Get ready for hours of dancing on Friday, Dec. 4 as the legendary Zapp Band performs in Indianapolis.
Formerly known as Zapp & Roger, the group will appear during the annual Black and Gold Ball held by Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity’s Iota Lambda (Indianapolis) Chapter. The goal of the event is to raise funds for scholarships that the fraternity provides each year for high school students.
“For us, this celebration is more than a celebration of the fraternity’s anniversary, this is a celebration of Alpha Phi Alpha’s steadfast commitment to improving the African-American community,” said member Tony Kirkland. “As we reflect on our past, we look forward to the future, by continuing our commitment through dynamic leadership and service.”
Established in 1906, Alpha Phi Alpha is the nation’s oldest African-American Greek-letter fraternity. It has been influential in the areas of government, business, education, sports and entertainment. Prominent members have included Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., Thurgood Marshall, Marc Morial, Andrew Young, Art Shell and Lionel Richie.
Organizers of the event are encouraging the entire Indianapolis community to support a good cause and enjoy great music at the same time.
“Your sponsorship will help high school youth who want to continue their education,” said fraternity member Leroy Lewis III. “Also, it is going to be an ice cold groove with songs we remember like ‘Computer Love’ and ‘More Bounce to the Ounce.’ You don’t want to miss it!”
Zapp was best known for a special brand of party music that had an electronic R&B/funk flavor, guitar driven rhythms and frontman Roger Troutman’s unique use of the talk box, which made his vocals sound robotic.
The band was formed near Dayton, Ohio in 1978 by the four Troutman brothers; Terry (keyboards, bass), Lester (drums), Larry (percussion) and Roger (lead vocals, guitar and keyboards.) The group was named after Terry’s childhood nickname, “Zapp.”
After gaining popularity as an electrifying act on the local club scene, Zapp was guided by mentors George Clinton and Bootsy Collins to a contract with Warner Bros. Records, Inc.
The group scored its first and most famous hit, “More Bounce to the Ounce,” in 1980 and it has become one of the most sampled songs in the hip-hop genre.
Between 1981 and 1987 Zapp & Roger came out with a succession of classics such as “Dance Floor,” “Computer Love,” “So Ruff, So Tuff,” “Do Wa Ditty,” “I Can Make You Dance” and “I Wanna’ Be Your Man.”
Roger emerged as the star of Zapp, due to his fun stage interaction with the audience, colorful uniforms and engaging musicianship, which fronted the band’s tight instrumentation and energetic dance moves.
At home in Ohio, the Troutman brothers earned great admiration for taking an active role in their community building dozens of houses for low-income families.
The group enjoyed one more hit with 1993’s “Slow and Easy” and disappeared from the charts before it was introduced to a new generation of fans. Roger was featured on the 1996 Tupac Shakur hit “California Love.”
Just when it seemed the band’s star was rising again, Roger was shot and killed in April 1999 by his brother Larry, who then turned the gun on himself.
No one is certain why Larry killed Roger, but many speculate that financial pressures took their toll on Larry, the group’s business manager, and he became angry after discovering that Roger wanted to conduct his own affairs apart from the band.
It seemed that Zapp’s journey had come to an end, and the band took a hiatus from recording and touring as its members struggled to cope with the loss of the two men who led them to success.
“Roger, my best friend, and Larry, my hero, were gone,” Lester said. “We were all done, we didn’t want to function. But one day my mother said, ‘Get your brother and go out there and play.’ I told her we couldn’t. She said, ‘yes, you can.’”
Ten years after the tragedy, the Zapp Band continues to manage a busy touring schedule of venues around the world.
“We’re going to do what we can to keep his legacy alive,” Terry said. “The way you honor the people you love is by doing what they enjoyed the most, and Roger enjoyed being an entertainer.”
Don’t miss it!
Who: Zapp
What Alpha Phi Alpha’s Black and Gold Ball
When: Friday, Dec. 4 at 6:30 p.m.
Where: Marriott Hotel downtown, 350 W. Maryland St.
Tickets: $65 per person, $650 per table.
Attire: Formal/Black Tie
For more information: (317) 405-8937
Did you know
The members of Zapp and their company Troutman Enterprises have been known for community service and have built dozens of houses for low-income families.
The group has recorded since Roger Troutman’s death, releasing the 2002 album “Zapp VI: Back By Popular Demand.”
Present lineup of the band includes Terry “Zapp” Troutman (keyboards/talkbox), Lester Troutman (drums), Gregory Jackson (lead vocals, keyboards), Dale DeGroat (lead vocals, keyboards) Ricardo Bray (guitar, background vocals) and Bart “Sure 2B” Thomas (guitar, background vocals).
