Who is the woman in black wearing glasses, sitting to Levi's left and right above Miko? That's not Boni Boyer, is it?

That is the dearly departed Boni Boyer.

Anxiety said:

I've always wondered that. It didn't quite look like her. I really liked Boni. What a loss.

Boni Boyer
A Musical Journey

1958 - 1996

---

Boni was born Bonita Louisa Boyer in Washington, DC, on July 28, 1958, so "Jamming for Education" honors what would have been Boni's fortieth birthday. Her family moved to Oakland in 1963, and Boni gained her education in the Oakland School System. Boni began her singing and musical career at the age of six, starting with the violin. By age 18, she had mastered the violin, flute, piano, bass, and keyboard synthesizer. Sheila E., Boni's schoolmate at McChesney Jr. High and Oakland High, taught her drumming and percussion techniques. Boni further developed her musical talents through formal study at Laney College and honed her vocal skills at Oakland's Judy Davis Studios. Her sister, Constance Boyer-Williams, sums up Boni's musical aptitudes: "If you put an instrument in her hands, Boni played it."
Boni launched her performing career with her first band, Second Wind. She went on to work with top recording artists, including Prince, Lionel Ritchie, Sheila E., Tony!, Toni!, Toné!, Con Funk Shun, Digital Underground, Raphael Sadiq, and many other Bay Area groups. Boni's voice graces Oakland guitarist Ray Obiedo's "Midnight Taboo" on the 1995 Zuyala album. She also appeared in Friday Nite "Live" at Berkeley's Pasand Lounge, the predecessor to Mr. E's Jazz Club.

The pinnacle of Boni's performing career occurred with recording sessions and tours for Prince's LoveSexy and Sign O' The Times bands. Boni sang lead and played Hammond organ for Hits 1 (1993) and garnered background vocal and keyboard credits on the Graffiti Bridge (1990) album. She starred in Prince's "I Wish U Heaven" promotional video for the 1988 LoveSexy album. Prince says, "She was one of the greatest musicians that I've worked with." Other album appearances include background vocals for Michael Penn's March (1989) and J. Spencer's Blue Moon (1995).

The following description of the December, 1996 jam session tribute to Boni is excerpted from the Uptown Web site: "A [performance] for Boni's [bereaved] family took place on December 10, 1996 at Geoffrey's [Inner Circle] in Oakland. An estimated 400 people attended the show, which featured Bay Area talent paying musical respect to Boni. Among those who performed were Lenny Williams, Michael Cooper and Felton Pilate from Con Funk Shun, Robert Brookins and Tony! Toni! Toné!. Sheila E. and her father Pete [Escovedo] were there, as were Rosie Gaines, Art 'N Soul, and J. Spencer."

Boni is the lead vocalist on Chump Change Records' Crying For Love album's "Just Like Magic" (track1), "Send My Baby Back" (track 3), "Funky Times" (track 11), and "Newsroom" (track 14). She sings backgrounds on "Just Like Magic," "Send My Baby Back," "Higher Power" (track 7), "Miracles" (track 12), and "Darkness To The Light" (track 13.) Boni also was the background singer and arranger for "Newsroom."

Ray Obiedo plays the guitar and Rosie Gaines sings background vocals on "Funky Times."

The Crying for Love album booklet contains a "Tribute to Boni Boyer" by Park Place bandleader and composer Paul Tillman Smith, a close friend of Boni's and an active pallbearer at her funeral. Park Place's latest public performances were at the Berkeley Juneteenth Festival (June 21, 1998) and "Jamming for Education," a tribute to Boni Boyer, held at Mr. E's Jazz Club (July 25, 1998).

Boni, great voice, anyone know what happened (if anything) to cause a rift between her and Prince? And man, was that band something. Prince has had the good fortune to have many great bands but this one may have been his best.

mozfonky said:

indeed.

What is it with Prince and musicians from Oakland/Bay area...what's in the water over there???

derek said:

You'd like to know.

The bay area is where psychedelia and funk is fused. We're in the water...

nero
www.barbarasteele-the-band.com
www.startribecinema.com/barbarasteele

derek said:

DavidEye said:

The NPG circa 2002 + Eric Leeds & Sheila E. could be considered one of the best lineups, too.