Rare Groove suggestions

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

Hi everyone, I really what rare groove I have heard..but I don't very many artists or know how to search it out. Can anyone make some suggestions of artist/tunes to look for? Thanks!

― Frank Booth (Frank Booth), Saturday, 29 November 2003 11:40 (9 years ago) Permalink

Dusty Groove

― direct_program, Saturday, 29 November 2003 14:16 (9 years ago) Permalink

Is "rare groove" a genre? I still don't really get it. Is it just a way of describing relatively obscure rhythmic stuff that is good for DJs to surprise people with or for producers to sample?

― Rockist Scientist (rockistscientist), Saturday, 29 November 2003 14:38 (9 years ago) Permalink

I am also confused by "rare groove" as a genre. "Rare" does not have anything to do with the actual music, but rather its distribution. So I'm not sure how you can say music that is not widely distributed is somehow stylisticly different than music that is widely distributed.?..

This said, I think it generally refers to obscure soul/rhythm stuff, library recordings, studio musicians' stuff, and some of the sample-spotter soul music.. there are a number of websites that deal with that stuff - i'm too lazy to look them up, but I don't think its too hard to find..

― pete from the street, Saturday, 29 November 2003 16:14 (9 years ago) Permalink

Okay, then I think Azuquita's Pura Salsa is worth checking out for samples and whatnot. It's not relly "pure salsa" at all in the narrow sense of the term. There is a strong Latin soul/boogaloo element in most of it. Sound quality on the CD reissue (the only version I've heard) is not great, however.

― Rockist Scientist, Saturday, 29 November 2003 16:22 (9 years ago) Permalink

rare groove is elusive the way torch songs are elusive

some classic examples:

aaron neville - hercules
leroy hutson - lucky fellow
Faze-O - riding high
gwen mcrae - 90% of me is you
james mason - sweet power
larry youngs fuel - turn off the lights
betty davis - anti love song
milton wright - keep it up
ramp - everyboy loves the sunshine
william devaughn - be thankful for what you got
timmy thomas - why cant we live together
the blackbyrds - rock creek park
chocolate milk - time machine

― bakhtin, Saturday, 29 November 2003 21:10 (9 years ago) Permalink

I agree with rockist scientist as far as the genre thing. Any 70's RnB that never got charted seems to fit. Even Tony Allen and the whole Afica70 thing fit the bill for me.

― cs appleby (cs appleby), Saturday, 29 November 2003 21:46 (9 years ago) Permalink

First of all theres alot of crossover between genres so you may not agree with some of these.

Barry white - playing your game, it's ecstasy when you lie down next to me
gwen mcrae (good call bakhtin) - rockin chair
Denise Williams - Free
Bohannon - save their souls
Gwen Guthrie - outside in the rain, seventh heaven
Patrice rushen - forget me nots, when i found you, feel so real (wont let go), softly.
Jean Carne - was that all it was, heartache, early morning love.
Love Unlimited Orchestra - strange games and things
evelyn champagne king - Love come down
rufus and chaka - aint nobody
The fatback band - i found lovin
loose ends - hanging on a string

― jed (jed_e_3), Saturday, 29 November 2003 21:56 (9 years ago) Permalink

8 years pass...

Just getting deeper into rare groove stuff, any more suggestions would be really appreciated! Can we revive this?

― Federico Boswarlos, Wednesday, 26 September 2012 15:07 (7 months ago) Permalink

kon & amir's off the track comps/mixes
strange games & funky things comps/mixes
product placement & brainfreeze mixes (there's also comps that have the full versions of the tracks used)

― A True White Kid that can Jump (Granny Dainger), Wednesday, 26 September 2012 15:48 (7 months ago) Permalink

since I'm a drummer, gotta recommend my favorite drummer's solo stuff: Soul Drums, Shaft, and Purdie Good by Bernard Purdie

― A True White Kid that can Jump (Granny Dainger), Wednesday, 26 September 2012 16:05 (7 months ago) Permalink

Yeah, it's kind of a nebulous term. Purdie is a textbook example of what I think of as rare groove, which I guess is more jazz-funk and instrumental based than, say, the Evelyn 'Champagne' King listed upthread. Guys like Ceasar Frazier:

I really got a lot of mileage out of the Blue Note Blue Breakbeats series.

