even productions

p.o. box 18175, cleveland heights, ohio 44118 (216) 321-0692

THE GOOOOD SOUNDS OF BABA YAGA

On Friday evening, May 12th, Oven Productions once again provided the Cleveland community with a unique opportunity to experience women's culture-this time in the form of an all women's jazz band. Baba Yaga, a well-known west coast jazz group from Portland, Oregon, wove a mixture of jazz, Latin, jazz and rock ranging from hot dance numbers to jazz classics to Brazilian lullabies to tropical rhythmic rites.

They played convincingly for nearly four hours, proving to any of us who weren't already aware that women are certainly capable of proficient jazz musicianship.

The band displayed an impressive variety of instrumentation: piano, flute, trumpet, soprano, alto and tenor saxes, lead and bass guitars, drums, vocals, and an assortment of Latin percussion instru. ments.

'So often, top rate musicians will come together and produce great music as individuals (listen to MEEE) with a mediocre group product. Throughout the evening Baba Yaga demonstrated their ability. to play as one. In the first set, an original tune by guitarist Barb Galloway (showing Brubeck resemb lance) displayed each musician's proficiency (I was especially won over by the lyrical tenor sax and piano lines) as well as tight ensemble work. Parallel harmonies within their impressive ensemble tightness

were consistently exhibited through their performance. Baba Yaga's dedication to sharing their process around selecting and arranging material showed up in quality. Their collective energy was right there--you could see it, hear it, dance to it.

Lyric content, though not overall as impressive or influential as their instrumental abilities, was rarely second rate. The lyrics weren't sacrificed to musical line--the mark of a good songwriter/musician--they were one and the same. Too Cool To Be True was a fine example of lyrics and musical lines complementing each other; I especially liked the rich tenor sax lines, piano tapestry, and well-blended vocal harmonies. The lyrics also exhibited commendable social commentary: "...blow away the fear that keeps us so tied to a life we don't believe--lining pockets of rich white thieves. People it's time to take a look at who gets rich and who gets took." Winter in America, another original tune, spoke in chantlike melodies of the Native American Indian struggles and oppression that continue in this country. Later in the evening we heard a Brazilian prayer to the sea goddess Imojah with Latin lyrics and sparse wide harmonies, evolving into a tribal ostinato of heavy rhythms featuring BeBe K'Roche veteran Jake Lampert on her delicately tuned drums. Their original arrangement of Old Woman Song (popular-

ized by Ohio's own Lotta Crabtree) painted a picture of the independent, strong, and self-loving woman that I'm always able to anxious to identify with.

The audience responded well all night long to the carefully selected choice of material. The dance floor relaxed as people sat back and listened to tunes they recognized, including some standard jazz tunes (Billie Holiday, Miles Davis, Grover Washington). Then it buzzed with bodies moving to Ester Satterfield's Music and Laura Nyro's Money.

The crowd, though they dribbled in and dwindled down shortly before the end, was strong and enthu siastic during most of the 3 sets. Unfortunately, the turnout wasn't what it could or should have been. I'm always tempted to say (so I will) to those who didn't make it, "It's your loss." But the reality is, it isn't only yours. It's also Oven Productions' and Baba Yaga's. The jazz field, closed as it is to women, is not supportive. Someone else (the women's community, perhaps) has got to be for such a fine quality and unique idiom to survive. There is, of course, Baba Yaga's new album On the Edge (at Coventry Books), but even with the lights down and the heat turned on, you won't simulate the experience of a live Baba Yaga performance.

INTERVIEW WITH THERESE EDELL

The Saturday afternoon following the Edell-Tyson and Abod concert found Therese Edell and a friendly neighborhood interviewer talking together about Therese's music. Below is a summation of some of the questions and answers between an audience member (Q) and Therese(A):

Q: What was the genesis of the "Jennifer: Leah" song?

A: Leah is my sister. She's very straight; I learned that we really did have a lat in common. I wrote the song for her first, after she had the baby. The Jennifer piece came later. I used to do them separately, then the order came.

Q: Can you talk about the general process of songwriting?.

A: Either I'll be thinking about something, an issue, or I'll feel like I want to write. I start thinking in song lines, then I go to a verse, it depends. The lyrics come first. Once you choose, you get locked into a lyric. Your head goes into almost an altered state of consciousness. There is a connection between the intellectual, verbal stuff and your feeling stuff, it's almost chemical. It's nothing you can control or practice. It's been almost a year since I've written; I really miss that feeling. [In "Lou's Song"] by the time I got to that right ear line I was already locked in.... The lyric structure will suggest a melody and harmony. Sometimes I rework some lyrics [for different performances] such as in "Momma, Let Your Children Go."

Q: What recordings have you done and with

whom?...

A: Prophecy's Child and From Women's Faces, both with Sea Friends Records. "Jennifer: Leah, "Lou's Song," "Momma, Let Your Children Go,' and two Annie Dinerman songs, "Moonflower" and "Never Leave Your Lover Alone Again” are on From Women's Faces. Teresa Boykin and I are co-producers of Sea Friends Records.

Q: What is your performance background?

A: I have been performing since I was twelve years old (I am 28 now). I played the accardion and did Al Jolson in black face [in Sharon, Pennsylvan. ia]. When you start with that kind of premise you learn to defend yourself; so that's when I started my talking stuff. Then a couple of years ago I had trouble with my hands, when I was working with Lou Anderson. When I got back up on stage. I had a lack of self-confidence. It was a rebuilding process. I've come to rely on and enjoy the verbal communication as much as and more than the music.

Q: Could you discuss the performance aspects of your music? For example, rapport, your. feelings onstage....

A: When I did o concert with three other women in Cincinnati, I performed right after Cathy Wade and she knocked me out. I was so high I couldn't sing. "Momma" losted for fifteen minutes. Teresa [Boykin] canvinced me that timing is important during a set. I couldn't do "Momma' [a talking song] in a two-song set. I have to build to that. Teresa has on objective ear. It's the excitement of wanting to do the performance as best as I possibly can. I want to be there so much and do so well.. It takes me couple of songs to calm down; I'm so excited.

१

..Betsy Reeves

Q: You do seem to have a special way of communicating with the audience....

A: I have a lot of confidence. I have talent. I am good at what I do and I work hard at it.

Q: But you also seem to have humility...

A: I'm really glad to be there. I am so lucky be. cause my work is my life and my life is my work.

Q: Do you think there is competition between feminist performers?

A: I don't think the world has to have competition. [For example] I'm very appreciative of Annie's music.

Q: Can you live on the money you earn from your music?

A: I have lived on it for a couple of years, maybe five years. I have lived with women with straight jobs, and I have kept up my end of things. I perfarm two nights a week [in Cincinnati]. On Thursdays every week I give a small concert at Sublette's Winery. There are lats of lesbians and it surprises me how many men are there. I really like it. People are not there to get down on each other, but to hear the music. I also work at a pizza place [for the money]. I da lead sheets; I write up the music and the words. I teach vocal lessons, music theory ar and guitar. I only have two students now. I encourage students to come when they want a lesson.

Q: Yes, the weekly music lessons can be a torturous experience. (continued on page 12)

What She Wants/June, 1978/page 11