In the first volume of Groove On Down we featured some relatively well known underground 12” anthems from the late 70’s and early 80’s. On this volume we feature some more of these with a couple of album only tracks that have become popular soulful club tracks in recent years. Like all those on the first volume all these tracks combine great grooves with uplifting soulful vocals.

ROSE ROYCE – STILL IN LOVE 5.39
Originally issued as Epic AS 1496

Rose Royce is the best known artist on this compilation and although they had many hits starting with ‘Car Wash’ in 1976 and ‘Wishing On a Star’ in 1978, this for me is the best track they ever recorded.

It is taken from their 1982 album ‘Stronger Than Ever’ recorded for Epic, and it was released on a promo only 12” single. This track is simply magical, great song, instrumentation, arrangements and vocals combine to make one of the best soul tracks of its decade.

WHATNAUTS – HELP IS ON THE WAY 7.20
Originally issued as Harlem International HIR 110

The Whatnauts were a trio of singers from Baltimore MD, who made three albums for Sylvia Robinson’s Stang Records from 1970-72, including the extremely hard to find ‘Whatnauts On The Rocks’ (that features the hip hop break ‘Why Cant People Be Colors Too’).

Best known for their collaboration with label mates The Moments ‘Girls’; they recorded for various labels in the mid to late 70’s and early 80’s. ‘Help Is On The Way’ is an uplifting soulful dancer from 1981 that has retained its popularity. The compulsive backing riff was aped by Fat Larry’s Band for their 1982 hit ‘Act Like You Know’.

CHERYL LYNN – GOT TO BE REAL 5.20
Originally issued as Columbia 23-10869

Cheryl Lynn made many great disco/boogie tracks in the late 70’ and early 80’s. ‘Got To Be Real’ her solo debut, was the biggest of them all, a massive club track at the time and ever since its 1978 release, and a number one R&B hit and reaching no 12 in the US pop charts. She had earlier performed on Toto’s original version of ‘Georgy Porgy’,
(the more famous Charme version featuring Luther Vandross appeared on vol 1 of Groove On Down).

Cheryl also scored with ‘Shake It Up Tonight’ and ‘Encore’ and her duet with Luther ‘If This World Was Mine’ on Columbia, and made several albums for them before recording for Manhattan and Virgin in the late 80’s, and most recently on the ‘Fishtail’ soundtrack.

JACKIE MOORE – THIS TIME BABY 7.04
Originally issued as Columbia 23-10994

Florida born Jackie enjoyed a run of hit singles in the early 70’s for Atlantic most notably ‘Precious Precious’ and ‘Time’, although ‘Both Ends Against The Middle’ was hugely popular in the UK at the time. After a spell with the TK distributed Kayvette label she recorded two albums for Columbia in the late 1970’s.

‘This Time Baby’ was taken from her ‘On My Way’ album from 1979 and was released twice as a 12” single (later with a picture sleeve featuring an instrumental version).
The track is considered to be a disco classic and it has regained popularity again recently.
Her other Columbia album ‘With Your Love’ also produced by Bobbi Eli includes the popular track ‘Walk Away From Love’ featured on Expansion Records recent Spirit Of Philadelphia Vol 2’ compilation.

MANDRILL – STAY TONITE 7.47
Originally issued as Arista SP44

Mandrill were founded in the early 70’s by the Wilson Brothers and were one of the leading ‘Street Funk’ bands recording a succession of great albums for Polydor featuring Funk Anthems like ‘Fencewalk’, ‘Mango Meat’ and ‘Road To Love’ and the sampled ‘Fat City Strutt’. After a brief spell at United Artists, where they recorded possibly their best album ‘Solid’, they joined Arista and made three albums.

‘Stay Tonite’ is taken from the 1978 album ‘New Worlds’, and was completely overlooked at the time ‘It’s So Easy Lovin You’ and the northern ‘Too Late’ being more popular. It is an outstanding track whose time has now arrived with a great riff and vocals and an interesting changes through out the track. This extended version, featuring an intro that is not on the album version was issued on a promo only 12”single.

