Sherwood Akuna "Woodenhead"

Biography

Music

I've been playing bass since 1968.

My name is Sherwood Akuna and my friends call me Wood or Woodenhead.  Born and raised in Compton, California, I began playing the bass at age 15 at Compton High School. I'll be 50 in March of 2003. 

I am a devout reggae, jazz, blues, funk and avant guarde  musician.  I've professionally played 4-string, 5-string and upright bass  for the past 35 years.. 

My newest bass, a 5-string Carvin that I built from a kit, has a full range of effects.

Currently I am sheddin' on the bass and my Casio Wk-1800, that I've been working on since January, 2002.

Sequencing is the shit, and I'm going to be using it to the fullest extent of the law.  I'm working on creating a one man reggae band and supporting other artists in their musical, computer and visual creations.

For the past 4 years I've served as musical director for the Los Angeles Million Marijuana March.  My position statement is posted on WoodWit. 

I've used my bass to anchor local talent and teach the youth  a few things.  I enjoy putting serious bass under rap. 

My first gig was playing bass with my dance band teacher, Louis Thomas on the "chittlin' circut" in Los Angeles.  I got with a west coast agent named Johnny Thompson who was James Brown's west coast agent.  He put me with Heron Griffin, a client of his to try to compose and arrange an album and immediately ran into Melvan Wonder, one of the best guitar players, who received the same guitar blessings that Hendrix received and spent several years playing along with him in various bands around L.A. including  a project put together by Joey Southern of Minnesota who over a period of three years funded the project with the intention of picking up where the Jimmy Hendrix experience left off.  

Due to the lack of experience of actually putting together a sure shot, successful acid rock jazz trio, including the all important artist development, another possible history making band fell to the wayside, although at the time I was living at the famous landmark during those three years.  I was blessed to live to be a neighbor to everybody from Big Black, Steve Steels, Doug Carnes, Earth, Wind and Fire, and many inspirational stars in the business.  I began working at that same time for Howard Scott, and Loni Jordan of WAR, on a little salary as their bass player to work on projects of various artist, mostly out of Compton, California, where WAR is from. 

Coincidently, Melvan Wonder had been their guitar player as far back as when they were called the Creators, before Erick Burton of the Animals discovered them.  Lonnie Jordan was the first person to turn me onto Reggae.  He used it as an example of the effectiveness of simplicity.

Trying to be a straight ahead, avante guarde musician, I wasn't trying to appreciate the logic behind simplicity. 

I got with Arthur Lee & Love in the mid 70's and within a year or so, we had got a deal on RSO Records, where we cut an album REEL TO REAL. During that time Arthur exposed me for the second time in my life to reggae.  Meanwhile we did a couple of more albums with compilations of various personnel on Buffalo Records and Rhino Records with Arthur merging with one of the funk fusion bands, Gansta Wolf, one of the many projects that should have made it, but didn't for various reasons.  With the Gansta Wolf - Love project merged together .  My Compton/Watts music interest with the San Fernando Arthur Lee play for money only at the time music endeavors.  It took about ten years to truly appreciate Arthur's music for its genuine classic status and his musical genius to become a pop rock icon, virtually obscured at this time by unfortunate circumstances.  

ARTHUR LEE IS FREE

While at RSO: opening for Eric Clapton on the Manassas Tour in the U.S. and Canadian part of the tour.  Played with Little Anthony without the Imperials.  Opening for  Bob Marley and the Wailers on the Babylon By Bus Tour (Bob's last tour), this cinched my interest in reggae and the movement and the Rasta movement and what lead me to change my priority musically and devote the bass to laying a foundation to the music that can change the world in its true roots form through direct quotes in the form of lyrics from the Bible.  Strictly positive music for the people in the name of Jah.

I also played bass player for Lolomi, toured for the U.S.O, played in The Church of Rastas and played bass as part of the Nate Morgan Trio.

Cyber Artist

I have also been a print artist for as long as I can remember.  I've posted a few samples of my work at my Original Art page www.geocities.com/sherwoodakuna/proart.htm

Listed below are a few examples of my art, including my venture into fashion with my mother, Edith "Peas" Akuna, making Rasta Hats.  If you would like to see any of the Microsoft PowerPoint 2000 slide shows listed below, send me an e-mail [email protected] .

Photo of Sherwood Akuna

Contact Information

Lake Havasu City, AZ