Rare Gems Odyssey

Based in Los Angeles, Rare Gems Odyssey was an obscure disco/funk/soul combo that recorded two little-known LPs in the late '70s. The band was formed in 1976, when its six-person lineup consisted of singer Debra Givings, drummer/singer <a href="spotify:artist:7sQg9yOabzv2g23MyIMN7M">Charles Givings</a>, keyboardist/singer Johnny Ross, guitarist/singer Jimmy Gough, bassist/singer Darryl Coleman, and percussionist/singer <a href="spotify:artist:0QIxudHuVjcWwPZwHXC4l8">Tony Coleman</a>. Produced by Arthur G. Wright, its self-titled debut album came out on <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Casablanca%22">Casablanca</a> in 1977; when the LP failed to sell, <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Casablanca%22">Casablanca</a> dropped Rare Gems Odyssey. In 1978, the band omitted <a href="spotify:artist:5b4SvpTqll0LSqJWPpXya5">Odyssey</a> from its name -- possibly because it didn't want to be confused with the group <a href="spotify:artist:5b4SvpTqll0LSqJWPpXya5">Odyssey</a>, which had a major hit with "Native New Yorker" in 1977 -- and started going by simply <a href="spotify:artist:0nyuebe7qzRXLB3vSRlKiz">Rare Gems</a>. Using that name, it recorded its second album, Million Dollar Disco, for the small L.A.-based <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22California+Gold%22">California Gold</a> label in 1979. That LP was also plagued by a lack of attention, and in 1980 <a href="spotify:artist:0nyuebe7qzRXLB3vSRlKiz">Rare Gems</a> broke up. In 2012, Gough formed a new version of <a href="spotify:artist:0nyuebe7qzRXLB3vSRlKiz">Rare Gems</a> featuring original members Darryl Coleman and <a href="spotify:artist:0QIxudHuVjcWwPZwHXC4l8">Tony Coleman</a>, along with new members vocalist Sheree Dunn, drummer/vocalist Mykale Thomas, and keyboardist/vocalist Carl Johnson. ~ Alex Henderson, Rovi