4/27/01

LC010427

VAL>> ON LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT --

IT'S ALMOST AS FAMOUS AS THE HOLLYWOOD SIGN. THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL. SO WHY DO SOME PEOPLE SAY IT NEEDS A FACELIFT?

PHILIP BRUCE>> IN SPITE OF THE PROTECTIVE ATTITUDE OF CONSERVATIONISTS, THE SHELL THAT'S NOW IN PLACE IS NOT THE ORIGINAL. THE EARLIEST VERSIONS WERE NEVER BUILT TO LAST. THEY WERE ALL TORN DOWN AT THE END OF EACH YEAR AND REPLACED THE NEXT SEASON.

RON NUDELMAN>> THERE'S NEVER BEEN A MASTER PLAN OF HOW DO WE GO BACK AND MAKE IT WORK VISUALLY AND TECHNOLOGICALLY AT THE SAME TIME.

VAL>> AND MADDOX & HEWITT TRAIN THEIR SIGHTS ON MONEY AND CONSERVATIVES.

MADDOX>> THE SPENDING LIMIT HAS BEEN ELIMINATED. GET READY FOR THE MOST EXPENSIVE MAYOR'S RACE IN THE HISTORY OF L.A.

HEWITT>> AND GET USED TO THE FACT THAT IT WILL BE THE REPUBLICANS WHO DECIDE WHO WILL BE THE NEXT MAYOR IN THE CITY OF ANGELS.

MADDOX>> ALL THAT AND MORE COMING UP ON MADDOX & HEWITT.

VAL>> AND THE MUSIC OF ONE OF L.A.'S JAZZ GREATS.

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VAL>> HORACE TAPSCOTT WAS KNOWN NOT JUST FOR HIS MUSIC, BUT ALSO FOR HIS ACTIVISM. WE TALK WITH THE EDITOR OF HIS AUTOBIOGRAPHY, "SONGS OF THE UNSUNG". 

THESE STORIES COMING UP NEXT ON LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT.

LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE FOLLOWING FOUNDATIONS:

THE JAMES IRVINE FOUNDATION
WHICH IS DEDICATED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN INFORMED CALIFORNIA CITIZENRY.

THE L.K. WHITTIER FOUNDATION
DEDICATED TO IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE BY SUPPORTING INNOVATIVE ENDEAVORS IN THE FIELDS OF MEDICINE, HEALTH, SCIENCE AND EDUCATION.

AND THE CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
UNDERWRITING THE SPANISH LANGUAGE TRANSLATION OF LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT.

VAL>> GOOD EVENING, I'M VAL ZAVALA. JESS MARLOW HAS THE NIGHT OFF.

OUR TOP STORY TONIGHT, A NEW LOOK FOR A HOLLYWOOD ICON. A JUDGE RULED THIS WEEK THAT THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL CAN INDEED REPLACE ITS FAMILIAR WHITE SHELL. MUSICIANS AND ARCHITECTS HAVE COMPLAINED FOR DECADES THAT THE SHELL'S ACOUSTICS LEAVE A LOT TO BE DESIRED, BUT PRESERVATIONISTS HAD GONE TO COURT TO KEEP THE SHELL THE WAY IT IS. AND AS PHILIP BRUCE REPORTS, THE SHELL YOU SEE TODAY WAS NEVER BUILT TO LAST.

PHILIP>> WHEN ITZHAK PERLMAN CONDUCTED THE LOS ANGELES PHILHARMONIC THIS WEEK PLAYING THE MUSIC OF ANTONIN DVORAK, THERE'S NO QUESTION THAT IT WAS A WORLD-CLASS PERFORMANCE. BUT WHEN THE PERFORMANCE TAKES PLACE AT THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL, IS IT SET ON A WORLD-CLASS STAGE? WELL, THAT DEPENDS ON WHOM YOU ASK AND WHEN YOU ASK IT.

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PHILIP>> IN 1938, DICK POWELL AND ROSEMARY LANE DEMONSTRATED THE BOWL'S FAMED ACOUSTICS IN THE MOVIE "HOLLYWOOD HOTEL".

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PHILIP>> BUT THINGS HAVE CHANGED.

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PHILIP>> PRINCIPAL CONDUCTOR, JOHN MAUCERI, HAS LED THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL ORCHESTRA IN MORE THAN 200 PERFORMANCES. HE TOLD THE L.A. COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS THAT THE BOWL'S HISTORIC SHELL IS WELL OVERDUE FOR AN UPDATE.

JOHN MAUCERI>> PARTS OF THE BOWL ARE SO LOUD THAT PLAYERS ACTUALLY HAVE TO PLAY WITH EARPLUGS IN THEIR EARS TO PROTECT THEIR HEARING, WHICH IS A PRETTY HORRIBLE WAY TO PLAY THE CELLO, FOR EXAMPLE.

PHILIP>> THE BOARD UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED AN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT THAT FREES UP COUNTY MONEY TO REPLACE THE SHELL, BUT THE PLAN STILL FACES MAJOR OPPOSITION FROM CONSERVATIONISTS, INCLUDING RON NUDELMAN OF HOLLYWOOD HERITAGE. HE'S ONE OF THE BOWL'S BIGGEST FANS.

RON NUDELMAN>> THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL. IT'S A VISUAL AND ARTISTIC ICON THAT'S GONE ON FROM PROKOFIEV, RACHMANINOFF, GERSHWIN AND ALL THE OTHERS UP TO THE BEATLES AND PINK FLOYD. PETE TOWNSEND FROM THE "WHO" WAS THERE LAST MONTH AND CALLED THE PLACE SACRED DURING THE CONCERT.

