Wyld Ryce

May 14, 1980
All artists face the same question. Do they have what it takes? We'll bring you a writer, filmmaker, a group of poets and two musicians and show you their special qualities.
TRANSCRIPT
FOR WYLD RYCE IS PROVIDED BY A
GRANT FROM THE DAYTON HUDSON
FOUNDATION.
[ ♪♪ ]
>> THIS IS THE TWIN CITIES
WEEKLY ARTS MAGAZINE.
IN THIS EDITION OF WYLD RYCE,
WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT A WHOLE
VARIETY OF DIFFERENT ARTISTS,
A WRITER, A ROCK 'N ROLL FILM
MAKER, A GROUP OF YOUNG POETS
AND TWO MASTERS OF THE DOUBLE
BASS.
HELLO.
I'M VERN SUTTON.
I'M A PROFESSOR OF MUSIC AT
THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA,
AND I SING WITH THE MINNESOTA
OPERA COMPANY.
WHETHER THEY'RE MUSICIANS OR
ACTORS OR PAINTERS OR WHATEVER,
ARTISTS FACE THE SAME QUESTION
AS EVERYONE ELSE.
DO THEY HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO
MAKE IT IN THE CAREER THEY'VE
CHOSEN?
IT TAKES MORE THAN TALENT AND
EVEN MORE THAN LUCK.
IT TAKES A SPECIAL QUALITY
THAT'S HARD TO PUT INTO WORDS.
OUR FIRST SEGMENT IS ABOUT
WRITER TOM WOLFE, WHO JUST
PUBLISHED A BOOK THAT DELVES
INTO THIS WHOLE QUESTION, AND
HE CALLS THAT SPECIAL QUALITY
THE RIGHT STUFF.
HIS BOOK IS ABOUT THE
ASTRONAUTS IN THE AMERICAN
SPACE PROGRAM, BUT IT'S ALSO
ABOUT WHAT IT TAKES TO MAKE IT
TO THE TOP OF ANY PROFESSION.
WOLFE HIMSELF IS PRETTY GOOD
EVIDENCE THAT IT TAKES A
WRITER WITH THE RIGHT STUFF TO
TELL THE TALE.
[ ♪♪ ]
>> IN THE MOST GRAPHIC WAY
POSSIBLE, WHAT IS BEING
DEMONSTRATED THAT THERE ARE
SOME MEN WHO HAVE WHATEVER IT
TAKES AND IS NEVER DEFINED,
UNTIL THIS DAY IS NEVER
DEFINED, WHO HAVE WHATEVER IT
TAKES TO KEEP ASCENDING THESE
LEVELS.
>> WORDS FROM TOM WOLFE, THE
ACIDLY SHARP JOURNALIST AUTHOR
RECENTLY PUBLISHED A BOOK
ABOUT THE EARLY ASTRONAUTS,
MEN WHO WOLFE IDENTIFIED AS
HAVING THE RIGHT STUFF.
THE RIGHT STUFF IS THE QUALITY
WHICH ENABLED SOME FLYING MEN
TO SURPASS OTHERS ON THE WAY
UP TO PILOT'S PYRAMID, FROM
COMBAT FLYING OVER KOREA TO
FAST LANDINGS ON SLICK
DETECTION AT SEA, COMBAT ACE
TO TEST PILOT CLIMBED THE
FRATERNAL MOUNTAIN BY RISKING
THEIR LIVES AND MAKING IT.
IN THE EARLY '50s, THE BEST
MEN WITH THE RIGHT STUFF WERE
THE TEST PILOTS, SCREAMING
OVER THE CALIFORNIA DESERT IN
ROCKET PLANES AT EDWARDS AIR
FORCE BASE, BREAKING SOUND
BARRIERS, THE STUFF OF SCIENCE
FICTION, MEN LIKE CROSSFIELD,
WALKER, AND CHUCK JAGR.
FOR MANY MILITARY PILOTS THE
CLIMB UP THE MIR MID --
PYRAMID BEGAN IN A T-6
PROP-DRIVEN PLANE.
