8 April 2024
Every Monday I will be bringing you an interview with an independent band, duo or music artist. This week, I caught up with Edinburgh band Groove Down to find out more…
Who is in the band, how did you meet, where are you from and how did you come up with the name?
Groove down is a 5-piece multicultural band based in Edinburgh, Scotland. The group includes Rue Cooper (Vocals & Lyrics — from The Bahamas), Michael Fallemann (Guitar — from Argentina and relocated to Spain at age 6 to flee the financial crisis), Joan Blasco (Keys — From Valencia, Spain), Xabi Villares (Drums — from Galicia, Spain), and Gregor Wilson (Bass — from Duns, Scottish Boarders).
The group formed in 2022. Rue, who was a MSc International Development student at University of Edinburgh at the time, knew she wanted to have a career as a performer after her degree. She put an ad up in the Facebook group “Edinburgh Musicians for Hire” and bit by bit the band came together.
We came up with the name right before our first official gig. It was in November 2022 as part of the off-season Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival, and we were panicking because we went from jamming as a nameless group to suddenly having to think about marketing and branding. We were shooting names back and forth in the group chat but nothing was really sticking. Then Xabi was like “What about ‘Groove It Down’”? Then Rue was like “Why not just “Groove Down’”?
Who were your musical influences when you were growing up and who are your influences now?
Joan: I started listening to the Rock Classics with Keys, Like The Doors, Deep Purple and Steppenwolf. In my youth, I jumped into 80’s and 90’s funk such as Sly and the Family Stone and Funkadelic. Now, my influences are heading towards Jamiroquai and more jazzy sounds like Snarky Puppy or Yussef Dayes.
Xabi: When I was a kid my thing in music was an eclectic mix from 70s to 90s classics such as Queen, The Police, U2, Metallica, REM, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Nirvana, and also Galician folk and rock, from Diplomáticos to Berrogüeto. Nowadays, I’m always flowing between genres, most recently stunned by 60s American big bands and Brazilian jazz, late 70s funk, world music, neo-soul and an unutterable weakness for Dua Lipa (don’t tell anyone).
Rue: My musical influences have been all over the place! Growing up, I loved classic 70s disco artists such as Sister Sledge, Gloria Gaynor, and Donna Summer, and Motown artists such as The Jackson 5, Stevie Wonder, and Diana Ross. My childhood church background influenced me, as it made my ear crave classic Black gospel melodies and harmonic arrangements. Now, my modern influences are all over the place, Adele; Betty Davis; Patrice Rushen — as long as it’s soulful, I’m there.
Gregor: My musical influences nowadays include the likes of Cory Wong, Vulfpeck, Glamour & the Baybes and Aki Remally, all these bands and musicians have such an unique playing style and they have great musicianship. It’s something I’ll never get tired of listening to. These people inspire me to become a better musician in so many ways and they are probably the reason I’ve decided to stay in music!
Michael: Growing up, I loved classic rock bands such as Dire Straits and The Police. I would listen to a lot of classic rock on my way to work with my Dad and then on the job with my uncle. Now, my major musical influences are John Mayer and the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
How would you describe your sound?
Our sound is a unique blend of modern and vintage. Inspired by the soulful greats across the decades, we combine the melodic simplicity of the 70s, high-energy rhythm of the 80s, the genre-bending of the 90s, and the pop catchiness of the 00s to create our trademark sound.
What is your latest release called and what was the influence behind it?
Our latest release is a single called “Somebody.” There’s not a particular influence behind it, we took Joan’s classical chord progression he was jamming with and made it funkier and more rhythmic. Structurally, it mirrors dance floor disco hits like “Hot Stuff” that have a repetitive structure to give room to the narrative!
What’s your local music scene like?
Edinburgh’s music scene is bustling! There are so many live music venues and jams to play at. It’s a city full of musicians like ourselves who are passionate about creating. Right now, there are a lot of original bands at the forefront of the scene, and we think this points towards Edinburgh hopefully turning into a hub of fresh, original acts in the UK.
What do you have planned for the next 12 months?
After the release of “Somebody” on April 5th, we’ll follow that with the release of our next single 6 weeks later — a nod to classic disco called “Do You Remember.” After that, we’ll release our EP by the end of Summer 2024 and start to plan a UK tour! Outside of our release plans, we’ll be busy gigging around the city — especially with our residency at Eve, Virgin Hotels, where you can find us almost every Saturday night.
Is there anyone you’d love to collaborate with?
We’d love to collaborate with Happy Daggers! They’re a Leeds-based funk band that performed after us at Stramash in November 2023 and we were blown away by how tight they are. It would be amazing to do a combined set!
Any funny stories surrounding your live performances?
Once at the Jazz Bar, a group of uni student friends came up to Rue and asked her to sign their arm. It was incredibly flattering, but the gesture itself was funny because it was so unexpected!
What is the one thing that you want readers to know about you?
That we are always down to gig and collaborate so please get in touch with any enquires!
Upcoming live dates and performances
Eve Virgin Hotels, Edinburgh
Every Saturday between 13th April to 18th May from 19:00 to 23:00
Stramash Edinburgh
Friday 26th April from 19:00 to 21:00
Every other Tuesday night from 00:30 to 02:30 starting on May 14th
You can find out more about Groove Down on their website or via Apple Music, Facebook, Instagram, Spotify, TikTok or YouTube.
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