Kashmere Reunion Stage Band

Under the able baton of late, legendary Houston music educator Dr. Conrad Johnson, Kashmere High School's band program became a force to be reckoned with in the '60s and '70s. Augmenting the traditional symphonic repertoire with everything from jazz to James Brown, the Kashmere Stage Band cleaned up at virtually every regional, state and national contest it entered — and it entered lots. The bands also released several albums that were originally intended as fund-raisers but became highly sought-after collectibles and sampling gold mines for adventurous DJs such as Houston-born Premier of Gang Starr. Dozens of KSB alumni went on to become professional musicians and music educators in their own right, and more than 20 of them return Thursday to salute Dr. Johnson with some of that old Kashmere magic.