The Groove
Saturday April 12th, 2025 with Elorious Cain
RUBBY PÉREZ (March 8,1956 - April 8, 2025), YALLUNDER (August 1994 - March 13, 2025), D.J. FUNK (June 20, 1971 - March 5 , 2025), ROY AYERS (September 10, 1940 - March 4, 2025) , GWEN MCCRAE (December 21, 1943 - February 21, 2025), +
CHRIS JASPER (December 30, 1951 - February 23, 2025), STEDMAN PEARSON (June 29, 1964 - March 10,2025), D'WAYNE WIGGINS (February 16, 1961 - March 7, 2025), ANGIE STONE (December 18, 1961 - March 1, 2025)
These artists we are featuring today are just some of the amazing artists we have lost in the recent days.
| R U B B Y
P É R E Z RUBBY PÉREZ started singing with established MERENGUE artists in the Dominican Republic like WILFRIDO VARGAS before he emerged to become of the most popular MERENGUE artist in the world. He never lost his connection to the Dominican Republic even when commercial success and awards were to be found in other parts of the world! Many hailed RUBBY PÉREZ as a great humanitarian for his undying assistance to victims of the magnitude 7.0 Mw earthquake that struck Haiti in 2010. He was also nicknamed by many as "la voz más alta del merengue" or (the highest voice of merengue) because of his unique musical qualities. On Tuesday, April 8th, RUBBY PÉREZ was performing to a sold out crowd at the Jet Set nightclub in Santo Domingo when the roof collapsed. When was killed instantly on stage. At least he died doing what he loved! Here is a link of a video of the late RUBBY PÉREZ and his orchestra performing "Buscando Tus Besos" on another stage: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eU8WQCJV8_s&list=FLIGOHZaTDuk8OqIEliyu_Fg&index=3 |
| VOLVERÉ RUBBY PÉREZ - VUELVE EL MERENGUE (CD) - LOS TOROS / .02 - 4.13 |
| BUSCANDO TUS BESOS RUBBY PÉREZ - RUBBY PÉREZ (LP) - KAREN / - 3.51 |
| Y A L L U N D E R
YOLANDA NYEMBEZI was a gifted singer from South Africa who recorded under the name YALLUNDER. She was only 30 years old when she died on March 13th of illness at the height of her career with many AMAPIANO and SOUTH AFRICAN HOUSE artists remixing her or collaborating with her. He was loved as an amazing classically trained singer and songwriter. Many sources lament her death as "a tragic loss of vast potential". |
| XOLA YALLUNDER - KUM - MASANI MUSIC / - 4.40 |
| MTHUTHUZELI BABALWA M & YALLUNDER - CANDOUR - - 7.37 |
| NDINOVALO MÖRDA featuring YALLUNDER - - ASANTE MUSIC / - 5.40 |
| D. J.
F U N K CHARLES E. CHAMBERS III from Chicago, Illinois was the highly controversial DJ FUNK. He was one of the pioneers of the GHETTO HOUSE subgenre of HOUSE MUSIC emerging out of the CHICAGO HOUSE MUSIC, ACID, HIPHOUSE, NABI and NEW WAVE in the early 1990's. Often referred to many sources as BOOTY HOUSE, the GHETTO HOUSE which DJ FUNK's activity helped spawn and multiply was harsh, ridiculous and mercilessly repetitive. Teenagers across the United States couldn't get enough of it all! DJ FUNK sold millions of records and quickly became famous for outstanding and often somewhat crude MEGAMIXES. Playing at raves and music festivals throughout North America, DJ FUNK was a very influential dj and performer. He died of cancer at the age of 54. |
| ACID FREQUENCY (U.K. UUNDERGROUND) D.J. FUNK #1 - THE ORIGINAL VIDEO CLASH (EP) - DANCE MANIA / 1.03 - 2.28 |
| WORK IT D.J. FUNK - GHETTO HOUSE ANTHEMS (EP) - FUNK / .05 - 2.21 |
| HOUSE THE GROOVE D.J. FUNK - 12" - DANCE MANIA / .01 - 4.39 |
| R O Y
A Y E R S ROY AYERS was an accomplished JAZZ musician with various albums out in the 1960's. By the early 1970's AYERS started experimenting with JAZZ FUNK. Some sources actually suggest that he was one of the inventors of the sound. He also began to experiment with FUNK and DISCO. The 1975 DISCO hit "Brother Green (The Disco King)" a good example. JAZZ FUNK triumphs of his like the hit "Everybody Loves The Sunshine" from 1976 and the unforgettable title track of his 1979 album 'You Send Me" which featured the amazing vocals of San Francisco's CARLA VAUGHN are featured today. ROY AYERS also went to Nigeria to record and perform with FELA KUTI in the early 1980's. With a distinct sound, ROY AYERS had a profound effect on ACID JAZZ and HOUSE MUSIC producers and musicians. He recorded HOUSE MUSIC, leaning towards the UNDERGROUND NEW YORK sound of groups like MASTERS AT WORK. |
