An Intro to San Francisco/Oakland Bay Area funk with ONYX(ONYX1)... - July 26, 2007
“An Intro’ To Bay Area Funk
Soulful R&B sounds mix with the smell of real funk emanating from the basement of a West Oakland rug store between 26th and 30th. A teenager called Marvin is hangin’ all bug-eyed as Eugene Blacknell and Larry Graham are strokin’ on acoustic and white”Supro” electric guitars doin’ the flute jam called “Gonzo.”
On any night in the late 50’s and early ‘60s, younger musicians like these might be found by an open door at the Willow Club in West Oakland vibin’ on the blues and deep southern soul sets. Inside Sterling Jackson a noted local guitarist, Sugar Pie DeSanto, Johnny Otis or B.B. King might be playin’ the house.
Then the flood of James Brown 45’s fully penetrated the basements and back storeroom rehearsal spaces. In 1965, Johnny Talbot and de Thangs had a lock on the black club scene in the Bay Area. With a massive stage presence and a tight band, Johnny Talbot delivered screamin’ blues and funky soul rockers. You could “Check your Battery” with Johnny just about any night. In the same year a DJ named Jay Payton started mentoring Marvin Holmes who was listening real closely to those JB 7’s and at the same time had been sheddin’ with the great Oakland jazz guitarist Eddie Foster. In late ’65 early ’66 the Uptights emerged, and with Al Corley coming from JBs band on sax they started sweatin ‘up the Upper Room in San Francisco and the Showcase Club on Telegraph Ave. in Oakland. Imagine mid 1966, Sly, Larry and Cynthia, tryin’ to get it together with ‘Freddie and Stone Souls’ in San Francisco. They’d be in the audience at the Showcase absorbing the hard drums, rogue horn stabs, guitar strokin’ the “Oomph” that would become BAY AREA FUNK!! Hardcore gruvin’, just hardcore gruvin’ was the new thing and West Oakland was the critical center. On any night in 1967 Marvin and the Uptights were on the bill as a headliner or back-up band at the Showcase, the Sportsman Club on Grove, or down at Jack London Square. Can you imagine Harvey Scales and the 7 Sounds comin’ to the Bay Area for a week long battle of the bands with the Uptights? Yeah that’s right!!
Eugene Blacknell, when not on the road as bandleader and arranger for Joe Simon, was giggin’ at the same spots with Jon Faddis blowin’ horn in his band. Willie Hoskins, owner of the Boola-Boola label struck it big with ‘The Funky Mule.’ Eventually Marvin and Eugene started their Brown Door and Seaside labels. These were the raw ingredients for the big acts about to follow; Family Stone, Tower of Power, Con-Funk-Shun, 9th Creation. Reach back into these vibes flowing from this time capsule and you will soon be able to envision Darondo mackin’ “Foxy Girls” from his Rolls-Royce rollin‘ on the streets of Richmond and Oakland. You’ll re-awaken the passion and heat of a Johnny Talbot and Uptights gig for the Panther’s in the late 60’s. Or maybe you’ll “Find Yourself” at a 4 AM gathering at Hyde’s Restaurant with Marvin Holmes and the Funk Company, The Whispers, The Ballards, Vernon Garrett if he was in town, and all those brothers and sisters who followed these musicians back and forth across the Bay Bridge. “ This is a story told by Marcus Buchanan (aka Marcus B) who has been bringing hardcore funk to the California central coast region for over 8 years on KZSC and KUSP 88.9FM in Santa Cruz. A record collector of what he calls the Pan African diaspora, he started unburying the ‘funk’ while in graduate school 15 years ago.
Justin Torres, a Bay Area Soul Historian sheds some additional light on, How The Bay Area Sound Came To Be. Justin writes “the Bay Area sound incorporates two distinctly different styles and approaches. San Francisco and the rest of the Peninsula (Ease Palo Alto, San Jose, and San Mateo) added rock and Latin rhythms to a soul groove. He states also, “The East Bay (Oakland, Richmond, and Vallejo) pushed the Blues and Jazz aspect of Funk. The Bay Area Funk sound developed as a mix of races migrated here and brought with them the styles, feelings, and love of their people’s music in turn creating one unique sound that you will hear on the Bay Area Funk compilation.”
