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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 1, 1987)
Arts & Entertainments v.»‘ - - ■i—Biii ■■■llllll'ii'Ml H llllililll gets boosted by new-age movement Chip Davis of Mannheim Steamroller Courtesy American Gramaphone By Charles Lieurance Senior Editor In 1976, Omahan Chip Davis received the Country Music Writer of the Year award for composing the music for C.W. McCall’s hit song “Convoy” and writ ing the musical score for the film of the same name. In 1985, Mannheim Steamroller founder Chip Davis received a Grammy Award nomination for the Fresh Aire Christmas album, portions of which will highlight four nights of Mannheim Steamroller performances at Omaha’s Orphcum Theatre on Dec. 22, 23, 26 and 27. If this sounds like a “which of these things is not like the other” quiz on Sesame Street, it’s probably because Davis’ 15-year recording career has run a versatile and eclectic musical gamut. Davis also founded of the preslig i ious independent recording label American Gramaphone, and com posed TV music for the 1984 Olympics and radio music for an NBC Radio Network Bicentennial special in 1976. Although long regarded as one of the founding fathers of new age’s grassroots conquest of a lucrative musical market, Davis said he’s am bivalent about applying the label “new age” to Mannheim Steamroller’s music. “Being called one of the founders of new age is neat in some ways, but I’m not sure if it really applies to Concert Preview Mannheim Steamroller’s Fresh Aire releases,” Davis said. “New age has the rapof being spaccy and wandering in form, and Mannheim Steamroller’s music is very classically structured.” But with the advent of success ful new-age record stores and popular new-age racks in conventional record stores, Mannheim Steamroller has profited from the trend. “New age has had tremendous impact on our record sales,” Davis said. “We didn’t really fit into a cate gory before — our compact discs might be in the classical rack at the record store, our cassettes under rock and our LPs under easy listening — which, as you know, is sales death.” Davis said the success of new age and fusion stations like The Breeze in Minneapolis and The Wave in Los Angeles has also played an integral part in giving the Omaha-based group a solid base of fans around the nation and making the first Mannheim Steamroller Christ mas album come up just slightly short of platinum in year-end sales. Record reviewers have classified the Mannheim Steamroller sound as everything from “bubblegum Bach” to “new classical genius,” but Davis said hisown view of the music is much simpler. “It’s just meant to be enjoyed by those who enjoy it. It’s very unassum ing,” he said. “The structures arc clas sical, but even in classical structures there are a variety of forms, styles and rhythms. I consider classical music sort of an architectural model for the music, but from a rhythm standpoint I also sec elements of Toto and Super tramp in die compositions." Abroad, Mannheim Steamroller releases arc marketed the way they were first marketed in the United States — as expensive high-fidelity demonstration albums. Davis said a distribution deal is in the works for European distribution of the Fresh Aire albums. Mannheim Steamroller’s Orpheum Theatre Christmas shows have be come an Omaha tradition, and Davis said he is glad hometown support of the music is still strong. “I look forward to these Christmas shows all year,” Davis said. “They usually sell out for every show. “The Orpheum is kind of home base,” he said. The Orpheum show will in elude a high-tech visual dis play as well as crystal-clear sound, Davis said. The concert is billed as an “Electronic Fantasy” and will include selections from the six Fresh Aire LPs as well as popular Christmas selections. Performances will be at 8 p.m. on Dec. 22 and 23. Shows on Dec. 26 will be at 2 and 8 p.m. and on Dec. 27 at 2 and 7 p.m. Tickets cost $17.50, $15.50 and $13.50, and can be purchased at YounkcrsTickctCcntcrs.TIXand