Motown Rare Grooves

Released

Motown got in on the rare groove compilation act in 1988 with a quality selection of mostly unknown songs from their archives. The label’s late sixties early-funk output was represented by the sweet and seductive “Here I Am Baby” from The Marvelettes, forgotten Stevie Wonder album track “You Can’t Judge A Book By Its Cover” and Barbara Randolf’s superior cover of Marvin Gaye’s “Can I Get A Witness.” Gaye’s languid-yet-super-tight funk instrumental ““T” Plays It Cool” was also included, introducing a generation to his overlooked Trouble Man soundtrack, along with his slick little-remembered ’81 single Heavy Love Affair. You also get The Sisters Love heavy-duty cover of Curtis Mayfield’s “Give Me Your Love” which somehow manages to improve on the original, a joyous Willie Hutch track, a lost Jackson 5 tune and lots more. With a nice range of tracks from the late sixties to early eighties, it’s an excellent compilation of lesser-known Motown funk, soul and boogie.

Harold Heath