>> IN THESE EARLY STAGES,
THERE'S ALWAYS AN INSTRUCTIVE
TO DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT
SOMEBODY HAS THIS UNNAMED IT,
THIS QUALITY WHICH I FINALLY
HAD TO GIVE A NAME TO BECAUSE
PILOTS CAN'T TALK ABOUT IT,
WHICH IS MAINLY THE RIGHT
STUFF TO KEEP ASCENDING THIS
PARTICULAR PYRAMID.
>> WITH THE SUCCESSFUL
LAUNCHING OF SPUTNIK IN 1957
AND OUR OWN KAPUT IN THIS CASE,
SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE
CREDENTIALS FOR MEMBERSHIP IN
THE LOFTYEST OF PILOT CIRCLES
BEGAN TO CHANGE.
IF BARBARIAN RUSSIA COULD BE
THE FIRST TO LOB HARDWARE INTO█
SPACE, AMERICA, THE RIGHTEOUS,
MUST BE THE FIRST TO PUT A MAN
INTO SPACE.
IT WAS COLD WAR GAMESMANSHIP.
AND THE U.S. EFFORT TO CLOSE
THE SPACE GAP WAS CALLED
PROJECT MERCURY.
PROJECT MERCURY WAS RUN NOT BY
THE MILITARY BUT BY A CIVILIAN
AGENCY, THE NATIONAL AIR
NAUTICAL SPACE ADMINISTRATION,
NASA.
NASA WAS GOING TO USE
ASTRONAUTS TO RIDE INTO SPACE.
ASTRONAUTS, NOT PILOTS.
>> THEY WERE NOT AT THE TOP OF
THE PYRAMID AND DIDN'T PRETEND
TO BE.
THEY WERE CHOSEN NOT BECAUSE
THEY WERE THE SEVEN HOTTEST
PILOTS IN AMERICA.
THEY WERE CHOSEN REALLY FOR A
MEDLEY OF REASONS.
SOME OF THEM WERE SUPERB
PHYSICAL --
>> MOREOVER, ARMIES OF
TECHNICIANS AND ENGINEERS
ARMED WITH COMPUTERS WOULD
PILOT THE CAPSULE.
THE ASTRONAUTS WOULD MERELY GO
ALONG FOR THE RIDE, LIKE SO
MANY WHITE RATS IN A LAB TEST.
>> AND THIS LED TO AN UNSEEN
CONFLICT THAT WENT OBJECT
FOR -- THAT WENT ON FOR YEARS
IN WHICH THE FLYERS AT EDWARDS
OF THE JAGR STRIKE BEGAN TO
REALLY, AT THE FIRST, LOOK
DOWN UPON THE SEVEN MERCURY
ASTRONAUTS AS ROOKIES WHO HAD
YET TO PROVE THEMSELVES.
>> PROJECT MERCURY, LIKE THE
ILL-FATED VAN GUARD PROJECT,
BEGAN ON A LESS THAN
IMPRESSIVE NOTE.
FIRST, A MISFIRE.
AND THEN A MONKEY, HAM.
>> THAT WAS THE TAUNT, YOU
KNOW, THE TAUNT WAS, EDWARDS,
WAS THAT A MONKEY IS GOING TO
MAKE THE FIRST FLIGHT BECAUSE,
IN FACT, A MONKEY WAS GOING TO
MAKE THE FIRST FLIGHT.
>> TWO MONTHS AFTER HAM LANDED
SAFELY, THE RUSSIANS
SUCCESSFULLY ORBITED.
A FIGHTER PILOT.
>> IT WAS -- SEEMED LIKE A
TRULY CRITICAL MOMENT IN
AMERICAN HISTORY.
AND IT REVIVED A KIND OF
SUPERSTITIOUS BELIEF IN THE
SINGLE COMBAT WIRE THAT HAD
DIED PROBABLY 1,200 YEARS AGO.
