Musical performing and recording artists who have performed and recorded with the ON-XYZ band include: George Clinton, Black Uhuru, Steel Pulse, The Wailers, Jimmy Cliff, Judy Mowatt, Sugar Minott, Ohio Players, DeFunkt, Was Not Was, Miriam Makeba, Inner Circle, Chaba Fadela and Shabba Ranks. The legendary master jazz trumpeter Marcus Belgrave (Trumpet/ Flugelhorn); one of the Original Ray Charles band members, and Mentors to the "next" jazz generations including pianist Geri Allen, bassist Robert Hurst, alto saxophonist Kenny Garrett, saxophonist James Carter, and violinist Regina Carter; Michael Anthony “Mad Mike” Banks (Guitar), Michael Anthony Banks who is without a doubt the most controversial and politically outspoken member of the Detroit Techno community; he is also one of the most successful, having started his music career as a studio musician playing with Parliament/Funkadelic, and among others; the late, great Faruq Z. Bey (Saxophone/Composer/Flutist/Poet), the “Godfather of Avant-Garde Jazz in Detroit”, and founder of the critically acclaimed Griot Galaxy jazz group. 

     Some other legendary musical performing and recording artists who have performed and recorded with the band also include: DeWayne “Blackbyrd” McKnight (Bass/Lead Guitar on “Body Rock” and “Don’t Leave Me (Club Mix)” by Virginity a/k/a Nita Jason); DeWayne McKnight was a member of The Headhunters, a jazz-funk fusion band from 1975 through 1978 and Parliament-Funkadelic from 1978 through 2008; Kevin T. Carter, Sr. (Guitars); Ron Smith (Guitar, Enemy Squad and P-Funk); David Myles (Guitar); Paul Randolph (Bass Guitar); Chico Jackson (Bass Guitar); Ras Kente (Guitar); Tony Stewart (Lead Guitar); Lonnie Motley (Bass Guitar,) former bassist with Kid Rock; Darryl “Moon” Mullins (Guitar); Michael “Clip” Payne (Vocals/Drums) Clip has been a member of the Parliament-Funkadelic collective since 1977, he has appeared on over 20 Parliament-Funkadelic funk collective recordings primarily as a vocalist and keyboardist; Tani Tabbal (Drums); best known as the drummer for Roscoe Mitchell's Sight and Sound Ensemble. The amazing drummer Tani Tabbal also added percussive support to Griot Galaxy and David Murray's big band and various combos and to sessions featuring A. Spencer Barefield and Cassandra Wilson; as well as, jazz legends Anthony Braxton, Oliver Lake, Muhal Richard Abrams, Henry Threadgill, and Richard Davis, James Carter, Geri Allen, Famadou Don Moye, and Obo Addy among others.

