The Philly Sound 1966-1976: Kenny Gamble And Leon Huff [Box set]

Various Artists (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 30, 1997)
• Original Release Date: September 30, 1997
• Number of Discs: 3
• Format: Box set
• Note on Boxed Sets: During shipping, discs in boxed sets occasionally become dislodged without damage. Please examine and play these discs. If you are not completely satisfied, we'll refund or replace your purchase.
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B000002AAD
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #226,037 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Expressway To Your Heart - Soul Survivors

2. Cowboys To Girls - The Intruders

3. I Can't Stop Dancing - Archie Bell And The Drells

4. Only The Strong Survive - Jerry Butler

5. One Night Affair - The O'Jays

6. (We'll Be) United - The Intruders

See all 20 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Love Train - The O'Jays

2. the Love Lost - Harold Melvin And The Blue Notes

3. Now That We Found Love - The O'Jays

4. Yesterday I Had The Blues - Harold Melvin And The Blue Notes

5. I'll Always Love My Mama - The Intruders

6. For The Love Of Money - The O'Jays

See all 14 tracks on this disc

Disc: 3

1. Livin' For The Weekend - The O'Jays

2. Wake Up Everybody - Harold Melvin And The Blue Notes

3. Enjoy Yourself - The Jacksons

4. I Could Dance All Night - Archie Bell And The Drells

5. I love Music - The O'Jays

6. Love Epidemic - The Trammps

See all 14 tracks on this disc

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Essential, But Incomplete, Selection of Classic Philly Soul, July 18, 2000

By 

Anthony G Pizza "trivialtony" (FL) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Philly Sound 1966-1976: Kenny Gamble And Leon Huff (Audio CD)

The vintage music recorded at Philadelphia International Records, especially during owner/producers Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff's first decade, glue the classic soul of Memphis and Motown with the disco and hip-hop sounds to follow. "The Philly Sound," three volumes including #1 hits by Billy Paul, the O'Jays, Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes and others, celebrates gritty vocals, lush, deep-grooved orchestration, and socially proactive lyrics for what became classic R&B's final bow.

The set serves to salute not only Gamble-Huff and their considerable artist stable, but also their distinctive backup band MFSB (whose trumpet player, Rocky Bene, tried in vain to teach yours truly in high school). Also, it salutes songwriters like McFadden-Whitehead and Linda Creed, and arrangers like Bunny Sigler, Bobby Martin and Thom Bell (who himself could merit a producer's box set).

The introductions alone to these songs are 70s signposts: the strings and horns blowing smokerings to introduce Paul's "Me and Mrs. Jones," the musical sunrise on the Blue Notes' "Wake Up Everybody," the sinister bass line which begins the O'Jays earth-shaking "For The Love Of Money." The outros went on a bit too long (this music started disco, after all) but Teddy Pendergrass' personal-into-political-into-spiritual rant at the end of "Bad Luck" is one of soul's best performances (recorded in a town whose mayor, often perceived at odds with Gamble and the black community, actively supported the president who "said he was gonna give it up!")

The non-existent fourth volume of this collection might have been its best. It could have included outstanding late-70s hits from Lou Rawls, Teddy Pendergrass solo, O'Jays, Jones Girls, Patti LaBelle, McFadden-Whitehead's standard "Ain't No Stoppin'Us Now" and the Philadelphia All-Stars "Let's Clean Up The Ghetto," a must-hear. It might have even included early productions like the Formations "At The Top Of The Stairs," the Supremes/Temps' "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me," and PI hits like "Put Your Hands Together" and "Thanks For Saving My Life." Disparate distribution deals (brought on by PI's recurrent cash flow problems) hold those back for, at best, a volume II.

For now, "The Philly Sound" glued black music's finest era to its modern era, influencing disco, club music, British New Romantic pop, artists from Barry White to Lisa Stansfield and producers from Prince to Todd Rundgren. Essential music to be sure, just incomplete.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must Have, January 23, 2005

By 

S. C Sochet "samerator" (syosset, NY United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Philly Sound (Audio CD)

I don't know why this boxed set never made it big. It is an excellent collection. Harold Melvin, The O'Jays, Billy Paul, those great Philly orchestrations, etc. These groups were right up there with Motown. No filler. This is worth having, people.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The cream of Philly soul, July 16, 2000

By 

Jeffrey Harris (South San Francisco, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Philly Sound 1966-1976: Kenny Gamble And Leon Huff (Audio CD)

This 48-track 3 disc set pays homeage to one of the most creative and prolific production teams in popular music, Kenny Gamble & Leon Huff. Having written and produced hits for Jerry Butler, Archie Bell & The Drells, and The Soul Survivors, Gamble & Huff started Philadelphia International Records in 1971 with the backing of CBS Records. Starting with The O'Jay's smash "Back Stabbers", the hits didn't stop for nearly a decade. This package has great rare photos and well written essays acknowledging many of the behind the scenes people including Philly International's amazing house band MFSB, arrangers Thom Bell and Bobby Martin, and the label's chief engineer Joe Tarsia. The labels biggest hits are here as well as great but lesser known tracks from The Ebonys, Dusty Springfield, Laura Nyro & Labelle to name a few. These remastered tracks sound excellent and really make me want to see more of the original albums remastered(are you listening Sony Legacy? ). A very nicely done box set.