>> ALAN SHEPHERD BECAME
AMERICA'S FIRST DAVID TO THE
RUSSIAN GOLIATH.
BUT HIS FLIGHT WAS ONLY
SUBORBITAL.
COLD WAR AMERICA NEED AID SHOT
IN THE ARM, AS DID KENNEDY'S
NEW FRONTIER, WHICH HAD BEEN
SHARPLY EMBARRASSED BY THE
ABORTED BAY OF PIGS INVASION
IN CUBA.
>> OF LANDING A MAN ON THE
MOON AND RETURNING HIM SAFELY
TO THE EARTH.
>> BY 1959, WHEN THE
ASTRONAUTS WERE CHOSEN, BOTH
OF THE SOVIET UNION AND THE
UNITED STATES HAD THE ATOMIC
BOMB.
AND THEY REALIZED THAT AN OPEN
PITCH BATTLE WAS NOW -- WOULD
BE POSSIBLY CATASTROPHIC TO
THE WHOLE HUMAN RACE.
SO, THAT WAS WHY SPACE WAS
SEEN AS A SINGLE COMBAT AND AT
THAT TIME, THAT WHOEVER WON
THE SPACE RACE WOULD BE
OMNIPOTENT IN THE WORLD.
[ ♪♪ ]
>> WITH JOHN GLEN'S ORBITAL
FLIGHT, ROCKET PLANE PILOTS
LIKE CHUCK JAGR BECAME
UNIMPORTANT, AT LEAST TO THOSE
OUTSIDE THE FRATERNITY.
>> IT REALLY WAS NOT UNTIL
1963, AT THE VERY END OF THE
MERCURY PROGRAM THAT FINALLY
THE RESIDENTS OF OLYMPUS
FINALLY SAID, WELL, THESE GUYS
REALLY, YOU KNOW, ARE NOT BAD,
BUT IT WAS AN UPHILL FIGHT.
AND I THINK WHAT INTERESTS ME
ABOUT ALL OF THAT IS THAT TO
THEM, FROM BEGINNING TO END,
THE APPROVAL OF THEIR PEERS
WAS ABSOLUTELY PARAMOUNT
IMPORTANCE.
♪ I WAS ROLLING ON THE MOON
ONE DAY ♪
>> AMERICAN OBSESSION IN SPACE
LASTED THROUGH THE FIRST FEW
MOON LANDINGS BUT WANED AS
NOVELTY GAVE WAY TO HARD
SCIENCE AND DAY TONIGHT IN THE
HEAVENS.
>> NO LONGER SEEN AS PROTECTED,
NO LONGER SEEN AS SINGLE
COMBAT WARRIORS, NOT DAVID
FIGHTING GOLIATH.
THEY THEN BECAME REALLY
COURAGEOUS -- THEY WERE SEEN AS COURAGEOUS PEOPLE, BUT
PEOPLE INVOLVED IN A
TECHNOLOGICAL EXPERIMENT.
AND THAT DOESN'T BRING TEARS
TO PEOPLE'S EYES.
YOU COULD MAKE UP THE CASE
THAT THERE'S THE RIGHT STUFF
IN ANY FIELD.
BUT IT ONLY APPLIES, I THINK,
WITH ANY MEANING TO A FIELD
WHERE IN THE ROUTINE
PERFORMANCE OF YOUR JOB,
YOU'RE ACTUALLY RISKING YOUR
LIFE.
WRITERS MAY OCCASIONALLY CHOKE
TO DEATH ON A CHUNK OF CHATEAU
IN AN EXPENSE ACCOUNT
RESTAURANT ON THE EAST 50s IN
MANHATTAN, BUT THAT'S NOT
QUITE EXACTLY THE SAME THING.
>> EVERYONE'S TRYING TO CLIMB
HIS OWN PYRAMID.
WHEN THE ASTRONAUTS MAKE IT TO
THE TOP OF THEIRS, THEY'RE
NATIONAL HEROES.
MOST OF US ARE WORKING AT
LOWER ALTITUDES.
