Various Artists - Smooth Grooves: Steppin' Out (2001)

"No, this is not fraternity stepping. Instead, this collection is the soundtrack to a dance craze that originated in Chicago and has been tearing up the Midwest, taking other cities by storm for the last ten years or so. These songs have become 'cult dance classics,' if you may. Enjoy!"

And, according to one Amazon reviewer, "In Chicago and St. Louis, 'Steppin'' is a classy dance that is immensely popular with the '25 and over' crowd. Most of the songs here became cult dance classics and are from the late 1970s and early 80s." Did someone mention the 25 and over crowd? That's me! But enough about my smooth moves, this compilation is an incredible mix of slick, mid-tempo, jazzy R&B tunes with lots of deep album cuts included. I've got the Phil Collins and Down To The Bone cuts on other CDs, but the other ten tracks are new to me and all are welcome additions to my shelves. Not bad for a $1 pickup from a used bin.

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: Did not chart

Tracks, with my top picks checked:

Song	Artist	Year
Be Thankful For What You Got	William DeVaughn	1974	✔
The Fruit Song	Jeannie Reynolds	1976	✔
This Feeling's Killing Me	The Jones Girls	1979	✔
In the Air Tonight ('88 Remix)	Phil Collins	1988	✔
Staten Island Groove	Down To The Bone	1997	✔
Teach Me (It's Something About Love)	Blue Magic	1976	✔
Life In The Country	The Ebonys	1974	✔
Key To The World	L.J. Reynolds	1981	✔
In & Out Of Love	Patti Austin	1998	✔
Soft And Easy	The Blackbyrds	1977	✔
Sweet Summer Days	Ray Obiedo fest. Peabo Bryson	1997	✔
Mr. Smooth	Michael Franks	1999	✔

Granted, the Collins track may seem out of place here, but I've seen line dancing on a packed floor in a country/western road house while Genius Of Love by Tom Tom Club played on the jukebox, so you just never know.  I'm not sure if I could pick a favorite, but...that Blackbyrds tune is quite tasty and I just ordered a copy of their Action album (appearing soon on a CD blog near you).

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None, but I'll soon be watching some "how to" videos so my wife and I can try some smooth, romantic steppin'. 

Previously revisited for the blog:

A Sensual Collection, Volume 1 (1995)

A Sensual Collection, Volume 3 (1995)

A Sensual Collection, Volume 4 (1995)

A Sensual Collection, Volume 6 (1996)

Smooth Grooves Live (2001)

Smooth Grooves: After Hours (2000)

Smooth Jazz, Vol. 1 (2000)

Smooth Jazz, Vol. 2 (2000)

Smooth Jazz, Vol. 3 (2000)