Top 10 best Rare Soul/Groove LPs

[Steveh73]

I'd heavily recommend - 

Any of Leroy Hutson's albums on Curtom

The first two Natural Four albums on Curtom

The Three Pieces album posted earlier

JR Bailey's Just Me N' You album on MAM

Johnny Hammond's Gears album on Milestone

Al Johnson's Back For More album on Columbia

Notations album on Gemigo

Any of the Jones Girls or Jean Carn albums on Philly

There's enough there for a top 10 - take your pick!!

Cheers, Steve......

 

Edited November 28, 2020 by Steveh73

[Bocanada]

Yeah, when JK was mentioned, I was going to say that to me, their sound is a mix between Stevie Wonder and Johnny Hammond's Gears.

The Mizell Brothers' sound is quite present in the Acid Jazz scene for me.

Really good list up there, @Steveh73.

Speaking of Gemigo, Rasputin Stash's "Devil made me do it" it's really good too. Is this sound what some call 2-step?

 

[Bocanada]

@Steveh73 The Natural Four's homonymous LP is a personal favourite. 

I love this one by Jean Carn, as well as her album on Black Jazz with Doug Carn.

 

[The Tempest]

 

[Bocanada]

@The Tempest tight bass line there! Boogie! Nice one!

Wow, I just checked the price of this one on Discogs  Why is it Japan only? Do you know? 

[Bocanada]

@Modernsoulsucks I really liked those 2 tracks by Eloise Whitaker. Nice!

[Soul Shrews]

Two Doug Carn LPs on Black Jazz featuring Jean Carne

Revelation& Infant Eyes 

Cheers Paul

[Bocanada]

@Soul Shrews yes. Revelations is my favourite.

[Modernsoulsucks]

1 hour ago, Bocanada said:

Yeah, when JK was mentioned, I was going to say that to me, their sound is a mix between Stevie Wonder and Johnny Hammond's Gears.

The Mizell Brothers' sound is quite present in the Acid Jazz scene for me.

Really good list up there, @Steveh73.

Speaking of Gemigo, Rasputin Stash's "Devil made me do it" it's really good too. Is this sound what some call 2-step?

 

I'd say no. RS sounds like War or similar.

Not melodic or "pretty" enough IMO.

[Bocanada]

@Modernsoulsucks so more like this:

 

[Steveh73]

4 minutes ago, Bocanada said:

@Modernsoulsucks I really liked those 2 tracks by Eloise Whitaker. Nice!

Falling In Love by Eloise Whittaker is a really nice 2-step sound. There's two other versions that I am aware of too!

Brooklyn Dreams - Fallin' In Love (1980) - YouTube

The Markley Band - Fallin' In Love ( feat.Sheila Lowe ) - YouTube

Not sure if the videos will show in this post but they are on Youtube for your listening pleasure!!

[Bocanada]

@Steveh73 those are excellent examples and now I get the 2-step sound. I guess that I've always referred to that as mellow modern soul.

[Dylan]

 

i used to really struggle with this genre or style but have grown to like it more over time.  I struggle with some examples still but the good ones can be great.

Absolute classic for me

 

 

[Bocanada]

@Fish Fingers It's been a couple of weeks, and I can't stop playing "Easy Does It"

 

 

[Fish Fingers]

17 hours ago, Bocanada said:

@Fish Fingers It's been a couple of weeks, and I can't stop playing "Easy Does It"  

 

Glad you like it .

It's been maybe my favourite record for decades! Unusual, in that the more I listen to it, the more I love it. 

I bet you may also like a brand new album release (yesterday) from SouLutions. 'Anthology' is the album. I won't post links as I think it's frowned upon a bit here. It's only available directly, but there are some samples on their site. 'Stop what you're doing' was already a fave and there is an extended version now. 

And the track 'Philly Line' has parts of Marc Evans 'The way you love me' which was already a favourite track of mine (Soulful House not Rare Groove though). 

The live Japanese version of that song with the Studio Apartment Band is just amazing imo

Edited December 13, 2020 by Fish Fingers
Typos

[Bocanada]

@Fish Fingers oh, that's more one the dance side of things. I wasn't expecting that. Similar to the sound of Joey Negro (Dave Lee). I like that tune. I've never heard of them, so thank you.

If you like that kind of stuff, give this a listen.

 

[Candiman]

Just a few off the top of my head from mid-late 70s. All of have been favourites of mine for many years and I think are strong all the way through.

Gloria Scott - What Am I Gonna Do

Leon Ware - Rocking You Eternally

People's Choice - We Got The Rhythm

Barrabas s/t

Roy Ayers - most of them really. I really like You Send Me

Early Jean Carn as has already been said.

 

[Bocanada]

@candiman I love Gloria Scott's LP – and what a cover!

I love the tune "Rocking you Eternally". I'm not familiar with the entire album, but I just read the credits and found that Marcos Valle is there playing in the aforementioned track, and also there's a version of Marcos's "Bicho No Cio" sung in English (I prefer Marcos's version though).

As for Roy, I agree that he's fantastic but my favourite is probably "Lifeline".

 

Edit: I just noticed that there's another Marcos Valle tune on that album "Baby Don't Stop Me". I also prefer Marcos's version.

 

Edited December 15, 2020 by Bocanada

[Fish Fingers]

23 hours ago, Bocanada said:

@Fish Fingers oh, that's more one the dance side of things. I wasn't expecting that. Similar to the sound of Joey Negro (Dave Lee). I like that tune. I've never heard of them, so thank you.

If you like that kind of stuff, give this a listen.

 

Nice choice. I do know the track as I am quite into Soulful House. 

I know it's drifting off topic, but here is the Marc Evans live in Japan track. Borrowed heavily in the SouLutions 'Philly Line' re-edit just released. 

 

Edited December 15, 2020 by Fish Fingers

[Bocanada]

@Fish Fingers I missed the second part of your message!

I wasn't familiar with that tune, and that live version is so much better than the one on the 12"! Nice recommendation.

The intro is a homage to "Ooh I love It" by the Salsoul Orchestra – isn't it?