For a short time, Rare Silk looked as if they were going to be a significant jazz vocal group. Consisting of Gaile Gillaspie, Marylynn Gillaspie, Todd Buffa, and Marguerite Juenemann (replaced by Barbara Reeves and then Jamie Broumas), Rare Silk started out as a swing-oriented group in the vein of the Pied Pipers and (even with the inclusion of a male member) the Andrews Sisters. They appeared with Benny Goodman at the 1980 Playboy Jazz Festival. During the next few years, they modernized their style to include both bop and funkier material, recording for Polydor (1982) and Palo Alto (1985-1986); most notable were their versions of "New York Afternoon," "Red Clay," and "Spain." However, Rare Silk never really caught on and they eventually broke up. ~ Scott Yanow