Dazz Band -

The Dazz Band were an American soul-funk nine-piece from Cleveland that began life as Kinsman Dazz, releasing two albums under that name on 20th Century Fox Records circa 1978/79. Under the abbreviated nameplate, the band released eight albums on Motown between 1980 and 1986, followed by a ninth on RCA Victor in 1988.

Members: Bobby Harris (saxophone, clarinet, vocals), Isaac “Ike” Wiley, Jr. (drums, 1980-95), Pierre DeMudd (trumpet, vocals, 1980-88, 1998-2001), Michael Wiley (bass, vocals, 1980-88), Kenny Pettus (vocals, percussion, 1980-86, 1998-2001), Sennie “Skip” Martin (trumpet, vocals, 1980-85, 1998-present), Eric Fearman (guitar, 1980-85), Kevin Kendrick (keyboards, 1980-81, 1998-2001), Michael Calhoun (guitar, vocals, 1980-81), Ed Meyers (trombone, 1980-81), Keith Harrison (vocals, keyboards, 1982-88), Marlon McClain (guitar, 1985-2014), Jerry Bell (vocals, 1986-87)

The band formed in 1976 through a merger of two Cleveland jazz-funk bands, Bell Telefunk and Mother Braintree. (Both bands, unheard for more than three decades, had archival singles issued in 2017 by Super Disco Edits.)

Saxophonist Bobby Harris led the new band, which featured guitarists Michael Calhoun and Eric Fearman, bassist Michael Wiley, drummer Isaac Wiley, keyboardist Kevin Frederick, percussionist Kenny Pettus, and trumpeters Skip Martin III and Pierre DeMudd. Local businessman Ray Calabrese, who owned The Kinsman Grill in Harris’s childhood neighborhood, became their manager and named them Kinsman Dazz. The word “Dazz,” chosen before the namesake hit by Brick, is a portmanteau of “dance” and “jazz.” In 1977, they signed to 20th Century Records.

Discography: