Michael Fonfara
Encyclopedia
Michael Fonfara is a keyboard player who is most notable for his work with the bands The Electric Flag and Rhinoceros
in the 1960s, Lou Reed
in the 1970s and The Downchild Blues Band
, from 1990 to the present.
soon afterwards. Members of Jon and Lee & The Checkmates ultimately formed the nucleus of the later bands Rhinoceros and Blackstone, plus contributed significantly to the work of Lou Reed
in the 1970s.
When John and Lee & The Checkmates broke up in September 1967, Fonfara worked briefly with David Clayton-Thomas
and then, during the months of November and December, 1967, toured and recorded with The Electric Flag, featuring Buddy Miles
and Michael Bloomfield
. Fonfara replaced keyboardist and founding Electric Flag member Barry Goldberg
. He was then selected by producer Paul Rothchild as a member of the Elektra Records'
hand-picked, "supergroup
", Rhinoceros, in December 1967. Fonfara was the co-writer of the band's major hit, "Apricot Brandy", and recorded three albums with the group.
Upon the dissolution of Rhinoceros in 1971, Fonfara joined with ex-Rhinoceros bandmates John Finley, Danny Weis
, Larry Leishman
and Peter Hodgson to form the group Blackstone. The band recorded one album in 1972, On The Line, again produced by Paul Rothchild, prior to splintering and then breaking up in 1973. Fonfara thereafter commenced working with Lou Reed, an association that continued throughout the balance of the 1970s. During the latter part of the 1970s and continuing to 1981, he was a member of the pop rock group Tycoon
, based in New York City, which recorded two albums.
In the 1980s, Fonfara returned to Toronto, where he became a key member of the Canadian R&B band The Lincolns
. The Lincolns had been founded by Prakash John
, with whom Fonfara had first played in a later version of Blackstone in 1973 and, thereafter, when both were playing and recording with Lou Reed, during the balance of the 1970s. Fonfara continues to play with The Lincolns, while remaining a member of The Downchild Blues Band
, which he joined in 1990. In 2000, 2004, 2007 and 2009, he was the recipient of the Maple Blues Award
, sponsored by the Toronto Blues Society
and regarded as the Canadian equivalent of a Blues Music Award, as "piano/keyboard player of the year". Fonfara's career-based contributions to blues music were recognized through his nomination in 2008 and 2009 for the "Blues With A Feeling" Maple Blues Award.
Rhinoceros (band)
Rhinoceros was a rock band established in 1967 by Elektra Records as that label's intended supergroup. The band, while well respected in many circles, did not live up to the record label's expectations...
in the 1960s, Lou Reed
Lou Reed
Lewis Allan "Lou" Reed is an American rock musician, songwriter, and photographer. He is best known as guitarist, vocalist, and principal songwriter of The Velvet Underground, and for his successful solo career, which has spanned several decades...
in the 1970s and The Downchild Blues Band
Downchild Blues Band
The Downchild Blues Band is a Canadian blues band, described by one reviewer as "the premier blues band in Canada". The band is still commonly known as the Downchild Blues Band, though the actual band name was shortened to "Downchild" as of the early 1980s....
, from 1990 to the present.
History
Fonfara's career as a professional musician commenced in 1963, when he started playing in the Toronto band, Lee Jackson & The Checkmates in 1963, which evolved into Jon and Lee & The CheckmatesJon and Lee & The Checkmates
Jon and Lee & The Checkmates are an Canadian music group, best known for containing future members of Elektra band Rhinoceros. Together with Mandala, they spearheaded Toronto's R&B scene during the mid 1960s. As the Jon-Lee Group, the band released a lone single for ABC Records before splitting up...
soon afterwards. Members of Jon and Lee & The Checkmates ultimately formed the nucleus of the later bands Rhinoceros and Blackstone, plus contributed significantly to the work of Lou Reed
Lou Reed
Lewis Allan "Lou" Reed is an American rock musician, songwriter, and photographer. He is best known as guitarist, vocalist, and principal songwriter of The Velvet Underground, and for his successful solo career, which has spanned several decades...
in the 1970s.
When John and Lee & The Checkmates broke up in September 1967, Fonfara worked briefly with David Clayton-Thomas
David Clayton-Thomas
David Clayton-Thomas is a Canadian musician and singer best known as the lead vocalist for the American band; Blood, Sweat & Tears...
and then, during the months of November and December, 1967, toured and recorded with The Electric Flag, featuring Buddy Miles
Buddy Miles
George Allen Miles, Jr. , known as Buddy Miles, was an American rock and funk drummer, most known as a founding member of The Electric Flag in 1967, then as a member of Jimi Hendrix's Band of Gypsys from 1969 through to January 1970.-Early life:George Allen Miles was born in Omaha, Nebraska on...
and Michael Bloomfield
Mike Bloomfield
Michael Bernard "Mike" Bloomfield was an American musician, guitarist, and composer, born in Chicago, Illinois, who became one of the first popular music superstars of the 1960s to earn his reputation almost entirely on his instrumental prowess, since he rarely sang before 1969–70...