PHILIP>> IN SPITE OF THE PROTECTIVE ATTITUDE OF CONSERVATIONISTS, THE SHELL THAT'S NOW IN PLACE IS NOT THE ORIGINAL. THE EARLIEST VERSIONS WERE NEVER BUILT TO LAST. THEY WERE ALL TORN DOWN AT THE END OF EACH YEAR AND REPLACED THE NEXT SEASON.

RON NUDELMAN>> THIS ONE HERE IS THE SHELL, THE ACOUSTIC SHELL, THAT WAS DONE IN 1927 DOWN HERE. IT WAS DONE BY LLOYD WRIGHT, FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT'S SON. IT'S DONE AS AN AZTEC PYRAMID TYPE SHAPE IN A LITTLE TEMPLE BUILDING THERE.

PHILIP>> THE CURRENT VERSION WAS BUILT IN 1929, BUT IT'S UNDERGONE PLENTY OF CHANGES OVER THE YEARS. A REFLECTING POOL WAS ADDED IN 1953, PARTLY TO IMPROVE THE ACOUSTICS. IN '54, THE 35-FOOT LIGHT AND SOUND TOWERS WERE BUILT TO HELP DROWN OUT THE NOISE OF THE HOLLYWOOD FREEWAY. 1970 SAW THE ADDITION OF A SERIES OF SONOTUBES, AGAIN TO IMPROVE THE ACOUSTICS, BUT TEN YEARS LATER, THEY WERE REPLACED WITH THE FIBERGLASS SPHERES WHICH HANG THERE TODAY.

RON NUDELMAN>> THERE'S NEVER BEEN A MASTER PLAN OF HOW DO WE GO BACK AND MAKE IT WORK VISUALLY AND TECHNOLOGICALLY AT THE SAME TIME.

PHILIP>> THAT MAY BE THE ONE POINT THAT NUDELMAN AND SUPERVISOR, ZEV YAROSLAVSKY, WHO WANTS TO REPLACE THE SHELL, AGREE ON.

ZEV YAROSLAVSKY>> WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT SAVING THE BOWL, THE SHELL, THERE HAVE BEEN A MULTITUDE OF SHELLS. YOU NEED TO KNOW WHETHER YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE 1929 SHELL, THE 1970 SHELL, THE 1943 SHELL, THE ONE WITH THE SPHERES, THE ONE WITH THE TUBES. THIS THING HAS BEEN BASTARDIZED FIVE WAYS TO SUNDAY.

PHILIP>> THIS IS WHAT YAROSLAVSKY, CONDUCTOR MAUCERI AND THE L.A. PHILHARMONIC SEE AS A FUTURE OF THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL.

CRAIG HODGETTS>> THE DESIGN FOR THIS SHELL IS REALLY TRYING AS HARD AS WE CAN TO MAINTAIN THE VISUAL QUALITIES OF THE OLD SHELL.

PHILIP>> THE NEW VERSION BY DESIGN FIRM, HODGETTS & FUNG, WOULD BE LARGER SO THE ENTIRE ORCHESTRA COULD FIT INSIDE. AND THOSE ROUND SPHERES WOULD BE REPLACED WITH A FLAT GLASS PANEL TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM OF ACOUSTICS.

CRAIG HODGETTS>> WHAT THE OLD SHELL HAD WHEN IT WAS VERY FRESH, THE VIRGIN SHELL, WAS THAT IT HAD A VERY ELEGANT GEOMETRY WHICH WAS VERY MUCH OF THAT TIME. OVER TIME, IT WAS CLUTTERED UP WITH MANY THINGS. SO, IN A SENSE, WHAT WE'RE DOING IS TAKING THE VISUAL APPEARANCE OF THE SHELL BACK TO WHAT IT WAS.

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PHILIP>> BUT THE REAL DEBATE ISN'T OVER WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE. IT'S WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE. AND TO THAT END, THE BEAUTY OF THE CURRENT HOLLYWOOD BOWL IS IN THE EAR OF THE BEHOLDER.

VAL>> NOW WE WEREN'T ABLE TO REACH THE HOLLYWOOD HERITAGE SOCIETY FOR A COMMENT ON THE JUDGE'S DECISION. THERE IS STILL A CHANCE THEY MAY APPEAL AND THE ARCHITECT WHO DESIGNED THE NEW SHELL SAYS EVERYTHING IS ON SCHEDULE. CONSTRUCTION IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN IN OCTOBER AS SOON AS THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL SUMMER SEASON ENDS. THE NEW SHELL SHOULD BE READY FOR CONCERTS BY MAY 2002, JUST A LITTLE MORE THAN ONE YEAR FROM NOW.

TOMORROW ON LIFE AND TIMES WEEKEND, MADDOX & HEWITT ARE BACK IN ELECTION MODE. THEY TALK WITH THE TWO CANDIDATES FOR L.A.'S FIFTH CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT.

JACK WEISS>> ON THE ONE HAND, I'M ENDORSED BY MAYOR RIORDAN. ON THE OTHER HAND, I WAS ENDORSED BY ONE OF OUR LEADING CIVIL RIGHTS LEADERS IN LOS ANGELES, PROFESSOR ERWIN CHEMERINSKY AT USC.

TOM HAYDEN>> BUT THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS, JACK HAS NEVER, AS FAR AS I KNOW, DONE ANYTHING IN THE COMMUNITY. HE WAS A PROSECUTOR, A ONE-DIMENSIONAL APPROACH TO THE MANY PROBLEMS THAT WE HAVE.

VAL>> THAT'S COMING UP TOMORROW AT 2:00 P.M. ON LIFE AND TIMES WEEKEND EDITION.