― Baked. And yet so soupy. (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 26 September 2012 18:59 (7 months ago) Permalink

if you listed to a lot of sample-heavy music, look up stuff you like on whosampledwho.com

― A True White Kid that can Jump (Granny Dainger), Wednesday, 26 September 2012 19:18 (7 months ago) Permalink

whoops guess now it's just whosampled.com

― A True White Kid that can Jump (Granny Dainger), Wednesday, 26 September 2012 19:19 (7 months ago) Permalink

Thanks! I'll check out those comps, the BlueNote one sounds great as I've been jonesing for jazzier funk/soul. The sample route has been pretty fruitful (Madlib, Tribe Called Quest, Dilla in particular) but I'm still trying to get my bearings on where to look/how to navigate it all, as I'm pretty new to it all.

― Federico Boswarlos, Wednesday, 26 September 2012 19:38 (7 months ago) Permalink

jonesing for jazzier funk/soul

Check out The Crusaders (aka Jazz Crusaders), esp Southern Comfort album.

― A True White Kid that can Jump (Granny Dainger), Wednesday, 26 September 2012 19:45 (7 months ago) Permalink

Donald Byrd too

― A True White Kid that can Jump (Granny Dainger), Wednesday, 26 September 2012 19:46 (7 months ago) Permalink

can't go wrong w/Cymande either

― A True White Kid that can Jump (Granny Dainger), Wednesday, 26 September 2012 19:46 (7 months ago) Permalink

Cool, I'll look into the Crusaders. Donald Byrd's great and was actually my recent entry point into all this. I've been listening to lots of everything he and the Mizell Bros touched.

― Federico Boswarlos, Friday, 28 September 2012 14:23 (7 months ago) Permalink

another comp series suggestion: Funk Spectrum on BBE (lots of good rare funky stuff on that label iirc)

― A True White Kid that can Jump (Granny Dainger), Friday, 28 September 2012 15:07 (7 months ago) Permalink

― JacobSanders, Friday, 28 September 2012 15:22 (7 months ago) Permalink

― JacobSanders, Friday, 28 September 2012 15:34 (7 months ago) Permalink

Soul Brother Records has reissued a lot of soul that falls under the rare groove umbrella. their 3 comps called the Want List are great!
http://www.discogs.com/Various-The-Wants-List/release/565809
http://www.discogs.com/Various-The-Wants-List-2/release/1165914
http://www.discogs.com/Various-The-Wants-List-Vol3/release/1115202

― JacobSanders, Friday, 28 September 2012 15:36 (7 months ago) Permalink

This is essential!!

― JacobSanders, Friday, 28 September 2012 15:42 (7 months ago) Permalink

That all looks good. Damn you, now I want them.

― A True White Kid that can Jump (Granny Dainger), Friday, 28 September 2012 17:52 (7 months ago) Permalink

That Herbie Hancock track is all time.

― Plasmon, Saturday, 29 September 2012 02:16 (7 months ago) Permalink

― A True White Kid that can Jump (Granny Dainger), Saturday, 29 September 2012 02:39 (7 months ago) Permalink

― A True White Kid that can Jump (Granny Dainger), Saturday, 29 September 2012 02:40 (7 months ago) Permalink

― A True White Kid that can Jump (Granny Dainger), Saturday, 29 September 2012 02:41 (7 months ago) Permalink

― A True White Kid that can Jump (Granny Dainger), Saturday, 29 September 2012 02:44 (7 months ago) Permalink

― A True White Kid that can Jump (Granny Dainger), Saturday, 29 September 2012 02:47 (7 months ago) Permalink

― A True White Kid that can Jump (Granny Dainger), Saturday, 29 September 2012 02:49 (7 months ago) Permalink

My sister was very much a part of the London rare groove club scene in the late 80s, when the James Brown-style funk had started to make way for jazz-funk and disco influences. Donald Byrd's "Dominoes" was a big anthem at the time. This is the track listing for a series of tapes that she made for me in 1989, called "London's Old Fave Raves".

