Kashmere Stage Band - Texas Thunder Soul (1968-1974)

Conrad O. Johnson

As a follow up to the last post, here's another great group of student musicians, this time hailing from Kashmere Gardens in North Texas. Under the leadership of Conrad O. Johnson, the band grew from being imitators of funk greats like the J.B's to actually having the chops to rival them. Listen to their rendition of Shaft and you'll agree.

Kashmere High School c. 1972

The program began when Conrad O. Johnson (known as 'Prof) decided to follow the principle (and fellow jazz drummer) George Haines, from Booker T. High School to Kashmere High. Once at Kashmere, Haines gave Conrad carte blanche with the program: "Listen, I want everybody to know what you're doing here. So I'm going to let you take off and do jobs with the stage band, whether it's school hours or not."Thus a legacy was born.

Fashioned after the big-band's (i. Benny Goodman) that came before them, the Kashmere Stage Band used this structure as the foundation from which they would venture into the realm of funk. Conrad took advantage of local independent and user friendly record production companies such as the California based Century Records to produce a total of 12 releases - each one rarer than the next. This album was compiled by Now-Again records serves as a compilation of the group's rare and highly sought-after collection of records in a uniquely tight and funky package.

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