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Electrifying
Mojo
Tribute
Caps
Concert
of
Colors
Weekend
By Karen
Hudson
Samuels/Tell
Us
Detroit
DETROIT
(Tell Us
Det) -
Just
hearing
his
melodious
voice
was
enough
to raise
the
noise
level of
the
Orchestra
Hall to
ear
splitting
levels
Sunday
night,
as the
audience
screamed
in
response
to
hearing
the
voice of
the
Electrifying
Mojo.
Unseen
but
clearly
present,
his
energized
the “Don
Was
Detroit
All-Star
Revue at
Concert
of
Colors”
tribute
in his
honor
with a
classic
Mothership
style
welcome.
The
Midnight
Funk
Association
went
wild!
Mojo
ruled
the
midnight
airwaves
of
Detroit
radio
stations
during
1970’s
and 80’s
as the
multitudes
tuned in
every
evening
to hear
his
signature
space
odyssey
opening
inviting
them to
sit back
and
enjoy a
ride
through
a
musical
universe,
not
heard on
any Top
40 play
list.
It was
the
Electrifying
Mojo who
first
introduced
Detroiters
to
Prince,
the
techno
music of
Kraftweks
and the
funk
sounds
of
George
Clinton
and
Parliament
Funkadelics.
He was
also
cultivating
a brand
of
mystery
by
rarely
being
seen in
public.
To this
day few
people
would
recognize
him, all
adding
to the
mystic
of a
legendary
DJ.
Backstage
with
Keyboardist
Amp
Fiddler,
a member
of
Parliament
Funkadelic
for ten
years,
with
WDET’s
Ann
Delisi.
Amp is a
Detroiter
who is a
singer,
songwriter
and
producer.
He said
his
first
played
on the
Parliament
song,
“Deep
Fries Go
With
That
Shake”.
(Photo
by Karen
Hudson
Samuels/Tell
Us
Detroit)
The
Grammy
award
winning
producer
Don Was,
who
organized
the
tribute,
said it
was a
way of
saying
thanks
to the
man who
introduced
Detroiters
to new
music
and
broke
new
artists,
including
his own.
Don and
WDET’s
Ann
Delisi
hosted
the
evening,
introducing
the
musical
styles
given
air play
by
Electrifying
Mojo.
Don Was
told the
audience
that It
was Mojo
who
first
played
his
music on
the air.
It was
1981 and
Was (not
Was)
released
"Out
Come The
Freaks".
The
Midnight
Funk
Association
immediately
saw
themselves
in the
line
“Woodwork
squeaks
and out
come the
freaks”
and by
changing
one
word,
and
creating
an
anthem,
they
sang
“Woodward
squeaks
and out
come the
freaks.”
Backstage
with
musical
legends.
From
left,
Jerry
Flynn,
recorded
1st
hip-hop
song in
Detroit;
Soon
D’Mato
OM; Kern
Brantley
(bassist
and
Music
Director
P. Diddy);
Bass
player
for Al
Hudson
and One
Way; Sir
Harry
Bowens,
vocalist
and
Music
Director;
Vincent
Bowens.
(Photo
by Karen
Hudson
Samuels/Tell
Us
Detroit)
During
the
show, a
segment
of the
famous
interview
between
Prince
and the
Electrifying
Mojo was
played.
The
interview
is
testament
to
Mojo’s
amazing
influence.
It
happened
when
Prince
called
the
radio
station
on his
way to
the
airport
following
concert.
Mojo was
on the
air and
took the
call.
It was
Prince’s
birthday
and he
thanked
Mojo for
playing
his
music,
in
particular
the song
Controversy
which
Don Was
told the
audience
had
received
a
profanity
infused
response
by a
Warner
Brothers
music
executive
when it
was
played.
“I grew
up
listening
to Mojo
as a
teenager
and
through
the
years
have
been
attracted
to
anything
that is
Mojo”
said
Donna
McKay in
the
audience
for the
tribute.
If given
a chance
to meet
and ask
Mojo a
question,
Donna
said “I
would
ask him
to
describe
a
typical
night in
the
studio
and what
he
thought
about
his
interview
with
Prince.
“Paying
tribute
to a
master
who
revolutionized
the
industry”
is what
brought
Bernard
Parker
out.
A master
who
revolutionized
the
industry
says it
all and
we thank
you.
Editor’s
Note:
Tell Us
Detroit
writer
Karen
Hudson
Samuels
was
given
permission
backstage
access
to take
pictures
and talk
with
artists.
She
worked
at WGPR
when the
Electrifying
Mojo was
a DJ on
107.5.
She
recalls
car
lining
East
Jefferson
when he
was on
the air
and
people
asking
to see
Mojo,
she was
one of
lucky
few who
did.
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