The Indianapolis News from Indianapolis, Indiana • 17

B-4 THE INDIA NAP I NEWS Wednesday, December 2, 1992 lUOji til CDs enliven rare Gershwin player piano rolls 'We found the first Gershwin roll arrangement of his own tune. I just about flipped when we found out a collector had it. Others are very, very Artis Wodehouse Gershwin scholar "There were hundreds of dollars maybe thousands of dollars In phone calls. It was completely networking. One call led to another," Wodehouse said.

As an example of the previously-unheard Gershwin arrangements. Wodehouse played a 1917 version of "Pastime Rag No. 3" by ragtime artist Artie Matthews. Gershwin would often learn songs like this and redo them for the player piano, Wodehouse said. "He was playing whatever he heard.

He'd go in and cut a few rolls for the money," Wodehouse said. "That's what it was all about the money." ing and a version of the great American composer's work from the early 20th century pouring from the Disklavier. The piano seat sits empty as the music plays. The machine looks like a normal piano, save for the collection of 3'2-lnch floppy disks sitting above the keyboard. The new versions, based on the old rolls, were recorded at the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters in Manhattan.

How did Wodehouse locate the hard-to-find Gershwin rolls? She wore out her index finger making phone calls. "We found the first Gershwin roll arrangement of his own tune. I Just about flipped when we found out a collector had it. Others are very, very rare. I had to go to Australia for one.

It was a worldwide search." The process is complex, yet simple: The piano rolls are played with a computer attached, and a detailed program converts the music into files on a floppy disk. The disk is plugged into a 3-by-3-foot box attached to the Disklavier, a high-tech sort-of player piano which performs the tune. The result: a ghostly Gershwin melody, with the keys banging, the pedals pump By LARRY McSHANE The Associated Press NEW YORK George Gershwin's performances on player pianos many of them seldom-heard collector's items are coming to CD next year via a process that converts the fragile paper into cutting-edge technology. The new music, while not Gershwin himself, is what your typical TV pitchman would call "an incredible simulation." The 65 rarities, including an obscure ragtime tune debuted late last month, will fill at least two CDs when released in 1993. "In certain cases, there's only one of these in the world," Gershwin scholar Artis Wodehouse said of the yellowing player piano rolls.

Perry Como still croons 'Pirates' don't need their day jobs anymore for appreciative fans plane, among others, all took a too many, except in the (upper decks of) arenas. The people who come to see me can't get up there. They have to fly them in." He is an American institution whose rags-to-riches career coincided fortuitously with the birth of television and spanned years of national despair and promise. An ageless teddy bear of a man in a cardigan, Como's nice-guy image and easy way with a standard had wide appeal. The sheet-rock worker, the bobby-soxer and the millionaire all followed him on radio and television, flocked to his concerts and bought his albums more than 100 million of them.

Como was also the perfect host who, from 1955 until 1963, ushered In Saturday night on "The Perry Como Show." Many an early baby boomer remembers evenings spent with parents and friends munching burgers and watching the ever-mellow "Perry" In a cozy, weekly ritual. After his variety show was canceled in 1963, Como was host of "Kraft Music Hall" specials through 1967. From his first television series in 1948 until his last Christmas special in 1986. Como's guest list read like a history of American popular culture: Myr-na Loy, Judy Garland, John Wayne, Allen Sherman, Jack Nicklaus and the Jefferson Air By STEPHANIE SHAPIRO The Baltimore Sun At 80, Perry Como has distilled life to a leisurely essence: a little golf, a little TV, a nightly cocktail, lots of sleep and play with the grandchildren. If It weren't for the Perry Como Holiday Show his five-week concert tour began Sunday one could say he Is downright Idle these days.

But after 59 years in the business, Como also known as the "Bland Crooner," the "Barber of Civility," "Mr. Relaxation," "Mr. Is not about to retire. Having outlived every spoof of his ul-tracasual singing style (including SCTV's infamous send-up of a comatose Como singing "It's he still likes to hit the road once a year for a brisk East Coast tour as well as numerous charity events. "It's still fun for me.

I wouldn't do it if I was tired, but I get a kick out of it," Como says by phone from his home in Jupiter, Fla. As long as audiences turn out, Como is there to tranquilize them with greatest hits like "Temptation" and Christmas perennials like "Ave Maria." But if the crowds don't show, neither does Como. "I'm allergic to empty seats," he says. Of course, "There aren't bow on jomo siage. Unlike friendly rival Frank Sinatra, he has led a life that would not make a titillating television movie.