. Fonfara replaced keyboardist and founding Electric Flag member Barry Goldberg
Barry Goldberg
Barry Goldberg is a blues and rock keyboardist, songwriter and record producer.-Career:As a teenager in Chicago, Goldberg sat in with Muddy Waters, Otis Rush, and Howlin' Wolf. He played keyboards in the band supporting Bob Dylan during his 1965 'electrified' appearance at the Newport Folk Festival...
. He was then selected by producer Paul Rothchild as a member of the Elektra Records'
Elektra Records
Elektra Records is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group. In 2004, it was consolidated into WMG's Atlantic Records Group. After five years of dormancy, the label was revived by Atlantic in 2009....
hand-picked, "supergroup
Supergroup (music)
In the late 1960s, the term supergroup was coined to describe "a rock music group whose performers are already famous from having performed individually or in other groups"....
", Rhinoceros, in December 1967. Fonfara was the co-writer of the band's major hit, "Apricot Brandy", and recorded three albums with the group.
Upon the dissolution of Rhinoceros in 1971, Fonfara joined with ex-Rhinoceros bandmates John Finley, Danny Weis
Danny Weis
Guitarist Danny Weis is best known as a founding member of both Iron Butterfly and Rhinoceros, as well as co-writer of Rhinoceros's only charting single, "Apricot Brandy"...
, Larry Leishman
Larry Leishman
Larry Leishman is a Canadian guitarist who was a member of Toronto R&B outfit, Jon and Lee & The Checkmates during the mid '60s...
and Peter Hodgson to form the group Blackstone. The band recorded one album in 1972, On The Line, again produced by Paul Rothchild, prior to splintering and then breaking up in 1973. Fonfara thereafter commenced working with Lou Reed, an association that continued throughout the balance of the 1970s. During the latter part of the 1970s and continuing to 1981, he was a member of the pop rock group Tycoon
Tycoon (band)
Tycoon was an American rock band from New York City. The group released two records on Arista Records. "Such a Woman" charted one Top 40 hit single in 1979, "Such a Woman" Tycoon was an American rock band from New York City. The group released two records on Arista Records. "Such a Woman" charted...
, based in New York City, which recorded two albums.
In the 1980s, Fonfara returned to Toronto, where he became a key member of the Canadian R&B band The Lincolns
The Lincolns
- History :In 1979, after leaving the Alice Cooper tours, Prakash John returned to Toronto and founded an R&B band in tribute to the Toronto bands of his youth. He recruited some of the best musicians available, some from previous tours, particularly the Lou Reed Sally Can't Dance album and tour...
. The Lincolns had been founded by Prakash John
Prakash John
Prakash John is a Canadian rock bassist.Born in Bombay, India, John was a student at the Cathedral and John Connon School, enrolling at the age of four in 1951. He migrated to Toronto in 1960....
, with whom Fonfara had first played in a later version of Blackstone in 1973 and, thereafter, when both were playing and recording with Lou Reed, during the balance of the 1970s. Fonfara continues to play with The Lincolns, while remaining a member of The Downchild Blues Band
Downchild Blues Band
The Downchild Blues Band is a Canadian blues band, described by one reviewer as "the premier blues band in Canada". The band is still commonly known as the Downchild Blues Band, though the actual band name was shortened to "Downchild" as of the early 1980s....
, which he joined in 1990. In 2000, 2004, 2007 and 2009, he was the recipient of the Maple Blues Award
Maple Blues Awards
The Maple Blues Awards are Canada’s blues awards, "honouring the finest in Canadian blues". They are the only comprehensive national best in blues awards program. The program's goal is to promote blues music across Canada, and to recognize outstanding achievement...
, sponsored by the Toronto Blues Society
Toronto Blues Society
The Toronto Blues Society is a provincially funded Art Service Organization based in Toronto, Ontario. Founded in 1985, a Board of Directors governs the Society.BACKGROUND...
and regarded as the Canadian equivalent of a Blues Music Award, as "piano/keyboard player of the year". Fonfara's career-based contributions to blues music were recognized through his nomination in 2008 and 2009 for the "Blues With A Feeling" Maple Blues Award.
Electric Flag
- 1968 A Long Time Comin'A Long Time Comin'A Long Time Comin' is the first album by American rock band The Electric Flag, released in 1968. The meat of the album is Soul along with Blues and Rock with a horn section...
