The Pharaohs
Encyclopedia
The Pharaohs, an American
soul
/jazz
/funk
group, were formed in 1962 out of a student band, The Jazzmen, at Crane Junior College in Chicago
, Illinois
. This early incarnation comprised Louis Satterfield on trombone, Charles Handy on trumpet, and Don Myrick on alto saxophone. They were joined by Fred Humphrey on piano, Ernest McCarthy on bass guitar and Maurice White
on drums. Satterfield, White, and Handy were studio musicians at Chess Records
in Chicago.
, and in 1972 In the Basement
. With cuts like "The Pharaohs Love Y'all" and "In the Basement", these albums established The Pharaohs as a force, if only on the cult level, for several years. Many of the Afro-Sheen
commercials from this period featured music of the Pharaohs.
By the early 1970s, Maurice White had had some success with the Ramsey Lewis Trio and recorded a demo with several Chicago musicians. After signing with Warner Bros. Records
he assembled the band which was to become Earth, Wind & Fire
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
/jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
/funk
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
group, were formed in 1962 out of a student band, The Jazzmen, at Crane Junior College in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
. This early incarnation comprised Louis Satterfield on trombone, Charles Handy on trumpet, and Don Myrick on alto saxophone. They were joined by Fred Humphrey on piano, Ernest McCarthy on bass guitar and Maurice White
Maurice White
Maurice White is a Grammy Award–winning American singer, songwriter, musician, record producer, arranger. He is the older brother of Verdine White and Fred White and the leader and founder of the band Earth, Wind & Fire...
on drums. Satterfield, White, and Handy were studio musicians at Chess Records
Chess Records
Chess Records was an American record label based in Chicago, Illinois. It specialized in blues, R&B, soul, gospel music, early rock and roll, and occasional jazz releases....
in Chicago.
Affro Arts Theater
On the South Side of Chicago the Affro Arts Theater offered concerts, as well as classes in music and dance. As the name suggests the theater represented the strong African-American nature of the area and the times. It was here that the Jazzmen merged with the Artistic Heritage Ensemble to form The Pharaohs.Albums
In 1971 the band recorded The AwakeningThe Awakening (The Pharaohs album)
Awakening is an album by The Pharaohs which was originally released in 1972 on Scarab Records, Chicago.It was reissued by Luv N' Haight Records in 1996.- Track listing :# Damballa Satterfield 7:50...
, and in 1972 In the Basement
In the Basement
In the Basement is a live album by The Pharaohs which was released on the Luv N' Haight record label in 1996.-Track listing:#In the Basement [live] Pharaohs, Whitehead 10:50...
. With cuts like "The Pharaohs Love Y'all" and "In the Basement", these albums established The Pharaohs as a force, if only on the cult level, for several years. Many of the Afro-Sheen
George E. Johnson, Sr.
George Ellis Johnson, Sr. is an African American entrepreneur and the founder of Johnson Products Company, an international cosmetics empire headquartered in Chicago, Illinois.-Early life:...
commercials from this period featured music of the Pharaohs.
By the early 1970s, Maurice White had had some success with the Ramsey Lewis Trio and recorded a demo with several Chicago musicians. After signing with Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...
he assembled the band which was to become Earth, Wind & Fire
Earth, Wind & Fire
Earth, Wind & Fire is an American soul and R&B band formed in Chicago, Illinois, in 1969 by Verdine and Maurice White. Also known as EWF, the band has won six Grammy Awards and four American Music Awards. They have been inducted into both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Vocal Group Hall of...
.
External links
- [ The Pharaohs on allmusic.com]