Meet Bobby Sparks II

Today we’d like to introduce you to Bobby Sparks II.

Bobby… infamous sideman to countless artists including: Prince, Tower of Power, Lalah Hathaway, Marcus Miller, Dianne Reeves, George Benson, Nelly Furtado, Ashley Cleveland, D’Angelo, Lauryn Hill, George Duke and Stanley Clarke to name a few- is an analog purist, innovator and inspiration to many musicians.

Educated at Eastfield College, his musical matriculation began at age 5, when his mother and father- both educators and a church pianist and jazz trumpeter, respectively, noticed his acumen for the piano and organ. As a 9-time Grammy Award winner, his contributions and production skills can be found on albums by Kirk Franklin, Snarky Puppy, St. Vincent, Ray Charles and more.

Please tell us about your art.
I do music, not Jazz, not Funk, R&B, Pop, Country, Gospel… whatever… just music. Because when music was created before time began or even when it’s being created now, it has no genre… it only has experience. So, I try to sonically express what I feel and hear, and even see as new creations, doing things that haven’t been done before or mining the best of what’s come before and advance it by either polishing it or distressing it.

One way I go about creating is just by walking my imagination into a blackbox and just start swinging to see what hits or throwing sounds and progressions around to see what sticks… then I collaborate. Collaboration is, in my opinion, the key to producing classic music. And history proves it, whether it’s the musicians Quincy Jones selected for his productions or producers and writers using the great session team known as The Wrecking Crew or The Funk Brothers of Mowtown, The Barcay’s from Stax or even hit Pop teams like The Force MDs or duos like Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis or LA Reid & Babyface…

Sometime it works, other times it doesn’t… but you can’t be afraid of being different. Art, of any kind, is supposed to be something that’s not for everyone, while still being acknowledged as artistic by all. Sameness… Sheepness… this creates more chaos and division than the acceptance of one’s uniqueness and finding the string, no matter how thin, of “commonness.”

I try to enlighten and bring positivity and affirmations with my music… Help people think on their own. Figure out what or who God is, what their purpose is… and then there’s just a good go shake ya’ ass vibe that helps you forget. [laughing] Sometimes I’m abrasive, sometimes I’m tender; I’m human, and my unapologetically black heart is always in the “light” place.

What do you think about conditions for artists today? Has life become easier or harder for artists in recent years? What can cities like ours do to encourage and help art and artists thrive?
Well, it’s a really open field out here for artists to become recognized and garner awareness…. The point they need to hold on to is: BE CONSISTENT. Even if it’s one post a week. Make that post at the same time every week and make sure it’s the baddest shit that gets people talking.

Create strategic alliances with your friends and friends of friends, and make your music available in common and uncommon places because the hardest part of convincing people that your music is good is convincing them that it’s good… so you’ve got to get it into their subconscious and that comes from hearing it in multiple places.

How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
Right now, I’m doing a Pledge Music campaign which can be found at www.pledgemusic.com/bobbysparks so I can finish this album and release it as a birthday gift to myself on February 22 of 2019. Preordering at least the download would be very helpful, but we have really cool shit in the store like effects pedals that I actually use and love, and gear by Orange Amps and T-Shirts and Vinyl… This album is going to be an all vinyl release because I want people to hear the album the way I hear it in my head.

We’re also starting to do live shows & tours both here in the States and Internationally. And you can subscribe to my YouTube Channel (BSE-TV) and follow on FB (BobbySparksII) & IG (MoogBoogieman).

Contact Info:

• Website: www.bobbysparks.com
• Phone: MGMT: S.O.I. Talent Management Firm
• Email: BSEnterprisesMedia@gmail.com
• Instagram: @MoogBoogieman
• Facebook: BobbySparksII
• Twitter: @MoogBoogieman
• Other: www.706pm.com

Image Credit:
Teresa Rafidi

Getting in touch: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.