Slow spring
looms for CDs
■ Honeydogs'new release one of few bright
spots in a early season full of bad pop artists and
sophomore acts
BY ANDREW SHAW
Another season brings another slew of album
releases by major artists including Dave Matthews
andRun-D.M.C.
But the spring pickings seem awful slim. After a
cascade of consumer-ready holiday releases, the
early 2001 line-up is filled with sophomore albums
from recent pop stars, which may exhibit newfound
talents but will more likely prove that current pop
music is quite one-dimensional.
The parenthetic rating following each album
synopsis is what I would trade for the possession of
the particular album. like always, I'm just a writer,
not a role-model. If you like a band that I abhor, buy
the album and enjoy it at a low volume.
Jan. 9:
Ttaffic Soundtrack Score by Flea, the Red Hot
Chili Pepper, Cliff Martinez, an ex-Pepper, and
Herbie Hancock, an electronica-jazz mastermind
not associated with the Chili Peppers, until now,
that is. (I would trade my overdue parking tickets for
this album.)
Jan. 23:
Dracula 2000 Soundtrack Another soundtrack
courtesy Powerman 5000, Pantera, Static-X, and
other bands that sound just like them. (My copy of
the Godzilla 2000 Soundtrack)
Jennifer Lopez, “J. Lo:” For those who hadn’t
seen enough of her at the 2000 Grammy Awards. (I’ll
only buy it if she apologizes for “Anaconda”)
O-Town, “O-Ibwn:” The debut album from the
band created on TV’s “Making the Band.” (A dime to
each member so they can grab a warm cup of coffee
and remember when their show was 276th on the
Nielsens)
Jan. 30:
Honeydogs, “Here’s Luck” The first album of
2001 worth waiting for. Hie Honeydogs’ laid-back
groove is orchestrated rock at its finest (My album
collection of bands who try too hard to sound like
die Honeydogs do naturally)
Less Than Jake, “Greased:” Punk versions of
tunes from everyone’s favorite musical, “Grease.”
(My limited edition can of Danny Zuko pomade)
Feb. 6:
BS 2000, “Simply Mortified:” Second album
from the side project of Beastie Boy Ad Rock. (My
Body Count album, Ice-T’s “Cop Killer" side project)
Feb. 13:
Run-D.M.C., “Crown Royal:” Attempted come
back album featuring Kid Rock, Fred Durst,
Everlast, and more. (Even trade for Santana’s
“Supernatural”)
Michael Jackson, “Greatest Hits:” Watered
down version of "History” expected to get all those
Jackson fans excited for new material coming later
in 2001. (My replica sequined glove)
Feb. 20:
Eve, “Scorpion:” DMX’s “litde sister” comes out
with her second solo album. (I’d trade all the awk
ward memories from my sophomore year of high
school for her sophomore album)
Feb. 27:
Dave Matthews Band, “Everyday:” The much
delayed and anticipated album from the South
African frat-rocker. (A case of Miller High Life)
A*Teens, “Teen Spirit” The “A” stands for ABBA.
Even I can’t make up something that dumb. (My
blue polyester suit with the built-in sweaty chest
hair)
March 6:
Semisonic, “All About Chemistry:” Just when
you thought you had “Closing Time’s” three chords
out of your head... (The “repeat” button on my CD
player)
Mkrchl3:
Train, “Drop of Jupiter:” Rod Hotchkiss’s high
monotone yell in “Meet Virginia” drove me mad.
What other subtle torture could they have up their
sleeves? (A box of tissues minus two; one for each
ear) . • ]
Ozzy Osborne: Everything he touches seems to
turn to gold, except for that bat, of course. (A gift
certificate for one free shower at the Flying J
Truckstop)
March 20:
Aerosmith: Liviyier wasn’t in enough movies
lately, so the kings of cheesy soundtrack ballads are
releasing another album. (My “Get A Grip"-inspired
nipple ring)
Mandy Moore: More bubblegum pop to clog the
pipes of the music industry. (My dimples)
Ghostface Killah: TheWu-Tang member releas
es his third solo album. (Whatever it takes to keep
Aerosmith and Mandy Moore from debuting at
number one)
March 27:
Buckcherry, “Time Bomb:” "Come on. Yeah. I’m
on a place with cocaine and, yes, I’m all lit up again.”
What poetry will they release this time? (I'll buy the
album if the lead singer leaves his shirt on in the
next video)
I
Delan Lonowski/DN
Louie Armstrong played a key role in the genesis of the jazz music form, as will be chroni
cled in the documentary 'Jazz' starting today on NETV at 8 p.m.