BUT IT'S STILL THAT SPECIAL
QUALITY THAT MAKES ALL THE
DIFFERENCE.
TAKE CHUCK STATER WILL, FOR
EXAMPLE.
HE'S MADE AN INTERNATIONAL
NAME FOR HIMSELF IN THE RATHER
SPECIALIZED FIELD OF FILMS
ABOUT NEW WAVE ROCK 'N ROLL
BANDS. I HAVE TO ADMIT THAT I DON'T
FIND THE MUSIC VERY
INTERESTING.
BUT THE WAY STATLER MAKES IT
VISUAL, THAT IS SOMETHING
SPECIAL.
>> WE WORK IN A FASHION NOT
UNLIKE A LOT OF DOCUMENTARY
FILMMAKERS.
WE DON'T DO A LOT OF STAGING,
AND BECAUSE WE USE THE
ELEMENTS THAT ARE ON HAND AND
NATURAL, I SORT OF CONSIDER
MYSELF AND THE CREW AS, LIKE,
DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKERS.
SO THAT'S WHAT INTERESTS ME
AND THAT'S A REAL SERIOUS
CONSIDERATION, HIGH MOTIVATION
FOR ME, EXPLORING DIFFERENT
TYPES OF MUSIC AND CULTURES.
I TRAVEL WITH THREE OTHER GUYS,
JOHN HARVEY, THE SECOND CAMERA,
ASSISTANT CAMERA MAN, DALE
KRUGER, WHO'SED EDITOR, AND
REALLY RIDES HERD ON ALL THE
CONTINUITY WHILE WE'RE
SHOOTING AND PAT CLAUSE, WHO'S
THE -- WHO'S THE SOUND MAN.
SO THERE'S THE FOUR OF US AND
OUR GEAR AND WE RUN A WAGON
AND WE'RE OFF.
WE TRAIPSE AROUND WITH A BAND
AND CATCH WHAT WE CAN.
AND MOST OF US -- MOST OF IT'S
ON THE RUN, TOO.
[ ♪♪ ]
>> WE MET IN ADDNIS, WHICH IS
A RELATIVE NEW BAND.
I THINK AT THAT POINT THEY'D
ONLY PLAYED OUT AND ON CLUB
CIRCUIT FOR ABOUT EIGHT
MONTHS.
THEY JUST FINISHED RECORDING
THE ALBUM, AND THEY WERE
REALLY IN A PRETTY TIGHT
SCHEDULE.
SO, THAT WAS ONE OF THE GROUPS
THAT WE WENT ON TOUR WITH.
AND WE DID FIVE DATES WITH
THEM.
IN NORTHERN ENGLAND.
AND THE BASIS OF THEIR MUSIC
IS THE SKY AND BLUE BEAT,
WHICH IS REALLY JUST DANCE
MUSIC.
IT'S REAL RHYTHM MUSIC AND A
LOT OF THE FOLLOWING THAT THEY
HAVE ARE AVID DANCERS.
SO, WE BUILT BOTH OF THE FILMS,
WE DID WITH THEM, AROUND THE
DANCE AND THE DANCE MOVES.
[ ♪♪ ]
>> OKAY.
THIS IS THE LAST CUT.
>> HEY, YOU.
WATCH ME.
THIS IS THE HEAVY HEAVY.
SO, WITH YOU COMING OFF THE
STREET AND YOU'RE BEGINNING TO
FEEL THE HEAT, WELL, LISTEN,
YOU BETTER START TO MOVE YOUR
FEET.
TO THE ROCKINGEST BEING ROCK
STEADY BEAT.
ONE STEP BEYOND.
[ ♪♪ ]
[ ♪♪ ]
♪ ONE STEP BEYOND ♪
[ ♪♪ ]
♪ ONE STEP BEYOND ♪
>> I DO HAVE A VINYL HABIT.
LISTEN TO A LOT OF MUSIC, AND
I HAVE, YOU KNOW, FOR A NUMBER
OF YEARS.
