Biography
Kleeer emerged as a New York-based funk ensemble that registered a dozen singles on the Billboard R&B chart between 1979 and 1985. Drummer, arranger, songwriter, and vocalist Woody Cunningham led the group, which first coalesced in 1972 to back the vocal quartet the Choice Four. Vocalist and percussionist Paul Crutchfield, bassist Norman Durham, and guitarist Richard Lee completed the lineup. In 1974 the musicians struck out independently and adopted the name the Jam Band. They soon provided touring support for Disco Tex & the Sex-O-Lettes and joined the act for an appearance on the television program The Midnight Special. The following year the unit rebranded as Pipeline and pursued a harder funk-rock approach. Columbia signed the band and issued the single “Gypsy Rider,” which met with little commercial response, yet Pipeline encountered a fresh prospect in 1976. Underground disco figures Patrick Adams and Greg Carmichael, who had issued material under the Universal Robot Band moniker without a standing group, recruited Pipeline to fill that role; the musicians recorded and toured as the Universal Robot Band through 1978.
Seeking greater autonomy, the four-piece then adopted a new identity and shifted direction. Rechristened Kleeer, the quartet emphasized dancefloor-oriented funk. Atlantic placed their initial track under the new name, “Keep Your Body Workin’,” on a compilation after responding favorably to the recording. Strong DJ reaction secured the group a contract, leading to seven albums for the label from 1979 through 1985 and repeated appearances on the Billboard R&B and club charts. Three singles reached the R&B Top 40: “Tonight’s the Night (Good Time)” at number 33 in 1979, “Winners” at number 23 in 1980, and “Get Tough” at number 15 in 1981.
Following the 1985 release of Seeekret, Kleeer withdrew from activity. Although they never achieved the mainstream crossover attained by contemporaries such as Cameo and the Gap Band, the band assembled an extensive catalog that moved funk from its elegant, organic roots toward sleek, synthesized textures. Their songs later supplied samples for notable rap tracks, including DJ Quik’s “Tonight” and 2Pac’s “California Love.” Various labels have reissued portions of the catalog on CD and as digital downloads. The members reconvened briefly during the 1990s, and most continued working as session musicians. Cunningham maintained a solo recording career into the 2000s and died in 2010; Durham passed away the next year.
Seeking greater autonomy, the four-piece then adopted a new identity and shifted direction. Rechristened Kleeer, the quartet emphasized dancefloor-oriented funk. Atlantic placed their initial track under the new name, “Keep Your Body Workin’,” on a compilation after responding favorably to the recording. Strong DJ reaction secured the group a contract, leading to seven albums for the label from 1979 through 1985 and repeated appearances on the Billboard R&B and club charts. Three singles reached the R&B Top 40: “Tonight’s the Night (Good Time)” at number 33 in 1979, “Winners” at number 23 in 1980, and “Get Tough” at number 15 in 1981.
Following the 1985 release of Seeekret, Kleeer withdrew from activity. Although they never achieved the mainstream crossover attained by contemporaries such as Cameo and the Gap Band, the band assembled an extensive catalog that moved funk from its elegant, organic roots toward sleek, synthesized textures. Their songs later supplied samples for notable rap tracks, including DJ Quik’s “Tonight” and 2Pac’s “California Love.” Various labels have reissued portions of the catalog on CD and as digital downloads. The members reconvened briefly during the 1990s, and most continued working as session musicians. Cunningham maintained a solo recording career into the 2000s and died in 2010; Durham passed away the next year.
Albums
