Tony! Toni! Tone! haven’t toured together since 1994 but you wouldn’t be able to tell based on their last stop at the Sugar Land Smart Financial Centre Sunday night. Raphael Saadiq revisits Tony! Toni! Tone! is not just a nostalgic return to the classic music the trio has created since the ’90s but also the start of a new beginning. The group is not only using this tour to brush away some of their creative cobwebs but to also get ready to start on a new project.
D’wayne Wiggin, Raphael Saadiq and Timothy Christian Riley formed Tony! Toni! Tone! in the late ’80s and released their debut project, Who? in 1988. That album and it’s follow up, The Revival, cemented the trio’s popularity as they made music influenced by gospel, rock, jazz, rock & roll, and more.
The second album introduced the world to “It Never Rains (In Southern California),” “Feels Good” and “Whatever You Want” allowing the group to ride the wave of success all the way up until the release of their fourth album, House of Music.
While that album received critical acclaim the group disbanded shortly after its release. They may have disbanded but they didn’t disappear from the industry. All three began working with other people in the industry including D’ Angelo, Tevin Campbell, Beyonce, Issa Rae and DL Hughley.
The trio contributed so much to the music world that it is easy to forget just how many classic songs they have been a part of creating. While the audience was more than familiar with the group’s catalog there were plenty of moments Sunday night where the crowd received a nostalgic dopamine burst as a song they may have forgotten about was cued up by the band. It was even more evident that everybody might not realize the group’s musical reach when Saadiq grabbed a guitar and decided to play some of the songs he’s written for other artists. The audience cheered as music from Beyonce, Solange, Total, D’Angelo and others filled the room while Saadiq confidently mouthed “That’s my shit” and “I did this one too” to the crowd.
It’s also hard to ignore their contributions to movie industry where they helped create soundtracks for classic films and television shows. Throughout the show there were animated interludes from Ice Cube and DJ Quik followed by a stirring tribute to director John Singleton.
“This man made sure that we had a song on the soundtrack of every one of his movies,” recalled Saadiq as images of the late director flashed on the screen behind him. The audience rose to their feet as ‘Me and You” from Boyz n the Hood played through the speakers. Working with the then young director set the group on the path to working for other visionary creators such as Issa Rae who tapped Saadiq to do the music for her breakout show Insecure.
Raphael Saadiq revisits Tony Toni Tone doesn’t feel like a reunion show. The trio hasn’t missed a beat, and their chemistry is still evident. The show feels like the beginning of the next phase of their career, which is a good sign for fans.
This article appears in Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2023.
