The Solsonics essentially began as a jam session that gained a following,
with the co-leaders of the band, bassist Jez Colin and drummer Willie
McNeil writing tunes on the side, asked a number of players in their weekly
jams, "You wanna record an album?" The band's #1 supporter was one Duff
Marlowe, who was an A&R rep at Chrysalis records. They were signed.
After the release of "Jazz in the Present Tense," they embarked on a tour
of Europe and the U.S., opening for
hip-hop acts stateside and the more established acid jazz acts in Europe.
When they came home, there was a change in the upper ranks in Chrysalis, so
the new head wanted to check out its artists. The band had a weekly gig in
L.A.'s Luna Park club, where they consistently packed it in. One night also
doubled as a showcase for the new Chrysalis boss.
Despite the fact that the room was filled over capacity, the label exec
"Didn't like them" or at least wasn't satisfied, and suggested that certain
members be replaced. Among them was the multitalented Kevin Williams, one
of the lead vocalists.
Just before the band was ready to make their second album, he dropped them
from the label. (Circa early '95)
The Solsonics went into hiatus until late '95. By then half the band left
for other projects, but were revived under a mostly-new lineup organized by
bassist Jez Colin. Only he, Mark Tunkara (the reggae-influenced other
vocalist) and saxophonist/flautist Derrick Davis were the only original
members of the band left. They played in a Santa Monica club for most of
early '96, and went back to Luna Park, but by then most of the magic was
gone.
The last real Solsonics gig was in early summer '96.
Today, fragments of the original band remain; drummer McNeil, keyboardist
Mike Boito and several horn players who played in the early days (but left
after the album was released) are now with the ska-swing-mambo band Jump
With Joey (sound familiar?); Kevin Williams and Derrick Davis are the core
members of the Los Angeles area funk/soul band Butterflow, who, according
to a fellow listmember's review, made him dance till it hurts
(unfortunately people outside the western U.S. haven't heard them yet...but
I can do something about that you know :) Although the demo recordings I
have of them don't do them justice).
I talked with Derrick Davis earlier this year, who told me he met with Jez
Colin and were recording demos "for one last Solsonics album" and also said
they were tinkering around with Jungle beats. He indicated there was a
chance the band would get together, but nothing as of yet materialized.
I last saw Jez Colin hanging out at a popular local electronica club a
couple months ago. I also spotted him at a Groove Collective concert late
last year.
Elson