Lowballin' highbrow?

Varnaline, Irving Klaw, and a RIPO wrap-up

by Michael Caito

In the current issue of the Quix art quarterly, playwright/musician Rick Massimo quotes playwright Paula Vogel explaining theatre versus film audiences today. "Now obviously," states Vogel,"this generation has already gone towards film as a medium and already has wiped theatre off the map as not being of any consequence to them. Not representative of them." She concludes by reiterating the artistic viability of film, but avers that "there's something that happens in a live community where there are living audience members in the room with living actors. Don't let that die."

If we apply Vogel's tenets to classical music versus the big huge ooga-booga pop music mastiff, some similarities are apparent. Alas, classical pundits have gotten their knickers so twisted over the David Helfgott "phenomenon" (and the fact that as a pianist he is not very good) that the oxygen supply to their brains has been completely cut off. Bemoaning the fact that classical's latest lunge at a crossover smash is couched in essentially slipshod musicianship, they speak of orchestral retrenchment (read Oestreich in Sunday's New York Times) or cast predictably baleful, wry glances at the shortcomings of Helfgott's current performances, illustrated by the list of a dozen superior "Rach 3" recordings in the new Village Voice.

So Helfgott's skills can't maintain the lofty crossover aesthetic of, say, Rampal's Suite for Flute from 1976. So what if his new CD doesn't put a dint in U2's record sales, and artistically it isn't a great leap forward for admittedly stagnant classical sales.

So what? Let's leap for the Abbey Road medley?The very same people who grab the new U2 instead (or STP or Offspring or No Doubt) are the ones who keep reading about how classical is "dumbing down" just for their puny MTV-glazed brains. And they're not seconding the emotion that a true appreciation of classical is a concept too subtle for them to handle. It constantly reads like "my appreciation is too subtle for you to handle." In my neighborhood that's called "trippin'. "

Nevertheless, many orchestras continue their attempts to oversimplify and gussy-up the packaging. Why? Because they continually read that their future audiences are clowns? Maybe. Even our own Philharmonic attempted to pry large dollars for the privilege of hearing the Beatles. Oooooh. C'mon, that's the equivalent of butter spread over too much bread. No one wins.

So the post-Boomers, a key determining factor in the future of many orchestras, read these editorial complaints and wonder aloud: "Well, if these people are so darned certain that we won't understand or appreciate their music on their terms, then to hell with 'em. Iown Beatles records." These same fans witness that the High Rollers don't pull that attitudinal crap at the Met. Laurels don't do it at Rogue, nor the Joe Parillo Ensemble at CAV nor Smoking Jackets at AS220. But continuing this destructive domino effect, when older, mostly-Boomer critics continue to wanly applaud expanded Beatles 'n' Broadway "pops series," then younger audiences, BSdetectors set on "stun," will stay away in droves, happy enough knowing that Bono doesn't spend half of his record calling his fans suckers. If newspapers continually label entire generations "unsophisticated" then younger fans won't consider trying something which they perceive has already insulted them. To classical commentators it often seems that annoyed hoi polloi are irrelevent. Except --they're the overwhelming majority of future subscribers. It's a nasty hole they've dug for the players with their demure, snooty pontificating. These commentatorss obviously poop vanilla ice cream (that or they all need to get laid). It would be hilarious if it wasn't distressing.

Somehow somewhere there is a happy medium, and it involves those unempirical demographics most feared by marketers and accountants -- faith and trust. RIPOmusic director Larry Rachleff seems to agree, having spiced his inaugural season with attempts at thematic cohesion ("A Season of Dance") while keeping revered symphonies by Beethoven et cetera as linchpins. He has shown cojones in his rookie year.

Onstage the orchestra's reaction to his lead has been positive. The Classical Series nights have been loads of fun, equal parts excitement, reverence, adventure, and learning experience, with the orchestra continually demonstrating faith and trust in themselves and in their patrons. You. Can. Hear. It. They believe in the music's innate power and have devoted gigantic portions of their lives to it. The players have shown faith and trust, stuffy (like the Times)or clueless (like me) critics be damned.

As usual, the music makers are onto something.

The Classical Series concludes on Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m. with a program of Schubert, Daugherty, and Stravinsky. The Rhode Island Philharmonic performs at Veterans Memorial Auditorium; info at 831-3123.

'COS I'M A POWER TRIO TRAMP. The new self-titled Varnaline record (on Zero Hour) is a winner, all raucous dynamics, gritted teeth and sweat. The bass/guitarist Parker brothers aren't playing (b)lo-fi hipster games, and many remember the talent of Jud Ehrbar from his earlier Scarce days. Remember the RedEP? That was him. A great rock drummer, here joined by brothers as convincing as Bob Mould and crafty like a Mark Cutler or Velvet Crush in the songwriting smithy. Get Met on the 7th; record's out the 6th. Varnaline is a mixture of varnish and gasoline. Yipes.

Continued kudos to Laurels' Jeff Toste, who has over the years brought numerous high-caliber bands through Providence. He's doing it again with Olympia's Irving Klaw Trio, who appear with Toste's trio in a bit at Rogue. IKT, a quartet, trample the line separating jazz tinkering, puckish Boho anarchism (a la Amoebic Ensemble, replete with trad central-Euro rhythms) and pop's more rigid strictures. Their Utek Pahtoo Mogoi (Road Cone) is perhaps the trippiest record since Medicine Ball's Planet Freakout (or Clone Theory by Six Finger Satellite, except you don't finish it feeling like you've been forced to swallow broken glass). "Cubano Saucer" is gleefully indulgent (Castro would either have them shot or canonized, take your pick. Probably both). Highlights like "Honduran Death Bout" and "Jizzo the Clown" make Czech thrillseekers Uz Jsme Doma sound calm. Call J. Draper at Renegade/Rogue for date/time (331-0877). Exotic and wild.

ELSEWHERE.Jack Hardy is a folk legend, plain and simple. The list of performers whose recording debuts have accompanied his Fast Folk mag is almost daunting (Lyle Lovett, Shawn Colvin, Suzanne Vega, Christine Lavin, John Gorka), but that's nothing like hearing it from the founder at Stone Soup Saturday. Next week is Rosalie Sorrels. On Friday, the Amazing Royal Crowns pull into town on stop #16 of a tour which started April 11. Bet there's lotsa gas left in that V-8 despite the ferocious itinerary (NC, GA, FL, LA, TX, NY). Let 'er rip, Colonel. The newest issue of Amplifier is out; co-founder John Larson (Marlowes) continues to hone their melodi-pop assessments; #2 features an interview with sterling guitarist Tommy Keene (Velvet Crush/Westerberg band alum) and gobs of reviews. The Popfest (co-organized by WRIU DJ Jen Towers) mentioned a while back happens this weekend at the Middle East, though it's been moved to Sat/Sun and not Fri/Sat. Push-Kings (immense), Flora Street, Honeybunch and many more. Like Dave Auchenbach and Jeffrey Unerhill would have anything to do with a bad pop roundup. Shall be high-quality.