Joy And Pain - Maze (81)
Want Ads - The Honey Come (71)
Dancin' - Grey & Hanks (78)
Stone To The Bone - James Brown (73)
Runaway Love - Linda Clifford (78)
The Groove - Rodney Franklin (80)
Love Injection - Trussel (79)
Running Away - Roy Ayers (77)
Expansions - Lonnie Liston Smith (75)
Let The Music Play - Charles Earland (78)
Risin' To The Top - Keni Burke (82)
Give Me Your Love - Sisters Love (73)
To Prove My Love - Ned Doheny (77)
Time Is Right - MCB (83)
Our Time Is Coming - Roy Ayers (82)
All About The Papers - The Dells (80)
Take Some Time Out For Love - The Salsoul Orchestra (79)
I Like What You're Doing To Me - Young & Company (80)
Number One - Patrice Rushen (82)
I Know You, I Live You - Chaka Khan (81)
Star - Earth, Wind & Fire (79)
A Lover's Holiday - Change (80)
The Glow Of Love - Change (80)
Annie Mae - Natalie Cole (77)
By All Means - Alphonse Mouzon (81)
A Chance For Peace (Give Peace A Chance) - Lonnie Liston Smith (80)
It's Alright Now - Eddie Harris (76)
Don't Make Me Wait - Peech Boys (82)
Movin' In The Right Direction - Steve Parks (81)
Brazilian Love Affair - George Duke (79)
Starchild - Level 42 (81)
Keep The Fire Burning - Gwen McCrae (82)
Disco Nights (Rock Freak) - GQ (79)
Back Together Again - Roberta Flack & Donnie Hathaway (80)
Always There - Willie Bobo (78)
Southern Freeez - Freeez (81)
What Are We Gonna Do About It - Mercy Mercy (85) (HIGHLY recommended)
Music Is My Sanctuary - Gary Bartz (77)
Can't You See Me - Roy Ayers (78)
Ain't No Time Fa Nothing - The Futures (78)
Miss Cheryl - Banda Black Rio (80)

― mike t-diva, Saturday, 29 September 2012 11:06 (7 months ago) Permalink

"Love Injection" is just ridiculously smokin

― TracerHandVEVO (Tracer Hand), Saturday, 29 September 2012 11:18 (7 months ago) Permalink

These are all great! and now I think I need to see "Coffy" after watching that brawling broads clip.

― Federico Boswarlos, Saturday, 29 September 2012 15:19 (7 months ago) Permalink

i made a spotify playlist of what i could find from that list, unfortunately some aren't on spotify :\

London's Old Fave Raves: Rare Groove 1971-1983

― clouds, Saturday, 29 September 2012 15:31 (7 months ago) Permalink

Oh wow. Good work! I salute you.

― mike t-diva, Saturday, 29 September 2012 15:53 (7 months ago) Permalink

thanking you!

― A True White Kid that can Jump (Granny Dainger), Saturday, 29 September 2012 16:04 (7 months ago) Permalink

― clouds, Saturday, 29 September 2012 16:06 (7 months ago) Permalink

Great list, a few surprises
Also

― JacobSanders, Saturday, 29 September 2012 16:27 (7 months ago) Permalink

I started a thread years ago that might have some rare groove interest? sleaze disco
or even Jaxon's long Jazz goes Pop, goes disco thread, jazz goes pop, jazz goes disco

― JacobSanders, Saturday, 29 September 2012 16:56 (7 months ago) Permalink

Best. Playlist. Ever. I AM IN HEAVEN.

― mike t-diva, Saturday, 29 September 2012 18:45 (7 months ago) Permalink

oh i had totally missed that sleaze disco thread, thanking u.

― We demand justice: who murdered Chanel? (Matt P), Saturday, 29 September 2012 19:08 (7 months ago) Permalink

Killing me to be locked out from spotify, that playlist looks amazing.

Can't recommend enough this Linda Williams track, very NYC, amazing all the way through:

― Plasmon, Monday, 1 October 2012 06:55 (7 months ago) Permalink

― A True White Kid that can Jump (Granny Dainger), Monday, 1 October 2012 07:03 (7 months ago) Permalink

― A True White Kid that can Jump (Granny Dainger), Monday, 1 October 2012 07:06 (7 months ago) Permalink

― A True White Kid that can Jump (Granny Dainger), Monday, 1 October 2012 07:10 (7 months ago) Permalink

The version of Level 42 "Starchild" on the Spotify playlist is a later, shorter, live version. Here's the original album track: http://open.spotify.com/track/0oKsIEkv7fTC40COSXrHm2

― mike t-diva, Monday, 1 October 2012 14:24 (7 months ago) Permalink

oops — will fix, thanks

― clouds, Monday, 1 October 2012 15:05 (7 months ago) Permalink

― Mule, Monday, 1 October 2012 15:20 (7 months ago) Permalink

Oh man, these and the sleaze disco were *just* what I was looking for. Thanks all!

― Federico Boswarlos, Tuesday, 2 October 2012 14:34 (7 months ago) Permalink

That Amnesty track just made my morning! The horns are slaying me. Thanks, mule.

― Baked. And yet so soupy. (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 2 October 2012 15:23 (7 months ago) Permalink

You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.