Fantasia After Party at Zanzibar
I met with Tom Ellis over in Adams Morgan. The Mary's Rec Center over by the corner where my car was parked was the first place he saw Rare Essence, though the venue had a different name at the time. He said that Little Benny wore in a cast during that performance. I followed him to his apartment, where he gave me a copy of the GoGo documentary, "In the Pocket". He told me about the Redds split with Rare Essence due to Ms. Mack and that he drew a number of members of members to Redds and the Boys - including both Godfather and Darrien Rice. Tom played timbales in a Reo-managed band that would rehearse prior to Trouble Funk. He said that Reo took guys from other bands to Trouble Funk.

Zanzibar on the Waterfront, 700 Water Street SW Washington, DC 20024

I made sure to come early since I knew from the boat ride I went to last year that finding parking near the waterfront was ridiculously hard. I managed to get a parking spot several blocks away from Zanzibar. Interestingly, they had me exchange the ticket I bought from the promoter for another, generic-type ticket, which I then handed over to the ticket-taker at the door. I then walked in and said hello to Vincent, who was the only one there I recognized. I sat down in the front row on the left side. I got up out of my seat when the DJ was setting up, he asked me to sit down, my getting up made him nervous. If he was DJ Flexx, I sure didn't recognize him from his photos. Two women came by and one said, (I assumed to me) to move over and sit to the right. But actually she was speaking to the other woman - they wanted to sit on either side of me. I didn't get their names, although the one on the left has a maiden name of Floyd, and wondered if she was related to Donnell. They spent most of the time asking me questions. They asked me more than once if I was married. The first time, I said no. They asked, "why not?" I said that I had not found the right woman. They both said that's smart, and the woman on the right said she had been married for seven years. The second time, they asked me if I had kids, when I said no. The one on the left said, you really are straight. They had come to see Fantasia and had never seen Familiar Faces before although the girl on the left said her sister had and had recommended she see them. I told them that Fantasia would be performing with Rare Essence on Friday at the Amazon. She said she knew some people from Rare Essence were in FF, she asked me if Benny was one of them. I told them he is currently a free agent and told them about his reunion show. They didn't even realize After Hours was performing tonight - I pointed them out when they were setting up. They were tired from drinking - they occasionally leaned their heads on my shoulder. They ordered crab cakes. They didn't want to get up, but the waiter said the plates were hot, so they moved to a table. They insisted I come along. Stomp sat in the back. I teased him because this was the first time I have seen him dressed up, he wore a suit. I asked him if it was Shooters brand. Ray, Mama Chelle, Tanya, Googie, Telando and Michon were there. When Donnell arrived, I pointed him out to the one woman, she went up to him to ask his ancestry; she said afterward that they probably are cousins. When I pointed out the various people in FF as they arrived, she said you know everybody. I told her about my thesis. They went up to dance when After Hours started to perform.

Lots of members of FF teased Stomp about his suit.

After Hours Band
When warming up, Chi Ali did a rap about various GoGo groups
1) Sean (Kal'el)-led "I Call your name"
2) Pretty Nikki or TJ-led "There is only one for me"
3) Chi Ali-led "I Wish I could give you the crank"
4) Pretty Nikki or TJ-led Michael Jackson's Thriller (tease)
5) Chi Ali-led "Da da da da / Brown & white / Apple martinis all night"
6) Chi Ali-led "2ing to the 2, 2ing to the 3"
7) Not sure if Chi Ali or the female singers really led this "Everyone aboard, all aboard the night train, Chi Ali-Everybody in the club, put your hands up"
8) Sean-led Bobby Valentino's Slow Down - they had a keyboard-driven steel drum sound intro
9) Chi Ali-led "Step front, step back, get on the floor"
They had some kind of technical difficulty, I asked someone in FF about it later; they said it had to do with the drum feed.
10) Chi Ali-"Hold up, wait a minute, looking for the door, ride with this, let your hair down" - again the keyboard-driven steel drum sound
11) Sean-led Juvenile's Slow Motion
12) Chi Ali-led "A-F-T-E-R-H-O-U-R-S"
13) Pretty Nikki or TJ-led Donna Summer's Love to Love You Baby
14) Sean-led Nelly's Flap Your Wings (tease)
15) "Everyone in the club is getting tipsy"
Chi Ali closed it by saying "Take Me Home"
I was impressed; they really have a nice sound, particularly the vocals. As Doc had said to me earlier, they do have great harmony. I do wish they would turn the crank up some.