(ColumbiaColumbia RecordsColumbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
) - 1995 Old Glory: Best of the Electric Flag, An American Music Band (Sony)
Rhinoceros
- 1968 Rhinoceros (ElektraElektra RecordsElektra Records is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group. In 2004, it was consolidated into WMG's Atlantic Records Group. After five years of dormancy, the label was revived by Atlantic in 2009....
) - 1969 Satin Chickens (Elektra)
- 1970 Better Times Are Coming (Elektra)
Lou Reed
- 1974 Sally Can't DanceSally Can't DanceSally Can't Dance is the fourth solo album by Lou Reed. It is Reed's highest-charting album, reaching the Top 10. It is also the first solo Lou Reed album not to feature any songs originally recorded by Reed's earlier band, The Velvet Underground, as well as the first of Reed's solo studio albums...
(RCARCA RecordsRCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label...
) - 1976 Rock and Roll Heart (AristaArista RecordsArista was an American record label. It was a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment and operated under the RCA Music Group. The label was founded in 1974 by Clive Davis, who formerly worked for CBS Records...
) - 1977 Walk on the Wild Side: The Best of Lou ReedWalk on the Wild Side: The Best of Lou ReedWalk on the Wild Side: The Best of Lou Reed is the first greatest hits compilation by Lou Reed, formerly of The Velvet Underground. It was issued by RCA records after the termination of Reed's first contract with them ended in 1976...
(RCA) - 1978 Street HassleStreet HassleStreet Hassle is the eighth solo album by Lou Reed, originally released by Arista Records. The album is notable as the first commercially released pop album to employ binaural recording technology. Street Hassle combines live concert tapings and studio recordings.The album is also notable for...
(Arista) - 1978 Live: Take No PrisonersLive: Take No PrisonersLive: Take No Prisoners is Lou Reed's third live album. Released in 1978, it was Reed's contribution to the double live album era. It was recorded at the Bottom Line in New York, and there is no overdubbing...
(Arista; expanded CD reissue 2002 by BMG HeritageBMGBertelsmann Music Group, , was a division of Bertelsmann before its completion of sale of the majority of its assets to Japan's Sony Corporation of America on October 1, 2008. It was established in 1987 to combine the music label activities of Bertelsmann...
) - 1979 The BellsThe Bells (album)The Bells is the ninth album by Lou Reed, released through Arista Records in 1979. It is recorded in binaural sound. "City Lights" is a tribute to Charlie Chaplin. "Disco Mystic" is indeed played in a disco style, and the lyrics consist of those two words repeated...
(Arista) Fonfara is also executive producer of the album. - 1980 Growing Up in Public (Arista). Fonfara also co-produced the album, with Lou Reed.
- 1980 Rock and Roll Diary: 1967-1980Rock and Roll Diary: 1967-1980Rock and Roll Diary: 1967–1980 was released by Arista Records in 1980 as a double album split between tracks by The Velvet Underground and tracks by Lou Reed, attempting to demonstrate the arc of his songwriting over the first fifteen years of his career. The versions of "Heroin" and "Femme Fatale"...
(Arista) - 2005 Coney Island BabyConey Island BabyConey Island Baby is the sixth solo album by Lou Reed, released in 1975. It is also the title of a song on that album. The name presumably refers to the Excellents' 1962 doo wop song of the same name, and/or a 1924 Les Appleton barbershop music song of the same name...
(30th Anniversary Edition of 1975 RCARCA RecordsRCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label...
release.) 1975 recordings omitted from original release and to which Fonfara contributed, now included in anniversary edition.
Downchild
- 1994 Good Times Guaranteed (Downchild Music)
- 1997 Lucky 13 (Downchild Music)
- 2004 Come On In (Downchild Music)
- 2007 Live At The Palais Royale (Downchild Music)
Selected other contributions
- 1968 David AcklesDavid AcklesDavid Thomas Ackles was an American singer-songwriter. He recorded four albums between 1968 and 1973.Describing Ackles's style in 2003, critic Colin McElligatt wrote, "An unlikely clash of anachronistic show business and modern-day lyricism...deeply informs his recorded output...
, David AcklesDavid Ackles (album)David Ackles is the self-titled debut album of American singer-songwriter David Ackles. The album was also referred to by label Elektra Records as The Road to Cairo...
, also known as Road to Cairo (Elektra) - 1972 Everly Brothers, Stories We Could TellStories We Could TellStories We Could Tell is a country rock album by The Everly Brothers, released in 1972. It was reissued as Stories We Could Tell:The RCA Years by BMG in 2003 and included additional tracks.- Track listing :...