     In addition, here are several other noted musical performing and recording artists, and singers who have performed and recorded with ON-XYZ that include: Kamaal Amen Ra (Percussions/Vocals/Nomads); Malik Yakini (Guitar, Akoben, Samaritans, and Nomads reggae bands); Majid Abdul Kareem (Drums/Akoben/Nomads/ON-XYZ); the late singer Kareem Baaqi (Vocals/Nomads/Video Clip in Africa/Music and Links); Rodney Gipson (Keyboards); Bey Jackson (Bass Guitar/Drums); the Motor City Foundation annual Detroit Music Awards (May 18, 2008) recipient musician, Ras Kente (Guitar/Vocals); Elrita Dodds (Saxophone); Frank Kelly (Guitar); Jaribu Shahid (Bass Guitar); Modebo Keita (Percussions); Ricky Rouse (Guitar) Courtesy of Atlantic Records); Phienas Oliver (Vocals); Michelle Young (Vocals); Roni Sannyu (Vocals); Deep Omega (Vocals, Graphic Illustrator, and Funk Consultant); the late, Mallia Rosalind Franklin (Vocals); one of the original Parlets, and a vocalist with P-Funk and acknowledged as “Queen of Funk”; “Queen of Funk”; and Satori Shakoor (a/k/a Jeannette McGruder); also a former singer, vocalist with the Brides of Funkenstein and George Clinton's Parliament/Funkadelic; Shirley Hayden (Vocals), a former vocalist with Kid Rock and vocalist in George Clinton’s first female spinoff group, Parlet; Titilayo Akanke (Singer/Lead Vocals); Anita Johnson, as Virginity a/k/a Nita Jason (Singer/Vocalist); Olutaya Ka (Vocals); Kenni Register (Vocals); OC Roberts (Vocals); Raz Baaba Aaron Ibn Pori Pitts (Dub Poet/Videographer/Artist); musical wizard, Geter Most (Keyboards/Drum and Bass Electronics/Funk Lab Detroit); Christopher Kaercher (Saxophone); Ray Parrot (Drums) Jon-Paul Frappier (Trumpet); Jamal King Mellowman Clark (Vocal/Rapping); Eric Sharp (Sound Engineer) Masterpiece Studios, Detroit, MI; music producers and sound engineers, Scott Santos (Producer) and Ray J, Kozorra III, (Sound Engineer), Incidental Sound Company, West Bloomfield, MI; and the late music producer, John Keith Stewart (Executive Producer), and many other noted musicians, bands, singers and vocalists. 

     ON-XYZ (ONYX is the original band name, and Onxyz) was a band of musicians that specializes in funk, metal, rock and “reggae music,” which gained recognition as Detroit’s first reggae band. Today the band still has the characteristic “sledgehammer sound” (hard-driving bass guitar and drums) of years ago. The band’s show is high energy with modern electronics, string instruments, guitar slicks, as well as their original music and sound which blends funk, rock, alternative R&B and metal into a reggae tinted sound that is their unique own musical trademark. 

     Formed as ONYX in 1978 in Detroit, Michigan the band quickly became the premier band in the Detroit metro area. They are considered by most to be one of the most exciting original, highly versatile and polished bands to emerge from the motor city. Carrying on the great musical tradition of such giant rock and roll innovators as Bob Marley and the Wailers, Sly Stone, James Brown, Jimi Hendrix and others, they have developed a loyal following in every city they have played. ON-XYZ Band was honored to be nominated and to be inducted into the Metro Times Music Awards Hall of Fame (Detroit, Michigan). An early member of the New York based Black Rock Coalition; the band has toured nationwide at major outdoor festivals as part of the BLACKAPALOOZA TOURS. The music performed by ON-XYZ is simply incredible live! Visit the ON-XYZ Band Web Site on MySpace.com at: https://myspace.com/onxyz. For ON-XYZ band music, download free music, or buy music, see pictures, check out the band bio, follow their video feeds, fan feeds, news, upcoming live events additional information about ON-XYZ and members visit the  ON-XYZ band’s Official web site at: http://www.poppmusic.net/onxyz_onxy_onyx_poppmusic_net_id14.html or simply use your mobile device access and download the free ON-XYZ Mobile App at: http://www.reverbnation.com/onxyz/app or go visit other ON-XYZ Band Web Sites at:

Social Media at:

ON-XYZ Press and Media

ON-XYZ was awarded the Metro Times (Detroit) "Hall of Fame Award" in the Reggae Category, and for "Honorable Mention" in the World Beat Category. The group is mentioned in several issues of Reggae Report; a recent issue of Billboard Magazine; and has been featured in numerous past issues of the Metro Times, Detroit Free Press; Chicago Reader, New York Village Voice, and The Baltimore Sun. The Minneapolis Twin Cities Reader; and many, many other major newspapers throughout the Midwest and East Coast, (e.g., Iowa City, IA, Bloomington, IN, Washington, DC, and Champaign, IL) has featured stories about ON-XYZ in their pages.

