Customer Reviews

The Philly Sound 1966-1976: Kenny Gamble And Leon Huff

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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.

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.

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.

the New Philly Sound is Alright but this is the Real Deal.from the Production of Gamble&Huff on Done the Line you had Great Writing,Production&top FLight Musicianship.Great Songs from the O'Jays,Jacksons,Harold Melvoin&the Blue Notes,Archie Bell&The Drells,Intruders,Bunny Sigler,Billy Paul,etc... this was a Sound of Hits also Songs that Reflected Love,Liberty&Life.it captured many emotions&feelings timeless material.

What the Motown Sound started, Gamble & Huff finished. It's all here, hit after hit, after hit. Music that will instantly remind you of a special time or place in your own life. Music that gets a 95 out of 100, 'cause its easy to dance to and better to just listen to.

Gamble & Huff's Philly Sound, much like its Midwest cousin-Motown, was a sound of its own. Strings, full orchastra, perhaps a solo instrument when least expected, whatever it took to tell the story, that was the way Gamble and Huff did it.

This is a three-disc set with hours of hits that are hard to find anywhere else. Billy Paul's "Me and Mrs. Jones, the original theme for the "Soul Train" TV show, as well as hits from the O'Jays.

Not just a music purchase, an investment in your listening pleasure.

all n' all this is a great box set of some of the best philly hits of all time,but how could philly records leave out these fab artists of the philly sound as follows,jean carn,the jones girls,lou rawls,mcphadden and whitehead,jerry butler,the futures,leon huff, dee dee sharp,teddy's solo hits, the late,great phyllis hyman,patty labelle,brenda and the tabulations,n'the philly all stars,on n' on !they could have left out 1or2 o'jays n' blue notes n'leave room for other great artists!!keep on keeping on philadelphia!!joey hoffman in dover pa.god bless you all!t.s.o.p.(the sound of philadelphia)

...Nuf said. I own it. They're such a force in classic R&B--and this box set, while not 100% definitive, is BY FAR the best retrospect out there! Please, please, please reissue it! (How hard can it be?)

I agree with other reviewers...The only thing that would make this compilation better would simple be more songs. ("You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine" for example.)

America has been blessed with Gershwin, Cole Porter, and GAMBLE & HUFF!!!!!!!!

Does anybody know where to write to get another boxed set of these classics released. I remember listening to PIR as a child and this boxed set, great as it is, has a whole lot missing like McFadden & Whitehead, Phyllis Hyman and Patti Labelle.

A great introduction to the more symphonic side of soul-disco, featuring some of the finest disco songs ever written, like "Bad Luck", "Soul Train" or "Back Stabbers". But you also get a thick booklet featuring a brief history of the Philly sound and comments from artists of yesterday and today. A good investment indeed.