The Ottawa Journal from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada • Page 64

64 Wednesday, November 2. 1977 Ottawa Journal- Williams gives us his all on the final tour The show opened with the great American drummer Buddy Rich and bis band, the Killer Force. Rich was excellent through the first 45 minutes of the evening. Playing smoothly underneath the strong dance band sound of the Killer Force, Rich mesmerized the audience with his control and amazing quickness on the drums. The best song they played was Channel Seven Suite and it featured a gutsy, bluesy tenor saxophone solo by Steve Marcus.

Right near the end of this piece. Rich began to take over with his set of drums. He built siowly into a strong snare roll and continued on into a demonstration of the fastest drum hands in the west. The pace and quality of his drumming overshadowed the fine work of Marcus, and one was left with a feeling that the niece had been a complete drum soW After what seemed too short of time, Rich broke off his set and the audience waited impatiently for the focus of the evening Williams. They were not to be disappointed as Andy Williams appeared to the strains of Moon River, dressed in a plum-colored velvet suit.

He immediately demonstrated the power of his voice, singing the theme from the movie Love Story. This tour is to be Williams's last, but he will not be ending his singing career. He will continue to appear in Las Vegas and will also be making television appearances. He simply says he would like to spend a little more time with his children. It is a loss that will now be felt in Ottawa because the immediacy of his talents have been brought home, to this city.

Williams did not limit himself to the songs of yesteryear, although they filled the bulk of his performance. He also did some more modern songs, such as McArthur Park, the Jimmy Webb hit or nine years ago. This is a song aptly suited to the range of Williams's voice. The demands of the song call for a 'male voice that can course over a large spectrum of notes, and Williams aptly fits the bill. White tuxedo The show ended with Williams tap dancing in a white tuxedo, accompanied by two very attractive young women.

He moved, not too quickly mind you, with grace and flair. The final song. An Americarr-Trilogy, was a simple medley of Dixie and Glory, Glory Hallelujah that was sung with tremendous feeling. Andy Williams is the consumm-sate performer. He tells jokes, sings and dances with a sense of flair and that subtle touch of class, all ofvhich makes for an excellent performance.

Journal Review by Peter Robb Andy Williams is Andy Williams Is Andy Williams. He's just like his television show composed, sophisticated and talented. He gave the first of five concerts, to an enthusiastic audience at the Rational Arts Centre Opera, Tuesday night And if It is any indication of the remainder of his final tour, it should be a smashing success. Williams has been touring since he was a boy and for 40 years, has delighted audiences everywhere. Moon River He sang all the songs that have made him a household word.

Moon Rivet, Canadian Sunset, Happy Heart and The Days of Wine and Roses are perhaps the best known, but he managed to squeeze in several others within the many medleys he sang throughout the evening. Williams seems to be the consummate performer. He has been doing it for so long, that to watch him on stage is to see a man perfectly at ease with himself and the music he sings. He moves gracefully and smoothly, speaking with a soft, controlled voice that can expand into fullness while singing a song. And his voice does literally fill an auditorium with its power and sweet strength.

An animated Andy Williams talks about his last tour Oh! The things they've done to Oz NEW YORK (AP) The Munchkins range up to six feet tall, Dorothy is 24 and black, and Oz is located in such places at the state pavilion of the 1964 New York World's Fair. The an Dorothy was seeking is played by Richard Pryor. Iter three companions down the yellow brick road arc: Michael Jackson of the Jackson 5, as Scarecrow; comedian Nipsey Russell, as the Tinman: and' Ted Ross of the Broadway Wiz, as The Lion. The good fairy Glinda is being played by Lena Home. "This is not a black picture, but the broadest scale entertainment," said Motown producer Rob Cohen.

"We could have made it at $8 million, but what would we have had? A black Godspell. "No, we decided to go further, to make The Wiz as spectacular and colorful as' it could possibly be. In today's film market, you have to do something special to bring people out of their homes. So we are making a work of imagination, a work of scale, a work of quality." Cohen estimated the final cost at $14 million. The producer has an answer for traditionalists who complain about Such intelligence may come as a severe blow to purists who regard the 1939 MGM movie version of The Wizard of Oz as something -close to Scripture.

They will be quick to point out that Dorothy, as portrayed by Judy Garland, was 16 years old, the Munchkins scarcely came up to your kneecap, and Oz was a purely fantastic place created on the MGM sound stages. Further, Dorothy and her companions hailed from all-WASP Kansas. Not so in The Wiz, the movie spectacle now being filmed here by Universal and Motown. The New York Slate pavilion, which resembled a bullring with a mass of dancers instead of toreros, was alive with brightly costumed performers writhing in rhythm, children playing on slides and jungle gyms, gymnasts Admission Fee: Adult $1 .50 Children under 12 are admitted tree, when accompanied by an adult. Children 12 and over Students (18 years) 75C Senior Residents Free Family Admission $3.00 WEDNESDAY 5:30 TILL 9:30 THURSDAY ft FRIDAY 2:00 TILL 9:30 SATURDAY 1:00 TILL 9:30 SUNDAY 12:00 TILL 5:00 There will be something for the, whole family.

It's the oriHinalg Over 100 exhibitors representing every imaginable Craft. Come and see the greatest gift ideas. Comes and see the Children of the North working in soapstone at the Nepean Sportsplex. November 2 6th DIANA ROSS ex-Supreme; the 32-year old Diana Ross as Dorothy: "In the Frank Baum book, Dorothy is described only as a 'young Because of the Denslow drawings that illustrated the book, people conceived of her as a teenager. We'rc playing her as a school teacher in her performing flips.

A bewildered Diana Ross, carrying her miniature Schrrauzor, Toto, had just landed in the magic land, wondering how she got there from Harlem. Her guide was a good witch. Miss Ohc, looking curiously like a numbers seller and played by the veteran jazz singer mid-twenties; who lives in Harlem. Thelma Carpenter, THIS WEEK Bib CITY BAUD SOMEONE YOU DON'T KNOW WANTS TO THANK YOU WEST END 11 4, -A TJDxomfe. A JOYOUS EVENING OF EVER-POPULAR CLASSICS played by the 100 members of the PH I LH AREAON I A HUNGARICA REINHARD PETERS, Conductor KODALY Galanta Dances DEBUSSY Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun TCHAIKOVSKY" Romeo and Juliet DVORAK Symphony No.

9 SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 6 OPERA 20.30h $5.00, 7.00, 8.00, 10.00 Turm BremriwM.jiH.- tonight at the PLEASE SEND YOUR DONATION TO: FRIENZ AND COMPANY a a a a a 5, a IS a IT a 1 United tTay of Ottawa-Carletpn Seeet Ottaa KiSJE-' 236 9Mb I ail Special gust: LOUDON WAINWRK5HT III HOTEL MONDAY, NOVEMBER 7 Opera 20.30M S3.00. 4.00, 5.00, 6 00 Tlx New Bead Komber. in the Talisman Hotel. 1376 Carhng at KirKwood. Telephone: 722-7601 a.