In honor of the band’s 25th anniversary, San Diego County officially declared February 17th to be “Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe Day” at the group’s show at Belly Up Solana Beach on Friday.
A proclamation presented by county Vice Chair Terra Lawson-Remer enumerated some of Karl Denson’s many musical achievements, from founding “seminal San Diego-founded groove act” The Greyboy Allstars, to touring the world with the Rolling Stones, to appearing in the 1988 hit film Coming to America as a member of the fictional band Sexual Chocolate, to working with everyone from Lenny Kravitz, Blind Boys of Alabama, and Allman Brothers to D’Angelo, The Roots, and Public Enemy. The proclamation also praised Denson and his band for “outstanding service, leadership, and commitment to keeping traditions alive in San Diego County for families and all residents to enjoy.” It ended by officially declaring “the 17th day of February 2023 to be ‘Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe Day’ through San Diego County.”
Longtime Tiny Universe guitarist DJ Williams took to social media to express gratitude not only for the band’s recognition, but for everything Denson has done for his community, especially other musicians:
“Karl Denson has paved the way for many of us in more ways than I can explain in one post. I appreciate and adore this man as a staple in black music, a friend, a mentor, and just all around solid human being. You deserve every bit of this. 
”
Read the San Diego County proclamation declaring February 17th “Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe Day” below:
WHEREAS, Karl Denson—a band leader, singer, saxophone and flute player from Encinitas—has toured the world with his band, Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe, and recorded six albums of funk, soul and jazz-influenced music, and
WHEREAS, also known as ‘the Diesel,’ Karl Denson is a founding member of the seminal San Diego-founded groove act, The Greyboy Allstars; and
WHEREAS, Karl Denson has toured with the Rolling Stones since 2014 and has also worked with Lenny Kravitz, Blind Boys of Alabama, Steve Winwood, Lukas Nelson, Ivan Neville, Maceo Parker, Bernie Worrell, Allman Brothers, D’Angelo, The Roots, Public Enemy, Parliament, and many more; and wheras, in 1988, Karl Denson appeared in the movie Coming to America as the saxophonist in the fictional band, Sexual Chocolate; and
WHEREAS, the County of San Diego is committed to recognizing and honoring those individuals and organizations that are noteworthy and exemplary, and Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe is one such gourp; NOW THEREFORE,
BE IT PROCALIMED by Chairwoman Nora Vargas and all members of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors that they commend Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe for its 25 years of outstanding service, leadership, and commitment to keeping traditions alive in San Diego County for families and all residents to enjoy, and do hereby declare the 17th day of February 2023 to be “Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe Day” through San Diego County.
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