In the late 70s, after disco hit the mainstream and washed away most of the funk bands, R&B music was at a crossroads. As the decade turned in 1980, a new genre of West Coast music rose up to prominence: West Coast Soul. Taking a lesson from West Coast pop, it featured an uptown sophisticated sound, a little jazz, a little funk, a little soul and a lot of smooth vibes:

Here’s a montage of some West Coast Soul from the early 80s: