Page 6 - The Hlghacres Collegian, April 4, 1975*
Morning Song To Appear
At HigJiacres
Bv CHRIS KNOELLER
It is the dream of perhaps every
serious musician to make the big time.
With all the guitarists from the high
school level on up, and with real suc
cess tasted by so few, it is very unlikely
that a group I see at the “grassroots”
level today will become prominent in
the future.
Yet Momingsong is midway there. A
group that originated in University
Park, Pennsylvania, Morningsong has
the ambition and perhaps the talent to
bring about national fame.
Fred Curdts began his musical
career on the drums. For seven years
he played with orchestras and bands of
the high school variety, graduating to
the Penn State rock scene. Becoming
tired with the loud music he was
iflfying, Fred turned to the guitar. His
strumming supplies the main rhythm
for Morningsong. He is proud of his fine
collection of acoustic guitars. As he
switches guitars back and forth during
performances, Randy Hughes likes to
kid him, Randy telling Fred he really
doesn’t need a different guitar for each
song. Randy, however, is often seen
changing from his bass guitar to a 12-
strong acoustic. Perhaps the most
outgoing of the foursome, Randy is
constantly talking and joking between
songs.
Terry Sweet takes music very
seriously. He was perhaps the first of
the members to decide on making
music his career. Studying music
has enhanced his guitar work even
more. He is responsible for the mello
electric leads which are so much a part
of the Morningsong sound, also per
forming acoustic leads and rhvthm.
Dick Kozak is an amazing guy, and
the one I know best. Musically, he is a
dynamic violinist, playing both wild
electric violin leads and more quiet
melodies. He gets a kick out of doing
assorted percussion segments in many
songs.
Are Fred, Randy, Terry and Dick
successful together? Audience reaction
speaks for itself. Adding to the fine
music at a Morningsong concert is the
interplay between the group and those
listening. A personal atmosphere is
created as the personalities of the
foursome come across.
All four members are fine vocalists
on their own, each performing solos.
Their harmonies are perhaps their
most distinguishing characteristic.
They were most influenced by Crosby,
Stills, and Nash, but unlike most folk
groups do not mimic sounds. Mor
ningsong is distinctive, having a style
all its own, with a repertoire of over
seventy-five songs by such artists as
Neil Young, Steven Stills, Cat Stevens,
Seals and Crofts, Graham Nash, James
Taylor, and the Grateful Dead. The
group has been adding more and more
original material to their act.
'Morning
Song'
by Dominick Puliano
Morning Song is a recording group,
a record company, a distributing
company, a recording studio, and
whatever else it takes to record and
sell records.
The band consists of five men play
ing violin, recorder, acoustic and
electric guitars, bass, percussion,
moog, banjo, and drums. But what
makes this band stand out more than
anything else is their vocal
harmonies and musical
arrangements. First of all, every
member of the band writes and sings
E
ach member contributes what he
has to offer in a sensitive harmonic
manner. These basic music essen
tials which each performer adds will
be totally appreciated the first time
they are heard, and everytime after
that. You will never get bored of their
sound because of their multiple
harmonies, instruments, melodies,
and rhythms.
Their style goes back to the days of
the Beatles, the Beach Boys, the
Everly Brothers, the Byrds, and Cros
by, Stills, Nash, and Young. Together
the personnel in each of these
respective bands make their sound
an overwhelming and memorable
musical experience. However, on
their own they leave something to be
desired. And this, to our knowledge
or not, is the extraordinary harmony
which they present. For this reason
people like John Lennon, Graham
Nash, Paul McCartney, David Cros
by, Rodger McGuinn, and Paul Simon
will never reach the superior heights
which they once enjoyed with their
bands. Alone their talents go un
challenged and uncomplemented,
and consequently undeveloped.
Predictions for this bancTs future
are impossible. Their sound on their
soon to be released album "Listen to
a Sunrise" is as mature as any band
which I have previously mentioned.
To me this band does not seem to be
content to remain in one music
concept but will expand and explore
other styles. Randy Hughes, the bass
guitarist, told me that the band
already has material for a second
album but arrangements and produc
ing is still necessary. This is another
important dimension to their
music, their unique arrangements.
They are gentle music progressions
that are logical advancements of the
rhythm patterns characterizing the
song. Often it is a continuation of the
melody, but with an additional
harmony such as a voice or a violin
floating within to give the effect of a
rhythm change.
Listen to a Sunrise is an album of
all musical tastes from a traditional
folksong to a synthesized rocker to a
Cat Stevens like ballad. Morning
Song is exploring all dimensions of
music in their album,
Morning Song will
appear at Highacres April 1
20 from 8 to 11 p.m.
Tickets are $2. Advance
sales only.