THAT'S WHY IT JUST SEEMED
LIKE -- THE FIRST FILMS I
STARTED TO PUT TOGETHER IN
SCHOOL, NOW, THE EASY THING,
YOU KNOW, ASSEMBLIZE, YOU
COLLECT THE FOOTAGE, WHEN YOU
GET YOUR FAVORITE RECORD,
START TO LAY IT DOWN, SO, IT
WAS JUST, LIKE, THAT'S ALL I'M
DOING NOW.
I JUST GET PAID A LITTLE MORE
FOR IT.
YOU KNOW?
>> YOU KNOW, ACTUALLY, HE HAS
A LOT IN COMMON WITH TOM
WOLFE.
THEY BOTH CHRONICLE SOMETHING
OUTSIDE THEMSELVES.
IT'S THEIR ARTISTRY THAT MAKES
THE SUBJECTS COME ALIVE AND
THEY BOTH LOOK SO WRONG FOR
THEIR PART.
YOU'D NEVER MISTAKE TOM WOLFE
FOR AN ASTRONAUT.
AND IF I MET CHUCK AT A PARTY,
I DON'T THINK I'D EVER GUESS
THAT HE MADE FILMS LIKE THAT,
HE LOOKS SO UNPUNK.
BUT BACK TO THE PYRAMIDS.
OUR NEXT PIECE IS ABOUT A
GROUP OF YOUNG, VERY YOUNG
POETS.
ARTISTS WHO ARE JUST TAKING
THE FIRST STEPS UP THEIR
PARTICULAR PYRAMID.
AT THIS STAGE IN THE GAME,
IT'S HARD TO TELL WHETHER
THEY'VE GOT THE RIGHT STUFF OR
NOT.
BUT THEY CERTAINLY HAVE CAUGHT
THE IDEA.
THEY'RE FINDING POETRY, POETRY
IN THE WORLD AROUND THEM, AND
THAT'S WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT.
>> I'VE COME TO THE CONCLUSION,
NOW I'VE COME TO KNOW, YOU
CANNOT BUILD A SNOWMAN IF YOU
HAVEN'T ANY SNOW.
[ Applause ]
>> IT WAS A GATHERING, A
CELEBRATION, AN EXPLOSION OF
WHITE PETALS.
THE POETRY PUBLICATION READING
AT LANDMARK CENTER, AFTER
ANTHOLOGY OF POEMS WRITTEN BY
STUDENTS, WHEN A POET CAME TO
THEIR SCHOOL FOR A WEEK OF
RESIDENCY.
>> ALL OF THE STUDENTS ARE
SITTING IN THE FRONT ROW.
ARE YOU A LITTLE NERVOUS?
I FEEL A LITTLE NERVOUS MYSELF,
AND I SOMETIMES THINK THAT'S
PART OF WHAT POETRY IS.
SOMETIMES WHEN I'M WRITING, I
FEEL A LITTLE SWELLING AND IT
TURNS OUT THAT IT'S THAT
NERVOUS ATTENTION THAT COMES
THROUGH PAYING ATTENTION TO
DETAILS AND THINGS THAT ARE
IMPORTANT.
AND THIS EVENT IS IMPORTANT.
THE NAME OF THE BOOK OF POETRY,
WHICH WE'RE CELEBRATING TODAY,
IS A BOOK CALLED AN EXPLOSION
OF WHITE PETALS.
HERE'S THE BOOK.
AND WHEN I WAS THINKING ABOUT
THE TITLE, I WAS THINKING
ABOUT THAT WONDERFUL SENSE OF
THE PETALS OF WHITE FLOWERS
AND ALSO OF THE SHEETS OF
PAPER THAT THE STUDENTS HAVE
IN THEIR HANDS TODAY AND ARE
GOING TO READ FROM.
I'M SURE THAT IT WILL MAKE A
DELIGHTFUL EXPLOSION.
>> MY BROTHER'S A LITTLE RACK
ON.
HIS HANDS REACH INTO
EVERYTHING.
RACOON.
