Kleeer - Tonight (dub)

Kleeer was an American New York based funk, disco and post-disco band which was formed in 1972 under the name The Jam Band, as a backup group to different disco bands and vocalists. The group consisted of lead vocalist / in-studio drummer Woody Cunningham, percussionist / keyboardist Paul Crutchfield, guitarist Richard Lee and bassist Norman Durham.

Between 1979 and 1985 the group released seven albums and had several hits in the US Billboard Hot 100 and in R&B charts. The most mentionable are “Tonight’s the Night”, “Winners”, “Intimate Connection”, and “Get Tough.” The sound was now more focused on 1980s style funk, and electronic instruments, like vocoders and synthesizers.

The group’s influence today is best found in many hip hop songs, where DJs have frequently sampled Kleeer, for example by 2Pac, Snoop Dogg, DJ Quik, Lil Jon and The Eastside Boys.

“Keeep Your Body Workin”, which reached number 54 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play Chart in 1979, was “reworked” into an updated recording by Tony Moran featuring Martha Wash, under the title “Keep Your Body Working.” The Moran/Wash version reached number one on the Hot Dance Club Play chart in December 2007.

Woody Cunningham died on January 9, 2010. Norman Durham died on November 2, 2011.