As with the recently released Blood Sweat & Tears Spinning Wheel DVD, Loose Grooves was shot on the concluding date of War’s 1980 co-headlining tour with BS&T at Halifax’s Civic Centre. With five members of the original line-up still aboard and manning the ranks (namely, harp player Lee Oskar, percussionist Papa Dee Allen, drummer Harold Brown, keyboard player Lonnie Jordan and guitarist Harold Scott), this edition of War, although by now well past their best as a recording unit, prove themselves more than equal to the task of recreating the authentic flavour of vintage selections from their classic songbook.
At this point signed to MCA and touring their then current album, The Music Band 2, guitarist Harold Scott sets the tone for what follows when he tells the crowd, “We’re gonna go from 1969 to whatever year this is now,” before the band make their way through the eight tracks showcased on this 51-minute DVD. Drawing on the full range of their back catalogue, hot spots include the iconic hits Low Rider and Cisco Kid, the epic Gypsy Man and Me & Baby Brother, all served with a surplus of soulful funkiness garnished by Lee Oskar’s superlative harmonica playing.
