Dazz Band

Biography

Dazz Band is an American R&B/funk band most popular in the early 1980s. Emerging from Cleveland, Ohio, the group's biggest songs include "Let It Whip" (1982), "Joystick×Joystick15 November 1983 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 9 tracksA1To the Roof5:25A2Joystick5:20A3Swoop (I'm Yours)5:00A4Until You3:55B1Rock With Me4:40B2Straight Out of School4:36B3Now That I Have You5:15B4Laughin' at You3:55B5T. Mata (instrumental)1:50" (1983), and "Let It All Blow×Let It All Blow1984 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracksALet It All Blow (long version)6:45BLet It All Blow (instrumental)6:11" (1984). The name of the band is a portmanteau of the description "danceable jazz".

History

Dazz Band formed in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1976, stemming from the jazz fusion band Bell Telefunk. Founded by Bobby Harris, Dazz Band has performed since 1976 and continues to perform today. Original Kinsman Dazz/ Dazz Band members included Bobby Harris (saxophonist, vocalist), Kenny Pettus (lead vocalist, percussions), Isaac "Ike" Wiley Jr. (drums), his brother Michael Wiley (bassist), and Michael Calhoun (songwriter/guitarist). The group was originally named Kinsman Dazz at the suggestion of Ray Calabrese, who later became its manager along with Sonny Jones, owner of The Kinsman Grill, located near the street Harris grew up on, and where the band worked as a house band.
Kinsman Dazz was signed to 20th Century Records in 1976, and the group expanded from the original quintet consisting of Harris, Calhoun, Pettus, and the Wiley brothers and added newcomers Ed Meyers (trombone), Wayne Preston (saxophonist), and Les Thaler (trumpet). In 1977, the group went to Los Angeles to record with producer Marvin Gaye. Due to illness, Gaye was unable to complete the project. Harris requested and got Philip Bailey, the vocalist of Earth, Wind & Fire, to produce the group's first album Kinsman Dazz. They released their first single, "I Might as Well Forget About Loving You" in 1978. Philip Bailey made significant contributions to the group's vocal arrangements and overall sound. He also co-produced the second album Dazz in 1979, when the band achieved their second charting hit, "Catchin' Up on Love".
In 1980, the Kinsman Dazz changed its name to Dazz Band, after being signed to Motown Records, which simultaneously included a re-organization of members. Wayne Preston and Les Thaler were no longer with the group, and Sennie "Skip" Martin, (trumpet, vocals), Pierre DeMudd (trumpet, vocals; April 20, 1953 – May 10, 2017), and Kevin Kendricks (keyboards) were added. In 1981, guitarist Eric Fearman was also added.
Dazz Band's first album for Motown was Invitation to Love×Invitation to Love7 October 1980 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 9 tracksA1Shake It Up5:05A2Invitation to Love5:01A3Magnetized4:00A4Hello Girl4:24B1Skate Lovers4:20B2Carry On4:24B3Do It Again3:58B4Sooner or Later3:42B5Beyond the Horizon4:32 (1980). The album's title track began a string of hits starting in March 1981. The group's next album Let the Music Play×Let the Music Play13 May 1981 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 9 tracksA1Let the Music Play5:11A2Freaky Lovin’5:28A3Knock! Knock!4:48A4What Will I Do Without You4:11B1Don’t Stop5:06B2This Time It’s Forever4:39B3Satisfying Love4:09B4Everyday Love4:14B5I Believe in You2:59 (1981) featured the single "Knock! Knock!" which reached the top 50. Dazz Band's breakthrough came with the hit "Let It Whip", written and produced by Reggie Andrews, from their Keep It Live (1982) album. "Let It Whip" reached No. 1 on the US Billboard R&B chart and won a Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals. Members of the Grammy Award winning Dazz Band included: Sennie "Skip" Martin, Pierre DeMudd, Bobby Harris, Eric Fearman, Kenny Pettus, Steve Cox, Keith Harrison, Michael Wiley and Isaac Wiley.
