Biography
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Years Active
1976 – present (48 years)
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Members
- Andre Johnson
- Benny Harley
- James Thomas
Rare Essence, affectionately known by their fans as "THE WICKEDEST BAND ALIVE", grew from a relationship between four childhood friends: Quinten "Footz" Davidson, Andre "Whiteboy" Johnson, Michael "Funky Ned" Neal and John Jones. After school, the four young musicians would get together in each other's basements and play top forty hits from such influential bands like Parliament/Funkadelic, Cameo, and Confunkshun. Eventually the band adapted more players and conformed to the go-go sound that started in 1976. It was at that time that the band called on the assistance of Quinten's mother, Annie Mack, who became the band's first manager.
Today, Rare Essence's band is comprised of 12 musicians who play a range of instruments from the timbales to the bass guitar. The band is still going strong playing up to six nights a week, even playing two concerts in one night. Rare Essence credits their continued success to the enthusiastic interaction they have with their fans at each performance.
RARE ESSENCE has had success with such hits as "Body Moves", the hit album "Live at Breeze's Metro Club", and the single "Lock-It" which was featured on the Strictly Business soundtrack. The band's most successful single, "Work the Walls", hit Billboard's top 10 charts and blew up airways nationwide.
While the greatest success from Rare Essence remains mostly on the East Coast, many dedicated fans all over the world love their groove. Even after 25 years true fans will gladly proclaim, "Rare Essence is the Wickedest Band Alive!"
ABOUT THE MUSIC
To its audience, go-go is a lifestyle that shapes and moves souls. The music is tribal while, spiritual and captures even non-suspecting bodies with its melodic grooves and percussions. It is a genre of music that is indigenous to Washington, DC, the "Chocolate City", and is an amalgamation of African percussion, funk, jazz and call and response hooks similar to rap music. Since it's origin in 1975, go-go has remained in the hearts of many and continues to dominate the entertainment scene in the Nations Capital. Regardless of your musical tastes, simply seeing a Rare Essence performance is proof that a go-go show is the "livest" show you will see anywhere!
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