Soul Toronados

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Akron, late 60s-early 70s

The Soul Toronados (also spelled Soul Toronadoes)  included brothers Bobby Heller (organ), Charles Heller (drums), James "Boot" Smith (guitar), and Bruce. Bobby and Charles were brought up in a musical household, and when they were old enough to form their own band, found Boot and Bruce in their neighborhood and started playing R&B and jazz clubs in Akron.

They were connected with Ernest Burt, who started his own self-named label and recorded a couple funky instrumental songs. The record was popular enough to re-released by the Magic City label from Detroit. A second 45, taken from the same session, was also released on Magic City. The success of these records got the band playing on the rust belt and soitherm chitlin circuit.

The band recorded a couple more songs at Akron Recording, as part of the "Bratka series", which were pressed at Musicol like the other ARC sessions in 1969/70. 

The band broke up not long after. All the songs they recorded, plus on previously unreleased song, were compiled for a short LP in 2005. The tight, strong grooves of their records have continued to gain new fans over the years.

Discography:
Go For Yourself / Funky Thang - Burt 4000, Magci City 008 - 1969
Hot Pants Breakdown / Boot's Groove - Magic City 014 - 1970
Crazy Legs / Bobby's Mood - Westwood 1017, May 1970