DW3

Billy Mondragon, Eric Mondragon and DamonReel DW3 DW3 steeped in the soulful musicality of East Los Angeles

By Marcia Manna

Eric and Billy Mondragon knew early on that they would become career musicians. But the brothers and co-founders of the vocal group DW3 (Down With 3) could never have predicted that they, along with singer DamonReel, would find their niche in the smooth jazz community. “Smooth jazz and R&B go hand in hand, but there are not a lot of vocalists,” Billy Mondragon said. “We are R&B vocalists in an instrumental world, and we are finally accepted into this whole scene by everyone.”

Today, DW3 works with a who’s-who of smooth jazz artists. Reel, the third member of the band, was born in South Central A self-titled CD, with contributions from saxophonists Richard L.A. but moved with his family to the South Gate suburb after his Elliot and Boney James and vocalist Rebecca Jade, is due for release older brother was killed in an accident. As a teenager, Reel struggled in October. And, this year, the band joined Elliot and Peter White on until a teacher validated his talent. their West Coast Jam tour, which has dates through 2020. “I was in trouble all the time,” Reel admitted. “But I enrolled in

Elliot first met the band members when they performed years ago a stage crew theater class, and the teacher had a knack for asking as part of a smooth jazz-themed cruise hosted by Warren Hill. They everyone to sing. I grew up with R&B, hip-hop and rap. So I closed became fast friends. my eyes and sang ‘In the Still of the Night.’ When I opened my eyes,

“I remember being blown away by their musicality and their everyone was looking at me. After that, everyone wanted to be my energy,” Elliot said. “They were a total package with musicianship and friend and girls noticed me. I liked it.” the ability to read an audience and evoke a positive reaction.”

The Mondragon brothers are the sons of professional musicians, and, while growing up, their East Los Angeles home was filled with the sounds of Latin, rhythm and blues, rock and soul music.

“We had a family band when we became teenagers,” Eric Mondragon said. “My brother and I were still in high school, and we started performing with our parents in clubs. Our life was about music. There was never any question about who we were going to be. We loved it along with our parents.”

The Mondragon family had a den in their home that was furnished with a wall of speakers, a Hammond B3 organ and assorted musical and stage equipment. Jam sessions, lessons and rehearsals were part of the boys’ upbringing. Many members of the popular 1960s and 1970s fusion bands such as El Chicano, Thee Midniters and Tierra, which Billy joined before co-founding DW3, were considered familia.

While growing up, the Mondragon brothers mastered seamless harmonies and the fluid phrasing of R&B artists such as Luther Vandross and Stevie Wonder. They perfected range and voice dynamics, crooning a hushed reverence on ballads or belting out a raspy chorus on a rock song. Latin rhythms also played a role in their education, teaching them how to adjust to complex tempos. Eric Mondragon took keyboard lessons from the late David Torres, longtime keyboardist and arranger for Poncho Sanchez, an original member of Tierra and a family friend. “Billy and I are educated musicians, and my father was the cultivator,” Eric Mondragon recalled. “He told us we would sing and play. I got an ARP Odyssey synthesizer. I was into sounds and ‘Star Wars’ and the electronic age. My brother has always been a drummer and a percussionist. He would take private lessons once a week from Chuck Silverman, who was an educator on the East L.A. circuit and taught a lot of guys.”

A respect for musicianship and talent protected the young men from gang life.

“We were tough kids,” Eric Mondragon confessed. “But we always had music, and we always had instruments. It was a release. Even the chollos, the gangsters, it would soften them up. We were mediators of the violence.”

continued on page 22

“These guys love, love, love what they do.

There’s sincerity there, and I think that’s what makes people react to them in such a positive way.” —Richard Elliot

Photo: Adrian Carrillo Billy Mondragon, DamonReel and Eric Mondragon on the Santa Monica Pier pedestrian bridge in Santa Monica, California

continued from page 21

Reel was asked to join DW3, and the band started working regularly, becoming a staple on the cruise circuit.

The DW3 songlist, which included many horn-driven R&B hits, was a magnet to the smooth jazz instrumentalists headlining the shows. The musicians jammed with each other, shared life stories, and met each other’s wives and children.

“We became a family with a lot of these artists,” Eric Mondragon said. “Our relationship with Gerald Albright and his wife and children started on a cruise; and Jonathan Butler, we have known his daughter since she was 14 years old. Rick Braun, Richard Elliot, Brian Culbertson, they would be our horn section. It would be a fun jam, and that’s how we got to know these guys and build relationships with them.”

Between cruise ship engagements, the band played jazz festivals and toured the Middle East to support military troops. DW3 also performs regularly in Orange County at Spaghettini Fine Dining & Entertainment for 94.7 The WAVE’s Sunday brunch and on most Thursday nights.

The band’s captivating vocals and party-time stage presence built a devoted fan base, prompting Spaghettini entertainment director John Quigley (aka “Q”) to record DW3 live.

The effort inspired the DW3 vocalists to consider being more than a cover band, and they devoted themselves to writing and recording original music. The relationships with other recording artists they had befriended became an important part of the band’s evolution.

The single “I Got You,” featuring a saxophone solo by Albright, made the Billboard charts in 2011. Encouraged by the success, DW3

While growing up, the Mondragon brothers went on to release On The Floor on the Woodward mastered seamless harmonies and the Avenue label in 2013. That fluid phrasing of R&B artists such as same year, GRAMMY-Awardwinning studio drummer Ricky

Luther Vandross and Stevie Wonder. Lawson was performing with DW3 and mentoring them in the process of recording songs for the band’s next project, Vintage Truth. Sadly, Lawson died of a brain aneurysm in December of 2013. DW3 dedicated their record to the accomplished drummer when it was released two years later. The CD includes a version of “California Dreamin’’ (penned by Michelle and John Phillips), a single that went on to win the California Lottery Powerball song contest. “Ricky Lawson was a guru of studio recording. He was the drummer for Michael Jackson and Lionel Ritchie,” Reel remembered. “It was a treat to have him in the band. He played at my wedding. We were supposed to do nine songs with him but we ended up doing four. It became a labor of love when we took over.” One of the band’s favorite songs on the upcoming release is “Let’s Have Fun Tonight,” an old-school party anthem featuring Elliot on saxophone. “These guys love, love, love what they do,” Elliot emphasized. “There’s sincerity there, and I think that’s what makes people react to them in such a positive way. It’s definitely what made me react in a positive way. When you love what you do, that translates to the audience. I feel that every time I’m on stage with them, and I scoop it up as greedily as possible because it inspires me to strive to be better at what I do.” For more information on DW3, visit www.dw3music.com.

ON TOUR

with West Coast Jam featuring Richard Elliot and Peter White

SEPT. 14 Oxnard Jazz Festival

Oxnard Beach Park | Oxnard, California https://oxnardjazzfestival.com

OCT. 12 Thornton Winery’s Champagne Concert Series

Thornton Winery | Temecula, California www.thorntonwine.com | 951-699-0099

FEB. 29, 2020 Richard Elliot Benefit Concert

California Center for the Arts, Escondido Escondido, California www.artcenter.org | 800-988-4253 Richard Elliot

Photo: Lori Stoll

Photo: Lori Stoll Photo: Adrian Carrillo