Included in the Bay Area funk music scene and on the Bay Area Funk compilation is the West Oakland group ONYX. Gabriel Lautaro (aka DJ Riddm) writes about ONYX and their song Break It Loose (NIA), “Led by brothers Wendell and Aaron Basey who formed their own NIA label in 1972 along side Malvin Scott(Lead Tenor) and Cornelius Weekley.” This is “A tight harmony quartet with a sound and a message similar to the Temptations. They got their start in the original Natural Four. The lineup included Larry Lennear on horns, Richard Lewis on Bass and rhythm by the Equal Rights Band.” Keeping with the Band’s name, Equal Rights was one of the earliest bands to have female band members. Playing funky rhythm and lead guitars was Alberta Jackson and on the keyboards was Carla Vaughn. ONYX evolved into ONYX1 with a new CD release called ONYX1 featuring Terrence Forsythe RIGHT NOW. The new CD is making noise in the United Kingdom. Soul Brothers Records in the UK writes “The album consists of mainly mid-tempo tracks and ballads which really show off their harmonies best. The mid tempo big ballad ‘It’s Time for Love’ and ‘One Day at a Time’ are excellent, and the mid-tempo ‘Spellbound.’ ‘Mine All Mine,’ ‘But I Do,’ ‘Right Now,’ and ‘You Never Fail to Amaze Me,’ are all highlights on the consistent set which is quality soul throughout.” Solar Radio’s Soulful Grooves, DJ Paul Phillips, broadcasting on the Sky digital Network across the UK and Europe said on air, “Looks like ONYX1 is sitting on a massive hit CD.”
The Bay Area during the 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s, was the melting pot for producing many notable and talented Artist like, Pete and Coke Escaveito’s Latin Band. Which in turn nurtured daughter and niece percussionist ‘Sheila E’ to stardom. Also growing up in the Bay Area City of Oakland and going on to international stardom were The Pointer Sisters. Of notable acclaim also was Lenny Williams and Tower of Power. Lenny Williams’ solo recording ‘Cause I Love You’ was hailed by comedian Steve Harvey as one of the “greatest love songs of all time.” Adding more funk to the world was Felton Pilot and Confunction. Other artist emerging from the Bay Area music scene during that same period included The Natural Four, the Yancy Taylor trio, the Joel Durham Quintet, the “O” Town Passions, and many others.
Into the 80’s, 90’s, and the twenty first century the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Area music scene continues contributing national and international performing artist. Tony, Toni, Tone represents the last of a generation of the artist who are classified as singers. Ushering in a new era for the Bay Area Funk sounds were the DJ’s, the rappers, and the Hip Hop artists. Emerging on the National and International stage were the Bay Area’s own Too Short, MC’Hammer, E-Forty, The WildBoyz, and others. The Bay Area Funk scene, to this day, is alive and well. In the year 2007 ONYX1featuring Terrence Forsythe RIGHT NOW is a quality CD to watch. ONYX1, with their Bay Area influences, has made a product for the grown and sexy crowd to appreciate.
Soulful R&B sounds mix with the smell of real funk emanating from the basement of a West Oakland rug store between 26th and 30th. A teenager called Marvin is hangin’ all bug-eyed as Eugene Blacknell and Larry Graham are strokin’ on acoustic and white”Supro” electric guitars doin’ the flute jam called “Gonzo.”
On any night in the late 50’s and early ‘60s, younger musicians like these might be found by an open door at the Willow Club in West Oakland vibin’ on the blues and deep southern soul sets. Inside Sterling Jackson a noted local guitarist, Sugar Pie DeSanto, Johnny Otis or B.B. King might be playin’ the house.
Then the flood of James Brown 45’s fully penetrated the basements and back storeroom rehearsal spaces. In 1965, Johnny Talbot and de Thangs had a lock on the black club scene in the Bay Area. With a massive stage presence and a tight band, Johnny Talbot delivered screamin’ blues and funky soul rockers. You could “Check your Battery” with Johnny just about any night. In the same year a DJ named Jay Payton started mentoring Marvin Holmes who was listening real closely to those JB 7’s and at the same time had been sheddin’ with the great Oakland jazz guitarist Eddie Foster. In late ’65 early ’66 the Uptights emerged, and with Al Corley coming from JBs band on sax they started sweatin ‘up the Upper Room in San Francisco and the Showcase Club on Telegraph Ave. in Oakland. Imagine mid 1966, Sly, Larry and Cynthia, tryin’ to get it together with ‘Freddie and Stone Souls’ in San Francisco. They’d be in the audience at the Showcase absorbing the hard drums, rogue horn stabs, guitar strokin’ the “Oomph” that would become BAY AREA FUNK!! Hardcore gruvin’, just hardcore gruvin’ was the new thing and West Oakland was the critical center. On any night in 1967 Marvin and the Uptights were on the bill as a headliner or back-up band at the Showcase, the Sportsman Club on Grove, or down at Jack London Square. Can you imagine Harvey Scales and the 7 Sounds comin’ to the Bay Area for a week long battle of the bands with the Uptights? Yeah that’s right!!
