KASHMERE STAGE BAND REUNITE TO PLAY TRIBUTE CONCERT

Fri, Jan 25, 2008

WORLD-RENOWNED KASHMERE STAGE BAND WILL REUNITE FOR FIRST TIME IN OVER 30 YEARS TO PLAY TRIBUTE CONCERT FOR THEIR LEADER—LEGENDARY CONRAD “PROF” JOHNSON.

Houston -- On Friday, Feb 1, 25 former members of the legendary Kashmere High School Stage Band will reunite for the first time since the early 1970s to play a tribute concert for their teacher, mentor and fabled bandleader, the now 92 year old Conrad “Prof” O. Johnson.

The historic concert will take place in Houston on the very high school stage where the band thrived some 35 years ago. The auditorium will be packed with the current student body and faculty, some of whom will be learning of the school’s rich musical legacy for the first time. Hosting the event will by Eothen Alapatt, Los Angeles-based record producer and general manager of the Stones Throw and Now&Again record labels.

Former band members, many of whom went on to careers in music, will be flying in from as far as Portugal to play the concert

Conrad O. Johnson, known by all as “Prof”, formed the Kashmere Stage Band in 1968 with some of his finest students and went on to take them to competitions and festivals worldwide. The band would become a national phenomenon. Between 1968-1978, the band would win an unprecedented 42 out of 46 titles, including Most Outstanding Band in the Nation at the 1972 All American Stage Band Competition.

For ten years the band not only dominated the national high school competition circuit, but would be regarded as a major force in funk music, equal to such legendary acts as James Brown and the Jbs and the Bar Kays.

Conrad “Prof” Johnson, now 92 years old, served as band director, arranger and principle composer; and oversaw the recording of eight albums during its life. Since 2003 the KSB recordings have been released on 7" or 12" LP record and CD, and have become prized by hip-hop artists and dj's for their inimitable sound. An anthology of their music, Kashmere Stage Band: Texas Thunder Soul, was recently released on CD by Now&Again Records.