On December 31, 1982, during Dazz Band's New Year's Eve concert at the Front Row Theatre in Cleveland, Mayor George V. Voinovich presented Bobby Harris and Dazz Band the Key to the city with proclamations from the State of Ohio. Dazz Band continued to score R&B hits with the songs such as "Party Right Here" (1983), "On the One for Fun" (1983) "Joystick×Joystick15 November 1983 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 9 tracksA1To the Roof5:25A2Joystick5:20A3Swoop (I'm Yours)5:00A4Until You3:55B1Rock With Me4:40B2Straight Out of School4:36B3Now That I Have You5:15B4Laughin' at You3:55B5T. Mata (instrumental)1:50" (1983), and "Let It All Blow×Let It All Blow1984 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracksALet It All Blow (long version)6:45BLet It All Blow (instrumental)6:11" (also their biggest UK hit single, peaking at No. 12 in 1984).
Andrews produced five Dazz Band albums: Let the Music Play (1981), Keep It Live×Keep It Live19 February 1982 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 9 tracksA1Let It Whip4:31A2Gamble With My Love4:05A3I'll Keep on Lovin' You3:42A4Just Can't Wait 'Till the Night3:51A5Shake What You Got3:38B1Keep It Live (On the K.I.L.)4:59B2Just Believe in Love4:57B3Can We Dance4:47B4Let Me Love You Until3:56 (1982), On the One×On the One14 January 1983 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 9 tracksA1Party Right Here3:52A2Cheek to Cheek5:19A3On the One for Fun4:29A4Don’t Get Caught in the Middle4:52A5A Love Song1:51B1Bad Girl4:12B2Nice Girls4:49B3Stay a While With Me4:52B4We Have More Than Love5:12 (1983), Joystick (1983) and Jukebox (1984), all on the Motown label. Harris was the associate producer on all five albums, and producer of the album Hot Spot×Hot Spot16 July 1985 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 8 tracksA1If Only You Were in My Shoes5:49A2Hot Spot5:13A3Paranoid5:19A4All the Way3:36B1S.C.L. & P. (Style, Class, Looks and Personality)4:20B2She Used to Be My Girl4:33B3When You Need Roses4:33B4Slow (rap)5:44 (1985), also on Motown. After winning the Grammy in 1982, Keith Harrison (1983) (vocalist, keyboards) was added to the group. In 1985, both Eric Fearman and Sennie "Skip" Martin (trumpet, vocalist) left the group and were replaced by guitarist Marlon McClain; and the search began for additional vocalists that would match the Dazz Band sound. In 1986, Dazz Band recorded Wild & Free (1986), which featured Jerry Bell as lead vocalist, and was released by Geffen Records.
Dazz Band signed with RCA Records in 1988 and released the album Rock the Room×Rock the Room1 April 1988 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 9 tracksA1Anticipation4:11A2Single Girls5:44A3Open Sesame4:14A4One Time Lover4:58B1Body Drum4:15B2Huff and Puff4:51B3All the Way3:54B4Rock the Room4:57B5Once in a Lifetime Love3:41, which charted with the single "Anticipation" featuring vocals from Juan Lively. From 1994 until 2001, Terry Stanton (vocalist) contributed on its albums Funkology (1994) and Under the Streetlights×Under the Streetlights1995 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1Tryin' to Get My Groove On5:102Dance With Somebody5:063Under the Streetlights4:584Give Me Just a Little Bit4:325Fly Away4:406Let's Talk About Funk4:167Dazz4:228It's Your Party4:109Love Is a Bitch4:4610Nasty Boogie5:2211I Like You4:3112Ten Toes4:2613Dazz Mega Mix9:42 (1995). After serving as lead vocalist with Kool & the Gang for many years, Sennie "Skip" Martin returned to performing and recording with Dazz Band in 1997, and recorded on Double Exposure (1997), recorded live in Seattle, Washington, and shared lead vocals with Terry Stanton on Time Traveler (2001) on Major Hits Records. In 2014, Harris added vocalist Donny Sykes to the band who performed consistently with the band for ten years. The band independently released "Drop It" in 2019, their first single in almost 20 years. Cleveland native, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Alvin Frazier was added to the group in 2021. In 2024 Skip Martin retired from the Dazz Band, and new vocalists Maurice Smith and SNCR (pronounced sin-cere) were added. In 2026 they celebrates 50 Years of Dazz: The Legacy Lives LOUD with performances across the US.

