At this stage in his multifaceted career, funk keyboardist DeShawn “DVibes” Alexander abides by a few ground rules.
First, he’s all about albums, not advance singles. “I don’t want to show all the cards in my hand,” he says. “I want people to hear the whole thing.” Second, he insists on being in a band, not running a nebulous solo project: “As fun as a game of 21 is, it’s way more fun to play five-on-five. That way, you can pass the ball and build camaraderie.” Third, and perhaps most importantly, he wants to “hydrate your soul.”
“Ain’t no funk music? I’m here to change that,” Alexander declares. “I’ve got a funk army behind me.”
That funk army? Meet Watermelon Funk — the brainchild of Alexander and guitarist Bryce “BQuiz” Quinn. Alexander commands a dizzying array of keyboards — piano, organ, Wurlitzer, clavinet, Moog, Korg, and more. They’re joined by a phalanx of greats from the Parliament-Funkadelic universe, including vocalists Garrett “Star Child Jr.”, Benzel Baltimore Cowan, and Chiedza “Lady Chi” Kundidzora.
“Your weak points are your boy’s strong points,” Alexander says, extending the hoops metaphor. “Everybody gets a chance to score, win, and chase their dreams.” Watermelon Funk’s new album, Afrodesiac — out on Halloween — brings Alexander’s vision closer to fruition. Featuring 19 tracks, from “Funkalicious” to “Heart of a Champion,” it’s a crisp, cohesive, and kinetic display of the band’s chemistry and vitality.
Born in Denver, Colorado, Alexander comes from extraordinarily musical stock. By age three, he was making music; by seven, he was the organist at his grandfather’s church. His paternal grandmother hails from Liverpool, England, with ties to a certain mop-topped quartet. Initially self-taught, he took lessons in middle and high school before enrolling at Berklee College of Music. “That’s where I began my journey,” he reflects.
At Berklee, Alexander formed a 10-piece hip-hop crew called Viva La Hop, producing their debut album, Fantasize! From there, he became a trusted collaborator and tourmate with acts like the Marcus King Band, Son Little, Lettuce, Eric Krasno, Talib Kweli, and Robert Randolph.
He first dreamed up Watermelon Funk in 2016, inspired during a gig with Kweli at New York’s Blue Note. “I heard Herbie Hancock’s ‘Watermelon Man,’ but it was Bernie Worrell’s version,” he recalls. “I thought, ‘This isn’t just ‘Watermelon Man.’ This is Watermelon Funk.’ That’s how the name sparked.”
Needless to say, it caught fire. In 2021, Watermelon Funk released their inspired, self-titled debut album, followed by Enter the Galaxy of Woo two years later. From the outset, musicians from Lettuce and Fishbone were involved, but the band’s aesthetic and membership are deeply rooted in the Parliament-Funkadelic universe. “I really dove straight into the funk,” Alexander says. “That’s the style I love.”
To craft Afrodesiac, Alexander and Quinn did monumental pruning, reflecting their prolific output. One of Alexander’s superpowers is his ability to generate vast volumes of music — often juggling over 300 works in progress.
“I needed to have a catalog,” Alexander explains. “The producers I looked up to always had something ready when asked. I wanted that, too.”
A key collaborator is vocalist Brittany Beckett, who joined Watermelon Funk’s ranks for Enter the Galaxy of Woo and shines on six tracks in Afrodesiac. A live-performance staple, Beckett brings electrifying stage presence and theatrical flair drawn from her background as a producer and dancer.
If you’re looking for fresh, inspired contemporary funk that transcends the derivative, this is your vein. Highlights include the sultry “Freak,” featuring Star Child on vocals and rapper Termanology, the Prince-hued “Frequency,” and a standout cover of Sly and the Family Stone’s “If You Want Me to Stay.”
Afrodesiac’s closing track, “Heart of a Champion,” may be its most revealing. Plain and simple, it’s about never giving up.
“In our industry, it’s so easy to give up because of the challenges,” Alexander says. “As a man of color, it’s harder to raise funds or get help. You see the obstacles stacked against you and have to decide: Do I stand tall, or let them destroy my dream?”
This mindset helped him weather life’s low points and transform them into joyous funk, alongside his band of brothers and sisters. “When you get through it all, you look up and see you’ve beaten everything in front of you,” he says. “Now, you’re the champ.” And there’s no Afrodisiac quite like it.
On December 21, DVibes Productions & Denver Kush Club are teaming up to present the Soulstice Soul Train Get Down at Cervantes' Other Side in Denver, Colorado. The show will be hosting a toy, coat, and food drive that will benefit Alexander's local church and organizations in the Denver-metro area. Pre-show drop-off locations will also be on-site at Cervantes' and the Kush Club and those who donate ahead of time will receive 10% off their tickets to the show.
This Watermelon Funk performance will feature Special Guests Christone "Kingfish" Ingram, Garrett "Starchild Jr.," (P-Funk), Norwood Fisher (Fishbone), Benzel Baltimore (P-Funk) & More.
