John Daryl Blouin and Electric Black
“We were the hottest musical band around. There was competition, but no one could touch us!”
Formed in Denver, Colorado, John Daryl Blouin and the Electric Black was a spin-off of a previous group that disbanded as various members pursued their college education.
I joined Electric Black after leaving another group, three of whose members–Philip Bailey, Larry Dunn and Andrew Woolfolk–were also leaving to join Earth, Wind & Fire. Their contributions to the New Earth, Wind, & Fire include Where Have All The Flowers Gone, Time is on Your Side, Keep your Head To The Sky, Shining Star, Devotion, Reasons.
The new Electric Black was comprised of myself, Dale Hinton, Melvin Proctor, Paul Small, Harold Lee, Rick Rivera, Gerald Morris, David Wilson and Albert Lattier. We were the “Hottest Musical Band” around. There was competition, but no one could touch us!
Amazingly, we went on to win George Wein's Kool Jazz Festival, edging out the other 17,000 Musicians and over 3,000 groups that entered. We performed in the Philharmonic Hall in Manhattan on the same stage with Chuck Magione, John Blair and others.
Electric Black was the only group to get a standing ovation that day, which is something you never forget! It was wonderful, and we were truly shocked and honored to win. As if that wasn’t enough to be proud of, later that week we were given an Award by Satchmo's wife on the 65th floor of the Rockefeller Plaza.
About two or three weeks after arriving back home, the Kool Jazz Festival came to Denver, where we were asked to be the Opening Group. We performed alongside such legends as Stevie Wonder, Roberta Flack, Donnie Hathaway, Gladys Knight and the Pips, Kool and the Gang, the Isley Brothers, War and many noteworthy jazz greats.
Sometime later, we added Julius Carey to the group, who sings lead on the two latest songs I wrote and produced. Before these two tunes came together, I also dusted off a few songs I had previously written and conformed them to a man (me) who loves, respects, adores, and is truly thrilled in his heart each time he kisses her... whose heart explodes with different musical tunes every time she touches him. NOW, THAT'S LOVE!
As a result, we hit the studio to record Pretty Momma and Honey Sweet Darling. PRAISE THE LORD! HOPE THAT THEY ARE A SMASHING SUCCESS!
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