1990s revival

Following the infusion of rap into American music, many classic funk/R&B/soul acts in the US began performing abroad. In the late 1990s, Harris, along with the support of business entrepreneur Bo Boviard and long time friend and band member Marlon McClain, decided to revitalize funk in America and called upon members from the Bar-Kays, Con Funk Shun, Charlie Wilson of the Gap Band, the S.O.S. Band, and Dazz Band, for a project entitled 'United We Funk All-Stars'. A studio album followed that included Roger Troutman of Zapp. The concept was a success, and was captured on a live CD (Major Hits Records) promoted by syndicated radio host Tom Joyner.

Trademark dispute

In November 2012, former Kinsman Dazz member Michael Calhoun applied for registration of the Kinsman Dazz Trademark along with Raymon W. Phillips. Michael Calhoun was released from the group in 1981.
Two years later, in January 2014 Michael Calhoun again applied for trademark, this time going after the Dazz Band name along with former vocalist Jerry Bell, (Wild & Free) former trombone player Ed Meyers, Robert Young, and Larry Blake (both unknown to Harris). In March 2015, their mark was registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Upon learning of both registrations, Harris secured legal representation from former US Trademark Trial and Appeal Board Judge, Gary Krugman, at Sughrue Mion in Washington D.C. Petitions to cancel both fraudulent marks were filed with the United States Trademark Trial and Appeal Board. After two years of legal filings, and a series of unsuccessful attempts to stop Dazz Band performances the fraudulent Dazz Band mark was cancelled in April 2017 by the USTTAB, and then granted to its rightful owner Leader/ Founder Robert "Bobby" Harris. Petition to cancel the Kinsman Dazz mark held by Michael Calhoun and Raymon Philips was granted in August 2015, by the United States Trademark Trial and Appeal Board.

Current

Bobby Harris – saxophone, clarinet, vocals (1976–present)
Keith Harrison – keyboards, vocals (1982–1988; 2020–present)
Marlon McClain – guitars (1984–2014; 2019–present)
Raymond Calhoun – drums (1998–2001; 2019–present)
SNCR (pronounced sin cere)- vocals (2025-present)
Maurice Smith- vocals (2025-present)
Walter Barnes- bass (2024-present)
Alvin Frazier – background vocals (2021–present)

Past

Sennie "Skip" Martin – trumpet, lead vocals (1980–1985; 1997–2024)
Donny Sykes – lead vocals (2014–2024)
Wayne Preston – saxophone (1976–1979)
Les Thaler – trumpet (1976–1979)
Michael G. Jackson – keyboards (1976–1979; died 1997)
Ed Meyers – trombone (1976–1981)
Michael Wiley – bass guitar, vocals (1976–1988; died 1993)
Isaac Wiley Jr. – drums (1976–1985; died 2023)
Michael Calhoun – guitars, vocals (1976–1981)
Kenny Pettus – percussion, vocals (1976–1986; 1998–2001)
Kevin Kendrick – keyboards (1980–1981; 1998–2001)
Pierre DeMudd – trumpet, vocals (1980–1988; 1998–2001; died 2017)
Eric Fearman – guitars (1980–1985)
Steve Cox – synthesizer (1981–1988)
Jerry Bell – lead vocals (1984–1999, 2011)
Juan Lively – lead vocals (1988–1993)
Terry Stanton – lead vocals (1994–2001; died 2006)
Nathaniel Philips – bass (1995–1998)