Como is no "Chairman of the Board" or even a member of the fabled board. And his life, so far, has been scandal-free. Sinatra "was just getting started at midnight and would go on till 6 in the morning," Como once told a reporter. "At midnight, I went home and went to bed." Just the same, his is a compelling story with its own mythic qualities. The seventh son of a seventh son, Pierino Roland Como's first calling was bartering in the mining town of Canonsburg, southwest of Pittsburgh.

But, when buddies pushed him on stage to sing for bandleader Freddy Carlone in 1933, his life took a legendary turn. Como spent three years touring with the Carlone band before a six-year stint with Ted Weems' orchestra. At that point, he thought about returning home to his barbershop and Roselle, his wife. It was not to be. After an offer to do his own radio show on CBS came in 1943, Como shelved his ambition to be the "best barber between Canonsburg and Cleveland" for good.

Cox Newi Service Pirates of the Mississippi steel guitarist Pat Severs has this advice for those who hope to make it big In country music: "First thing you have to do is sell everything you own, quit your jobs, move to Nashville and starve to death for a few years." Severs says this laughing, but is entirely serious. The Pirates, best known for their 1991 country hit "Feed Jake," all had steady day Jobs when they began playing together and had no intention of pursuing performing careers. Severs worked as a recording session musician, lead guitarist Rich Alves and lead vocalist Bill McCorvey were songwriters for a music publishing firm, drummer Jimmy Lowe was a computer programmer for an insurance company and bassist Dean Townson was a factory worker. "None of us were doing any live performing at all and we missed that, so we just started the band as kind of an alternative," Severs says. "Just something to do to have some fun get out and mess with our guitars and play in front of people and have a big time." Basement rehearsals and weekend gigs eventually led to an offer of a recording contract by a label executive who had seen the band live, although the reaction of the Pirates' friends and families is summed up in a song on their new release: "Don't Quit Your Day Job." "A lot of people told us that," Severs says.

Perry Como, 80, has just be gun his annual holiday tour. Along with the radio program came a recording contract with RCA, the label Como has remained with throughout his career. He has had 20 gold albums (out of 73) and 27 records on Billboard's Top 40 list between 1955 and 1973, including "Hot Diggity (Dog Ziggity Boom)," "Catch a Falling Star," "Till the End of Time" and "Dig You Later (A Hubba-Hubba-Hubba)." A member of the Academy of Television Arts Sciences Hall of Fame, he was also honored in 1987 at the 10th annual National Celebration of the Performing Arts. A big band and pop melody renaissance has led a new generation of listeners to Como. He sees them In the audience, and they know his songs.

"There's an awful lot of young people," Como says. "I put them on When I come in. 'This is not rock and (1 say.) They laugh and say, 'We know who you Lowe, the former computer programmer, for example, "was wearing the suit and tie every day and making really good money and kind of on his way up the ol' career ladder, and a lot of people told him: 'Man. you're crazy. You went back to school and worked real hard to get this, and now you're just going to give it all up and go out on the road with these guys?" Several of the band members, who "are married and have families and house payments and car Basement rehearsals and weekend gigs eventually led to an offer of a recording contract by a label executive who had seen the band live, although the reaction of the Pirates' friends and families is summed up in a song on their new release: 'Don't Quit Your Day payments and stuff like that," had to take pay cuts when they turned professional, Severs says.

"When you're getting a band started, even after you have an album out, you're not making any money. It was a long time before this thing started generating any money so there's a lot of truth to that song. "It's hard when you go tell your family: 'Listen, I'm gonna quit my Job and go out on the road with this band. We're not gonna make any money right away, but it's gonna be great, wait and Fortunately, things turned out fine with the Top 10 success of "Feed Jake," from the group's debut album, "Pirates of the Mississippi." The band, whose sound is as much Southern rock as it is country, has built a reputation on its rowdy live shows, released two more albums, "Walk the Plank" and "A Street Man Named Desire," charted another half-dozen Top 20 country singles and was named the Academy of Country Music's Top New Vocal Group in 1991. mm 1 MISTRESS (R) 7:00 LIGHT SLEEPER (R) 9:00 $3.75 ALL SHOWS BEFORE 6:00 P.M.

SHOW TIMES FOH TODAY ONLY. DENOTES DOLBY STEREO. PASSPORT TICKETS NOT ACCEPTED Danny Aiello, Robert De Nlro In MISTRESS FOR THESE FEATURES. 1 1 KiiiiiikM 697-0235 9SM E. WASHINGTON STREET i ii 1 1 1 rim i IMSS WatllriiaTOf! m-lWOil 0.5 Jl 4 SNO 13 Md (SNEAKERS (PQ13) 0.

