb the Daniel. Austri a s Little  be sure to bring your hiking boots a warm sweater and a Small Backpack for All these hikes. Cost is j2.50 per Day. Other summer sports in Garmisch Are fishing in a Varia s cold Clear Mountain streams and bicycling through the peaceful Garmisch Valley sightseeing with arc Means full or half Day trips to Neuse Hanstein Castle the one Walt Disney copied for Disneyland and Linderhof Palace. King Ludwig ii of a Varia s personal Retreat to the Lively City of Munich to quaint Innsbruck Austria or to the breathtaking part Nach Gorge right in Garmisch. Tours Range in Cost Fromc-$6 for adults and f-4 Tor children. Special events this summer in Garmisch May 8 German american Golf tournament. June 3-5 Spring Tennis  6-11 Spring medal play Golf tournament. July 4-8 Midsummer match play Golf  8-10 Midsummer no tap Bowling Tournai  29-31 Midsummer Tennis tournament. July 30-aug 8 Garmisch folklore week & Beer . 12-14 summer Tennis doubles tournament. Aug. 13-22 Parten Kirchen folklore week & Beer . 15-18m-holc Golf classic. Sept. 23-25 fall Tennis tournament. Oct. 3-8 fall medal play Golf tournament. American top 10, according to billboard 1. When i he Vaa r a s4er1 sir Dum so Milf in a 1. Hour Ciliffo me full. Soulik no anti Glinc Mph la  Gitl ii re Gnu Clem Blue Bindt. Bignel Tim of tin  juju Ftp it incl 1 so in to you Atlanta ref Tom Section pm Roor Boogie a i . 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