Eugene Blacknell, when not on the road as bandleader and arranger for Joe Simon, was giggin’ at the same spots with Jon Faddis blowin’ horn in his band. Willie Hoskins, owner of the Boola-Boola label struck it big with ‘The Funky Mule.’ Eventually Marvin and Eugene started their Brown Door and Seaside labels. These were the raw ingredients for the big acts about to follow; Family Stone, Tower of Power, Con-Funk-Shun, 9th Creation. Reach back into these vibes flowing from this time capsule and you will soon be able to envision Darondo mackin’ “Foxy Girls” from his Rolls-Royce rollin‘ on the streets of Richmond and Oakland. You’ll re-awaken the passion and heat of a Johnny Talbot and Uptights gig for the Panther’s in the late 60’s. Or maybe you’ll “Find Yourself” at a 4 AM gathering at Hyde’s Restaurant with Marvin Holmes and the Funk Company, The Whispers, The Ballards, Vernon Garrett if he was in town, and all those brothers and sisters who followed these musicians back and forth across the Bay Bridge. “ This is a story told by Marcus Buchanan (aka Marcus B) who has been bringing hardcore funk to the California central coast region for over 8 years on KZSC and KUSP 88.9FM in Santa Cruz. A record collector of what he calls the Pan African diaspora, he started unburying the ‘funk’ while in graduate school 15 years ago.
Justin Torres, a Bay Area Soul Historian sheds some additional light on, How The Bay Area Sound Came To Be. Justin writes “the Bay Area sound incorporates two distinctly different styles and approaches. San Francisco and the rest of the Peninsula (Ease Palo Alto, San Jose, and San Mateo) added rock and Latin rhythms to a soul groove. He states also, “The East Bay (Oakland, Richmond, and Vallejo) pushed the Blues and Jazz aspect of Funk. The Bay Area Funk sound developed as a mix of races migrated here and brought with them the styles, feelings, and love of their people’s music in turn creating one unique sound that you will hear on the Bay Area Funk compilation.”
Included in the Bay Area funk music scene and on the Bay Area Funk compilation is the West Oakland group ONYX. Gabriel Lautaro (aka DJ Riddm) writes about ONYX and their song Break It Loose (NIA), “Led by brothers Wendell and Aaron Basey who formed their own NIA label in 1972 along side Malvin Scott(Lead Tenor) and Cornelius Weekley.” This is “A tight harmony quartet with a sound and a message similar to the Temptations. They got their start in the original Natural Four. The lineup included Larry Lennear on horns, Richard Lewis on Bass and rhythm by the Equal Rights Band.” Keeping with the Band’s name, Equal Rights was one of the earliest bands to have female band members. Playing funky rhythm and lead guitars was Alberta Jackson and on the keyboards was Carla Vaughn. ONYX evolved into ONYX1 with a new CD release called ONYX1 featuring Terrence Forsythe RIGHT NOW. The new CD is making noise in the United Kingdom. Soul Brothers Records in the UK writes “The album consists of mainly mid-tempo tracks and ballads which really show off their harmonies best. The mid tempo big ballad ‘It’s Time for Love’ and ‘One Day at a Time’ are excellent, and the mid-tempo ‘Spellbound.’ ‘Mine All Mine,’ ‘But I Do,’ ‘Right Now,’ and ‘You Never Fail to Amaze Me,’ are all highlights on the consistent set which is quality soul throughout.” Solar Radio’s Soulful Grooves, DJ Paul Phillips, broadcasting on the Sky digital Network across the UK and Europe said on air, “Looks like ONYX1 is sitting on a massive hit CD.”
The Bay Area during the 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s, was the melting pot for producing many notable and talented Artist like, Pete and Coke Escaveito’s Latin Band. Which in turn nurtured daughter and niece percussionist ‘Sheila E’ to stardom. Also growing up in the Bay Area City of Oakland and going on to international stardom were The Pointer Sisters. Of notable acclaim also was Lenny Williams and Tower of Power. Lenny Williams’ solo recording ‘Cause I Love You’ was hailed by comedian Steve Harvey as one of the “greatest love songs of all time.” Adding more funk to the world was Felton Pilot and Confunction. Other artist emerging from the Bay Area music scene during that same period included The Natural Four, the Yancy Taylor trio, the Joel Durham Quintet, the “O” Town Passions, and many others.
Into the 80’s, 90’s, and the twenty first century the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Area music scene continues contributing national and international performing artist. Tony, Toni, Tone represents the last of a generation of the artist who are classified as singers. Ushering in a new era for the Bay Area Funk sounds were the DJ’s, the rappers, and the Hip Hop artists. Emerging on the National and International stage were the Bay Area’s own Too Short, MC’Hammer, E-Forty, The WildBoyz, and others. The Bay Area Funk scene, to this day, is alive and well. In the year 2007 ONYX1featuring Terrence Forsythe RIGHT NOW is a quality CD to watch. ONYX1, with their Bay Area influences, has made a product for the grown and sexy crowd to appreciate.