It’s time to hear the funkadelic sounds of the infamous S.O.S Band at the Circle City Classic’s Coors Light Friday Night Classic Cabaret.
The show will take place Oct. 2 at the Indiana Convention Center. Other artists include saxophonist Jeanette Harris and vocalists Jeffery Osborne and Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds.
For those of you who remember the 80s, a party wasn’t a party without the funky sounds of the S.O.S Band.
Their road began in Atlanta, Ga. where the group was formed in 1977 when Jason Bryant (keyboardist), Willie “Sonny” Killebrew (saxophone), Billy Ellis (flute), Bruno Speight (guitar), John Simpson (bass), James Earl Jones III (drums) and Mary Davis (vocals) formed the original group called Santa Monica, which played at an Atlanta nightclub, The Regal Room.
Their manager, Bunny Jackson-Ransom sent a demo to Clarence Avant of Tabu Records. Avant suggested the group work with songwriter/producer Sigidi Abdullah. Abdullah was confused as to why the band was named Santa Monica when the band was based in Atlanta.
Byrant said the group’s name was from a good concert the group had in Santa Monica, Calif. It was then that Abdullah came up with the S.O.S. Band with S.O.S standing for Sounds of Success.
It was the S.O.S Band that gave you hits like, “Take Your Time (Do It Right),” which went platinum. The debut album, “S.O.S.” went gold selling over 800,000 copies and held the No. 2 R&B spot for three weeks.
With their fourth album, “On the Rise” S.O.S. produced the popular hits “Just Be Good to Me” and “Tell Me if You Still Care.” “On the Rise” became their second gold album.
Many of their releases of Chicago-born house music helped to popularize the classic sound of the Roland drum machine known as the TR-808.
The band produced hit-after-hit until 1987 when lead singer Mary Davis left to pursue a solo career.
The band made two more albums, “Diamonds in the Raw” and “One of Many Nights.” In August 1994, Mary Davis returned and reunited with Adul Ra’oof and Jason Bryant. Together they formed a new band with the same S.O.S sound appearing on Sinbad’s HBO concert specials and Rhino’s new music various artist set, “United We Funk.”
Doors for the cabaret open at 7 p.m. and the show begins at 8 p.m. in Halls A and B of the convention center. Tickets are $40 and $45.
For more information visit www.circlecityclassic.com.
