Kennis Jones (flairs / Velvet) Interview

[boba]

Hi. Today on my radio show I did an interesting interview with singer Kennis Jones. As a child, Kennis moved from Grand Rapids, MI to the South Side of Chicago. Kennis lived in the Harold Icke homes at 22nd and State street. Kennis got interested in music at an early age via his father, who sang with Sam Cooke and with the Wings of Faith gospel group. Soon after moving to the south side, Kennis formed the Flairs, with his brother Loren and three other members. With little experience the group did an initial performance at the Regal weekly talent show and were unsuccessful; the group then practiced daily for an entire year before performing again, perfecting their harmony and choreography. The Flairs became local favorites, playing clubs and winning talent shows.

The group soon found a backing band, the Statistics, who lived at Wentworth Gardens, the projects just south at 35th and State. The group also found a manager, Darnell Glover, also from Wentworth Gardens; Glover recorded the group on his Southtown record label. "I want you" / "All I need" was the group's first single; the record had an excellent late-60s Chicago sound and received some local airplay. About a year later Kennis was discovered by James Shelton (owner of the Daran record label) while playing piano in the lobby of Shelton's hotel. Shelton had Kennis write music to some tracks that were initially intended to be recorded by the Chi-lites (who had recently left Shelton's labels to go to Brunswick records). The Flairs, under a new group lineup, recorded the tracks and Shelton released the group's second single -- "Where you live" / "You got to steal it" -- on his Rap record label. The single also had a great Chicago sound and received some local airplay.

The group continued to do local shows and Kennis began to focus on songwriting. Kennis hooked up with producer Jim Porter, who initially wanted Kennis to work with his group the Eight Minutes. Kennis wrote the track "Next time he'll be good", which was released by the Eight Minutes on the perception record label. Kennis also auditioned the Flairs for Porter, who ended up recording a new lineup of the group; the group changed their name to Velvet in order to make a fresh start. "Give it up" was released in 1972, locally on the Lovelite label and then nationally on Perception. "Give it up" had a more modern, Stylistics-inspired early-70s Chicago sound, and became the group's biggest hit (going all the way up to number 8 on WVON's charts). Kennis began to focus more on songwriting, working at Brunswick records writing tracks that were recorded but never released, by several Brunswick artists. Porter released a second single -- "Betcha if you ask around" -- as by Velvet, but the group was actually totally different and did not include Kennis at all.

In the mid-70s Kennis decided to go to California to pursue his music career. After initially spending time with members of Earth Wind and Fire, Kennis eventually got an interview with Smokey Robinson. Smokey immediately signed Kennis as a personal songwriter. Kennis wrote many songs for Smokey, a couple of which were released, including the excellent cut "If we're gonna act like lovers" from the Big Time soundtrack. In the early 80s, Kennis left Smokey to pursue a solo career. Kennis cut the excellent track "Mr. Postman" which he released as a 12" on his own Soft Soul record label in 1986. Kennis has continued to perform until today. He is currently working on a new album; you can check out tracks from his new CD or contact Kennis directly via his myspace page:

https://www.myspace.com/kennisjones

or his personal webpage:

https://softsoul-kj.com/

You can listen to the interview on my interviews page:

https://www.sittinginthepark.com/interviews.html

thanks for your interest,

Bob

[boba]

Hi. Today on my radio show I did an interesting interview with singer Kennis Jones. As a child, Kennis moved from Grand Rapids, MI to the South Side of Chicago. Kennis lived in the Harold Icke homes at 22nd and State street. Kennis got interested in music at an early age via his father, who sang with Sam Cooke and with the Wings of Faith gospel group. Soon after moving to the south side, Kennis formed the Flairs, with his brother Loren and three other members. With little experience the group did an initial performance at the Regal weekly talent show and were unsuccessful; the group then practiced daily for an entire year before performing again, perfecting their harmony and choreography. The Flairs became local favorites, playing clubs and winning talent shows.

The group soon found a backing band, the Statistics, who lived at Wentworth Gardens, the projects just south at 35th and State. The group also found a manager, Darnell Glover, also from Wentworth Gardens; Glover recorded the group on his Southtown record label. "I want you" / "All I need" was the group's first single; the record had an excellent late-60s Chicago sound and received some local airplay. About a year later Kennis was discovered by James Shelton (owner of the Daran record label) while playing piano in the lobby of Shelton's hotel. Shelton had Kennis write music to some tracks that were initially intended to be recorded by the Chi-lites (who had recently left Shelton's labels to go to Brunswick records). The Flairs, under a new group lineup, recorded the tracks and Shelton released the group's second single -- "Where you live" / "You got to steal it" -- on his Rap record label. The single also had a great Chicago sound and received some local airplay.

The group continued to do local shows and Kennis began to focus on songwriting. Kennis hooked up with producer Jim Porter, who initially wanted Kennis to work with his group the Eight Minutes. Kennis wrote the track "Next time he'll be good", which was released by the Eight Minutes on the perception record label. Kennis also auditioned the Flairs for Porter, who ended up recording a new lineup of the group; the group changed their name to Velvet in order to make a fresh start. "Give it up" was released in 1972, locally on the Lovelite label and then nationally on Perception. "Give it up" had a more modern, Stylistics-inspired early-70s Chicago sound, and became the group's biggest hit (going all the way up to number 8 on WVON's charts). Kennis began to focus more on songwriting, working at Brunswick records writing tracks that were recorded but never released, by several Brunswick artists. Porter released a second single -- "Betcha if you ask around" -- as by Velvet, but the group was actually totally different and did not include Kennis at all.

In the mid-70s Kennis decided to go to California to pursue his music career. After initially spending time with members of Earth Wind and Fire, Kennis eventually got an interview with Smokey Robinson. Smokey immediately signed Kennis as a personal songwriter. Kennis wrote many songs for Smokey, a couple of which were released, including the excellent cut "If we're gonna act like lovers" from the Big Time soundtrack. In the early 80s, Kennis left Smokey to pursue a solo career. Kennis cut the excellent track "Mr. Postman" which he released as a 12" on his own Soft Soul record label in 1986. Kennis has continued to perform until today. He is currently working on a new album; you can check out tracks from his new CD or contact Kennis directly via his myspace page:

https://www.myspace.com/kennisjones

or his personal webpage:

https://softsoul-kj.com/

You can listen to the interview on my interviews page:

https://www.sittinginthepark.com/interviews.html

thanks for your interest,

Bob

I'm bumping this because not only was it an interesting interview but because I want people to check out Kennis' myspace. I think he is interesting in people contacting him about his new music. Thanks.

[Guest cenco]

I'm bumping this because not only was it an interesting interview but because I want people to check out Kennis' myspace. I think he is interesting in people contacting him about his new music. Thanks.

great stuff as usual bob