Biggz from the Dynamic Concepts Tells the Story

Mr. Biggs is the local tennis instructor in my community. He is is know as a community leader. On Friday July 27,2012, during general conversation Mr. Biggz revealed that he is an original member of the “Dynamic Concepts”. Arthur Woodard is his birth name, but we all know him as “Biggz”. He is known in the music industry as the lead guitar player in the group entitled “Dynamic Concepts”. The native Delawarean man was born on September 3^rd 1951 in Wilmington, Delaware. The group did international tour with Edwin Star.

The group Dynamic Concepts was formed in 1965.He was only 12 years old. The original group had eight members. The Dynamic Concepts consisted of eight African American and Hispanic band members from Wilmington Delaware. (Please See Photo Below):

Photo Taken By Andrew Young

 Top Right Greg Davis next him Samuel James (back round singer Trumpet) Ronald Reed (Drums), top right James Johnson (Singer, Saxophone, Flute), bottom Left James Bayard (Trumpet), Frank Clark (bass guitar) Raufeia Coullezo (Congo’s and back round vocals) Ronal Jackson (Drums) and Bottom right Arthur Woodard Biggz (Lead Guitar).

SW asked: When did your parents find out that you had a talent of playing the guitar well?

Biggz stated “That his parents never knew that he would take playing the guitar so serious. They realized that he a great talent when people in the community came back and told his parents how amazing he was playing that guitar at a local festival.

SW asked:  Where did you hold practices and how often?

Biggz stated: “In 1965 the group started we practiced at Ronald Ridgeway’s house on 218 N Harrison street in Wilmington, Delaware twice a week. Music was there form of expressing themself and keeping out of the local prisons.  The local community respected the band members, to the point where they were able to enter any part of the city and there was no physical altercation.

By the 1970 they we were intensely increase there scheduled practices to five days a week for 8-to10 hour per day. These intensive practices session placed them on the stage with groups such as: New Birth, Ojays, The Spinners Kool and the Gang etc. They performed at the Uptown Theater, DuPont Hotel and Manhattan Center just to name a few locations. They were being recognized all over the east coast however they wanted a broader audience.

Actual Performace List From a show list 

Compose by Charles E.McManus

The Big Break For the Dynamic Concepts

Biggz said: “In 1973, the eight-member group fly out to Los Angles California with a dream to become famous musicians. We rented two-bed room apartment that was share amongst eight men. We immediately stated pick up odd jobs and rehearsed at the Musician Union in Hollywood, CA. This was a studio where major musicians rehearsed. It was nothing to see groups such as Earth Wind and Fire, Jonie Mitchell and Mandrill rehearsing at this studio”.

 In the mean time we were performing at small clubs in LA area. After a year of playing in small clubs in LA. They had a huge breakthrough they connected with Lillian Kyle who was Edwin Starr manger. The Dynamic Concept’s and Lillian and Edwin Star scheduled a meeting in South Pasadena where they were rehearsing. After the rehearsal Mr. Starr offered the Dynamic Concepts to play musical back round for his up and coming International tour with Betty Wright, Arthur Connelly and Edwin Star. The group agreed to the offer and got their passports and they were on their way to South Africa.

                                                                                                                Copyrights Edwin Stars music and back round vocal done by Dynamic Concepts Inc.

The group stayed at the Laundress hotel in South Africa. The tour lasted six weeks in South Africa. Than this opened up door so they stared performing at bigger vineyards in the United States. The relationship between Dynamic Concepts and Mr. Edwin Starr developed to the point where they were actual friends with Edwin Starr. The Dynamic Concepts on the album “Stay with me” they did all back round vocals and all musical arrangements on this album”.

The Downward Spiral of the Dynamic Concepts:

Biggz stated: “In 1976, there were some group members that partnered with producers in the UK. The business deal consisted of 18 original tunes from the Dynamic Concepts Inc. The rights to the tunes were sold. However the entire band member wasn’t included in this initial deal. All band   members were not compensated concerning this business deal. This decision cause serious chaos with in the group. Shortly after the group broke up.

 In March 1976 Biggz received a call from Delaware stating that his father had pass away. During the funeral Biggz made the decision that he was going to stay in Delaware to start a normal life with his wife and children”. He briefly joined another group Name “Time Space Continues” this was a shortly lived membership.  Since then he has been divorced twice. Biggz is now singing in a group name “Alice’s Voice” at Second Presbyterian Church in West Chester, PA.  He is totally comfortable in his music career now.