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Years of good karma keeps Theo Valentin and company singing and playing in sweet harmony.
By TONY GREEN
© St. Petersburg Times, published August 4, 2002
Of all the tools that go into good music, talent is the most double-edged. Good players are often the most difficult to manage; think of all the "supergroups" that collapsed under the weight of the collective egos.
By that standard, jazz/funk/popsters Theo Valentin and Friends might seem primed for implosion. Valentin toured the world with trumpeter Tom Browne in 1985. Vocalist Rita Wilson has appeared with Angela Bofill and Keith Sweat, and vocalist Richard Jackson has opened for Tuck and Patti and Peabo Bryson. Keyboardist/musical director Kevin Wilder has worked with Branford Marsalis, Kirk Whalum and Tampa Bay area-based stars such as Gumbi Ortiz and Fred Johnson.
All of which makes the band's synergy more impressive. The secret is in the name, says Virginia-born vocalist/frontwoman Valentin, 44.
"The title says 'And Friends,' " she said, "and that's exactly what we are. When we get onstage it's all about friendship and not letting egos get in the way of playing good music."
That can be hard to explain, especially to those who might mistake their onstage enthusiasm for unfriendly competition, Valentin said.
"Someone who had seen us once told me that there seemed to be some playa-hating going on between the singers," she said. "But it's not like that. We bring out the best in each other, and the way we do that is by each of us singing our best."
They have opened for artists such as Jennifer Holliday, and early this year (using the name Project Necessary), they went on a three-month military tour of Asia, joined by bassist Dale Horton and drummer Dennis Monies. They have shared bands and gigs for more than a decade.
But it's the members' diverse interests and abilities that give each a chance to shine while avoiding each other's toes..
Any one of the singers is likely to take a song into an exciting, scat-like direction, with Wilder in pursuit. Jackson, for example, can handle material from Maxwell to classical arias. ("He's a big hit at Christmastime," Wilder joked.) Wilson's strong upper range makes her a shoo-in for tunes by divas such as Chaka Khan. Valentin, with feet in jazz and pop, inhabits the Nancy Wilson/Phyllis Hyman/Sade region.
Wilder plays keyboard bass with his left hand while improvising and chording with his right. Despite extensive intestinal surgery that sidelined him for several months last year (and corrective hernia surgery this year) he hasn't lost a step.
"Kevin is the core of the group, musically," Valentin said. "You don't have to explain a whole lot to him; he can hear and play anything. We change saxophone players and drummers, but Kevin is always there holding it together."
This kind of range -- jazz, pop, and everything between -- comes from years of experience. In the mid '90s. Wilder and Valentin played in a band with percussion wizard Ortiz and fellow vocalist Johnson. Wilder also played in a precursor of Ortiz's Latino Projekt, which featured Jackson on vocals, and Valentin had a dual vocalist outfit with Wilson.
Valentin decided to put the current band together three years ago with Wilson and Wilder. "Then about a year later I heard Richard sing, and I just had to have him in my group."
Though they keep a busy club and festival schedule, their main gigs are Tuesdays at the Blue Martini and Wednesdays at Club Moet's, both in Tampa.
"We are all humble about what we do, and we treat each other with respect," Valentin said. "That's because we have known each other a long time and are almost like a family. That's the secret to longevity in this business."
Theo Valentin and Friends perform at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Blue Martini, 2223 N West Shore Blvd., in International Plaza, Tampa, and 8 p.m. Wednesday at Club Moet's, 3605 W Hillsborough Ave., Tampa.