LOS ANGELES, Calif. – Groove & Grind: Rare Soul is the first ever collection of soul rarities that assembles ultra hard-to-find soul 45s highly collectible and highly prized by those who love the genre. Virtually all of the tracks make their CD debut in this deluxe collection. With encyclopedic liner notes by Bill Dahl and a 127-page hard cover book, more than 100 obscure tracks have finally found a worthy home in the digital era. James Austin compiled the 8.38” x 8.5” x 0.75” box set, which comes from RockBeat Records via eOne Distribution on August 18, 2015.
The songs have been grouped in categories: Disc #1, dedicated to urban soul, covers some of the rarest releases to emanate out of the great R&B capitals—New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, and Detroit. Disc #2 gathers sweet harmonies by some of the countless vocal groups that hoped to follow in the perfectly synchronized footsteps of the Temptations. Deep Southern Soul is the theme of Disc #3 singers testifying with more emotion than it seems possible to summon in a recording studio in front of tough rhythm sections and horn lines that seem to breathe as one. Disc #4 takes things in a funkier direction—a mix tailor-made to work up a sweat on the dance floor.
A world of soul 45s were pressed on vinyl during the 1960s and early ‘70s, and it’s virtually impossible for even an experienced crate digger to know them all. That’s a large part of the allure of Groove & Grind: Rare Soul—stumbling across a killer soul record by some inexplicably unknown singer that should have been a hit but never connected via radio, touring or other means of exposure.
But not every soul collector, no matter how supremely dedicated to their hobby they may be, is destined to unearth 45s so insanely scarce that they render other veteran soul music fanatics green with envy. RockBeat Records has sought to limit the collection to songs that haven’t been on legitimate compact disc before, to fill in gaps that have frustrated CD collectors for decades.
Since master tapes weren’t available in some cases, listeners may encounter a little vinyl surface noise from time to time, just like when they were originally released. No biggie, right? After all, serious collectors are used to it. Some even embrace a few friendly pops and crackles.
Although no hits appear in this collection by design, the grooves are skin-tight, the singers are utterly amazing, and this collection doesn’t cost the small fortune that these selections would in their original 45 form. So prepare to dig into a veritable feast of vintage rare soul.
DISC #1: URBAN SOUL
My Baby Likes To Boogaloo, Don Gardner
I’m Hip To You, The Jelly Beans
You Had Me Fooled, Danny Woods
They’re Laughing At Me, Gail Anderson
Please Consider Me, Tyrone (The Wonder Boy)
Are You Gonna Leave Me, Jessie James
Almost, Betty Lavette
My Baby’s Gone, Donald Height
Got My Own Thing Going, Little Charles & The Sidewinders
Everybody’s Talking , Joan Baker
Follow My Heart, Big Dee Irwin
Suffer , Cookie Jackson
You Brought My Heart Right Down To My Knees, , Alvin Robinson
The Queen, Big Ella
Walkin’ And Thinkin’, King Floyd
Mr Shy, Billy McGregor
Do You Know What Life Is All About, Hoagy Lands
Searchin’ For Love, Tommy Hunt
No One To Love, Pat Lewis
I’m Mad About You, Lou Courtney
Love On A Two Way Street, Lezli Valentine
You Can’t Miss Nothing That You Never Had, Ike & Tina Turner
Don’t Hurt Me No More, Tony Mathews
He’s Coming Back To Me, Theola Kilgore
Hard To Find The Right Girl, Kenny Gamble And The Romeos
Big Train, The Soul Shakers
Love That Guy, Jackie Owens
DISC #2: GROUP SOUL
(Countdown) Here I Come, The Tempos
It’s You And Me, The C-Quents
I Don’t Love You No More, The Exsaveyons
A Memory Best Forgotten, The Sounds Four
You Stood Me Up, ,he Specials
Bingo, The Dynamics
Peace of Mind, The Vontastics
Loves Creeping Up On Me, Holidays
There Will Be Tears Pt. 1, The Mandells
Never Ending Love, The Montclairs
You’re A Gas With Your Trash, The Four Pennies
The Young Hearts Get Lonely Too, The New Young Hearts
Forgive Me If I Cry, Down To Earth
I’m In A World Of Trouble, The Sweet Things
Cry No More, The C.O.D’s
Miss Heartbreaker, he Ascots
But Then You Left Me, The Shades of Sensation
Keep Your Love Strong, The Webs
Just Like A Baby (Mama’s Rocking In A Cradle), The Flint Emeralds
I Don’t Want To Cry, Pearlean Gray and The Passengers
Beggar Of Love, Little Ben & The Cheers
You’re Good Enough For Me, The Versatiles
Say You’ll Be Mine, The Vows
She’s the One I Love, The Delacardos
Savin’ My Lovin’ For You, The People’s Choice
Got to Be Your Lover, The Profiles
Victim Of Loneliness, The Pace Setters
I’m Not Strong Enough, The Four Perfections
DISC #3: SOUTHERN SOUL
Don’t Turn Away, Willy McDougal
Mr Clean, Winfield Parker
Now You’ve Got The Upper Hand, Candi Staton
Forgive Then Forget, Jay Wiggins
Don’t Make Me Cry, Matt “Ti” Mattison & The Minit Men
The James Brown Boogaloo, Little Genie Brooks
Mr Lucky, Betty Wright
I Can’t Stop Crying, Sam Hutchins
It’s All Wrong (It’s All Right), Sam Dees
(On The) Re-e-b-o-u-n-d,, Lee Edwards & His Continentals
I’m Telling You, Buddy Grubbs
Hey Now, Eddie Floyd
The Good Got To Suffer With The Bad, Pat Brown
I Gotta Come Back, Little Frankie Lee
A Broken Hearted Clown, Nat Hall With The Mellow 3
The Grass Is Always Greener (On The Opposite Side Of The Fence), Ella Washington
Still My Life Through, Billy Young
Every Ounce Of Strength, Carla Thomas
I Don’t Want To Hurt Nobody, Ruby Winters
I’m A Good Man, Al “TNT” Braggs
Gotta Have My Baby’s Love , Sir Mack Rice
I Confess, Elijah and The Ebonies
Understanding, Jackie Avery
Show Me, Margie Joseph
Pretty As A Picture, Moses Dillard And The Dynamic Showmen
Hurry Up Little Girl, Jerry & Eddie And The Tornados
Everybody Makes A Mistake Sometimes, Roy Arlington
Get Right, Bobby Parker
DISC #4: FUNKY SOUL
Can You Handle It, Pep Brown
Free And Easy, Jessie Hill
Show Stopper, Richard Knight
Soul Affection, The Interpretations
The Soul Stroke (Can You Handle It), King Earnest
Riccasha, Rockie Charles & The Lavonics
Soul Walkin’, Reggie Smith
Wake up, Bobby Rush
The Bushman, The Tenth Dymentions
The Funky Bandwagon, The Essene Brotherhood Band
F.L.A., Noble Watts
Do It, Billy Sha-Rae
People Talking About Me, Sonny Green
Original Funky Bell Bottoms, Ironing Board Sam
I’m A Lonely Man, L.J. Waiters
I’ve Got A Habit (Of Lovin’ You), Bobby Jones
Do The Bobby Dunn, Bobby Dunn
We Do It All Up Here (Loosen Up), The Fantastic Epics
Ratty Ratty , Maskman And The Agents
ItMust Be Love, Roy Hytower
Do The Dog Funk , Isaac Clark
What You See Is What You Get, Little Joe Mixon
Do the thing, Charles Lattimore
The Sno-Cone, Lloyd Hendricks
I’ll Pay You Back, Magic Sam
Hep Squeeze, Mad Dog & The Pups
The Poo Poo Man, Chet “Poison” Ivey and His Fabulous Avengers
The Trip, Dave Mitchell & The Screamers
I Got A New Thing Willie Smith