AND NOW WE TURN THINGS OVER TO KERMAN AND HUGH. WE'RE HERE TO FIND OUT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN POLITICS AND WHY AND, IN PARTICULAR, THE LATEST ON THE MAYOR'S RACE WHICH I UNDERSTAND ALL SPENDING CAPS ARE OFF.

KERMAN>> YEAH, WHAT HAPPENS, VAL, IS WHEN YOU RECEIVE PUBLIC FUNDING, YOU MAKE AN AGREEMENT TO PLACE A LIMIT ON THE AMOUNT OF MONEY YOU CAN SPEND FOR YOUR PARTICULAR RACE. THE LIMIT THAT WAS ESTABLISHED FOR THE MAYOR'S RACE WAS $1.7 MILLION DOLLARS, BOTH FOR MR. HAHN AND MR. VILLARAIGOSA, BUT IF YOU MAKE A PERSONAL CONTRIBUTION OR DONATION OR A BUSINESS MAKES A DONATION THAT EXCEEDS A CERTAIN DOLLAR FIGURE, THE CAP IS LIFTED.

SO WHAT HAPPENED THIS WEEK IS, THE BILLBOARD INDUSTRY MADE A DONATION TO THE JIMMY HAHN FOR MAYOR CAMPAIGN. THEY IN ESSENCE DONATED $250,000 DOLLARS WHICH BASICALLY IS 25 BILLBOARDS THAT WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR THE HAHN CAMPAIGN, WHICH IS PRETTY BIG. SINCE THEY DID THAT, THE LIMIT OF $1.7 MILLION DOLLARS HAS BEEN LIFTED, SO ANTONIO VILLARAIGOSA AND JIMMY HAHN CAN GO OUT AND RAISE AS MUCH MONEY AS THEY CAN IN DONATIONS OF $1,000, BUT THEY CAN'T EXCEED THE LIMIT OF $1.7 MILLION DOLLARS. THIS IS GOING TO BE REALLY EXPENSIVE.

HUGH>> KERMAN, I GOT A QUESTION. BECAUSE THE L.A. CITY COUNCIL AND MAYORAL RACES ARE GOVERNED BY A VERY BYZANTINE SYSTEM, THE MONEY THAT THE DEMOCRATS WERE PUTTING INTO ANTONIO VILLARAIGOSA'S CAMPAIGN WAS BIG IN THE PRIMARY. DID THAT COUNT AGAINST THE CAP OR WAS THAT SOMEHOW EXCEPTED FROM --

KERMAN>> YEAH, WHAT HAPPENED, THEY HAVE WHAT THEY CALL INDEPENDENT EXPENDITURES. SO WHAT HAPPENS IS, THAT MONEY IS ALLOWED TO BE COMING IN THROUGH ORGANIZED LABOR AND THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY, BUT YOU CAN'T EXCEED THE LIMIT. YOU MIGHT REMEMBER, IN THE PRIMARY, ONCE STEVE SOBOROFF PUT IN $667,000, THE CAP WAS LIFTED IN THE PRIMARY. THAT ALLOWED ANTONIO TO GO BACK TO ORGANIZED LABOR AND THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY AND SAY YOU GUYS CAN GIVE ME EVEN MORE MONEY. SO IT HAPPENED IN THE PRIMARY AND NOW IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE RUNOFF.

HUGH>> BUT I DON'T SEE HOW THIS COULD HELP JIM HAHN BECAUSE VILLARAIGOSA'S GOT THE BIG WHEELS BEHIND HIM, THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY WHICH RAISES MONEY STATEWIDE AND ORGANIZED LABOR WHICH IS FILLED TO THE BRIM WITH LOTS OF TRIM FOR ANTONIO. HOW COULD JIM HAHN ALLOW A BACKER TO BLOW THE CAP?

KERMAN>> WELL, I DON'T KNOW THAT THIS REALLY HARMS THE JIMMY HAHN CAMPAIGN. YOU MIGHT REMEMBER, EVEN THOUGH ANTONIO CAME IN FIRST PLACE, JIMMY HAHN OUTSPENT HIM. JIMMY HAHN RAISED $4.1 MILLION DOLLARS --

HUGH>> -- BUT IT'S GONE, RIGHT?

KERMAN>> IT'S GONE. ANTONIO RAISED $3.3 MILLION. THEY RAISED A LOT OF MONEY, SO I THINK THE HAHN CAMPAIGN OBVIOUSLY WOULDN'T ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN UNLESS THEY THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO BENEFIT THEM IN SOME WAY. SO I'M NOT SURE WHO IT BENEFITS AT THIS POINT. ALL I KNOW IS, WE'RE GOING TO SEE THE MOST EXPENSIVE MAYORAL ELECTION WE'VE EVER SEEN AND IT KIND OF VIOLATES THE WHOLE SPIRIT ABOUT RECEIVING PUBLIC FUNDING IN HOPES OF KEEPING CAMPAIGNS DOWN TO A LIMIT.

VAL>> IT DEFINITELY DOES. ANOTHER ASPECT OF THE RACE IS, HUGH, YOU SAY THE REPUBLICAN VOTERS ARE GOING TO BE THE DETERMINING FACTOR?

HUGH>> YEAH, I THINK THE POLLS ARE IN AND KERMAN AGREES WITH THIS. IT WAS NOT SURPRISING. I GOT A CALL FROM ANTONIO'S CAMPAIGN THIS WEEK, ELENA -- ELENA'S LAST NAME --

KERMAN>> -- ELENA STERN, PRESS SECRETARY.

