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THEE epitome of rare groove

skelskel You can't cheat karma 5,033 Posts
edited September 2013 in Strut Central
In your PMG.

Voices of East Harlem - Wanted Dead Or Alive

B/w

Jackson Sisters - Miracles

What say you?
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  Comments

  • cadeauxcadeaux 208 Posts
    Ruff question.

    me loves both tunes

    bit "I Believe In Miracles" became somewhat the ABC/Jackson5 Thingy on every party, so i ride for

    "Wanted Dead Or Alive"


    b/w like the lyrics more, too
  • cadeauxcadeaux 208 Posts
    double
  • parallaxparallax no-style-having mf'er 1,266 Posts


    Newban - "Why Did You Desert Me?" (Guinness)

    One of my alltime favourites.

    It's not quite straight ahead disco, or soul, or funk, but a fusion of these with a jazzy under-current. What else to call it but "rare groove"?

    It's got that unmistakeable 70's sound; it's a band unknown to those outside of the music weirdos like us, and it doesn't fit neatly into any genre, imo.

    This is my pick for THEE epitome of rare groove.
  • parallaxparallax no-style-having mf'er 1,266 Posts
    One more:

    Tomorrow's Edition - "Be Real" (Gang)

    Like the above, I personally don't think it fits neatly into one genre--you are free to disagree, of course.

    That said, it sounds more "moder soul" than anything. But those horns and lush harmonies give it an "older" sound that fits in the 70's.

    To be clear, I consider soulful/funky/jazzy/disco music from the 70's that can't be put neatly in any one genre "rare groove".

    Curious to hear what "rare groove" means to you, and I do believe Amir hates the term, IIRC.
  • finelikewinefinelikewine "ONCE UPON A TIME, I HAD A VINYL." http://www.discogs.com/user/permabulker 1,416 Posts
    skel said:


    Voices of East Harlem - Wanted Dead Or Alive


    Good call, but I prefer the original.

  • skelskel You can't cheat karma 5,033 Posts
    I recall that (relatively) short-lived bubble well; regardless of Amir's dislike of the term, it captured perfectly that dawning of young, outward-looking, exuberant and hedonistic crowds unashamedly enjoying being elitist, looking for a niche to call their own and belong to in an increasingly fractured world of media and entertainment choices.

    And it appealed to those for whom funky sounds were too generic, and Moddun too rigid. They could get their disco on, get drunk, feel part of something fresh...

    Rare groove; too soulful to be funk, too funky to be soul.

    At least this is my PMG recall. It was a magical time.

    And yes to the Hypnotics, although not quite as full n beefy as VOEH.
  • tabiratabira 856 Posts
    skel said:
    Rare groove; too soulful to be funk, too funky to be soul.
    .
    I think you nailed it.

    Great thread. Made me revisit some old gems
  • strataspherestratasphere Blastin' the Nasty 1,035 Posts
  • RustledustRustledust 48 Posts
    I always think of those RARE comps on RCA / Arista, Weldon Irvine and this song in particular.

  • finelikewinefinelikewine "ONCE UPON A TIME, I HAD A VINYL." http://www.discogs.com/user/permabulker 1,416 Posts
  • JimsterJimster Cruffiton.etsy.com 6,947 Posts
    skel said:
    In your PMG.

    Voices of East Harlem - Wanted Dead Or Alive

    B/w

    Jackson Sisters - Miracles

    What say you?

    Out of them two? Miracles, no doubt. Cornerstone of many a "Rare" night.

    Manc rare DJs would usually always shackle this with the xfader to "Across The Tracks" IIRC. I am sure you could keep the party going for the whole night with just these two.
  • strataspherestratasphere Blastin' the Nasty 1,035 Posts


    Lady Eleanor is a near tie off this record.
  • DuderonomyDuderonomy Haut de la Garenne 7,789 Posts
  • caicai spacecho 362 Posts
    I always just associate the term 'Rare Groove' with funk that DJ's were playing in the early 90s (in England?), not so much a particular sound.

    But yeah, Roy Ayers is the first thing that comes to mind. A friend dubbed me a mix tape back then and it had stuff like 'Bertha Butt Boogie', 'Fat Mama' by Herbie Hancock and 'Right On' by Ray Baretto on it. When I think of the term Rare Groove I just think of all the stuff on this mix tape i had back in 1993.

    edit - Action Speaks Louder than Words was on there too
  • Jonny_PaycheckJonny_Paycheck 17,825 Posts
    To me it would be "sweet power your embrace"
  • LoopDreamsLoopDreams 1,195 Posts
    There are so many. but Roy nailed it that's for sure:



    goddamn I wish this women had done more.
  • LoopDreamsLoopDreams 1,195 Posts
    Rare groove on more of a jazz tip:

  • DJBombjackDJBombjack Miami 1,665 Posts
    For me, growing up in the Kent/Essex soul/rare groove scene, you couldn't go to any night without hearing these two - and they always tore the place up.


    b/w
  • DORDOR Two Ron Toe 9,902 Posts
    Jonny_Paycheck said:
    To me it would be "sweet power your embrace"

    Yeah. I'm down.

    Personally, the only thing I might pick over it would be Jae!

  • caicai spacecho 362 Posts
    DJBombjack said:


    oh YES
  • SupergoodSupergood 1,213 Posts


    Brief Encounter - Get a Good Feeling
  • Possum SlimPossum Slim 353 Posts
    There's a lot of classics on Uno Melodic.





    As well as Sylvia Striplin, already mentioned.
  • JimsterJimster Cruffiton.etsy.com 6,947 Posts
  • bennyboybennyboy 538 Posts
    Yes - Expansions would be the rare groove tune. That and this:



    bw

    I did the cover to that ^ funkology LP. That was a long time ago.
  • batmonbatmon 27,574 Posts
  • parallaxparallax no-style-having mf'er 1,266 Posts
    batmon said:

    Good one.

    I'd also add Lonnie Liston Smith "Expansions".

    It's hard for me to nail it down to just one.

    Great thread.
  • El PrezEl Prez NE Ohio 1,141 Posts
    DJBombjack said:
    For me, growing up in the Kent/Essex soul/rare groove scene, you couldn't go to any night without hearing these two - and they always tore the place up.


    b/w

    DJ Bombjack nailed it.....
  • El PrezEl Prez NE Ohio 1,141 Posts
    Jonny_Paycheck said:
    To me it would be "sweet power your embrace"

    good choice....
  • LoopDreamsLoopDreams 1,195 Posts
    You cannot fusk w/ Expansions, that whole LP is a gem from beginning to end.

    Another one:



    youtube kills the warmth, but you get the gist.
  • skelskel You can't cheat karma 5,033 Posts
    A quintessential rare groove cut was Faze-O with Ridin' High

    Yes indeed
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