PAGE 6 THE GRINNELL SCARLET & BLACK MARCH 15, 1974

Republican Ostrich 'In '74

by Toni Knapp

Although the United states Con-
gressional elections are still eight
months away, and crystal ball gaze
ers must usually end up smashing
their glass to bits, this loolhearty
journalist will make several obser-
vah'ons as to trends.

In general it is probably a good
year ior Republicans to take a vae
cation. in l964, the Republicans
lost as house seats and two senate
races. In l574, the GOP shouldcnna
sider themselves lucky if the same
thing happens. Three lactors might
just‘account for this potential de-
teal.

First, in most all oii-year elec-
tions, the party in the Presidency

loses Congressional support. And,

although it may be argued whether
Nixon could be considered, “in the
party” the cop will sutier. This
phenomenon has ranged irom the
rather huge victory oi 49 seats in
l558 to the low or a house seats
lost by the Democrats in 1952, Nixon
considered the standoil oi mo as a
relative victory lor the then, much
heralded, ”new Republican majore

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Lounge

9

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Oakland Acres Golf Club '
Hwy, 6 W., Grinnell ‘
Phone 23677527

If'you live it
Cedar Rapids area
...and will be home

ity.”

Next; thisyear seems to havea rae
ther large list oi incumbant retiree
ments, a new pension plan is seen
by many as ttie shove neededto push
many wary Republicans into retire
ment,

Finally, we come to the triple
barreled shotgun of Watergate the
economy and the "shortage mentalr
ity” which Nixon has placed at the
head oi all Republican candidates.
Little need be added to these is»
ues, except the remarkable none
chalance oi some party leaders.
The attitude of the President is
one of it we ignore it, it’ll go a,
way. Even Iowa's GOP state leadr
er, loe Gaylord, while in Grinnell,
last semester downplayed the im—
portance oi the Watergate crisis.
one thing the Republicans do not
need is an ostrich mentality. The
special election in Michigan should
have proven that. To compound the
dilemma, Democratic pressure gr»
oups are expected to spend millions
to elect their candidates. The labor
unions, like Vultures alter a dying
animal, can be counted to pump
large sums into key races. Con-
versely, Republican sources have
tended to dry up after the CRP
linanclal scandals. The only bright
note for the GOP is that they are
risking less. In the Senate, twenty

' Democrats are up for re-election

with only iiiteen Republicans

in Iowa, the situation lor the GOP
is not much brighter. To begin
with, lowa is not the rockbottom

Road Service

'n the

for the summer .,...

GOP state it has been pictured.
in the last twenty years, there have
heen_six Republican administra-
tions to live Democratic. Although
the Senate was solidly‘ Republican
from 1954 to 1968, both seats are
now occupied by Democrats.

Hhetonic...
Unlimited

It is quite possible that the House
makeup lor lowa will be 5 to l
alter the next'election, Mezvin-
sky and Smith both seem to have
sate seats. The second district is
solidly Democratic and althoughpo-
tential GOP candidate Tom Riley of
Cedar Rapids probably would have
the best chance Oi capturing the
seat, it would be a tough light. The
third district is up {or grabs with
a horde of candidates from both
parties, and no one quite sure at
the Voter makeup at the area. Both
William Scherle and Wiley Mayne
lace still contests.

The Republicans have the disc
advantage oi a primary contest lor
the United States Senate. The elec-
tion should prove a weathervane
as to party trends for the next
tew years in lowa. About the only
sale contest (or the GOP is the
GOVernDrship with Robert Ray, The
Democrats in this race havetheliae
bility ol their own primary light.
The eilects oi Watergate and the
economy will play a Vital role in
this election even ii‘both improve
somewhat belore the election. Re,
publicaus in Iowa and throughout
the nation may as well lace that
tact, and proceed irom there. Loss
seems inevitable, the only question
is how much? L

 

Whatever Happened

To Donald Byrd

by Bruce Green
During the late titties and early

Sixties, the start of the hard-bop
period or modern jazz, there develr
oped several very important trum»
peters, among whom were three oi
the mostimportantjnzztrumpetstor
day.

Lee Morgan, Freddie Hubbard,and
Donald Byrd were among these, and
curiously enough, all were trumpe-
ters with Art Blakey and the Jazz
Messengers. Lee Morgan composed
a classic piece, Hubbard is probab-
ly the mostcreativetrumpeterin the
iield today, and Donald Byrd is just
returning to the field after a long
stint at teaching. Maybe its because
he’s been teaching for so long, or
maybe he is in the process Oiretin»
ing his concept, but DonaldByrdhas
produced twu records in the last
year, both or which have been, to
say the least, mediocre.

Black Byrd was, however, a com»
mercial hit, and it is likely that
his latest will also he one, as it
is patterned in exactly thesameway
as Black Byrd, Soul vocals, mellr
ow trumpet, and rythmic and har-
monic repetitiveness. l lrankly iou-
nd them almost borihgly static. ﬁll
of the tracks are the same general
rythmic and harmonic structure, re»
peated over and over again without
any change in either the chords,
rythm, or melodic interest,

None of this may be Byrd's iau~
lt, since the albums were both pro-
duced, written, and arranged by one
Larry Mizell, II this is any indi-
cation, l would say that Mr. Mizell
is rather behind the times in jazz
and very stale as a composer and
arranger.

Byrd, however, should take some
of the blame for using the material
mentioned above. On both albums,
he sings, and plays a line iluegel-
horn and trumpet in a mellow vane.
But even his gilts as an-improviser
do not help with the overall dull-
ness of the albums.

Black Byrd was a novelty and very
good at that, and has some jazz
value in that regard, but his second

album in that vane is just plain
bad Street Lady (BlueNuteBN-LA-
l4DrF) is a compendium of cliche
phrases, boring vocals, and some
unexpectedly good trumpet work;
despite the backing, however, not
because of it.

Donald Byrd is a striking trumpe»
ter when fired up, as he has shown
with Biakey, and in concerts with,
among others, the great Theolonir
us Monk. He has a warm tone, and
melodic gilts above the ordinary,
but I wish he would use them. The
best trumpet work on the album is
on the last track, “Woman at the
World," but even it doesn’t escape
the turgid backrup and the sterile
compositions. All the other tracks
are just bad, with very little varr
iance in anything.

the
Fﬂli IIIII

speaks out

Mr Byrd, what happened to you?
You were one oi the three greatest
hard bop trumpets in existence to—
day Now you are just another soul—
drecordihg star. I hope you can get
out or the rut you are in and show
us again the tire, brilliance and le-
chnical dexterity you are capable oi.
l know you can do it, sopleasedo it.
i tor one am tired oi the soul type
jazz that seems to be such a hit to»
day. I would like to see some real
improvisation, some real composuig
and some real playing, by one 'olthe
best of the lot. So please, Donald
Byrd, come back to jazz. We miss
you. ,

Campus Music News—vThere will
he a student recital in the South
Lounge oi the Forum, today at 4:15,
and a Senior Recital by Barbara
Cox, Cello, in Herrick Chapel at
8:00 pm. Cox will be accompanied
by Glenn Vanstrnm, piano. on Sun-
day, the Grinnell College Chorus
and Singers will present a concert
at 8.00 p.m., also in Herrick.

Rick’s Bike Shop

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1974.

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