| OCR Text |
Show This Lady Can Sing The Blues Rory Block Hits Town April 14 One of the best blues guitarists alive today, Rory Block will appear in concert Saturday, Aprill4, 7 p.m. at the Ladies Literary Club, 850 E. South Temple. If the powers that be lack the cultural awareness to leave memorials to Robert Johnson's greatness, at least we have the mythology of his brief life, the long-fought-over photograph that Rolling Stone finally published a few years ago, a few meager articles, and the two Columbia LP's of his stark, emotionally galvanizing blues. There are also the recording of the disciples, especially Muddy Waters and Elmore James, who were so profoundly affected by his intensity. And there is Rory Block, a living landmark, the finest contemporary purveyor of the Mississippi Delta country blues tradition, of which Robert Johnson was the leading exponent. Block, whose mother and father were country singers, grew up in Greenwich Village during the folk boom of the early '60s. Her father operated a leather shop that was a gathering point for folkies, and, it is said, she once made a headband for Bob Dylan. But more importantly, Block learned acoustic blues guitar from some of the masters, formally from bluesy ragtime picker Reverend Gary Davis and by watching and playing along with the likes of Son 'Jne 'Jru.e Cou.n.try Sou.n.d: of Vel"n youn9 R.e&B£ lotclt..r KcGcls yo" WI." Wi.tclfi.ra Fl.re&Citt M.GU (l.~st.) lcena of the Crl.m• 'Too Otc£ to Dt.. yo"ncJ $cu;~ Sea.so" c~""IJCS yo" ~e 1'1.Btc£s J!Gv& 'T"rn.ec£ ~row" No LoncJ&I' G Swu~rt of M.l.na J!Gve"'t aot the R.I.CJht to Lov& yo" Wcaa.l.ncj M.y Lore£ Up CGtvGry Kut House, John Hurt, and Fred McDowell. At fifteen she ran away to Berkeley with guitar ace Stefan Grossman, with whom she later cut an instructional album the Kicking Mule label. Much then ensued, in the quest for pop stardom, including an altogether unsuccessful effort on the part of Chrysalis Records to promote her as a Disco star (she was so disgusted by the result that she threw in the hat for a spell.) Following her retirement into motherhood during the '70s, Rory, with guitar back in hand, released High Heeled Blues on Rounder records and has followed with five more highly acclaimed albums, culminated by 1986's House of Hearts, a set of original pieces in tribute to her son Thiele, who was killed in an auto accident at age twenty, which remains the most poignant and moving statement on the subject of death since Minnie Riperton's "Memory Lane." Guests like Stevie Wonder, Livingston Taylor, Taj Mahal, Rob Wasserman, John Sebastian, and the Persuasions have contributed to Block's Rounder efforts, but she goes it alone when performing on the folk circ_uit. And the records only hint at the power of her live performances. Whether bringing new life to Delta Blues classics or doing insightful, witty originals, Rory comes across in person as an emotionally and technically stunning singer and instrumentalist. Look for a feature article next month on this concert, if you want to know more about Rory and her upcoming show. And, remember, there are only 225 seats for this choice performance, so get your ticket early! Tickets will be available March 15 at the usual locations. - ·-------- l .i\ ~ \111\IC // ' ;') , / /.: .// ·"" ./ / - - / ' / / ////// . I!HOMfltiWii Available now at Smoky's Record Shop, 1515 So. 1500 E., SLC. roadside attracti~IJ 5195 Err1igr~tti o n Car.j·Pn Phone ) :~~ -1 SUJ 10 |
