The Greyboy Allstars

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The Greyboy Allstars
The Greyboy Allstars performing at the 2006 Wakarusa Music Festival.
The Greyboy Allstars performing at the 2006 Wakarusa Music Festival.
Background information
Origin San Diego, California, USA
Genre(s) soul jazz
acid jazz
Years active 1993 – present
Label(s) Sci Fidelity
Website http://www.greyboyallstars.com/
Members
DJ Greyboy
Karl Denson
Robert Walter
Chris Stillwell
Elgin Park
Eric Kalb
Former members
Zak Najor

The Greyboy Allstars (GBA) are a San Diego funk and jazz group created in the early 1990s. The group began as collaboration of DJ Greyboy (turntable) with Karl Denson (saxophone, flute) during weekly shows at the Green Circle Bar in San Diego and on the DJ Greyboy albums Home Cooking and Freestylin’. Together they gradually gathered musicians co-founding a house band including Robert Walter (keyboards), Chris Stillwell (bass), Elgin Park (also known as Mike Andrews) (guitar), and Zak Najor (drums). The Greyboy Allstars were a major part of the mid-90s acid jazz movement and a catalyst for renewed interest in late 60s/early 70s soul jazz. Denson has described the Greyboy Allstars as a boogaloo band, a distinction which has set them apart from other contemporary soul jazz/acid jazz combos.

In 1995, The Greyboy Allstars released their first album, West Coast Boogaloo, featuring support from James Brown trombonist and bandleader Fred Wesley. DJ Greyboy was disinterested in touring and the band continued on with his name led by Denson. In 1997 they released their second studio album, A Town Called Earth. Additionally, both Walter and Denson released solo albums backed by members of the band. Walter's album, titled Spirit of ’70, had additional support from Gary Bartz on alto sax, and Denson's The D Stands for Diesel featured vocalist Andy Bey. The Greyboy Allstars released a live album simply entitled Live in 1999. DJ Greyboy returned to collaborate with the band for the recording of What Happened to Television? released on April 17, 2007, The Greyboy Allstars' first studio album in nearly 10 years.

Drummer Zak Najor played drums for the studio recording of What Happened to Television? However, Eric Kalb (Deep Banana Blackout) played drums for the subsequent tour.

The band toured nationally 2008 ending in New Orleans with sold out shows during Jazz Fest.

[edit] Discography

  • West Coast Boogaloo (1995)
  • A Town Called Earth (1997)
  • Live (1999)
  • What Happened to Television? (2007) All Music Guide (link) 4/5 stars4/5 stars4/5 stars4/5 stars4/5 stars

[edit] References

[edit] External links