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PODCAST

It"s Not the Beat, It"s the Groove

In this podcast, we discuss our favorite popular music groups, with an emphasis on "the inside story" behind the hits.

music music commentary

All Episodes

00:44:46

You Know The Songs, Now Hear the Stories

It"s Not the Beat, It"s the Groove ·

2025/10/26

Kelly and Dave are joined by Tris Imboden, drummer for Kenny Loggins, Al Jarreau, Chaka Khan, Anita Baker and Chicago. In Part One of our conversation, hear Tris talk about joining Kenny Loggins' band, his experience playing at Live Aid, and an astonishing week at the Montreux Jazz Festival.

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00:58:28

Steely Dan: Yacht? or Nyacht?

It"s Not the Beat, It"s the Groove ·

2025/10/10

Join Kelly, Dave and special guest author Faith Pennick to discuss the music of Steely Dan. With it's slick production, mixture of jazz and rock, and full of A-list studio musicians, the music of Donald Fagen and Walter Becker certainly hits some of the criteria for being classified as Yacht Rock. But is it? We'll debate this and stay tuned for some of our favorite tracks.

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00:41:14

The Album That Defined The Early 80s

It"s Not the Beat, It"s the Groove ·

2025/09/26

Join Kelly and Dave as they get "Physical" and discuss the landmark album by Olivia Newton John. From upbeat dancefloor songs to the soft ballads, this album had it all and launched ONJ into the stratosphere of pop stars. We uncover the hidden connections that helped make this album a major hit.

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00:52:38

The Philly Soul sound of Daryl Hall & John Oates

It"s Not the Beat, It"s the Groove ·

2025/09/12

Hall & Oates fans, this one’s for you! 🎶 In this episode of It’s the Groove, Dave and Kelly take a deep dive into the music, magic, and impact of one of the most iconic duos of all time. From their Philly roots to chart-topping classics like “It’s a Laugh,” “Private Eyes,” and “Maneater,” we’re breaking down the songs that made Hall & Oates legends.💿 We’ll explore their evolution in sound, the signature mix of blue-eyed soul and pop rock, and the stories behind the hits that defined a

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00:25:24

Music's Best-Kept Secret

It"s Not the Beat, It"s the Groove ·

2025/08/29

Join Kelly and Dave as we unpack the amazing career and incredible catalog of Brenda Russell. From backing Elton John to writing for Rufus and Chaka Khan, to winning a Grammy for writing the score for the Broadway adaptation of The Color Purple, Brenda has continually created magic. We go deep into her catalog for some hidden gems as well as her more popular hits.

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00:27:43

Get Into the Groove with Madonna

It"s Not the Beat, It"s the Groove ·

2025/08/15

Wishing Madonna a Happy Birthday. Kelly and Dave go back to 1984, and revisit the moment Madonna became Madonna: the release of her album "Like A Virgin." We go back and cover ALL the hits, and go under the wrapper to discover how this masterpiece was created. From the influence of music magician Nile Rodgers, to the influence of Stephen Bray, we unpack those who helped put The Material Girl on the pop music map!

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00:42:53

Songs in the Key of Life

It"s Not the Beat, It"s the Groove ·

2025/08/01

Join Kelly and Dave as we dive deep into Stevie Wonder's masterpiece "Songs in the Key of Life." Listen as we discuss some of our favorite tracks from this iconic album and hear the stories behind the music. This work moved us then and still makes us dance and celebrate.

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00:46:49

Arif Mardin: Shaping the Sound of the 70s and 80s

It"s Not the Beat, It"s the Groove ·

2025/07/18

Join Kelly and Dave as we uncover the secret sauce behind the hits of artists we love such as Aretha Franklin, The Bee Gees, The Average White Band, Chaka Khan, and Scritti Politti. Arif Mardin, who was a producer at Atlantic Records, and referred to as "the Man with the best ears in town," helped shape so many of the songs we love.

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00:31:11

Ashford & Simpson the Power Couple of R & B and Soul

It"s Not the Beat, It"s the Groove ·

2025/07/04

Join Kelly and Dave as we uncover the magic of Ashford & Simpson. From their days penning hits for Marvin Gaye and Aretha, to their own powerhouse performances, this duo has created a legacy of excellence in songwriting, performance and production.

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00:40:01

Acid Jazz and Funk with Jamiroquai

It"s Not the Beat, It"s the Groove ·

2025/06/20

In this episode Kelly and Dave journey across the pond to recruit a true Jamiroquai fan. Mark, who has followed the band since its inception, gives us a unique point of view, and helps us uncover the magic of this Band. Kelly, Dave and Mark each share a few of their favorite Jamiroquai songs from their early years (the first 3 albums). Join us to enjoy the confluence of music and friendship as we discover Jamiroquai together.