OZONE – OUR HEARTS WILL ALWAYS SHINE 4.02
Originally issued in album ‘Glasses’ Motown 6037ML

Funk band Ozone hailed from Nashville Tennessee and signed with Motown in 1979. They were used as a backing band for albums by Billy Preston and Syretta, before recording their five albums for the company between 1980-83.

‘Our Hearts Will Always Shine’ is taken from the last of these the Michael Stokes produced ‘Glasses’, and is an uplifting soulful dancer that has become popular in the UK in recent years.

RHYZE – BIZZAAR 4.30
Originally issued in album ‘Rhyze To The Top’ 20th Century

Rhyze were founded in the late 70’s and made two albums. ‘Just How Sweet Is Your Love’ for Sam Records in 1980 featured their best known (title) track, whilst a year late ‘Rhyze To The Top’ was on 20th Century.

‘Bizzaar’ is taken from the second and hardest to find of these, and has been popular in the UK for many years. It features a hook line not dissimilar to the Spinners ‘I’ll Be Around’ which may explain some of its appeal.

BROOKLYN EXPRESS – YOU NEED A CHANGE OF MIND 6.45
Originally issued as BC 4013

Brooklyn Express was the brainchild of Polish New Yorker producer Began Cekic.
They recorded many 12” singles for his own BC and One Way Records, including a good version of MFSB ‘Love Is The Message’.

‘You Need a Change Of Mind’ from 1982 is a great cover of the great Eddie Kendricks from a decade earlier, was issued as a B side to a very strange track ‘Back In Time’ that mixed parts of lots of earlier tracks together and almost worked. ‘You Need..’ is an excellent example of early 80’s underground New York disco.

CAROL WILLIAMS – CAN’T GET AWAY FROM YOUR LOVE 7.04
Originally issued as Vanguard SPV58

Carol already had ten years experience as a singer/songwriter before her 1976 hit ‘More’, backed by the now more popular ‘Love Is You’ on Salsoul. After a Vince Montana produced album on Salsoul , she recorded many sides for Vanguard including the Daryl Payne produced ‘Cant Get Away From Your Love’ from 1982, another NY Disco classic that still sounds fresh today. A More electronic ‘Dub’ version was released on a promo 10” and is highly sought after, but this is THE version.

Carol can also be heard as the voice on Tony Valor’s ‘Love Has Come My Way’ and Komiko’s ‘Feel Alright’ as well as her other singles for New Image and other small labels in the ‘80’s.

GWEN GUTHRIE – SEVENTH HEAVEN (LARRY LEVAN MIX) 7.26
Originally issued in Mini LP ‘Padlock’ Garage ITG 2001

Gwen Guthrie was born in Okemah Oklahoma but raised in Newark NJ, sadly dying from cancer in 1999. She is best known for her No1 R&B hit ‘Aint Nothing Goin On But The Rent’ and her dance floor hit ‘It Should Have Been You’. She recorded eight albums over a ten year period for a variety of mainly Polygram owned labels.

‘Seventh Heaven’ originally appeared on her 1983 Sly and Robbie produced album ‘Portrait’. It was remixed to an almost completely unrecognizably different track by the late great Larry Levan , this version appearing on a mini LP ‘Padlock’, and became a huge club hit. It is a funky and at times semi dub instrumental with a driving groove , phat bass and Gwen’s unique vocals over the top.. seventh heaven !

ACTIVE FORCE – GIVE ME YOUR LOVE 6.28
Originally issued as A&M SP12083

This track epitomises the best of early 80’s grooves, and has been hugely popular and in demand since its original release on A&M in 1983. This extended 12” version is the one with its long intro. The album version is shorter, and it was also issued on an even shorter 7”single. Their album didn’t make much impact at the time, but is now heavily in demand for this track and also their two stepper ‘ ‘.

WORLD PREMIER – SHARE THE NIGHT 7.20
Originally issued as Easystreet EZS 7506

Little is known about Brooklyn based World Premier who cut this essential boogie track for NY based Easystreet records in 1983. The track itself has remained popular ever since release and it is one of the best of its genre.

Track list (click to hear tracks - one minute clips)