Music fans look forward to
10-part series of Americana
BY SEAN MCCARTHY
rhe music that many beheve only
could have come out of America now
has a sprawling documentary to call its
own: Jazz.
Director Ken Burns, who turned
both America’s history ("The Civil War”)
and pastime (“Baseball”) into acclaimed
documentaries, now turns his attention
to music.
The documentary, appearing in 10
installations, will air on Nebraska ETV
Network and NETV2 throughout the
month of January. It begins tonight on
NETV at 8 p.m. The first installation,
“Gumbo,” features an overview of the
series and the beginning of jazz in New
Orleans.
To condense th^ history of jazz to a
modest 18-hour-documentaiy, 75 inter
views, 500 pieces of music, 2,400 still
photographs and more than 2,000 film
dips were used. Bums’ series spans from
the beginning of jazz in pre-Civil War
New Orleans to current jazz hybrids.
Dara Troutman, associate general
manager of communications at
Nebraska ETV Network, has tried to
incorporate the documentary with local
venues. The series has been promoted
heavily on Nebraska Public Radio, espe
cially during the station’s jazz programs.
Troutman said she hoped the program
would pull more people into the music
of jazz as well as get people to furthei
appreciate public radio and television.
"As with everything, our goal is edu
canon and enlightenment,” TYoutman
said, “If we can ignite a flame of interest,
maybe we accomplished our goal.”
Nationally, the documentary has
been heavily promoted. Starbucks
Coffee has been playing the series
soundtrack at its locations. PBS has also
advertised in major television slots and
most morning talk shows have done fea
tureson“Jazz.”
Tom Larson, instructor of Jazz
History, said he planned on following
the “Jazz” series closely. Larson, who has
written music for more than 50 docu
mentaries, said this documentary may
affect people differently than historic
documentaries such as “The Civil War.”
“(Music) strikes people so emotion
ally,” Larson said, “That’s what makes
the history of jazz so fascinating.”
Larson, who plays piano, said the
history of jazz was also the history of
American culture and history. One of the
most important accomplishments of
jazz was in area of race relations. Jazz
"As with everything, our
goal is education and
enlightenment. If we can
ignite a flame of interest,
maybe we accomplished
our goal.”
Dana Troutman
associate general manager at NETV
clubs, in particular, played a pivotal rote,
he said.
“It was safe and acceptable for blade
people and white people to co-mingle,”
Larson said, "People could professional
ly work together.”
Even if “Jazz” reaches a mass audl
ence, it will still be difficult for the genre
to shake some of the stigmas associated
with it, Larson said. Common stigmas
surrounding jazz include: the music is
difficult to listed to, it is for an didst audi
ence and younger listeners cannot relate
to it are all
“My parents have a connection with
jazz," Larson said, “When you play
Benny Goodman, they’re right there
That's their music ”
Jazz has woven its way mto contem
porary music so subtly, many don’t even
know how significant the music is to
other genres. Larson said there are many
similarities between jazz and rap music
“Rap music that came out of the
black community was a means ot
expression for that community,” Larson
said, “It was later co-opted by the white
community.”
“Jazz” has received mostly posmve
reviews. However, some have criticized
the documentary for not covering the
later period of jazz more thoroughly.
“It's easier to talk about the earliei
stuff,” Larson said.
The scene in Kansas Qty In 1930was
a fascinating story that needed be cov
ered in depth. In contrast, the last 20
years of jazz have not been that interest
ing,hesaid.
“There hasn't been one true jnnova
tor in the last 20 years,” Larson said.
Jim Williamson, who plays bass and
drums and is on the board of directors
for the Lincoln Musicians Association,
said the origins of jazz needed to be cov
ered more thoroughly than the othei
eras of jazz.
“People get confused today for what
we hear as jazz,” Williamson said
'Jazz'film complete, engrossing
BY SEAN MCCARTHY
Ken Burns wants his audience to
groove to jazz. And after watching the
entire documentary of “Jazz,” it is likely
your couch will inherit an even strongei
groove.
Through its first three episodes, “Jazz”
will have audiences glued to the televisioti
and will stand with Bums’ other accom
_ plishmentsof
Lewis and
- Clark,” “The
QvilWar” and "Baseball”
The first three episodes, “Gumbo,”
“The Gift” and “Our Language,” trace the
origins of jazz to the late 1920s, when the
popularity of jazz exploded. Like Bums’
other documentaries, “Jazz” has a neai
perfect mix of scholarly documentation
and Hi vial Pursuit-style fun facts.