I'M A HUNTER, I COME, I AIM.
BUBBLE GUM.
GIVE HIM A SECOND CHANCE.
>> THE NAME OF MY POEM IS
FEELINGS.
I HEARD A SONG THAT OPENED MY
HEART.
I TRIED TO GO WITH IT TO ENTER
MY SECRET DREAMS.
WITH JOY I FLEW INTO THE
DISTANCE.
BRING ME TOWARD ITSELF.
THEN MY JOY TURNED TO ANGER
AND I DROPPED LIKE A STONE
INTO THE DARKNESS.
>> SONGS OF DREAMING, I WAS IN
MY SILENT HALL, MY CAT WAS AS
SOFT AS A FUR COAT HANGING IN
THE CLOSET.
AS SHY AS A STRANGER WALKING
BY.
THE RUG WAS SO STILL I THOUGHT
I WAS DREAMING.
THE CHAIR WAS PEACEFUL AND SHE
THOUGHT IT WAS A STATUE.
THE DOOR WAS WHISPERING TO THE
TV SO QUOTE SHE THOUGHT THEY
WERE DAYDREAMING.
THE SPICES ON THE SHELF WERE
HIG OF PEACEFUL DREAMS.
SHE THOUGHT THE TABLES HAD
WITHDRAWN BECAUSE THEY WERE SO
QUIET.
THE SPIDER CRAWLING ON THE
WALL WAS AS SILENT AS A DREAM.
SHE WHISPERED TO HER CAT, VERY
SOFTLY, I LOVE YOU AND VERY
PEACEFULLY WENT TO BED, AND
THEN THE WHOLE HOUSE WENT
DROWSYLY TO SLEEP.
>> THIS IS --
[ AUDIO UNINTELLIGIBLE ]
ROUGH AND HARD.
THIS IS LIKE WALKING THE
ELEPHANTS BIG AND BULKY.
VISIONS ARE LIKE SPLITTING THE
FLOOR DULL AND BLANK.
VISIONS ARE LIKE A MASSIVE
IRON KEEPING YOU AWAY FROM THE
OTHER WORLD.
>> LOOSEN YOUR HANDS AND
SLEEP.
LOOSEN YOUR DREAMS IN
TWILIGHT.
TAKE THE PATTERN OF NIGHT AND
SLEEP EASY.
GATHER THE SILENCE, TURNING ON
THE WIND.
GATHER THE FACES OF HAPPY
ONES.
SING IN THE NIGHT, AGAINST THE
WIND.
FLOAT ALONG THE BEAUTIFUL SKY
AND SLEEP EASY.
>> DREAM OF THE DREAMS THAT
NEVER WERE.
DREAM OF THE DREAMS THAT NEVER
WILL.
DREAM OF THE GYPSY DANCING IN
THE NIGHT.
DREAM OF MY HANDS ENDING THE
YEARS AND SLEEP EASY.
>> NIGHTTIME DREAMS.
ADD MIDNIGHT, THE OLD MEN
REMAIN ALONE WITH THEIR BITTER
THOUGHTS IN DARK AND DISCAN I
REMINISCES.
THEY BECOME YOUNG AGAIN.
THEY RELIVE THEIR LIFE.
FROM THE PLAYGROUND TO LAW
SCHOOL, THEY DON'T TALK.
THEIR MINDS ARE TOO BUSY TO
SPEAK.
THEIR SELF-CONSCIOUS TAKES
OVER FOR THE NIGHT.
BECOME ALIVE, WEARING COLORFUL
CLOTHES, HOLDING THE WORLD IN
THEIR HANDS.
LET THE -- BUT THE WORLD FALLS
APART.
DARK CLOUDS STORM IN THEIR
MINDS.
THE STORM TEARS THEIR MINDS.
THEY LEAVE THEIR BODIES TO
WANDER.
HAVE NOT OTHERS WHO FEEL
HAPPY.
THE FINE -- FIND PEOPLE WHO
ARE WORSE THAN ME, WHO ARE
TROUBLED OVER DOING SIMPLE
CHORES.
