NEW POWER SOUL - "News" (1988)

 New Power Soul 

New Power Soul was a 1988 to 1990 bay area funk band that was formed by John Sanders after Crash-N-Burn. They also performed in Northern California clubs during that time period.

The members included John Sanders on Keyboards, Amy Sanders playing the Bass, Rod Connor on Guitar and Vocals, Parry Wolfe playing the Drums, and Howard Raines and Eddie on Vocals. I've listened to a lot of funk in my life, and I can see or hear no reason why these guys never hit it big. All the elements are there and New Power Soul was just as good or better than many mainstream bands!

Since that time, the term New Power Soul was used extensively by Prince, or The New Power Generation as it were, and these days there's a wedding band in New Jersey by the same name.

John Sanders sent me a CD with three New Power Soul songs on it, and here's a truly great one with a message that is still pertinent today, and is guaranteed to get your butt moving, or your money back!!

Guaranteed!!!

NEW POWER SOUL - "News"

NEW POWER SOUL - "This Is How I Feel" (1988)

I can't think of a better way to get this month movin' and a groovin' than with another cut from New Power Soul! I laid out all the facts in January of this year, and, you can read all the particulars about it

right here!

This is what the world missed out on, and as the man says......

"The trip ain't nothin but a party ya'll!"

NEW POWER SOUL - "This Is How I Feel"

NEW POWER SOUL - "G' Bizee" (1988)

This is the last of the New Power Soul cuts I have to share with you, and it's too bad, because what a great band!

The members of N.P.S. included John Sanders on Keyboards, Amy Sanders playing the Bass, Rod Connor on Guitar and Vocals, Parry Wolfe playing the Drums, and Howard Raines and Eddie on Vocals.

I'll bet this was a great concert!

"Keeping it alive and bumping!"

NEW POWER SOUL - "G' Bizee"

JOHN SANDERS - "People's Park" (1996)

 John Sanders has had a long and storied musical career, and it all started in 1977, in Commerce, Texas with a band named Ebofyte.

 John Says "Ebofyte was actually named Eboflyte, someone messed up the poster but I thought Ebofyte made us sound more radical."

Besides John, some of the other folks in this photo are Lewyllen Blackburn, Drummer Nate Williams, sax player Kelvin, and guitar player Nate.

 

In the mid to late 80's John played guitar and keyboards, and sang, in the punk/funk Crash N Burn, in the San Francisco Bay area!

"The CnB poster was the work of guitar player Ray Houghton. Its a drawing of the Club Foote where we put on a lot of shows, love the typical 80s forlorn punk girl sitting in the doorway."

John was a very busy guy when he lived in Northern California, and from 1988 to 1990, he was playing keyboards in the dynamic soul group New Power Soul.

On into the 90's, he was in a jazz band called Memphis Mystics.

Then came the very cool band Stepping Razor up into the 2000's.

 

Since the early 2000's John has lived in Memphis, and spends most of his time playing in the fantastic jazz trio called Zazerac!

I've got music from most all those eras to share with you, but for now, let's get this party started with a very cool solo tune from about 1996, with John responsible for both the keyboards and the drum loops!

JOHN SANDERS - "People's Park"

ZAZERAC - "Orange Sunshine" (2020)

 After New Power Soul, John Sanders had a band called Stepping Razor, which evolved into what you have right here and now, a righteous instrumental trio called Zazerac. The group has gone through many personnel changes and this photo is the current Zazerac, with John on keyboards, Jerome Ramson playing bass and Chris Rivers on drums.

These guys are killing it!

 

Playing 'live' in and around Memphis, you might be able to catch Zazerac some day if and when everything opens up again, but in the meantime, you can hear a lot more than I'm giving you by going to the Zazerac "Reverberation" page!

This photo is of an earlier incarnation of Zazerac and features John and Jerome, and drummer Tony Gonzales. Many players have come and gone but here's the current lineup.......
 

 ...............John Sanders on Keyboards!

Jerome Ramson on Bass!

And........Chris Rivers on the drums!

The guitar player on this session was J. Stone Collins from The Funkanauts! 

I could listen to this all night, that's how good it is!!

ZAZERAC - "Orange Sunshine"

CONGO BONGO - "Depart Before Dawn Don't Look Back" (2025)

 

Here's an update on some of the latest from John Sanders and Congo Bongo 2025. 

If for some reason you are unfamiliar with the work of John Sanders, here's a link to all his music I've presented on this site, from his early bands Ebofyte and Crash-N-Burn to New Power Soul, Memphis Mystics and  Zazerac. 

Get ready to have some fun!!

The Music Of John Sanders!

No need to hesitate, because you can go straight to John's ReverbNation site, and listen to his whole current catalogue, or here's just one of the songs that I think you'll really enjoy!

CONGO BONGO - "Depart Before Dawn Don't Look Back"

ALPHONSO JOHNSON - "Moonshadows" (1976)

 

There were a lot of amazing bassists in the 1970's, and three of my favorites were Stanley Clarke, Jaco Pastorius and Alphonso Johnson!

Alphonso came out with this killer album titled "Moonshadows" in 1976.

I love this song. I wanted to use it as part of the music in a short film I made in 1977. That was never gonna happen, but some 40+ years later it worked out just fine as I finally finished the movie with  awesome music by John Sanders and New Power Soul.

  Too bad it's only had 44 views. You don't know what you're missing!

Stumps me for sure!! 

ALPHONSO JOHNSON - "Stump" 

CONGO BONGO - "Theme For A Last Home Movie" (2022)

 

John Sanders of Crash-N-Burn, New Power Soul, and Zazerac has just finished another Congo Bongo song, and was kind enough to keep me informed so I can tell you all about it before this year is over. The world's a pretty shitty place these days, so thank goodness there are still guys like John Sanders who can provide us with some good vibes to listen to.

Let's literally end this year on a good note!

 

 Congo Bongo is John Sanders - Yamaha YPT 310 rhythm settings, Yamaha P-125 Vibes, Ensoniq EPS Mellotron, Crumar Orchestrator strings and clavichord, Juno 6.

CONGO BONGO - "Theme For A Last Home Movie"