Rare Essence

Indispensable and inexhaustible go-go band Rare Essence have proudly represented Washington, D.C.'s indigenous funk subgenre -- built on fully energized marathon performances with tumbling, highly syncopated rhythms and animated call-and-response vocals -- since the late 1970s. From the early '80s through the latter half of the '90s, Rare Essence hit Billboard's main R&B chart with the singles "Body Moves," "Work the Walls," "Body Snatchers," and "Player Haters." Equally key to the band's legacy are numerous regional favorites and a high stack of live documents self-released throughout the decades on the Sounds of the Capital and Rare One labels. Having stuck to their core sound through eras dominated by more commercially viable sounds ranging from disco and house to gangsta rap and trap, RE, still led by founding member Andre "Whiteboy" Johnson, celebrated their 45th anniversary in 2020.

Rare Essence grew from the Young Dynamos, a group formed by classmates at St. Thomas More Catholic Church in Southeast Washington, D.C. Anchored by drummer Quentin "Footz" Davidson, guitarist/vocalist Andre "Whiteboy" Johnson, trombonist John "Big Horn" Jones, and bassist Michael "Funky Ned" Neal, Rare Essence gradually outgrew local block parties and recreation centers to play shows in Virginia and Maryland. They expanded their lineup, which included saxophonist Rory "DC" Felton, and built on the foundation laid by go-go godfather Chuck Brown and other D.C. acts, such as the Young Senators and Black Heat. Once established, RE played up to three sets a night and often went a full week without a night off.

It wasn't until 1981 that Rare Essence released their first single. The band set up their first label, Groove Records, to issue "Body Moves," which was recorded at Philadelphia's Sigma Sound Studios with production from Chuck Brown and vocalist James "Jas.Funk" Thomas. Fantasy Records, the historic West Coast label that then featured stylistic cousins such as the Blackbyrds and Pleasure, licensed the single for nationwide distribution, and in 1982 pushed it to number 75 on Billboard's Hot Soul Singles chart. London Records in the U.K. caught wind of the go-go movement and the next year had Rare Essence and peers Redds & the Boys share a 12" single. Rare Essence, joined by Little Benny on vocals, contributed "Shoo-Be-Do-Wop" to the release. A Patrick Adams-produced one-off for major-label Mercury followed in 1986 and didn't make much of a commercial impression, but the band also issued their first live album that year and soon filled the Capital Centre in Landover, Maryland, sharing the bill with Chuck Brown & the Soul Searchers, E.U., and Little Benny & the Masters, among other go-go practitioners. Go Go Live at the Capital Centre was eventually packaged for home video and multiple audio formats.

The next decade, Rare Essence were uncommonly active in the studio. They released six albums, including a Christmas LP, and registered on Billboard's Hot R&B Singles chart with "Work the Walls" (number 68, 1992), "Body Snatchers" (number 73, 1996), and "Player Haters" (number 85, 1998). The latter two followed the loss of Quentin Davidson, who was murdered in 1994. Their self-released live dates, recorded at venues such as Tradewinds and Zanzibar, multiplied across the 2000s and 2010s. In September 2010, mere months after the death of Little Benny, over two dozen past and present bandmates gathered to perform at the ballroom of the Crystal City Hyatt Regency. Five years later, the recording of the show was issued as The Reunion.

The group suffered additional tragic losses the next few years. Byron "BJ" Jackson, a multi-instrumentalist who performed keyboards and vocals with the band since the '80s, died of cancer in 2016. Rory Felton was fatally stabbed in 2018. Rare Essence's 45th anniversary was celebrated in 2020 with a live-streamed concert and the release of "Hit the Floor," featuring Snoop Dogg.