8 - Friday, March 9, 1984 - North Shore News ary ” the ‘Tunesmith Tape (from the Nanci Davis School of Pop Singing) will be your biggest asset.”’ By KELLEY JO BURKE This, you’ve got to admit, sounds like something from the back of a comic book. Buy this tape, and find fame, fortune and lots of white teeth in the wonderful world of popular music. Hence meeting the ‘girls’ who pitch this item at parties was something of a relief. NOT RACKETEERS Libbi Davis and Janet MacTaggart are honest, cheerful looking women who approach their work with a sense of humor. They are both top students in Nanci Davis’s school, which is something of a North Shore institution. They do not resemble racketeers. A litle over a year ago, Nanci decided that there was enough demand to warrant marketing a tape with a forty-five minute instruction and practise routine for potential popsters, who either were too distant or too broke to attend the school. Sales strictly through the school were brisk, and even- tually the tapes began to ap- pear in some local stores. Then Libbi, Nanci’s daughter, suggested a party sales approach as well, based on the Tupperware model And Tunesmith parties join ed the ranks of the home. sellers LOTS OF FUN But Tunesmith parties are a lot more fun than spending the evening playing spin the vacuum-sealing freezer con- tainer. Or pricing plastic brandy decanters. Both Janet and Libbi were a little nervous about doing their party routine for an au- dience of two, but they gave it a good shot. Their 20 minute spiel goes through a few singing exercises, like the ones done on the tape, demonstrating how and why they're done. And, of course, what the end result of the training is. Because both women are fine singers. Libbi has a lilting, chatty dclivery and ai goodly measure Of poise to go with “IF YOU. WANT. to. . learn to sing ‘pop’ - music for fun or Jame f SE Se oe it, and Janet complements her well with a rich, throaty tone. They both obivously enjoy themselves, enjoy the music, and enjoy perform- ing, even to an almost empty room. ONE PERFORMANCE After they’ve gone through four exercises, for improving pitch, breathing, ennuncia- tion and tonal control, they give a onc-song performance, backed by a large tape deck. *Then,’’ Libbi says en- thusiastically, ‘‘we get thunderous applause and then we try to sell the tape "’ No bones about 11 Audience participation ts a big part of the demonstra- tion. After cach exercise au- dience members are cn- couraged to come up to the microphone and raise their voices with Libbi and Janct. After a BCTV appearance, and a spot on the Vancouver Show, bookings are coming in quickly for Tunggmith par- ties. The demonstration is free, and the tapes cost $16 through the party, or a sug- gested $19.95 retail. Partics can be arranged by calling the Nanci Davis School of Pop Singing at 926-0515 Why keep a song in your heart when you can send out? eeovesseco ecopeccese €063000 669 NEWS photo Stuart Davis BELTING out a ballad, Janet MacTaggart, left, and Libbi Davis perform along with their bring-along tape player. who won? What US tennis player won the 1983 US Open Tennis Championship using a Wikkhon tenns racquet? cet tne ane cne_ Ora so. TIME OUT | SPORTS |+ 960-9211 080-0116 1109 Lynn Valley Road eaeoee eee eee