Friday, Oct. 25, 2002 | 9:30 a.m.
Jerry Fink's lounge column appears on Fridays. Reach him at [email protected] at (702) 259-4058.
Practitioners of Buddhism generally seem to be a laid-back lot, low-keyed meditators who close their eyes and search for the peace and tranquility of an inner world.
Forward Motion, on the other hand, is a rockin' group of seven intense musicians at Sahara's Casbar Lounge who say they were ostracized early in their Las Vegas careers because of their powerful performing styles.
"A lot of us are Buddhists," vocalist and drummer John Payton said. "Most of our mothers are Japanese and they were into (the Buddhist) religion together. That's how we met."
The group originated in San Diego in the mid-'70s, when several members were neighbors during their high school years.
"Instead of robbing stores and doing things like that, things that kids can do, especially the area where we grew up, our mothers got us involved in music," Payton said. "And they used music to get us involved in Buddhism. We still follow the philosophy -- most of it anyway."
Payton is joined by his brothers, Leroy (vocals and sax) and Mike (vocals and bass); and by Carey Washington (vocals); Vern Wright (vocals and trumpet); Eric Nelli (vocals and guitar); and Mark Oehlerking (keys and sax).
The high school band evolved into Forward Motion in the early '80s, a name chosen because of its positive connotations.
Leroy Payton often is spokesman for the group, which was formed when disco was popular.
"We were so naive," he said. "On our first gig we were playing some really hard stuff -- Tower of Power, Chicago. And it was totally wrong for the dance disco house we were in. We got fired on our first night."
But the musicians learned quickly and soon became a popular dance band throughout Southern California. They also performed in most of the other Western states, and in parts of Canada.
Leroy and John Payton, Oehlerking and Wright were co-founders of Forward Motion. They grew up together and performed in marching bands and stage shows in their early teens. Mike Payton joined the group in the '80s.
In 1990 the group decided they had had enough touring and moved to Las Vegas, where Washington joined the band.
"It seemed like nightclubs were phasing out," Payton said. "We thought we would find job security in Vegas."
They did, for awhile. Almost immediately the group became the house band at the now-defunct Maxim lounge, where they performed for a year. They became so popular that management roped off the room and started charging $5 admission.
"People loved us at the Maxim," Payton said.
But other venues were not quite so receptive. When their contract ended and they decided to move on, it was hard to find work.
"We were too strong for most places," Payton said. "We were almost kind of blackballed from every place. It was hard to get a job because we were such an aggressive dance band."
Their next major gig was the Golden Nugget, where the sports book was converted into a lounge.
"We played there, off and on, for two or three years," Payton said. "That's where we got on board with the lounge scene. But we really didn't learn how to be a laid-back lounge band until '95."
That was when they began their long-running gig at the Sahara.
The Casbar is not an exclusive engagement -- the band also performs occasionally at Aladdin. For about a year and a half it was at the Las Vegas Hilton. Sometimes they go out of state.
But wherever it is, the group is a crowd pleaser -- a party, show and dance band versatile enough to play everything from Glenn Miller to Kool & the Gang.
"We try to do what is politically correct for the venue we are in, and for the time of night," Payton said. "Your late-night crowd is more of a dance and party crowd. The early crowd is more of a kick-back-and-relax crowd."
He said the group can't be pigeonholed into a specific class of music.
"We like it all," Payton said. "Any crowd that is here, we have fun."
Buddha would approve.
Lounging around
Bellagio's Allegro Lounge is going on hiatus. The classy jazz venue will be closed until further notice for a redesign effective Nov. 2. Saxophonist Rocco Barbato with Steven Lee and No Fear perform there.
A blues magic act at Boulder Station's Railhead? Sort of. Blues guitarist and vocalist Magic Slim (aka Morris Holt) will perform Nov. 14 for the Boulder Blues series. Magic Slim and the Teardrops recently released their fifth CD for Blind Pig Records, "Blue Magic."
Vocalist Paris Red is pulling double duty. Fridays and Saturdays, from 9:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m., she performs with Tex and the Killer Band at Santa Fe Station's Green Room. Tuesdays through Saturdays, from 12:15 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., she can be heard at MGM Grand's Show Bar Lounge.
Michael Lee ("Singer of Memories") continues to attract fans of nostalgia at Fitzgeralds' First Floor Inn, where he performs at 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. Thursdays through Mondays.
Hear the Tommy Thompson Project band at Paris Las Vegas' Napoleon Lounge 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays.
Monday night is jazz night at the Bootlegger Bistro, featuring the Gus Mancuso Trio. The music begins at 7:30 p.m.
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