HUGH>> ELENA STERN, PRESS SECRETARY, SAID HE WANTS TO COME ON MY RADIO SHOW IN THE MORNING ON 870. NOW THAT'S VERY ODD --

VAL>> -- 870 KRLA.

HUGH>> THAT'S RIGHT, THAT'S RIGHT --

VAL>> -- GIVE HIM A PLUG.

HUGH>> WE CAN SAY THAT, SHAMELESS PLUG. BUT WHY WOULD ANTONIO VILLARAIGOSA WANT TO COME ON THE HUGH HEWITT PROGRAM? NOW WE'RE VERY POPULAR. WE'RE THE SECOND HIGHEST RATED TALK SHOW IN THE MORNING ON POLITICAL TALK --

VAL>> -- OKAY, THAT'S TOO MUCH OF A PLUG. (LAUGHTER)

HUGH>> WHY DOES ANTONIO WANT TO COME ON A REPUBLICAN TALK SHOW? BECAUSE THE REPUBLICANS IN THIS CITY ARE IN PLAY RIGHT NOW. THEY HAVE TO DECIDE BETWEEN TWO LIBERALS. THEY'RE BOTH LIBERALS, AND I THINK THAT THERE ARE ENOUGH OF THEM THAT ARE GOING TO VOTE EITHER BY ABSENTEE, WHICH BEGINS SOON -- THAT'S WHY HE WANTS TO BE ON NEXT WEEK -- OR BY GOING TO THE POLLS ON THAT DAY, THAT THEY WILL DECIDE. I THINK THEY'RE LEANING ANTONIO BECAUSE, AS BETWEEN A LIBERAL WITH SOME CHARISMA AND A LIBERAL THAT'S REALLY NOT THAT INTERESTING, YOU GO WITH THE LIBERAL WITH CHARISMA. I HAVE MY OWN VIEW. I WANT ANTONIO ON THE BALLOT IN THE YEAR 2006 FOR GOVERNOR BECAUSE WE CAN BEAT ANTONIO LIKE A DRUM STATEWIDE. BUT HE'LL BE FUN FOR THE CITY. WHAT DO YOU THINK?

KERMAN>> HE'S RIGHT ABOUT ONE THING. THE FACT IS, THAT A LOT OF THE DEMOCRATS BASICALLY HAVE MADE UP THEIR MINDS, SO THERE ARE A LOT OF UNDECIDED VOTERS, VAL, AND A LOT OF THOSE UN --

VAL>> -- WHO ARE REPUBLICAN.

KERMAN>> FOR THE MOST PART, THEY'RE REPUBLICANS AND MANY OF THEM LIVE IN THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY AND WEST L.A., SO THEY'VE GOT TO MAKE A CHOICE BETWEEN TWO LIBERAL DEMOCRATS. I THINK YOU'RE WRONG IN THE FACT THAT JIMMY HAHN SEEMS TO BE PICKING UP THE EARLY ENDORSEMENTS. FOR EXAMPLE, THE HOWARD JARVIS TAXPAYER'S ASSOCIATION WHICH IS WELL-REGARDED IN THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY ENDORSED JIMMY HAHN THIS WEEK. A NUMBER OF HOMEOWNER GROUPS IN THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY THAT ARE VERY POPULAR WITH CONSERVATIVES ENDORSED JIMMY HAHN THIS WEEK. SO JIMMY HAHN SEEMS TO BE MOVING TO CONSOLIDATE A CERTAIN BASE OF SUPPORT AMONG CONSERVATIVE VOTERS. WHETHER THAT'S ENOUGH TO CARRY HIM TO VICTORY IN JUNE IS UNCLEAR, BUT HE HAS THE MOMENTUM TODAY.

HUGH>> LET ME ASK YOU ABOUT BERNARD PARKS BECAUSE I THINK WHOEVER IS PERCEIVED AS MORE SUPPORTIVE OF BERNARD PARKS ALSO PICKS UP A KEY SEGMENT OF THE REPUBLICAN VOTE IN THE VALLEY. BERNARD PARKS HAS A VERY HIGH POPULARITY RATING AMONG PEOPLE WHO ARE LAW AND ORDER. THEY TEND TO BE MORE CONSERVATIVE. THEY TEND TO BE MORE REPUBLICAN. WHO'S BEEN MORE SUPPORTIVE OF THE CHIEF?

KERMAN>> I THINK BOTH THESE GUYS, FOR THE MOST PART, HAVE SAID WE'RE GOING TO REVIEW THE CHIEF'S RECORD ONCE WE GET ELECTED. NEITHER ONE OF THEM YOU'VE HEARD SAY WE'RE GOING TO FIRE THE CHIEF RIGHT AWAY, UNLIKE JOEL WACHS AND STEVE SOBOROFF AND SOME OF THE OTHER PEOPLE. SO IT SEEMS RIGHT NOW THE CHIEF IS IN PRETTY GOOD SHAPE BECAUSE BOTH OF THESE GUYS HAVE SAID WE'RE GOING TO REVIEW HIS RECORD AND, AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME, WE'LL MAKE THE DECISION WHETHER WE KEEP HIM OR WE LOOK FOR SOMEBODY ELSE.

VAL>> BUT NEITHER HAS EXPRESSED SOLID SUPPORT FOR PARKS THAT WOULD GARNER THE REPUBLICAN VOTE.

KERMAN>> BUT, THE FACT IS, THEY HAVEN'T DONE WHAT JOEL WACHS AND SOME OF THE OTHERS DID, WHICH BACKFIRED. WHAT JOEL WACHS BASICALLY DID IS --

HUGH>> -- BLEW UP HIS BASE.