THEY'RE ASHAMED.
THEY TURN BACK TO THEIR BODIES
AND AWAKE TO START ANOTHER
DAY.
>> THE TITLE OF MY POEM IS
MOUNTAIN VALLEY WALK.
A SWEET WHISTLE OF GOODS KEEP
MY EARS AND THOUGHTS.
FLUTTERING CYSTALS OF A DAINTY
MOUNTAIN STREAM CATCH MY EYES.
A COOL CALM OF BREATH OF WIND
GENTLY MASSAGES IN THE CHEEKS.
I COME ALONG A GLITTERING
PASTURE.
BIRDS ARE DRIFTING.
SLOWLY, SILENTLY.
FOREVER IMPRISONING MY HEART.
>> TITLE OF MY POEM IS THE
BLACK RIVER.
THE BLACK RIVER RAGES
ENDLESSLY ON, OVER THE STONES,
CHUCKING UP TREE BRANCHES,
PULLING THEM DOWN TO ITS
DEPTH.
RUSHES DOWN A VALLEY WHERE
HORSES QUENCH THEIR THIRST.
THE MOON IS COVERED BY FROST
AND A SINGLE STAR SHINES.
THE BASE OF A MOUNTAIN -- THE
FACE OF THE MOUNTAIN SUDDENLY
STARES INTO THE RIVER.
A SMALL TREE, UPROOTED AND
THROWN INTO THE RIVER FLOATS
ON.
AS THE RIVER RUNS OVER THE
ROCKS, THE REEDS BOW TOWARDS
THE ROAD AS THE RIVER HURRY
RIS ON.
AS THE PEDDLER STOOPS TO DRINK,
THEY'RE SUCKED INTO THE RIVER.
HE CRIES OUT IN AGONY.
THROWS HIMSELF IN AFTER THEM.
THE NEXT MORNING, THE TRAVELER
FINDS HIS OWN.
[ Applause ]
>> ARE AVAILABLE FROM St. PAUL
COMPASS, A SPONSOR OF
MINNESOTA POETS IN THE SCHOOL.
>> DID YOU SPOT THE NEXT P.S.
ELLIOTT?
ONLY TIME WILL TELL.
AND NOW LET'S END WITH A LOOK
AT TWO REMARKABLE PERFORMERS
ON THE DOUBLE BASS.
IT MAY BE A SMALL PYRAMID AS
MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS GO, BUT
RON CARTER AND GARY KARR ARE
RIGHT AT THE TOP.
THEY NOT ONLY HAVE TECHNIQUE,
BUT THEY'VE GOT A SPECIAL
VISION OF THEMSELVES AND THEIR
INSTRUMENT THAT GOES WAY
BEYOND WHAT'S CONVENTIONAL.
I KNOW TOO MANY PROFESSIONAL
MUSICIANS WHO HAVE GOOD
TECHNIQUE BUT JUST DON'T HAVE
THE VISION.
THEY WILL NEVER GO TO THE
FRONTIERS THE WAY THESE GUYS DO.
[ ♪♪ ]
>> THIS IS JAZZ BASSIST RON
CARTER.
[ ♪♪ ]
>> AND THIS IS CLASSICAL
BASSIST GARY KARR.
BOTH MUSICIANS HAVE BROUGHT
THE BASS FROM THE BACKGROUND
TO PREEMINENT SOLO POSITIONS.
WE SPOKE WITH BOTH MEN ABOUT
PLAYING BASS AND LISTENED AS
THEY PERFORMED.
[ ♪♪ ]
>> IF THERE WEREN'T THESE
CONSERVATIVE ATTITUDES IN THE
CLASSICAL FIELD, I WOULD BE
ONE VERY POPULAR MUSICIAN.
BUT I DON'T PLAY THE VIOLIN,
WHICH IS A TRADITIONAL
INSTRUMENT.
THE BASS GOES BACK 400 YEARS.