ON-XYZ DISCOGRAPHY

The Best of ON-XYZ New CD/Album/MP3 Release Coming in 2014 and 2015.

1         DANCE LITTLE CHILDREN DANCE, 12 inch single,Solar Sundanese Records, 1979.

2         WE CAME TO ROCK YOU, 12 inch single,Solar Sundanese Records, 1980.

3         DREAD WAVE, 12 inch single,Solar Sudanese Records, 1981.

4         BODY ROCK, (as Virginity) 12 inch single,Sutra Records, 1986.

5         WOMB MUSIC, CD, Popp Records, 1987.

6         SHAKE-UP YOURSELF, CD, Popp Records, 1988.

7         RIGHT NOW! CD, POPP INC, 1993.

8         YOU GOT SOUL, CD/MP3, POPP INC/POPPMusic.net, 2014.

MAJOR RECORDING ARTISTS ON-XYZ HAS OPENED FOR

SHABBA RANKS, Detroit, MI

DeFUNKT, New York, NY

JUDY MOWAT, Washington, DC

MARCIA GRIFFITH, Washington, DC

TIPPER IREA, Detroit, MI

CULTURE, Detroit, MI

INNER CIRCLE, Washington, DC

THE WAILERS, E. Lansing, MI

SUGAR MINOT, Ann Arbor, MI

OHIO PLAYERS, New York, NY

JIMMY CLIFF, Detroit, MI

EKKA MOUSE, Kalamazoo, MI

CHABA FATALA, Detroit, MI

AKUBUA, Detroit, MI

SONNY OKOSUNS, Detroit, MI

FONDAY MUSA SUSO, Detroit, MI

UNIVERSITIES & COLLEGES ON-XYZ PLAYED

Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio

University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois

Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan

Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan

Illinois State University, Normal, Illinois

University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan

BANDS ON-XYZ SHARED THE STAGE WITH

STEEL PULSE

BLACK UHURU

BRIDES OF FUNKENSTEIN

INNER CIRCLE

DENNIS BROWN

JUDY MOWATT

OHIO PLAYERS

JAH MALLA

JIMMY CLIFF

THE WAILERS

WAS NOT WAS

MARCIA GRIFFITH

MIRIAM MAKEBA

PARLIAMENT/FUNKADELIC

Some Venues ON-XYZ HAS PLAYED

Tuts, Chicago, IL

The Wildhare, Chicago, IL

Exedus II, Chicago, IL

Cross Currents, Chicago, IL

Watering Hole, Chicago, IL

The West End, Chicago, IL

Museum of Science & Industry, Chicago, IL

The Uptown, Minneapolis, MN

Mabels, Champaign, IL

Raffaelle's, Champaign, IL

McGreevy's, North Brook, IL

Crow's Mill Tavern, Springfield, IL

AirWaves, Carbondale, IL

Gabes/Oasis, Iowa City, Iowa

The Stablizer, West Lafayette, IN

Bluebird Club, Bloomington, IN

The Wetlands, New York, NY

C. B. G. B.'s, New York, NY

ONE's, New York, NY

The Gas Station, New York, NY

The Peppermint Lounge, Orange, NJ

Max's on Broadway, Baltimore, MD

DC Reggae Festival, Washington, DC

The Safari Club, Washington, DC

Pillum's Place, Detroit, MI

State Theatre, Detroit, MI

Industries Club, Detroit, MI

Bookie's Club, Detroit, MI

Madison Theatre, Detroit, MI

Alvin's, Detroit, MI

MORE VENUES ON-XYZ HAS PLAYED

Royal Oaks Theatre, Detroit, MI

Cobb's Corner, Detroit, MI

Jamaican Club, Detroit, MI

Second Chance, Ann Arbor, MI

Blind Pig, Ann Arbor, MI

The Pointe/Hop, Grove Pointe, MI

Electro Music Cafe, Royal Oaks, MI

Reggae Ambassadors World Wide Convention, Grand Rapids, MI

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