KERMAN>> HE BLEW UP HIS CAMPAIGN WHEN HE SAID I'M GOING TO FIRE POLICE CHIEF BERNARD PARKS AND --

HUGH>> -- BLEW UP IN HIS FACE.

KERMAN>> THAT DID NOT RESONATE WITH --

HUGH>> NOW LET'S TALK ENDORSEMENTS. THEY MATTER WITH REPUBLICANS. WE GOT WACHS, WE GOT RIORDAN, WE'VE GOT STEVE SOBOROFF. WHERE ARE THE BIG THREE GOING?

KERMAN>> UNCLEAR RIGHT NOW. BOTH CAMPAIGNS ARE AGGRESSIVELY GOING AFTER HIM BECAUSE, AGAIN, PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THOSE REPUBLICAN VOTERS. STEVE SOBOROFF DOES WELL WITH THOSE VOTERS, JOEL WACHS DOES WELL WITH THOSE VOTERS AND RICHARD RIORDAN, OF COURSE, THE BIGGEST. SO BOTH CAMPAIGNS ARE COURTING THEM. IT'S UNCLEAR. I REALLY DON'T WANT TO MAKE A PREDICTION AT THIS POINT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, BOTH CAMPAIGNS ARE REALLY GOING AFTER THOSE BIG THREE.

VAL>> DON'T THEY HAVE TO ANNOUNCE FAIRLY SOON?

KERMAN>> NO, NOT REALLY. WHAT YOU WANT TO DO IS YOU WANT TO KIND OF WAIT AT THE APPROPRIATE POINT. I THINK WHAT WILL HAPPEN IS THE NEXT TWO AND A HALF OR THREE WEEKS, WE'LL FIND OUT BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENS IS, ONCE YOU GET THOSE ENDORSEMENTS, YOU WANT TO USE IT FOR DIRECT MAIL, TV AND SOME OF YOUR OTHER ADS.

HUGH>> PREDICTION. THEY'RE ALL GOING TO GO FOR ANTONIO. WHY? IT'S AN EASY WAY -- LOOK INTO THE FUTURE -- TO PICK UP LATINO SUPPORT BY HAVING ENDORSED THE FIRST LATINO MAYOR IN OVER A CENTURY IN LOS ANGELES. VERY QUICKLY --

VAL>> -- YEAH, CITY ATTORNEY RACE.

HUGH>> CITY ATTORNEY'S RACE IS HEATING UP. ROCKY DELGADILLO LIKES THESE BILLBOARDS. HE'LL BE BACK OUT THERE. HE'LL PUT HIS MAGIC JOHNSON ADS BACK UP, BUT MIKE FEUER PICKED UP AN IMPORTANT ENDORSEMENT THIS WEEK.

KERMAN>> YES, HE DID. THE POLICE PROTECTIVE LEAGUE, WHICH IS THE UNION THAT REPRESENTS POLICE OFFICERS IN THE CITY OF L.A., ENDORSED MICHAEL FEUER FOR CITY ATTORNEY, A SURPRISE TO A LOT OF PEOPLE BECAUSE ROCKY IS CONSIDERED THE MODERATE IN THAT RACE. MICHAEL FEUER IS CONSIDERED A LIBERAL, BUT THIS IS A BIG BOOST FOR MICHAEL FEUER BECAUSE IT ALLOWS MICHAEL FEUER TO BASICALLY COMBAT ARGUMENTS THAT HE'S SOFT ON CRIME, SO A BIG BOOST FOR HIM. NOW --

VAL>> -- I HAVE A QUESTION. WHY DID THEY -- WHY DID THE POLICE PROTECTIVE LEAGUE CHOOSE TO --

KERMAN>> -- WELL, THERE ARE LOT OF QUESTIONS OUT THERE. MICHAEL FEUER IS A CITY MEMBER OF THE CITY COUNCIL RIGHT NOW. HE'S ON THE BUDGET COMMITTEE. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF POLICE MATTERS BEFORE THE BUDGET COMMITTEE AND A LOT OF PEOPLE SAY THAT, WHEN THEY SAT DOWN AND TALKED TO BOTH CANDIDATES, THE LEAGUE JUST THOUGHT, FRANKLY, THAT MICHAEL FEUER WAS THE MORE QUALIFIED AND THE BETTER CANDIDATE, SO THEY WENT WITH MICHAEL FEUER. BUT LET ME SAY, ROCKY DELGADILLO ALSO PICKED UP AN IMPORTANT ENDORSEMENT AND THAT IS THE CANDIDATE WHO WE INTERVIEWED, LEA D'AGOSTINO, WHO CAME IN THIRD PLACE. SHE HAD A PRESS CONFERENCE AND SHE CAME OUT IN SUPPORT OF ROCKY DELGADILLO.

HUGH>> AND THERE'S NO DOUBT WHERE THE REPUBLICANS ARE GOING TO GO IN THAT RACE. THEY ARE WITH ROCKY DELGADILLO SOLIDLY. I WAS GOING TO DO A PROGRAMMING NOTE. THE MOST INTERESTING PART OF TOMORROW'S PROGRAM WITH TOM HAYDEN AND JACK WEISS IS NOT ON THE AIR. IT'S TOM HAYDEN MELTS DOWN. HE MELTS DOWN BECAUSE I ASKED HIM ABOUT BOB KERRY AND VIETNAM.

VAL>> OFF-CAMERA, BACKSTAGE?

HUGH>> YEAH. HE MELTS DOWN --

KERMAN>> -- BUT YOU CAN HEAR THE NOTES.

HUGH>> -- BECAUSE I INTERRUPT HIM. HE MELTS DOWN BECAUSE YOU GET A PERCENTAGE WRONG AND HE MUST BE IN BIG TROUBLE TO HAVE LOST IT. I'VE NEVER SEEN TOM DO THIS IN 12 YEARS.