| BROTHER GREEN (THE DISCO KING) ROY AYERS UBIQUITY - MYSTIC VOYAGE (LP) - POLYDOR / - 5.17 |
| EVERYBODY LOVES THE SUNSHINE ROY AYERS UBIQUITY - EVERYBODY LOVES THE SUNSHINE (LP) - POLYDOR / .04 - 3.47 |
| YOU SEND ME ROY AYERS - YOU SEND ME (LP) - POLYDOR / - 8.20 |
| G W E N
M C C R A E GWEN MCCRAE was a singer from Florida, who with husband GEORGE MCCRAE signed to the new T.K. label in 1967. After several successful SOUL singles, they would record MIAMI SOUND disco for T,K, like "Rock Your Baby" for GEORGE MCCRAE in 1974 and "Rockin' Chair" for GWEN MCCRAE in 1975. "Rockin' Chair" would be GWEN MCCRAE's most successful and memorable recording. Many sources call her the "Queen of Rare Groove", Evidently many acts have sampled GWEN MCCRAE with her "Rockin' Chair". In 1981 GWEN MCCRAE had a serious FUNK hit with "Funky Sensation" |
| ROCKIN' CHAIR GWEN MCCRAE - ROCKIN' CHAIR (LP) - TK (3.15) |
| FUNKY SENSATION GWEN MCCRAE - GWEN MCCRAE (LP) - ATLANTIC (6.35) |
| C H R I S
J A S P E R CHRIS JASPER was more than just a mildly successful AMERICAN FUNK artist with hits like "Superbad". He was a long time member of the legendary supergroup THE ISLEY BROTHERS. Their contributions to popular music are monumental starting in the 1950's. They contributed a varied selection of recordings that were used in discotheques, beginning in the early 1960's with tracks like "Twist & Shout" and "Twistin' With Linda" which competed with the comparable TWIST recordings of artists like CHUBBY CHECKER, MANU DIBANGO, LE RY-CO JAZZ and DOUG FOWLKES AND THE AIRDALES. They hired a young JIMI HENDRIX in 1963 and featured his unique fiery guitar playing on their legendary 1964 single "Testify". THE ISLEY BROTHERS grew to become an influential SOUL and FUNK band with dozens of remarkable successes. Their DISCO was very popular and we can only give a sample of their music. Surely some ISLEY BROTHERS fans will think it not enough! |
| SUPERBAD CHRIS JASPER - SUPERBAD (LP) - CBS ASSOCIATED / - 4.28 |
| SHOUT THE ISLEY BROTHERS - 7" - RCA VICTOR / - 2.10 |
| TWIST & SHOUT THE ISLEY BROTHERS - TWIST & SHOUT (LP) - WAND / - 2.25 |
| TWISTIN' WITH LINDA THE ISLEY BROTHERS - 7" - WAND / - 2.35 |
| WHO'S THAT LADY THE ISLEY BROTHERS - 7" - UNITED ARTISTS / - 2.47 |
| TESTIFY THE ISLEY BROTHERS - 7" - T-NECK / - 2.58 |
| IT'S YOUR THING THE ISLEY BROTHERS - 7" - T-NECK / - 2.41 |
| FIGHT THE POWER (PARTS 1 & 2) THE ISLEY BROTHERS - THE HEAT IS ON (LP) - T-NECK / .02 - 5.10 |
| DON'T SAY GOODNIGHT (IT'S TIME FOR LOVE) (PARTS 1 & 2) THE ISLEY BROTHERS - GO ALL THE WAY (LP) - T -NECK / - 5.43 |
| A N G I E
S T O N E ANGIE STONE was a member of the first female HIPHOP band called THE SEQUENCE that was signed to the legendary Sugar Hill Records in 1979. We used to play their single "Funk You Up" back in 1980 here on THE GROOVE! After the group broke up in 1983, ANGIE STONE pursued a very successful solo career. Many hardcore ANGIE STONE fans didn't even know about her work with THE SEQUENCE! She was an extremely popular singer who tragically died at an automobile accident. |
| FUNK YOU UP (SHORT VERSION) THE SEQUENCE - 12" - SUGAR HILL / - 6.32 |
| WISH I DIDN'T MISS YOU ANGIE STONE - 12" - ARISTA / - 3.56 |
| S T E D M A N
P E A R S O N STEDMAN PEARSON was a member of the British vocal group FIVE STAR who was often referred to as Europe's answer to THE JACKSONS back in the late 1980's. We are featuring his 2009 song "Love U More" which some sources say was part of his new album. With his death, will that full album ever come out? |
| ALL FALL DOWN FIVE STAR - 12" - RCA VICTOR / - 3.29 |
| LOVE U MORE STEDMAN PEARSON - - 64 MUSIC/F.I.R.M MUSIC / - 3.34 |
| D'W A Y N E
W I G G I N S |
| LITTLE WALTER (2 TUFF RADIO MIX) TONY! TONI! TONÉ! - 12" - WING / - 4.27 |
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Hey Eorious. I had to go out in the car during the show and missed your comment asking about Drake. Means a lot to me, my friend, that you asked about Drake !! Thank you. He is doing surprisingly well considering everything he has been through the past 2 years. And still smiling !!!! Thought I lost him this past fall but God spared him again.. This will be a special show for me today !! God spared Drake for me but we lose so many musical legends this year. May they all play on in a better place with their peers who have gone before them !
1:05 PM, April 12th, 2025