Bronzeville Arts Blog: Drummer Tony Robinson

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

HaPpy Heavenly Birthday! Kanika Kress..Lioness on a Stratocaster!

A HaPpy Birthday letter 2 Kanika Kress..
a Leo.. and a Lioness on a Stratocaster!

Oooh .. Ooooh.. Ooooh Oooooh .. Ooooh.. OOOOOH
'Cause We MISS YOU...

Cosmic: I was just looking for a little something..something on the net ... and I stumbled across a video of u playing.. Kanika!

Kanika Kress

Playing in Germany ...

Miss You - Rolling Stones 5:58

40 Days and 40 Nights - Muddy Waters 12:30

Playing one of my favorie Rolling Stones songs.. MISS YOU..

and just killing it!

Oooh Oooh Oooh Oooh Ooooh ' cause I Miss you!
What 'chu doing Girl?
Then you went on to play 40 days and 40 nights!
by Muddy Waters ....
and I was haPpy... 'cause I had never seen these videos...
of you playing these songs.

It was sO mystical to see you all over again... smiling and doing your thing..Just playing that Stratocaster with the long strips of leather on your guitar strap just swinging...in the wind...
It was so uncanny to hear your voice and your sound... and to remember how you phrased your riffs on your guitar...and made it just talk!

Kanika... I just went to a Rolling Stones concert ... a coupla months ago in Chicago at Soliders Field ...and they killed it..Girl...

MICK ... Jagger was running all over the stage and it was on!!...

So...

I went looking for more music and photos to add 2 the collage 4 a shout out 2 your sons.. Shomari, Gynyasi and Nkosi 2 your family, fans and the universe.. 4 your birthday...‘cause we miss you!

Kanika rocks at the 1988 Chicago Blues Festival

I just kept remembering Kanika how you used to rock out with your groups Girlathon and Peace Flower in the 70's when you all played Rock, Folk, and your original songs..

You and I , we would mix it up with some FUNK, R&B and JAZZ and play our originals songs all day!

Cecile Savage, Tony Robinson,

Kanika Kress, Aki Antonia

And while I was thinking about all that

I ran across a picture of Tony Robinson...

the drummer in your band when we played in the 80's.

These photos were from the Taste Zodiac Room in Chicago..

where we played Blues Mondays hosted by Ralph Metcalf Jr.

Back 2 the Future... Cosmic Convergence...
Years later... Tony married our cosmic musical sister, Tiona the flautist... and you played at their wedding... Wow..

I knew that you and Tiona had gone to South Shore High and she has told me all about how you tore it up with your guitar in the talent shows back then...

Because you and Tiona chanted as Buddhists I found it it interesting that all of our mystical connections flowed with
Nam Myo Renge Kyo .. cause you sure did try to shakabuku me
into the principals by encouraging to chant.. back in the 70's.
It was interesting to find out that we all had a musical and cosmic mystical connection over many decades but we just didn't know it at the time.

And in the spirit of Cosmic convergence I wound up chanting at the Buddhist Center and playing at a few festivals with Tiona and Tony in Tiona's band named Melodious Communique.

Then we had some 😎 cool moments with merging with my band AKIBOARDS 🎹🎹🎹

Ray Ripperton, Tiona Toni, Aki Antonia, Julie Jam, Lothario Lee, Tony Robinson

Akiboards & Melodius Communique

Writing this letter made me pull out my Some Girls album..

just thinking 'bout the Blues in my soul'' 'cause we miss you!

Now.. Tony Robinson... the Funkateer.. drumaster of the Funk is up there FUNKING up the grooves..'cause he 's playing on that heavenly plane with you as well.

Go 'head ON... Y'all!
Stay ON the 1 now!

HaPpy Heavenly Birthday!

Kanika Kress..

Aug 17..

Leo.. the Lioness..
Gone way too soon...in 1993..

We miss you in the 'Chi! and in the world... and in the Cosmic Universe...
Keep on playing the Blues up there with Lefty Dizz!
Muddy Waters! Jimi Hendrix! and ere'body else!

We know you're killing on that Stratocaster, girl!
Kosen-rufu. Peace! ☮️

AA 8172019 by Aki Antonia c2019
All photos by AA c 2019
All rights Reserved.

Saturday, May 12, 2012

Funking Out with George Clinton...and P-Funk! at the Cubby Bear 2012

Welcome 2 our World!

We Gon Turn this Mutha Out!!

BRaZil and FUNKTUSI, Aki Antonia thowing some P-Funk signs....

N2 the FUNK Zone.....

I should have known it was gon' be Cray when we started down Lake Shore Drive

with some serious Funkateers at the wheel... screaming & singing

Make My Funk the P-Funk!

I wants my Funk Uncut..

Make My Funk the P-Funk!

I wants 2 get Funked UP!!

I want the bomb!

I want the P-Funk!

I wants my Funk Uncut

Make My Funk the P-Funk!

I wants 2 get Funked UP!!

Some of my Cosmic musical buddies...

Flautist, Tiona.. and her hubby, Drummer, Tony Robinson

had invited me and a few other musicians 2 tribe up...

and go see G Clinton and P-Funk at The Cubby Bear

Honestly on a week night... I had mixed emotions...

Usually I hit the Bootsy, Clinton or P-Funk concerts when my fav FUnKATEeR

and FUNKADELIC artist, Pedro Bell can be at the spot..

And....plus...

I had 2 many other serious things 2 do so I was thinking about stayin' in....

I know what you're thinking...

A chance 2 see Funkadelic and George Clinton up close and...

Right there in your face with the sho nuff...FUNK !!??

What chu talking 'bout, Willis?

A Week night can be a Freak night...

Is U Crazy? Girl, U better GO!!

The Pre-game set...

We get N2 the Cubby Bear before the show in time 2 watch that Bulls game,

kick back and talk with a few band members,

share tech and video in the reception area and

see George Clinton

in Chi-town
in a suit
with new look....with a new vibe
a new professional crisp energy...
Every thangs was everythang... Folks were chillaxing....
in fact, it was so cooled out...
There was nobody in diapers...no multicolored hair..
So very laid back...
Clinton was in a suit... and tie... and a nice Black hat...
kinda funky... kinda Wall St...
I almost expected him 2 have a slight Funky British tone when he spoke....
And then
What had happened was...
I was running my mouth... watching the game...
I got up to charge my phone and tripped over the chord when I saw him..
Who?
This 6 foot tall+ something brother that literally blew me away
with his mimed out makeup and stagewear
BRAZIL was sitting watching the game and when he stood up...
I knew that Funkadelic was in the building...
SIR NOSE dips in...