AND IN 400 YEARS, I THINK THE
STRANGEST OF ALL THINGS IS THE
FACT THAT IT NEVER ATTRACTED
TALENTED PEOPLE.
IN THE 1940s, THE BIG JOKE WAS
THAT YOU CAN LEARN TO PLAY THE
DOUBLE BASS, YOU CAN GET INTO
THE JULIARD SCHOOL IF YOU CAN
MAKE IT THROUGH THE FRONT DOOR
WITHOUT HITTING THE INSTRUMENT
AGAINST THE FRAME.
THE ONE THING JAZZ HAS DONE
FOR THE DOUBLE BASS IS THE
INSTRUMENT HAS ALWAYS SORT OF
BEEN RELEGATED TO THE
BACKGROUND.
AND IN JAZZ, A LOT OF
ATTENTION IS BROUGHT TO THE
DOUBLE BASS PLAYER.
HE RECEIVES AWARDS.
PEOPLE LISTEN.
HE TAKES ON A SOLO.
OCCASIONALLY.
SO THE DOUBLE BASS IS NOT
NEARLY AS STRANGE AN
INSTRUMENT IN THE JAZZ
CIRCUMSTANCE AS IT IS IN THE
CLASSICAL CIRCUMSTANCE, IN THE
CLASSICAL, ORCHESTRA, FOR
INSTANCE, THEY'RE ALWAYS VERY
VISIBLE, THEY'RE THERE BUT NO
ONE EVER REALLY HEARS THEM,
NOT MUCH ATTENTION IS FOCUSED
ON THEM.
THE JAZZ BASS PLAYERS MADE THE
BASS PLAYER GO UP THIS MUCH IN
THE PAST FEW YEARS IN THE
TECHNIQUE ALONE, BUT THEY'RE
NOT AWARE OF IT, BECAUSE
THEY'VE UNAVAILED THEMSELVES
TO THIS ARENA, TO THIS
CLASSICAL MUSIC COMPETITION.
>> I THINK JAZZ IS A WAY OF
LIFE.
MORE THAN CLASSICAL.
YOU LIVE JAZZ.
JAZZ IS A VERY CREATIVE,
SPONTANEOUS TYPE OF
COMMUNICATION.
IN CLASSICAL, IT'S VERY
CREATIVE AND VERY SPONTANEOUS
BUT YOU'RE VERY MUCH AN
INTERPRETER.
AND, SO, YOU SING IN CLASSICAL
TO GET INTO OTHER PEOPLE'S
MINDS AND BE CREATIVE WITH
THAT.
>> BASICALLY WHEN I WAS
PLAYING JAZZ, WHEN I WAS A
CLASSICAL PLAYER, CLASSICAL
ENSEMBLES, I'D LIKE TO SAY IT
OCCURRED TO ME THAT -- BUT
THAT'S NOT REALLY THE FACT --
I WAS TOLD BY PEOPLE WHO
THOUGHT THAT MAJOR ORCHESTRAS,
AND BY BEING OBSERVANT, TOO,
YOU KNOW, THAT THE CLASSICAL
SITUATION THEN AS NOW ARE NOT,
WERE NOT RELATED TO HIGHER --
A GIFTED BLACK PLAYER, WHETHER
HE PLAYED BASS OR VIOLIN, IT
DIDN'T MATTER.
AND THAT HASN'T CHANGED, BY
THE WAY.
[ ♪♪ ]
[ ♪♪ ]
>> THEY CERTAINLY HAVE THE
RIGHT STUFF.
IT'S HARD TO DESCRIBE, BUT YOU
CAN'T MISS IT.
NEXT WEEK ON WYLD RYCE, WE'LL
GET AN EXTRAORDINARY
PERSPECTIVE ON THE MINNESOTA
LANDSCAPE, SEE SOME FABULOUS
ORIENTAL ART, AND MEET FLUTIST
JEAN PIERRE, DON'T MISS THAT
EITHER.
I'M VERN SUTTON.
[ ♪♪ ]
>> Announcer: MAJOR FUNDING