Obviously, “Jazz” is meticulously
researched. In the first episode, “Gumbo,”
which airs tonight at 8 p.m. on NETV
Channel 13, the viewer gets a decent
overview of the series and, in an effortless
fashion, the documentary leads itself into
the earliest periods of jazz. In a fuzzy,
black and white cityscape overview, the
first words the listener hears is, “Jazz
music objectifies America.”
Purists and jazz scholars should
delight with the thorough coverage of the
origins of jazz. The call and response
motifs of gospel music and the embar
rassing aspects of the minstrel shows of
the mid 1800s is sewn before the earliest
jazz musicians sprout up in the second
episode. Bums thoroughly focuses on
ragtime and blues styles and how they
were brought together by horns
Arts and entertainment enthusiasts'
wjll no doubt drool over the drama of the
beginnings of jazz. Even the name of die
music genre has its seedy origin. In
“Gumbo,” the origin of the term “jazz” Is
explained as the slang term of a populai
jasmine perfume worn by prostitutes at
the time.
Ragtime, a populai music style m the
late 1800s, had a stigma surrounding it
that would dwarf the criticisms of rap,
heavy metal and rap metal combined
The documentary reads excerpts of com
ments by critics, suggesting fans of rag,
time be treated the same way a doctoi
would treat a patient with leprosy
The subject of race relations is a eiu
clal element of “Jazz.” And Bums wastes
no time confronting the tensions
between whites and blacks in the pie- and
post-Civil War era. Ironically, the racism ol
the Jim Crow laws helped bring togethei
non-white musicians and laid the foun
dation of what we know as jazz today. All
of this is covered in a fluid, smooth-flow
ing format that can appeal to both people
who watch “Masterpiece Theater” and
those who watch “Survivoi ”
It is hard to imagine “Jazz” will be able
to hold up the quality, interest and the
smooth flow of the first three episodes
when the music gdfes Into the pre and
post-World War n era. But so far, the first
three episodes rank up with some of the
best documentaries ever filmed
Uncommonly absorbing'Traffic'weaves impressive tale of drug war
BY SAMUEL MCKEWON
“The war on drugs has many ene
mies. Sometimes the enemy is your own
family. And I don’t know how you wage
war against your family.”
—Aline from the movie “TYaffic”
Which is why the war on drugs, like
the war on violence or the war on obesi
ty or any other social war, cannot be
won. More than statistics and money,
the war on drugs asks for an assault on
desires of human consumption, which
cannot be combated with any policy or
criminal punishment
1 he strongest part ot iramc, the
newest film from director Steven
Soderbergh and quite possibly the best
American movie in 2000, is how it lays
bare the nuances of human nature that
simply have no
T-_fT xxx a ~1 reasonable expla
iratnc XXkX nation. What
leads good to
bad? “Traffic” has no genuine answers,
nor does it solutions, but it shows a
wide canvas of what could sincerely be
called protagonists, all connected to the
word drugs in some way (whether it be
enforcement, sales, or use) lost in the
pursuit of some material or chemical
high.
If it isn’t drugs, it’s money or a
lifestyle one can’t give up. Faced with
hardship all her life, the beautiful, preg
nant wife (Catherine Zeta-Jones) of a
drug lord refuses to returh, using her
young son's golf putter as a sign of what
she has to lose. When her husband is
arrested, and faced with forfeiting his
entire fortune, the wife is again faced
with poverty. Just watch what she does
to prevent it.
In another story, an Ohio judge
(Michael Douglas) accepts a job as the
nation’s drug czar, and is immediately
faced with his own domestic crisis; his
honor student daughter, Caroline
(Erika Christensen) has fallen into drug
addiction with free base cocaine.
While the most interesting segment
involves a corrupt Mexican cop
(Benicio Del Toro) trying to walk the
fine line between death and profit, all
while battling his conscience, the key,
absorbing scenes occur with the fathei
and daughter in Ohio.
The screenplay, written by Stephen
Gagham, is adapted from a British
series by the same name, draws
Caroline as a character who falls hard
for drugs, in the way that few people, I
suspect, do.
bne cries, nteraily, tears ot joy, at me
thought of its use. She subjects heisefl
to whatever demand Is makes of hei,
sexually or financially. She represents
the ecstasy end of the spectium, and
rarely has it been captured so well, the
abject happiness crack makes hei feel
The lingering images of the film mostly
involve hei charactei, and hei
boyfriend Seth (Topher Grace) who rs
just smart enough to Justify the use ol
drugs as an escape from convention
There’s a scene at the end that stm
/ Please see TRAFFIC on 7