(RCA; expanded CD reissue 2002 by BMG InternationalBMGBertelsmann Music Group, , was a division of Bertelsmann before its completion of sale of the majority of its assets to Japan's Sony Corporation of America on October 1, 2008. It was established in 1987 to combine the music label activities of Bertelsmann...
as Stories We Could Tell:The RCA YearsStories We Could Tell:The RCA YearsStories We Could Tell: The RCA Years is a country rock album by The Everly Brothers, released in 2003. The original LP Stories We Could Tell was produced by Paul Rothchild and released by RCA Victor in 1972...
.) - 1974 Ian MatthewsIain MatthewsIain Matthews is an English musician and songwriter. He was born Iain Matthew McDonald, in Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire, England. He was known in the 1960s first as Ian McDonald, then as the 1960s progressed, as Ian Matthews...
, Some Days You Eat The BearSome Days You Eat the BearSome Days You Eat The Bear is the 1974 album by country rock/folk rock musician Ian Matthews.-Track listing:#"Ol' '55" #"I Don't Wanna talk About It" #"A Wailing Goodbye" #"Keep On Sailing"...
(Elektra) - 1975 Rory BlockRory Block-Festival appearances:*Long Beach Blues Festival - 1993*San Francisco Blues Festival - 1999*Notodden Blues Festival - 2006-See also:*List of blues musicians*List of contemporary blues musicians*List of Austin City Limits performers-External links:****...
, Rory Block (United ArtistsUnited Artists RecordsUnited Artists Records was a record label founded by Max E. Youngstein of United Artists in 1957 initially to distribute records of its movie soundtracks, though it soon branched out into recording music of a number of different genres.-History:...
) - 1981 ForeignerForeigner (band)Foreigner is a British-American rock band, originally formed in 1976 by veteran English musicians Mick Jones and ex-King Crimson member Ian McDonald along with American vocalist Lou Gramm...
, Foreigner 4 (AtlanticAtlantic RecordsAtlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
) - 1982 Foreigner, RecordsRecords (album)Records is a compilation album by American rock band Foreigner, released in 1982 to span the band's first four albums through 1981. Some notable hits are omitted, namely Blue Morning Blue Day.-Track listing:...
(Atlantic) - 1984 Amos GarrettAmos GarrettAmos Garrett is a Juno Award-winning American-Canadian musician, performer, and author. He holds dual citizenship and was raised in Toronto and Montreal...
, Amosbehavin (Stony PlainStony Plain RecordsStony Plain Records is a major Canadian independent record label, which specializes in roots music genres such as country, folk and blues. The label was the recipient of a 2003 Western Canadian Music Award for "Independent Record Label/Distributor of the Year"....
) - 1994 Michael Bloomfield, Don't Say That I Ain't Your Man: Essential Blues 1964-1969 (ColumbiaColumbia RecordsColumbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
/Legacy) - 1999 Grievous AngelsGrievous AngelsGrievous Angels were a Canadian alternative country band, active from 1986 to 2004. The band's primary member was singer-songwriter Charlie Angus, who entered electoral politics in 2004 as the New Democratic Party Member of Parliament for Timmins—James Bay....
, 22 Trailer Park Fonfara also produced the album. - 2000 Snooky Pryor and Mel BrownMel BrownMel Brown was an American-born blues guitarist.Brown was nominated for a Juno Award in both 2001 and 2002.Brown, a long-time smoker, died aged 69, on March 20, 2009, in Kitchener, Ontario, of complications from emphysema....
, Double Shot (Electro-Fi) - 2002 Northern Blues Gospel Allstars, Saved (Northern Blues)
- 2002 Cameo Blues BandCameo Blues BandThe Cameo Blues Band is a Toronto-based blues band, originally formed in 1978. It is particularly notable for its association with several of Canada's leading blues singers, including Richard "Hock" Walsh, Tony Flaim and Chuck Jackson, all of whom were also associated with the Downchild Blues...
, All Play and No Work (Make It Real) - 2003 Brian Gauci, Guitar Romp (Dynasound)
- 2004 Sam MyersSam MyersSam Myers was an American blues musician and songwriter. He appeared as an accompanist on dozens of recordings for blues artists over five decades. He began his career as a drummer for Elmore James, but was most famous as a blues vocalist and blues harp player...
, Coming From The Old School (Electro-Fi) - 2004 Willie "Big Eyes" Smith, Bluesin' It (Electro-Fi)
- 2004 Maria Aurigema, Take Me
- 2004 Angela Scappatura, "A Little Bit of Sugar" (Fonfara produced and played piano on the album)
- 2005 Brian Blain, Overqualified For The Blues (Northern Blues)
- 2007 Steve Grisbrook, Blue Sneakers (Independent)
- 2007 Jack De Keyser, Blues Thing (Blue Star)