Dazz Band
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Biography
Formed Cleveland, Ohio in 1976, The Dazz Band is a funk / R&B band best known for a clutch of â80s hits including âLet It Whip,â âLet It All Blow,â and âJoystick.â Born from the ashes of jazz fusion band Bell Telefunk, The Dazz Band was founded by saxophonist / vocalist Bobby Harris (the groupâs only constant member) alongside vocalist / percussionist Kenny Pettus, bassist Michael Wiley, drummer Isaac Wisely and guitarist Michael Calhoun. Originally calling themselves Kinsman Dazz, the group signed with the 20th Century Records label in 1977, expanded their line-up, and headed to Los Angeles, California to begin recording their debut album. Originally intended to be produced by Marvin Gaye, Kinsman Dazzâ self-titled debut album was produced by Earth, Wind & Fireâs Philip Bailey and released in 1978, followed a year later by the album Dazz. The group then signed with Motown Records, changed their name to The Dazz Band and released the album Invitation to Love (1980). Encouraged by the chart success of the singles âShake It Upâ and âInvitation to Love,â the group returned with the album Let the Music Play (1981), which featured the number 44 hit âKnock Knock.â Their third album, the chart-topping Keep It Live (1982) included their best-selling single âLet It Whip,â which reached number 1 on Billboardâs Soul / R&B Singles chart and earned The Dazz Band a Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal. Their next album, On the One (1983), continued to bring the group success but they did not score another Top 10 hit until âJoystickâ (from the 1983 album of the same name) and 1984âs âLet It All Blow,â which was featured on the album Jukebox. The Dazz Band left Motown after the release of Hot Spot (1985), and then released Wild & Free (1986) on Geffen Records before signing with RCA for the Rock the Room album in 1988. They continued to tour and release albums â including Under the Streetlights (1995) and Time Traveler (2001) â although they never achieved the success they enjoyed in the 1980s.
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Albums
Top Tracks
- Track Popularity
- Let It Whip
- Joystick
- So Much Love
- Heartbeat
- Undercover Lover
- I've Been Waiting
- Main Attraction
- Just Believe In Love
- Until You
- Rock With Me
- Girl You Got A Body
- Ain't Nuthin But A Jam Y'All
- Love Don't Make No Sense
- Swoop
- You Are My Starship
- To The Roof
- What's Up In Your World
- Megamix
- Laughin' at You
- T. Mata
- Straight Out Of School
- Now That I Have You
- Bop Gun
- Ride
