Afrolicious facts for kids

Afrolicious is a cool music group from San Francisco, California, United States. It was started by two brothers, Joe "Pleasuremaker" McGuire and Oz "Señor Oz" McGuire. They mix different music styles like Afrobeat, funk, and Latin sounds.

Afrolicious began as a DJ duo. They played music every week at a place called the Elbo Room in San Francisco. This weekly party helped them become well-known in the city's music scene. Over time, the group grew into a full live band with many talented musicians. They also have a special project called Afrolicious Soundsystem. Besides playing live, Afrolicious has released several music albums and EPs.

How They Started

Afrolicious started as a way for Joe "Pleasuremaker" McGuire to connect different types of music from Africa and other places. Joe and his brother Oz moved to San Francisco in 2006. There, they began their weekly party called Afrolicious at the Elbo Room.

Their motto was "It's a party, not a show." This fun atmosphere helped them find other musicians in the Bay Area. Soon, the brothers and their new friends started writing their own songs. By 2010, the Afrolicious band was fully formed and ready to share their unique sound.

Who's in the Band?

Afrolicious performs in a few ways: as a live band, as DJs (Pleasuremaker and Señor Oz), and as Afrolicious Soundsystem.

Afrolicious (live band)

The live band has many members who play different instruments:

• Pleasuremaker: Plays guitar, keyboards, and sings. He also uses electronics.
• Señor Oz: Handles electronics, effects, and adds cool sounds.
• Wendell Rand: Plays the bass guitar.
• Diamond Vibes: Plays percussion and sings.
• Baba Duru: Sings and plays percussion.
• Ziek McCarter: Sings and plays keyboards.
• Freshislife: Sings.
• Fabio Reis: Plays the drums.
• Paul Oliphant: Also plays the drums.
• Will Magid: Plays the trumpet.
• Aaron Leibowitz: Plays the tenor and alto saxophones.
• Kate Pittard: Plays the alto and baritone saxophones.
• Alan Williams: Plays the trombone.
• Izzy Weizer: Plays the baritone saxophone and flute.
• Zeb Early: Plays the guitar.

Afrolicious Soundsystem

This version of the group features:

• DJs Pleasuremaker and Señor Oz
• Diamond Vibes, who plays percussion

Their Music Releases

Afrolicious has released two EPs (shorter albums) that were produced by Rob Garza from Thievery Corporation. These EPs were released on the ESL Music label.

Their first full-length album, called California Dreaming, came out in March 2013. They released this album on their own label, Afrolicious Music.

EPs

• Dub for Mali (2011), released on ESL Music
• Pleasuretime (2012), released on ESL Music

Full Length Album

• California Dreaming (2013), released on Afrolicious Music