Celebrating the Legacy & Life of the Motown Mentors & Protege’s
“This Is Our History”
Robert Lowe Jr. (July 2, 1948 – January 8, 2013 )
He toured with Lonnie Smith to New York, Atlantic City, New Jersey, Boston, and Philadelphia. During home periods he worked with Marcus Belgrave, Ron Jackson, and others. Soon afterward, in 1975, he toured with Charles Earland to New York’s Village Gate, the Key Club in New Jersey, and tours to Philadelphia. From 1980 to 83, he worked with Nancy Wilson, O.C. Smith, Marlena Shaw, Ronnie Dyson, Spanky Wilson, Richard Groove Holmes, Jimmy Smith, Jack McDuff, Lonnie Smith, Charles Earland, Joey DeFrancesco, Kenny Garrett, Eddie Jefferson, Mary Wilson and the Supremes, Regina Carter and others. He lead his own label (Lowe-Down Records Inc.).He continues to perform primarily in and around Detroit.
Van Cephus (Passed on March 18, 2014)
He was a great musician who played with national known Anita Baker and “Chapter 8,” and many others in and around Detroit. He was loved and revered by many. He will be missed, however you can still purchase his music through download.
Ricky Lawson (November 8, 1954 – December 23, 2013)
He played with names like Phil Collins, Michael Jackson, Eric Clapton, Whitney Houston, Roy Ayers and Duane Parham
Belita Karen Woods (October 23, 1948 – May 14, 2012)
Was a lead singer of the late 1970s R&B group, Brainstorm. She also performed with Parliament-Funkadelic.
Kenny Scott
Dr. Yusef Lateef – born William Emanuel Huddleston (October 9, 1920 – December 23, 2013)
Was an American jazz multi-instrumentalist, composer from Detroit, Mi
Maurice Davis (Memphis, Tennessee – 1941 – July 13, 2012)
Recorded over 1500 songs primarily for Motown Records where he was the lead trumpet player for almost 15 years. Davis is most recognized as the lead trumpet on three-time Grammy Award winning Temptations’ song, “Papa was a Rolling Stone.” Davis received a college degree from Tennessee State University, and taught in The Detroit Public Schools for 32 years. Later in life, he became an ordained minister.
Eli Fontaine
Eli Fontaine, worked as a saxophonist and session musician at Motown in the 60’s. He also played great memorable solos on recordings of Holland, Dozier Holland, The Originals and Michael Henderson, Phyllis Hyman Hyman and Jean Carne.
As Fontaine experimented with his horn in the “Snake Pit,” Motown’s famed recording studio, he began warming up to play the opening riff of “What’s Goin’ On.” He finally signaled that he was ready to record the first of what would be multiple takes to get the tempo, phrasing and sound Marvin Gaye wanted for the famous 1971 song, “ What’s Goin’ On.”
Teddy Harris Jr. (August 27, 1934 – August 15, 2005)
A longtime figure of Detroit’s jazz scene, Theodore “Teddy” Harris Jr. found international acclaim as a pianist, soprano saxophonist, composer and arranger for Motown. Harris worked with numerous jazz greats, stage personalities, and became the musical director for Motown artists such as The Supremes and The Temptations. He earned his livelihood from composing and arranging music for stage performers that included motion picture soundtracks. Harris’ awards include The Jazz Master Award, Legends of Jazz International Hall of Fame, and Michiganian and Humanitarian of the Year Awards. He was also represented Bill Clinton as a Jazz Master and Cultural Ambassador.
Dr. Thomas “Beans” Bowles (South Bend, Indiana – 1926 – January 28, 2000)
Most Notable As The Motown Revue Created. He played the baritone saxophone and flute for the Motown artists such as The Supremes and Marvin Gaye, He also worked in a number of jazz clubs featuring Billie Holliday and Billy Ekstine.
Bowles composed the harmonica solo for Stevie Wonder on “Fingertips-Part I and arranged his “Fingertips” Part II. The versatile musician also played flute solos on Marvin Gaye’s “Stubborn Kind of Fella,” and “What’s Goin’ On.”
Norris (Kasuku Mafia) Patterson (September 20, 1931 – Dec 20, 2010)
Norris was among many fine Detroit musicians who played in jazz clubs where he met Berry Gordy and began working with Motown, Norris was responsible for taking the first Motown band on the road supporting Motown artists such as Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, The Temptations, Marvin Gaye,
The Supremes, Stevie Wonder and others. He can be heard playing the tenor sax solo on The Temptations hit, “Ain’t Too Proud To Beg,” or the flute solos on Smokey Robinson’s, “Bad Girl,” and Marvin Gaye’s, “Can I Get A Witness” and many others. This short video footage was taken from Duane Parham’s film documentary “The Unsung Musicians of The Motown Empire.”
Wild Bill Moore (Texas, 1918 – 1983)
Played sax early in life but his main interest was boxing. In 1945 he recording tenor sax with the Slim Gaillard Orchestra, on the Queen label. His first recorded on his own in 1945, for the Apollo label. He made the charts with “We’re Gonna Rock,” in 1948. Many of his recordings were made with session men from the Paul “Hucklebuck” Williams band, such as this track and his hit “Bubbles.” The song included here was renamed “We’re Gonna Rock, We’re Gonna Roll” in an early-50’s LP issue, the original 78 RPM single being titled simply “We’re Gonna Rock.” He was featured on Marvin Gaye’s “Mercy Mercy Me,” in 1971.
Earl Van Dyke
Nicknamed the “Chunk of Funk,” He was the keyboardist/bandleader for the Motown studio band of the ’60s affectionately dubbed the Funk Brothers and the Architect of Motown Sound. The band can be heard on 22 number one pop hits, 48 number one R&B hits, generating sales of over 300 million records.
With support from his parents (his father was a classical violinist turned Ford Motors factory worker), Van Dyke started playing piano when he was five years old. He took lessons at the Detroit Conservatory of Music. He began playing professionally as a teenager hanging out with the likes of Barry Harris, Yusef Lateef, Tommy Flanagan, Roland Hanna, Kenny Burrell, and Hank Jones.
Larry Nozero
Alto saxophonist and flutist influenced by bop and classical. He is reminiscent of Richie Cole and Frankie Wess, and clearly in their league.
Thomas Harold Bowles Jr.
T. Harold Bowles Jr. (a.k.a. “Mr. Beans”) was the founder and principle of International Multimedia Consultants, LLC. Mr. Bowles had more than 30 years of experience in providing entertainment brokering, management, production, and consultation services to the entertainment industry.