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i deliriously imaginative piece of work." -Julie Satamon, WALL STREET JOURNAL PG fHOME ALONE (SCREEN 1 12:20 2:50 5:25 7:5010:10 PG tHOME ALONE I SCREEN 2) 1:00 3-20 5:45 8:15 PG A RIVER RUNS THROUGH IT V30 AM TOO PG UNDER SIEGE 12:45 3:10 5:30 7:45 10:00 ft JENNFERtl 204:407:159:40 A UIGHTr DUCKS 12:15 3:00 5:15 PG (MWrtMV 12 40 3 10 5 20 7:40 9 50 ft fBOOrailARD 12:00 2:30 5:05 7:35 10:10 ft CONSENTING ADULTS 7 30 9 36 ft HOME ALONE 2- ON TWO SCREENS PG 12:00 2:30 5:05 7:40 10:00 mi 1:15 4:00 7:10 9:45 mil UNDER SIEGE 1:00 3:10 5:20 7:30 9:30 AM 5515 W. 86th St. I MALCOLM ON TWO SCREENS 12:00 4:00 1:00 Old 2:30 7:15 RG13 PASSENGER 97 2:15 4:45 7:30 9:30 JiMTk iT 299-0852 UHYETTE GEORGETOWN BPS. i. WEDNESDAY THRU SATURDAY DECEMBER 2 THRU 5 HALF RACK BBQ RIBS FILET MiGNON BOSTON BAKED SCROD I33 STEAMED SHRIMP 1 11 Lost In New York IV IRAM STOKER'S 3w 11:401:40 3 40 5:407:409:40 6 I ALADDIN ON TWO SCREENS 1:30 3:30 5:30 7:30 9:30 12:45 2:45 4:45 7:00 9:00 PASSENGER 57 1:00 3:00 5:00 7:15 10:00 I LAST OF THE MOHICANS 12:00 3:457:159:45 w.

Mli ililYldVddWilLi Si Ji MIGHTY DUCKS US 3 30 6 36 PG UNDER SIEGE 8 00 10:15 ft PASSENGER 571 00 3:05 5:25 7:50 10:00 ft ALADDIN (SCREEN II 2 30 4 30 6 30 a 30 'MALCOLM (ON TWO SCREENS) PG II SCREEN 1. 12 00 4 00 8.10 SCREEN 2' 3:00 7:00 t'DRACULA (ON TWO SCREENS) SCREEN 1: 12:50 3:20 5:45 8:15 SCREEN 2- V25 4 15 7:35 10:05 DRACULA ON TWO SCREENS 1:45 4:15 7:00 9:30 and 2:154:45 7:3010:00 MALCOLM 12:15 4:15 5:00 PGU mut ran Includes: Soup, Salad, Potato Hot Garlic Bread LOEWS WMGUiNWOODIUU PICTURES LOEWS CCUECEPO W.lclHtWCHIGUIU. 1724345 LOEWS COSY THEE 9529 ST. J970235 n.3l II13O05 LOEWI NORGATE LHAZA HOME ALONE 2 ON TWO SCREENS PG 2: 5:00 7:40 10-00 4:10 7-00 9:35 1 CIS HEA5I0N 1 NOW PLAYING r-OfNftALCiNEMA-l CTSHEAS10N 1 GtNiUUINlMA-l EARLY BIRD SPECIALS $95 KEYSTONE AVE 73rd ST. 29V-0852 253-1201 SOVTH LAFAYETTESQ1-2 woodland! GLEK3ALE1-3 SHOPPING UNTE! 253145 GENERAL CINEMA GENEftlL CINEMA E.mTH ST.

KEVSTONE THE BODYGUARD ON TWO SCREENS 12:40 3:10 5:451:30 ond 1:40 4:30 7:00 9:40 4044 5. KEYSTONE 7173436 IN THE MAIL 203-6200 SliiKWMlMHM EASTCATE MAIL 1(6 2JS LOIWI COLLEGE P8RK W. 1STH i AlKHieiAH 10, B72-4343 7Sf)33ICrONTWOSCREENS) SCREEN 1: 1:154:00 7:20 SCREEN 2: 12 30 3 10 5 50 8:30 fBODYGUARDiON TWO SCREENS) (SCREEN 4:157:00 (SCREEN 2) 12:00 2:45 5:308:15 37-lll7 A OVERRUNS THROUGH IT 1:154:007:209:50 PG NO PASSES ACCEPTED FOR THIS ENGAGEMENT 872-2999 CHECK DIRECTORIES. OR CALL THEATER FOR SH0WTIMES ITTiVYVi If V'l I II 1 11 1 1 II I II II 11' -W- yK.f THUMBS UP!" -SlSKtL tfltRT DENZEL WASHINGTON OdAcf)ne PICTURES Malcolm presents TWO THUMBS UP, WAY UP! Wonderful A great film -like 'Lawrence of "A GRAND EPIC. POWERFUL Denzel Washington An adventure beyond your imagination it superb.

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