Trinity College School - Record Yearbook (Port Hope, Ontario Canada)

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Cat Stevens at Massey Hall Mimi Farina and Tom Jans put on a good performance, but it wasn ' t until the Cat ' s second song that one could feel the magic that fills the air of a good concert. The audience became at once focused and relaxed. Most of his songs show a deep searching, whether it be the answers for many questions or a worldwide peace. The sincerity and intensity of his feelings were clearly delivered in his performance. In seeing his sharp, dark eyes and hearing his emotion filled voice one cannot remain outside his concern. And this is, of course, combined with simple but beautiful music. Although he has recorded a couple of little ditties that I really can ' t make anything out of, he never makes his songs pretentious as the Beatles came to do. In music and in lyrics, his is a clear, honest sound. His upbeat single calling to join the Peace Train has a message of appeal, but most of his songs are of a per- sonal nature, reflections. He is really rather small and fine- boned, but the way his beard and curly hair frame his face gives me the im- pression of a lion. Perched on a stool he alternately hunched over his guitar and threw his shaggy name back. He seemed to put himself back into the emotions he felt at the time of writing songs such as Miles From Nowhere . His voice is rich and at times almost growling. None of his guitar work is complex, but it was apparent that he keeps a tight rein over his back-up musicians. I think I noticed a little grin of delight as his three instrumentalists broke into a crescendo in one of his songs. This build is common to his style. I don ' t really know a lot about him except that he is an Englishman of Greek parentage. He ' s not really the kind of musician one is curious about because in each song he gives his deepest self. He introduced a couple of new songs during the concert. In general his latest songs seem a little less poignant than those in his Tea For the Tillerman album. They are now a little gentler, a little more subtle. Avoiding much talk other than short, introductory explanations, Cat moved from one of three guitars or to the piano with amazing rapidity. Tire audience often applauded at the first line of familiar tunes. The second and third galleries were filled with glowing matches, like candles, near the end of the performance. He finished, or intended to finish, with Father and Son . This song is classic in its simple expression of the constant difference between young man and father. The thunderous, foot- stomping applause of both balconies called Cat back to the stage. It was his first show of possibly his biggest tour to date, but he was quite moved by what I thought was to be expected. Quickly Cat and his group swung into Changes . Heeding the calls, he finished alone on tire piano with the eloquent Sad Lisa . For once I was glad I was at the earlier show of the evening, for I wondered if he could put so much into the later performance. Phil Keddy 12

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IF are seven people, playing, singing with incredible virtuosity but no pretention. IF are the sum of so much that is great in jazz, rock and blues. . . the sum of its past parts. When IF appeared on the music scene no one noticed or really cared. Their arrival was not heralded in the way that many of today ' s groups are. Their impact on the music world went unnoticed and unfelt by many. However, the few that noticed them and bought their first album, discovered one of the most incredible sounds they had heard in a long time. IF is as delicate as Simon and Garfunkel, as brassy as Blood, Sweat, and Tears or Chicago, but with the amazing intricacy of the Moody Blues. Most of the group ' s material is written by Dave Quincy and Trevor Preston. These two comprise one of the best song- writing teams since the Lennon McCartney days. They can produce a tune and write into it, and arrange it so well that you are swept away into another world of flutes, organs, and saxophones. There are seven members of IF and they have all played with some of the best jaa musicians of our time. They are all professionals and their music shows this. When next listening to your favourite contemporary music F. M. station, if you hear a very polished, very professional, and very beautifully composed piece, it may just be IF. Hugh Ambrose

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il memorial compositions. Though Mimi and Tom Jans are well matched and play and harmonize well together; I felt she I seemed different without Richard and she ap- | peared unable to become as involved in her | songs as she once did. Nevertheless they played well and would have been fine for a concert more suited to their music. However, it was Cat Stevens ' night and everyone was waiting for Cat to appear. It was clear that nobody was going to steal his lime- light. So once again the result of staging lesser | known talent before the big names was merely a formality. Mimi Farina Tom Jans With mainly Cat Stevens ' fans in the hall, Mimi Farina and Tom Jans had the hard task of opening the concert. They opened competently, but lacked the vitality and excitement to in- volve the audience in their singing. Their music resembled that of the traditional Farina style, though I felt Mimi lacked the depth she used to show with her late husband Richard. After Richard was killed in a 1966 motorcycle accident, Mimi fell into depression and retired from the music world. Eventually she was paired up with Tom Jans through friends and that started her comeback. Tragedy has played a big part in the songs composed by Mimi Farina today, and especially at the concert, where she played numerous J. A. Barford