Word: soule
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Dates: during 1980-1989
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Gershwin was never entirely comfortable in the high-toned world of "serious" art. But Robbins is; his sense of structure-of how to hold a multimovement piece together-is stronger and surer. Against an art deco backdrop with a huge "G," Robbins enshrines the soul of Gershwin's piano in four crisply moving soloists, led by the technically dazzling, ebullient Darci Kistler. He impersonates the orchestra with a corps of 24 dancers-a dozen of each sex-and follows the episodes of the music as if he were charting a graph. Yet, where Gershwin's music ultimately degenerates...
...Rolling Stones, the Who by swapping individuality for corporate style: heavy guitar chords and sappy strings, music by rote, lyrics by reflex. Says one major record executive: "In the 1960s, commercialism and the heart of rock were pretty much the same. In 1982 the commercial center and the soul of the music are different. It's no accident that these bland, faceless groups with no defined image, no personality, no boldness have the largest-selling albums. They're the easiest to sell...
...results of radio stations' demographic polls can be racist, in fact if not in intent. With some crossover exceptions like Michael Jackson and the Commodores, the place to hear black music on American radio now is either soul or oldies stations. And they play even less white music on black radio. Says Jon Landau, the onetime rock critic who now manages Bruce Springsteen: "The cross-fertilization between black music and white music that created rock has greatly diminished." But, argues Atlantic Records Chairman Ahmet Ertegun, "radio doesn't play according to what its prejudices are. Radio plays according...
Jerry Wexler, Ertegun's former partner who helped produce some of the best soul sides ever cut, offers a more sweeping reason for the languishing rock culture. Contrary to the shared assumptions of the Woodstock generation, he insists, "rock isn't the best possible tool for insulting your parents or establishing the fact that you are a free person. Kids are too cool for that now." Certainly the music is cool, not in Wexler's hipster sense, but in mean degrees. A go-for-broke performer-someone who, like Springsteen or Pete Townshend, has the temerity...
...bingo. Di proved lucky, walking off with a set of plastic spoons and forks, just the thing for the next royal picnic. Charles won nothing. During the 90-minute visit, Diana demonstrated her concern for the family budget. Told that tickets for a local disco night of reggae and soul music were going for $3.78, she mentioned that the price was steep. Informed that she could come as a guest, Di took the free tickets, smiled impishly and declared: "I might just turn...