VAL>> HE WAS PRETTY MAD AT US AFTER THE SHOW.

KERMAN>> TOM'S BEEN HERE FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS. WE'VE INTERVIEWED HIM A NUMBER OF TIMES. I'VE NEVER SEEN HIM LIKE THAT AND THE SENSE I GET IS THINGS MUST BE REALLY TIGHT IN THAT RACE BECAUSE I DON'T THINK TOM HAYDEN WOULD ACT LIKE THAT UNLESS HE WAS FEARFUL HE MIGHT LOSE THIS ELECTION.

HUGH>> WAY BEHIND.

KERMAN>> COULD BE TOUGH.

VAL>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, GENTLEMEN.

IT'S TIME NOW TO HEAR WHAT YOU, OUR VIEWERS, HAVE TO SAY ABOUT OUR SHOWS. ON MONDAY, WE REPORTED ON AN LAPD GANG INTERVENTION PROGRAM IN THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY. IT'S MAKING GREAT STRIDES IN KEEPING YOUNGSTERS OUT OF GANGS, BUT FREDERIC E. BLOOMQUIST WRITES BY E-MAIL:

"IF THESE KIDS WERE NOT TARGETED BY THE POLICE IN THE FIRST PLACE AND IF THE SAME PROGRAMS AVAILABLE TO KIDS IN SANTA MONICA AND BEVERLY HILLS WERE AVAILABLE TO THEM, THIS PROGRAM WOULDN'T EVEN BE NECESSARY."

VAL>> AND ON TUESDAY, WE REPORTED HOW THE SHORTAGE OF ELECTRICITY THIS SUMMER MAY BRING ON INCREASED SMOG. THAT'S BECAUSE OLDER, DIESEL-POWERED GENERATORS MAY HAVE TO BE FIRED UP DURING BLACKOUTS. WELL, GREGORY WRIGHT OF SHERMAN OAKS POINTS OUT ONE WAY TO CONSERVE ENERGY. HE WRITES:

"WITH ASTHMATIC CHILDREN AND ADULTS THREATENED BY THE POLLUTION THAT WILL COME WITH THE GENERATION OF DESPERATELY-NEEDED ELECTRICITY, IT WILL BE AN OBSCENITY IF ANY OF THAT POWER IS WASTED TO ILLUMINATE THOSE EYESORES CALLED BILLBOARDS. BAD ENOUGH WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THEM EVERY DAY. AT LEAST GIVE US A SURCEASE AT NIGHT BY CUTTING THEIR POWER SUPPLY."

VAL>> WE'D LOVE TO HEAR YOUR IDEAS OR COMMENTS ON ANY OF OUR REPORTS. HERE ARE THE WAYS YOU CAN REACH US:

LIFEANDTIMES@KCET.ORG
WWW.KCET.ORG.
LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT
4401 SUNSET BLVD.
LOS ANGELES, CA 90027
(323) 953-5555

VAL>> IN TONIGHT'S PEOPLE, PLACES & THINGS, LEGENDARY LOS ANGELES JAZZ PIANIST AND ACTIVIST, HORACE TAPSCOTT. TAPSCOTT WAS AN INTRICATE PART OF THE L.A. JAZZ SCENE, EQUALLY PASSIONATE ABOUT THE MUSIC HE MADE AND THE MUSICIANS WITH WHOM HE MADE IT. TAPSCOTT WAS WORKING ON HIS AUTOBIOGRAPHY WHEN HE DIED TWO YEARS AGO, BUT IT IS NOW COMPLETE, THANKS TO HISTORIAN, STEVE ISOARDI.

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VAL>> TAPSCOTT TELLS HIS STORY IN "SONGS OF THE UNSUNG" FROM HIS CHILDHOOD IN THE SEGREGATED SOUTH THROUGH HIS ACTIVISM IN THE LOS ANGELES AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY. JOINING US NOW IS STEVE ISOARDI, THE EDITOR OF "SONGS OF THE UNSUNG: THE MUSICAL AND SOCIAL JOURNEY OF HORACE TAPSCOTT". TELL US WHY WE HAVE NOT HEARD OF THIS FELLOW. HE IS AMAZING. SOME OF US HAVE, EXCUSE ME --

STEVE ISOARDI>> -- YES, SOME PEOPLE HAVE.

VAL>> -- BUT HE'S NOT, YOU KNOW, A HOUSEHOLD NAME IN TERMS OF JAZZ GREATS.

STEVE ISOARDI>> NO, HE'S NOT. HE'S PROBABLY BETTER KNOWN IN EUROPE THAN HE IS IN THIS COUNTRY AND IN LOS ANGELES.

VAL>> REALLY?

STEVE ISOARDI>> I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT REASON IS THAT IT WAS A DECISION ON HORACE'S PART IN 1961 TO GET OFF THE COMMERCIAL ESCALATOR WHICH HE WAS ON -- LIONEL HAMPTON'S BIG BAND -- AND TO DEVOTE HIMSELF TO HIS COMMUNITY, TO DEVOTE HIMSELF TO COMPOSING, TO WRITING GREAT MUSIC INSPIRED BY HIS COMMUNITY AND ALSO DEVOTING HIMSELF TO INTERACTING WITH MUSICIANS AND KIDS IN HIS COMMUNITY.

VAL>> YOU MEAN, FOR A JAZZ MUSICIAN, IT'S AN EITHER/OR DECISION? YOU EITHER GO TOWARD COMMERCIAL SUCCESS OR YOU GET INVOLVED IN A PARTICULAR COMMUNITY?

