The S.O.S. Band, Dazz Band, and Ohio State Fair

Originally known as Santa Monica, the S.O.S. (sounds of success) Band formed of members Willie “Sonny” Killebrew on saxophone, Billy Ellis on flute, Jason Bryant on the keyboard, Bruno Speight on guitar, John Simpson on bass, James Earl Jones III on drums and Mary Davis on vocals. The band would perform regularly and recorded a series of demos, one of which was heard by Tabu Records who signed the group to their first recording contract.

In 1980 S.O.S. Band released their first hit single “Take Your Time (Do It Right)” written and produced by Sigidi Abdullah and Harold Clayton. The single went platinum, reached No. 1 in the R&B chart, staying there for five weeks, and debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200. The debut album “S.O.S.” also performed remarkably well selling over 800,000 copies and reaching No. 2 in the R&B album chart.

The band subsequently toured and welcomed the multi-instrumentalist Abdul Ra’oof to the line-up, whose recording debut with the band came on their sophomore album “Too” in 1981. S.O.S. Band’s third studio release entitled “S.O.S. Band III” came in 1982 with support from producer Terry Lewis.

After these modest successes, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis took over the production reigns for LP number four titled “On the Rise”. The album became certified gold as did its successor “Just the Way You Like It” which featured the No. 6 R&B single of the same name. The tide began to turn for the S.O.S. Band with their sixth studio album “Sands of Time” which despite reaching No. 4 in the R&B chart was the last of a string of their distinctive house music releases that made popular the Roland TR-808 drum machine.

Mary Davis announced her departure from the band in 1987 to pursue a solo career, however the band continued-on a released the albums “Diamonds in the Raw” (1989) and “One of Many Night” (1991). In 1994 Davis reunited with Abdul Ra’oof and Jason Bryant in a new band in the hopes of recreating some of the same funky sounds.

From the ashes of the jazz fusion band Bell Telefunk, came the groovable, danceable sounds of Dazz Band. Founded by Bobby Harris in 1977, the saxophone and clarinet player later invited Wayne Preston, Les Thaler, Ed Myers, Michael Wiley, Isaac Wiley, Jr., Michael Colhoun, and Kenny Pettus to complete the lineup. Originally known by the name Kinsman Dazz when the band had residency at the Kinsman Grill in Cleveland, the group signed with 20th Century Records soon after forming and headed to the studio with Marvin Gaye. Producer Gaye was unable to complete the project and at the request of band leader Harris, Earth, Wind & Fire vocalist Philip Bailey was enlisted as producer.

Kinsman Band (as they were still known) released their debut single “I Might as Well Forget About Loving You” in 1978 ahead of the full-length “Kinsman Dazz” the same year. Producer Bailey significantly contributed to the album’s success and subsequently co-produced the band’s sophomore full-length “Dazz” in 1979. The following year the Kinsman Dazz became the Dazz Band and the group signed with Motown Records. Saxophonist Wayne Preston and trumpeter Les Thaler left the band in 1980 and were replaced by trumpeter Sennie Martin, trumpeter Pierre DeMudd, and keyboardist Kevin Kendricks.

Dazz Band’s debut record for Motown was the 1980 album “Invitation to Love” which resulted in a string of hit singles, most notably “Invitation to Love”. The full-length “Let The Music Play” arrived in 1981 led by the Top 50 single “Knock Knock”, followed by the group’s breakthrough hit single “Let It Whip” taken from the 1982 album “Keep It Live”. Produced by Reggie Andrews the single catapulted Dazz Band to notoriety, topped the Billboard R&B charts, and won the Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal. Jazz Band continued to earn a string of hits into the ‘80s, most notably “Party Right Here” (1983), “On the One For Fun” (1983), “Joystick” (1983), and “Let It All Blow” (1984).

Long noted for their high-energy, improvisational performances the group released their ninth studio album “Hot Spot” in 1985, charting at No. 2 on the Billboard R&B Chart. "Hot Spot" was the last record released on Motown Records, after which Dazz Band moved to Geffen Records to release the 1986 full-length “Wild & Free”. The studio album “Rock the Room” rounded off the group’s ’80's releases, following which the group released “Funkology” in 1994, “Under the Streetlights” in 1995, “Double Exposure” in 1997, “Here We Go Again” in 1998, and “Time Traveler” in 2001.