YC, Slim Goodie, Tyrell and March were there.

Familiar Faces
I went on the dance floor for their performance.
First Set
1) Halima-led Rodgers & Hart's My Funny Valentine - a nice performance
Donnell did a shout out to Vinnie D in the audience
The crank started with
2) Halima-led Erykah Badu's Cleva
3) Mike-led Marvin Gaye's I Want You
4) Donnell-led "Hey ay, Ho oh"
5) Halima-led Faith Evans' Again
6) Mike-led Bobby Valentino's Slow Down - I hoped they wouldn't perform this because multiple bands performing the same covers = The Suck.
However, I do understand not wanting the earlier band to dictate your own setlist.
7) Mike-led John Legend's Used to Love U
A huge group of people rushed behind me, and Donnell said, "Fantasia is in the building"
8) They performed the intro to Fantasia's Free Yourself while waiting for Fantasia to come up. She did come onstage, but only sang the first line with Halima. She said they (meaning her management) don't want me to sing (on Friday Donnell said that she couldn't due to contractual restrictions). Fantasia then left the stage and went over to the corner, where they had GoGo pics set up so people could have their picture taken with her. Halima gave a great performance.

Doc jokingly tried to convince Tanya and her two friends to pose for Mike's website. I said Mike should bring Joi Ryda to one of their shows. Doc said that would be bad because everyone would be looking at her instead of the band. Also, we don't know where she lives. I talked about Vida Guerra also.

6'9 was there.

Doc asked why I wasn't getting a GoGo pic with Fantasia, I said I am not a fan and she's not attractive. He said I bet if Zappa were there you would get a picture. I don't know where that came from; I am not that big a fan of Zappa. I told him that. I said now if Larry Graham were up there (or Larry Dodson). He said I know if George (Clinton) were up there, you would go. I told him, have I shown you my picture with Rudy Ray Moore? He said, you got a picture with that crazy n*gga? Dolemite, huh?

Picture taken at 70s Convention in Tarrytown, NY February 13 or 14, 1999. Picture copyright Jordan Rich.

Jacques said you can't see Fantasia (due to the big crowd).

Demetrius Owens was there.

Since YC had his flute, I asked why he didn't play. He said he was letting them do their thing; he's looking for a job.

A number of the band members were uncertain of the time the show was supposed to end, they were all told it was ending at 2 AM. I told Packy I had never seen him so dressed up before.

Second Set - started at 1:50 AM
Mike said, "Slow down Tyrell and let me watch you walk away"
1) Mike-led Toto's Georgy Porgy
2) Halima-led Faith Evans' Mesmerized
6'9 decided I wasn't partying enough. First he walked up and stood to the left of me and had his arm on my right shoulder and had my right foot off the ground. Then he pulled me up front and held both my hands up. After that, a couple of girls freaked me, and I grinded with the one in front of me. Mike smiled and pointed in my direction.
3) Alternating Donnell-led Trillville's Some Cut / Notorious BIG's Warning / Keith Murray's Call My Name (tease)
4) Mike-led Prince's Take Me With You
5) Donnell-led Hold the Note
6'9 was upset that Donnell didn't do a shout out to me. He said of me, "He's family"
6) Donnell acapella 50 Cent's In Da Club (tease)
He did this for a woman for her birthday; she was upset that he didn't do it earlier. He said he would celebrate her birthday the next night.

Smoke came over smiling, talking with me about how he was amused by my freaking the girl. Stomp said 6'9 and I looked like a dance team. Nephew said in response to Stomp, you look like half a cotton candy (both Stomp's tie and vest were pink. I noticed only at the end when they stood next to each other, that Nephew and 6'9 wore the same green striped Seek Abundance shirt (Donnell wore a solid black Seek Abundance shirt).

There were a fair amount of people there, but it was far from packed. When I walked out, Halima said, "You're funny," and then "They sure had you hemmed in".

YC talked more about how he wanted to join them - add a new sound. He said, they would have to change the mix, he could do it himself, but he would leave it to Googie. He's known Googie for years, he lived by him. YC asked me what kind of stuff I had, I told him both audio visual and pictures and gave him the URL of the website. He asked me if he was representing the Washington Nationals, I said yes.