STEVE ISOARDI>> I THINK THE WAY HORACE DEFINED BECOMING A COMMUNITY ARTIST AND BEING INVOLVED, IT BECAME THAT. NOT NECESSARILY SO, BECAUSE HORACE DID DO SOME RECORDINGS. HE DID TOUR. HE DID TRAVEL, BUT HIS CONCEPTION OF REALLY BECOMING A COMMUNITY ARTIST, OF BEING PART OF THE COMMUNITY, OF FIGURING OUT THE COMMUNITY, WHICH HE SAID WAS SO HARD TO DO, AND TO DO THAT, YOU HAVE TO BE THERE. IF YOU WANT TO INFLUENCE PEOPLE, HE SAID, YOU HAVE TO BE IN THE GROCERY STORES SO KIDS COULD SEE YOU THERE AND THEY KNOW YOU WOULDN'T JUST GIVE A SPEECH, AS HE SAYS IN THE BOOK, AND GO UP TO THE HOLLYWOOD HILLS THEN AND LEAVE THEM. THAT WAS VERY IMPORTANT.

VAL>> WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A LOOK AT SOME PICTURES OF HORACE TAPSCOTT AND YOU CAN TELL US A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHERE HE WAS BORN AND HOW HE CAME TO SETTLE IN LOS ANGELES. THIS IS A PICTURE OF HIM WHEN?

STEVE ISOARDI>> THIS IS HORACE WHEN HE WAS A STUDENT AT JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOL. WHEN HE CAME TO LOS ANGELES, CENTRAL AVENUE WAS THRIVING AND HE WAS PART OF THAT COMMUNITY. ANOTHER REASON HE THOUGHT SO VERY HIGHLY OF BEING A PART OF THE COMMUNITY WAS BECAUSE HE LEARNED SO MUCH FROM THE MUSICIANS AND THE ARTISTS WHO WERE ON CENTRAL AVENUE AND ALWAYS THERE FOR HIM.

VAL>> AND THEN HE WAS ALSO IN THE AIR FORCE?

STEVE ISOARDI>> YEAH. HE SPENT FOUR YEARS IN THE AIR FORCE, MOST OF IT AT FORT WARREN AIR FORCE BASE IN WYOMING (LAUGHTER) WHERE THEY SENT ALL THE PEOPLE THE AIR FORCE FELT COULD BE TROUBLE AND HORACE --

VAL>> -- (LAUGHTER) IS THAT RIGHT?

STEVE ISOARDI>> OH, YES, OH, YES. HORACE WAS CONFIDENT OF HIS ABILITIES, SHALL WE SAY, AND HE WAS VERY OUTSPOKEN AT THE TIME IN THE MID-50'S.

VAL>> SO OBVIOUSLY HE PLAYED TROMBONE AND PIANO? THOSE WERE HIS MAIN INSTRUMENTS?

STEVE ISOARDI>> YEAH. HE ACTUALLY BEGAN ON PIANO. HIS MOTHER WAS A JAZZ BLUES PLAYING LADY WHO TOURED THE "CHITLIN" CIRCUIT IN EAST TEXAS AND SHE TAUGHT HIM TO PLAY PIANO. WHEN HE WAS ABOUT EIGHT YEARS OLD, SHE GOT HIM A TROMBONE. SO HE, FROM EARLY ON, WAS PLAYING BOTH INSTRUMENTS.

VAL>> AND THIS IS HIM IN, I BELIEVE, THE MID-50'S?

STEVE ISOARDI>> RIGHT. HE'S IN WYOMING AND HE'S GIGGING AT A LOCAL CLUB AND PLAYING ON ONE OF THE FIRST ELECTRIC PIANOS.

VAL>> ELECTRIC PIANO?

STEVE ISOARDI>> YEAH.

VAL>> NOW WHAT MADE HIM DISTINCT AS HE WENT ON AND HIS MUSICAL TALENT DEVELOPED?

STEVE ISOARDI>> A NUMBER OF THINGS MADE HORACE UNIQUE, SOME MUSICAL AND SOME SOCIAL. MUSICALLY, HE WAS ALWAYS ON THE EDGE. HE WAS ALWAYS TRYING FOR NEW SOUNDS, PUSHING THE MUSIC AND ALSO HE WAS TAKING HIS INSPIRATION FOR HIS COMPOSITIONS FROM HIS COMMUNITY AROUND HIM. SO HE WOULD WATCH SOMEONE WALK DOWN THE STREET A PARTICULAR WAY AND HE WOULD TRY AND FIGURE OUT THE RHYTHM OF IT OR THE CADENCE OF IT, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THIS FIT INTO, YOU KNOW, ACCEPTED STYLES AND CONVENTIONAL STYLES, AND HE WOULD JUST FIND A WAY TO CREATE SOMETHING NEW. SO AS A COMPOSER, HE WAS VERY UNIQUE, VERY DIFFERENT, AND I THINK YOU CAN'T REALLY PUT HIM IN ANY PARTICULAR STYLE. IF YOU HEAR HIS WORK, IT'S VERY DIFFERENT AND DRAWN FROM MANY SOURCES.

VAL>> WE ARE GOING TO HEAR HIS WORK TO GIVE PEOPLE A LITTLE IDEA OF WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, SO WE'LL TAKE A LISTEN. HERE IT IS.

[FILM CLIP]

VAL>> WOW. NOW WHAT STYLE JAZZ WOULD YOU SAY THAT IS? AND WHERE DID THIS HAPPEN?

STEVE ISOARDI>> (LAUGHTER) WELL, IT'S HORACE'S STYLE. THIS WAS A RECITAL THAT HORACE GAVE IN 1988, A SOLO RECITAL AT THE PHILHARMONIC HALL IN BERLIN.

