Bluegrass musicians entertain
with traditional, balanced style
In the late'30s and eariy '40s, bluegrass music
first began to seep out of the Appalachians and
Ozarks, spreading slowly across the country,
building a small but appreciative audience.
In the forefront was premier showman Bill
Monroe, who, with his Bluegrass Boys, spread the
gospel of the hills throughout the land. Also
present at the creation were the Stanley
Brothers, Carter and Ralph, who hailed from the
hills of southwestern Virginia. Masters of the
guitar and five-string banjo, respectively, the
brothers with their group, the .Clinch Mountain
Boys, specialized in a balanced, non-flashy style
laced with genuinely moving gospel hymns.
The sound of bluegrass has changed a lot since
then, especially in the last three or four years.
Scruggs-style banjo picking has gradually edged
out the older clawhammer style, instruments
have begun to sprout electronic pickups, and
dovid wore
OfTil!
some of the younger, less respectful guitar
players have taken to using (heresy!) finger picks
in place of the traditional flat plectra. The sound
has acquired more bass boost and treble bite,
while the vast, comfortable middle ranges have
somehow vanished.
Fine exhibition
This driving, amplified bluegrass has become
de rigeur for today's audeinces, and so I suspect
that a fair number were surprised by the
performance put on Friday night by Ralph
Stanley and his Clinch Mountain Boys in the East
Campus Union. Clad in neatly pressed suits and
ties, Stanley and the Boys provided a fine
exhibition of what traditional bluegrass music
can be.
Lacking brother Carter, who died in 1966, the
group has gone through many changes of
personnel since the '40s, but the emphasis has
remained the same: competence, balance, and a
genuine feeling for the music beyond simply
"getting in the swing of things". In addition, the
group managed to radiate an infectious spirit of
enjoyment that bears no trace of
self-consciousness.
Stanley is by no means a showy banjo picker,
allowing his sidemen ample opportunity to show
off their skills. He is an able Scruggs-style picker,
but also maintains his skill with the older
clawhammer technique, which he uses
effectively.
Group punctuator
Rather than make his sound a constant
irritation upon the ear, he instead serves as a
punctuator for the group, adding just the right
touch of spice when needed.
Center of attention for the evening was fiddler
Curly Rae Kline. Seemingly a born fiddler, he
kept the crowd in stitches with his clumsy but
high-spirited attempts at dancing.
Several slow, unaccompanied gospel songs
were included in the evening's selections. The
lack of perfect smoothness in the voices added to
the poignancy of the hymns, and served to
emphasise the strong links that connect
fundamentalist religion and hill music.
It i5 unfortunate that a few members of the
audience found themselves inspired to clap,
stamp their feet, and generally make nuisances of
themselves during one of these religious songs.
But, a few like these will be found in any crowd,
and I extend my thanks to those of the audience
who took it upon themselves to show these
noisome folk the error of their ways.
. Most vigorous response
The selection that drew the most vigorous
response from the audience was a marvelously
jumpy version of "The Orange Blossom Special."
The fiddling took the spotlight in this number,
providing both the chugging beat of the train and
its wrenching, drawing whistle note. Seldom is
the fiddle played with such a good effect, and
even less often does an audience support it so
well.
Stanley's concert was pure delight,
reservations about the audience aside, and the
Concerts Committee deserve a double round of
thanks, for having brought Stanley here, and
secondly for having kept the price of admission
down to a dollar. Seldom is so much enjoyed by
so many at such a reasonable price.
Harpist,
brass
quintet
to play
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35th & iioldrogo
487-3811
CLOSED MOKDAY
70th Van Do
483-2611
CLOSED TUESDAY
OURS:
Sunday Thursday 4pm-M!dnight
Friday 4pm-12:30am
Saturday 4pm-1:00
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Two unusual compositions for harp and brass quintet will
highlight the Nebraska Brass Quintet concert 8 p.m. Tuesday in
Kimball Recital Hall.
Guest harp soloist, Janice Dunkley, will perform "Music for
Scrimshaw," three pieces by William Schmidt and a concertino by
Rayner Brown with the quintet.
Dunkley, who teaches harp at the University of Nebraska at
Omaha, has performed with the New York City Ballet, Paramount
Studios and several symphonies.
The Brass Quintet comprises music faculty members Dennis
Schneider, David Kappy and Vernon Forbes and advanced students
Steve Erickson and William Buntain.
Buntain arranged the opening number on the program,
DeWacrt's "Vezossi Angelli." The quintet also will perform works
by John Wilby, William Walton, Giovanni Gabrielli and Coperario.
Prof. Quentin Faulkner will play the organ for the quintet's first
use of organ and brass instruments.
f -"TV .7
These Chicago Odes want you
to meet a vary nice lady"!!
Festival Rock Concert
extra guest stars
State Basketball Tournament Special
SAT. LIAR. 15 at 8 PU
Purchase tickets in advance $4.00 at Dirt Cheap
records, Student Union, Ben Simons Down
town, Gateway, Omaha Westroads, Miller &
Paine Downtown Gateway. Daisy Lincoln -Omaha.
Homers Old Town - Plaza. Auditorium
Boxoffice
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from flaw York City
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(SLID ALL I! ALL
11th a Fs Streets
Tue$., Mar. 18 8 p.m.
'!! THREE SISTERS
by Anton Chekhov
A unique and controversial
production. Chekhov with
humor and laughter.
Wed. Mar 19 2:30 & 8 p.rn.Tues. Mar. 25 8 p.m.
THE TIDE OF YOUR LIFE
by William Saroyan
Gleeful, hearbreaking, tender and hilarious
Wed. Mar. 26 8 p.m.
SII STOOPS TO COCQUER
by Oliver Goldsmith
Has kept audiences laughing for 200 years.
TICKETS:
Kimball Box Office Room 113 Music Bldg.
11th & R Stnwts 472-3375, 472-2506
UNL Students $2 Regular $3
This residency is supported in part by grants from tfo National
Endowment for the Arts, the Mid-America Art 'Alliance, end the
Nabrfeska Arts Council.
"'?naimi ii i
daily nebraskan
page 13
monday, march 10, 1975