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00:55:15

Inside Don Breithaupt's Musical Mind: Steely Dan and...

It"s Not the Beat, It"s the Groove ·

2025/06/06

While searching for some Steely Dan info, we came across a book written all about the album Aja. The author: Don Breithaupt. Upon further review, not only has Don interviewed Donald Fagen (and lived to tell about it), he also is the composer and frontman of the band Monkey House. Join us for a lively discussion about music, including playing a track from Monkey House's latest album Crashbox!

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00:30:26

Let's Groove with Earth, Wind & Fire

It"s Not the Beat, It"s the Groove ·

2025/05/23

In today's episode, Kelly and Dave take you back to the amazing Earth, Wind & Fire album I Am. We uncover a totally "no skip" album, listening to each track as we grow in our understanding and appreciation of a band that created a cultural statement from their combination of soul and style. From deep grooves to reflective lyrics, this album moved more than just bodies — it moved hearts.

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00:45:17

Wait! David Foster did THAT song too?

It"s Not the Beat, It"s the Groove ·

2025/05/09

Join Kelly and Dave as we investigate the music of David "The Hitman" Foster. Listen as we uncover songs we never knew David was behind. From Earth, Wind & Fire to Madonna, check out all the songs Foster was involved with. We will travel from Disco, to Jazz, to Funk, to Pop.

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00:30:08

"He was EVERYWHERE"--Michael McDonald's backing vocals

It"s Not the Beat, It"s the Groove ·

2025/04/25

Have you ever been listening to a song, and said "That's Michael McDonald?" Well, we have! In this episode Kelly and Dave share some of their favorite songs on which Michael McDonald sang BACKING vocals. Yes, he has had a terrific career as lead singer of the Doobie Brothers, and as a solo artist, but today we focus on just those songs on which Michael is the backing singer. Some are famous, and some might surprise you!

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00:35:24

Chaka Khan--The Queen of Funk

It"s Not the Beat, It"s the Groove ·

2025/04/11

Join Kelly and Dave as we dive deep into the wonder that is Chaka Khan. In our last episode, we covered her work with Rufus. Now we explore the hits that made her famous as a solo artist. You know the songs, but do you know the backstories?Find out how Chaka Khan rose into a supernova, singing some of the most well-loved songs ever.

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00:34:11

Bringing the Funk with Rufus

It"s Not the Beat, It"s the Groove ·

2025/03/28

What do you get when one of the most powerful voices in music teams up with a pioneering funk band? Pure magic — and a few behind-the-scenes twists. This week on It’s The Groove, we’re diving into the rise of Chaka Khan and Rufus — from their earliest days to the breakout success of classics like “Tell Me Something Good” and “Ain’t Nobody.”Discover how they redefined funk and R&B, created musical sparks (and a little tension), and left an unforgettable mark on music history.

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00:35:42

Steely Dan's Aja album

It"s Not the Beat, It"s the Groove ·

2025/03/11

Dive deep with Kelly and Dave into one of popular music's most famous albums: Aja by Steely Dan. Learn about how Donald Fagen and Walter Becker assembled an All-Star Team of studio musicians to bring their vision to life. We leverage Don Breithaupt's tome on the album for detail, and sprinkle in a few fun stories along the way. Most of all, listen to the classic tracks, and uncover something new about an album so many adore.

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00:32:15

Why weren't they released as singles?

It"s Not the Beat, It"s the Groove ·

2025/02/28

Kelly and Dave had a fun time discussing 8 songs that are REALLY good, and you'll know a lot of them...but they were never released as singles. One night we went down the rabbit hole and found 20+ songs that we love that were never released as singles. We had to pare this down to 8, so listen to our episode and then tell us the ones YOU think should have made the list!

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00:48:13

Fingerprints All Over Popular Music

It"s Not the Beat, It"s the Groove ·

2025/02/14

They played on literally thousands of tracks. We have curated some of the very best, from albums as diverse as Boz Scaggs' Silk Degrees, Michael Jackson's Thriller and Lionel Richie's Can't Slow Down. What connects these great songs? The musicians behind them. So who are they? Listen as Kelly and Dave uncover more "hidden connections" in the music we love.

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00:32:32

The Music Of Toto

It"s Not the Beat, It"s the Groove ·

2025/01/31

Join Kelly and Dave to examine the music of a highly underrated group of Musicians who came together to create some music magic as Toto. Learn about the origins of the band, and listen to some of our favorite Toto songs. Stay tuned because in the next episode we will cover more of the music they created with and for other artists.

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47 results

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