VAL>> AMAZING.

STEVE ISOARDI>> AND, OF COURSE, THE PLACE WAS FULL.

VAL>> AND NO ONE HAS BEEN ABLE TO DUPLICATE THAT PARTICULAR STYLE OR ANYTHING?

STEVE ISOARDI>> WELL, HORACE IS PROBABLY MOST COMMONLY AMONG CRITICS REFERRED TO AS A POST-MONK PIANIST. HE COMES OUT OF THE TRADITION OF MONKS, BUT VERY HEAVILY INFLUENCED BY THE AVANT-GARDE, ALTHOUGH HORACE SAYS HIS PROBABLY SINGLE-MOST IMPORTANT INFLUENCE WAS DUKE ELLINGTON.

VAL>> REALLY? NOW HE ALSO DID SOMETHING VERY UNUSUAL. HE WOULDN'T JUST PLAY THE KEYS OF THE PIANO. WE ARE GOING TO SEE A CLIP HERE WHERE HE'S USING THE PIANO IN A MOST INNOVATIVE WAY. (LAUGHTER)

STEVE ISOARDI>> WHEN HORACE CHOSE THE PIANO, HE DIDN'T SIMPLY SIT DOWN AND PLAY IT, ALTHOUGH, OF COURSE, HE DID THAT. HE WOULD ALSO KNOCK ON THE WOOD. HE WANTED TO HEAR WHAT THE WOOD SOUNDED LIKE. AND HE WOULD ALSO TEST THE STRINGS. HORACE WAS FOND OF HARPS AND, AS WE'LL SEE IN THIS CLIP, HE ENJOYED PLAYING THE PIANO SOMETIMES AS IF IT WAS A HARP.

VAL>> LET'S TAKE A LOOK.

[FILM CLIP]

VAL>> THIS REMINDS ME A LITTLE BIT OF ATONAL MUSIC, YES?

STEVE ISOARDI>> HORACE'S MUSIC DRAWS FROM SO MANY SOURCES, BUT IT'S NOT SIMPLY ECLECTIC. I MEAN, IF YOU LISTEN TO A REPRESENTATIVE BODY OF HIS WORK, YOU JUST CAN'T PIGEON-HOLE IT. HE DRAWS -- HE'LL HEAR DRUMMING RHYTHMS THAT, AS HORACE SAID, TOUCHED WEST AFRICAN SENTIMENTALITY AND TRADITION.

VAL>> NOW TELL US ABOUT THIS THING HE ESTABLISHED CALLED THE "ARKESTRA". NOT ORCHESTRA, BUT A-R-K-ESTRA. WHAT IS THAT ALL ABOUT?

STEVE ISOARDI>> THIS IS WHERE HIS INNOVATIONS IN MUSIC COINCIDED WITH HIS COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT. WHEN HE GOT OFF THE ESCALATOR UP IN THE JAZZ WORLD IN '61, HE COMMITTED HIMSELF TO HIS COMMUNITY AND HE COMMITTED HIMSELF TO FORMING A COMMUNITY ARKESTRA, AS HE CALLED IT, AND HE STARTED PUTTING TOGETHER PIECES OF WHAT WOULD BECOME AN AFRICAN PEOPLES' ARKESTRA. HIS PURPOSE WAS TO PLAY MUSIC OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMPOSERS, THE KNOWN AND UNKNOWN, TO ENCOURAGE MUSIC TO COME OUT OF THE COMMUNITY, TO RECRUIT PEOPLE FROM THE COMMUNITY, BEGINNING WITH YOUNG CHILDREN, TO PLAY THE MUSIC. AT CONCERTS, WHEN THE BAND WOULD PLAY, THEY WOULD SOMETIMES HAND OUT INSTRUMENTS, FLUTES AND THINGS LIKE THAT, FOR EVERYONE WHO WANTED TO TO HAVE A VOICE, TO JOIN IN --

VAL>> -- JUST IMPROVISE?

STEVE ISOARDI>> -- TO JOIN IN, AND THEY WOULD PLAY FREQUENTLY. I MEAN, MONEY, THERE WAS JUST NEVER ANY MONEY. THEY WOULD PLAY LARGELY FREE IN THE COMMUNITY, AT CHURCHES, THEY WOULD PLAY IN PARKS. THEY WOULD JUST COME IN AND SET UP AND START PLAYING. THEY ONCE HAD A FLATBED TRUCK. THEY PUT THE BAND ON THE BACK OF A FLATBED TRUCK, THEY'D PULL UP AT AN INTERSECTION AND JUST START PLAYING FOR THE COMMUNITY. THROUGH THAT, THEY ATTRACTED MUSICIANS AND MADE A TREMENDOUS IMPACT OVER THE YEARS.

VAL>> AMAZING. AND HE DIED OF CANCER IN 1999. HE IS SORELY MISSED, BUT IT'S SO NICE OF YOU TO BRING HIS STORY INTO PRINT FOR US. STEVE ISOARDI WILL BE SIGNING COPIES OF THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY "SONGS OF THE UNSUNG" THIS SATURDAY AT THE LOS ANGELES TIMES FESTIVAL OF BOOKS AT UCLA. HE WILL BE AT THE 2000 + BOOK STORE BOOTH, NUMBER 511, IF YOU WANT TO LOOK FOR IT, FROM 4:00 TO 6:00 P.M. THANK YOU, STEVE, SO MUCH FOR COMING IN.

STEVE ISOARDI>> THANKS, VAL.

VAL>> THAT'S OUR PROGRAM FOR THIS EVENING. FOR ALL OF US HERE AT LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT, HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND.

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