the Civic Auditorium Box Office. Shorts Saxman Snidero plays tomorrow Jazz saxophonist Jim Snidero will perform with the University of Ncbraska-Lincoln Jazz Ensemble I during the band’s performance at 8 p.m. Wednesday in Kimball Hall. Snidero studied at North Texas Stale University, where he per formed with the university’s top jazz ensemble, the One O’clock Band, and toured the United States and Europe with the group. He is now touring the United States and around the world with his own jazz group. Snidero is also known as an Look Forward To 99* Wednesday At ‘Ml'MgL'ES WEDNESDAYS, 8 pm-12 am f VERYTHING IN THE HOUSE JUST 99 CENTS c\ i t moans. . .99 cent pitchers H J 99 cent imports J < t blended drinks ^ ^ ‘ . >' < " ie * c ream drinks CMA<J\ (] If NO COVER! ^ nth a* r ' -* — — — — — — — — — —_ IJNL DAIRY STORE BANANA SPLIT SUNDAES I 2 FOR $1.50 K\. liss. 3 scoops of vanilla icecream in a waffle I I Arnihnu^iMonsi,,.,",cono dish With a banana lopped with | I si.,,, I'.ukmn i..iiikI in Hi.' Stiawberry,chocolate,pineapple, whip | I I'Hsi ni i hr Uaiiv si on1 ped cream, nuts and a cherry. . lues., Weil. 2, Tliurs. 3 City Campus East Campus 2:30-3:30 & 7:30-9:30 2:30-4:30 ——————————-cui’THIscoupon-——————————— experienced jazz educator and has taught numerous workshops for high school and college programs. With Snideroas soloist, the jazz ensemble will play two pieces by jazz composer Toshiko Akiyoshi, “Road Time Shuffle” and “Warn ing, Success Can Be Hazardous to Your Health.” The concert is free to the public. Early music show Saturday Collegium Musicum, the early music ensemble of the University of Ncbraska-Lincoln School of Music, will perform al X p.m. Sat urday in St. Mark’s-On-The-Cam pus Episcopal Church. I he concert will include per formances using early English instruments such as recorders, under the direction of Sandy Rhein, and viols, under the direc tion ol Priscilla Parson, will be used in the concert. The music includes two lute pieces by l)ow land and five pieces of Henry Purcell's “Abdeia/ar” for record ers. The vocal concert, directed by Pamela Starr, will perform “Adieu Sweet Amaryllis” and other songs from the Golden Age of Elizabeth I and James I. Featured soloists will include Clifford Bettis, lute; Steve York and Traci Tornquist, voice; and Sieve Bobst, recorder. The concert is free to the public. Vocal, chamber shows presented The University Women’s Cho rale and the Varsity Men’s Glee Club will perform at 8 p.m. Sunday in Kimball Recital Hall. The concert is one of three fea turing music performed or written by students in the University of Nebraska-Lincoln School of Mu sic. A concert featuring works by student composers will be today at 8 p.m. in Westbrook Music Build ing. The Student Chamber En scmblc will present a concert at 8 p.m. Thursday in Westbrook. The chamber music program will be directed by Professor Arnold Schalz. The Women’s Chorale is di rected by Professor Carolcc Curtright, and the Glee Club is directed by Professor Raymond Miller. The Glee Club’s selections will include contemporary, folk and show music, including selections from “Paint Your Wagon.” The Women’s Chorale will be joined by the Lincoln Southeast High School girls ensemble, Chansonnicrc, under the direction of Julie McIntyre, to perform Benjamin Britten’s “Ceremony of • Carols.” Each concert is open to the public and free. UNL Singers to celebrate anniversaries with concert I he University ol Nebraska Lincoln Singers, under the direc tion of James Hcjduk, will present a concert at 3 p.m, Sunday in Kimball Recital Hall. Hcjduk isa visiting professor of music at UNI. this semester. The group’s program will fea ture music by Josquin dcs Prez, Henry Purcell and, in celebration ol the 35()lh anniversary of Diet rich Buxtehude and the 4(X)th anniversary ol Samuel Scheidt, the ensemble will perform Buxtehude’s Christmas cantata, “Beliehl dein lingel” with string accompaniment, and SchcidtVIn Dulci Jubilo’’ lor double choir and trumpets. The concert is free to the public.