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THE T.S.U. TORONADOES

BIOGRAPHY

Cal Thomas (guitar/vocals), Will Thomas(guitar/vocals), Jerry Jenkins (bass guitar/vocals), Darryll Busby (saxophone), Clarence "Creeper" Harper (trumpet), and Nelson Mills (horns) created a unique soul sound during their recording career as the T.S.U. Toronadoes that led to many great, yet commercially under-appreciated, songs (A thousand wonders, What good am I, Love with hope) and one huge hit in Tighten up with vocal group Archie Bell and the Drells singing over the T.S.U. Toronadoes' uniquely rhythmic backing. They developed a signature sound consisting of prominent rhythm guitar riffs, laid back drumming style, melodic bass lines, and staccato trumpets blended with smooth sax lines which led to a cohesive, danceable beat that is instantly recognizable, yet fresh sounding enough to keep you interested listen after listen.

They formed the group at Texas Southern University (TSU) in Houston, where they were all students. Cal Thomas had been in a vocal group known as the Arabian Knights (no relation to the group of the same name that recorded for the Jay Walking label) who had managed to perform on a local TV variety show in 1966. The newly formed T.S.U. Toronadoes named themselves after their school and a car they all liked which had debuted from the GM company the previous year, the Toronado. They recorded also for Atlantic and Ovide.

VOLT DISCOGRAPHY

Singles

VOA-4030   My Thing Is A Moving Thing / I Still Love You (november 69)
VOA-4038   Play The Music Toronadoes / Flight Too Many (july 70)

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