Originally influenced by the Jimi Hendrix Experience (the group’s namesake), Sugar Bear formed E.U. as a rock band in 1971 with William “Ju Ju” House and Ivan Goff while attending Southeast D.C.’s Ballou High School. After opening for Chuck Brown—a prize for winning their school talent show—the young musicians were inspired to develop a funkier sound, quickly gaining a regional following alongside Brown and their contemporaries Trouble Funk and Rare Essence. E.U.’s big break came in 1986 while playing a party for Spike Lee, who enlisted them to perform a song in his next movie, School Daze. “Da Butt” became a dance sensation, reaching #1 on Billboard’s R&B chart and scoring a Grammy nomination. Hits like “Buck Wild” and “Taste of Your Love” followed, as did recordings with rappers Salt-N-Pepa and Kurtis Blow.

As part of the Jazz Funk & Go-go Jam, a celebration of the music of Washington, D.C. Join us October 21-23, 2022 as we light up Germantown with the best of the area artists including Chrystalez Bacon, Push Play featuring Pam Ward and D. Floyd, MC Jazztet, Crush Funk Brass Band, Sugar Bear & E.U., Robert Person & Allyn Johnson, and the band that backed father of Go-go, The Chuck Brown Band. Call 301-528-2260 or visit www.blackrockcenter.org for more information.