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A great take on the sound of Philadelphia International – a double-length set of re-edits of Philly gems from years back – but all done in ways that are completely respectful to the originals! The approach here is wonderful – as warm and soulful as the Philly grooves from back in the day – but often extended and reworked slightly – the way you might have heard on a vintage 12" promo – which is even more impressive once you consider that some of these tracks never came out in that format! The choice of tracks is totally right on the money – and a great demonstration of that old school edit mode that never tried to mess with the track at all – just increase the pleasure it brought to the dancefloor – and the set features 21 very long tracks, including "Satisfaction Guaranteed (Morning Star re-edit)" by Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, "Only The Strong Survive (J*Ski re-edit)" by Billy Paul, "Free Love (Victor Rosado re-edit)" by Jean Carn, "Life On Mars (DJ Mila re-edit)" by Dexter Wansel, "Ain't No Stoppin Us Now (The Noodleman re-work)" by McFadden & Whitehead, "Nights Over Egypt (Womack & TOT re-edit) by The Jones Girls, "Strategy (Touchsoul re-edit)" by Archie Bell & The Drells, "Let The Dollar Circulate (Scratch N Sniff's ext re-reub)" by Billy Paul, "Darlin Darlin Baby (Deep & Disco re-work)" by The O'Jays, and "Be For Real (Tim McAllister re-edit)" by Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes.

Massive mixes from the mighty Tom Moulton – a huge 4CD package that not only includes some classic lost and rare mixes from the 70s, but also a whopping 17 previously unreleased Moulton mixes, appearing here for the first time ever! If there's anyone who's ever been well-suited to reworking a Philly groove, it's Tom – given his long standing association with the soul scene in the City Of Brotherly Love – and his crucial role in pushing soul tracks into the clubs during the 70s. As with most of Tom's best work, the mixes here are richly faithful to the originals – and never try to overstate themselves at all, just focus on the best elements, and bring them to the forefront of the groove! 4CDs, 31 tracks, and Moulton remixes of "Back Stabbers" by The O'Jays, "Dirty Ol Man" by Three Degrees, "Trusting Heart" by The Trammps, "Do It Any Way You Wanna" by People's Choice, "Nights Over Egypt" by The Jones Girls, "I Don't Love You Anymore" by Teddy Pendergrass, "Year Of Decision" by Three Degrees, "Slow Motion" by Johnny Williams, "The Love I Lost" by Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, "She's A Winner" by The Intruders, "Trammps Disco Theme/Zing Went The Strings" by The Trammps, "Let's Groove" by Archie Bell & The Drells, "The Devil Made Me Do It" by Robert Upchurch, "Love Is The Message" by MFSB, "Party Time Man" by The Futures, and "See You When I Get There" by Lou Rawls.

Massive mixes from the mighty Tom Moulton – a huge package that not only includes some classic lost and rare mixes from the 70s, but also previously unreleased Moulton mixes, appearing here for the first time ever! If there's anyone who's ever been well-suited to reworking a Philly groove, it's Tom – given his long standing association with the soul scene in the City Of Brotherly Love – and his crucial role in pushing soul tracks into the clubs during the 70s. As with most of Tom's best work, the mixes here are richly faithful to the originals – and never try to overstate themselves at all, just focus on the best elements, and bring them to the forefront of the groove! This totally cool package features 31 mixes in all – pressed up as eight 12" EPs – most with four tracks each, leaving plenty of room for very long mixes! Titles include Moulton mixes of "Jam Jam Jam" by People's Choice, "I Don't Love You Anymore" by Teddy Pendergrass, "Party Time Man" by The Futures, "Intro/My Love Don't Come Easy" by Jean Carn, "Trusting Heart" by The Trammps, "Don't Leave Me This Way" by Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, "Let's Groove" by Archie Bell & The Drells, "Dirty Ol Man" by Three Degrees, "Slow Motion" by Johnny Williams, "I'll Always Love My Mama" by The Intruders, "The Devil Made Me Do It" by Robert Upchurch, "Back Stabbers" by The O'Jays, "See You When I Get There" by Lou Rawls, and "Love Epidemic" by The Trammps.

The most loving tribute to Philadelphia International that we've ever seen – a massive 10CD box set that also features a 60 page booklet, a full Philly International discography, and a huge amount of great tracks from the legendary label – over 12 hours of music in all! The track list is wonderful – put together by Ralph Tee, of Expansion Records fame – with a great ear for the full range of Philly sounds, not just the hits – which means that in addition to work by The O'Jays, Teddy Pendergrass, MFSB, and Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes – the set also features work by The Ebonys, Bobby Bennett, Robert Upchurch, Love Committee, Kaleidoscope, Monk Montgomery, Norman Harris, Frantique, The Dells, Silk, The Ethics, The Futures, Carolyn Crawford, and others! Great stuff all the way through – and a bargain at this price.

One of the most compelling later albums on Philly International – a killer mix of jazzy numbers that have a very different style than most of the other Philly work at the time! Even though Leon Huff had been banging around in soul music for about 15 years – most famously as half of the Philly soul superteam Gamble & Huff – this 1980 LP was his first effort as an artist, instead of producer. In Chicago, the big highlight is the jazzy stepping track "I Ain't Jivin, I'm Jammin" – which grooves along with a sweet two-step piano sound that's still quite popular on the dancefloor – but the record is filled with nice tracks including "Tight Money", which was done earlier by Reuben Wilson, the funky "Your Body Won't Move If You Can't Feel The Groove", the breezy instrumental "No Greater Love", "Tasty", "This One's For Us" and "Latin Spirit".

Sparkling modern soul from the lovely Phyllis Hyman – and an album that has the singer picking up the wonderfully smooth groove that had become the Philly International sound of the mid 80s. This format works surprisingly well for Phyllis – quite possibly more so than it did even for longer-running artists on the label – as it gives her a great showcase for the more sophisticated and adult sort of themes that were really emerging in her music, the kind of classy soul that Hyman helped forge strongly at the time. Titles include the great numbers "Old Friend", "Ain't You Had Enough Love", "If You Want Me", "Living All Alone", and a nice version of "What You Won't Do For Love".

One of the strangest albums ever issued on Philly International – a set of tunes by Dick Jensen, who was part blue-eyed soul singer, part easy male vocalist – sounding here as if he'd almost hit the market about 5 years too late to make a difference. The record's the kind that would be more at home on late 60s Capitol than early 70s Philly – but they must have had big plans for it, as all the tracks are originals by Gamble & Huff, who also do the production with Thom Bell and Bunny Sigler. Bobby Martin, Vince Montana, and Norman Harris all arrange, so the backings are top-shelf too – it's just that Dick can't seem to figure out what he wants to be from track to track on the record. Titles include the funky "Fat Mama", plus "Peace Of Mind", "Going Up To The Mountain", "I Don't Want To Cry", "32nd Street", and "Tamika".

One of the strangest albums ever issued on Philly International – a set of tunes by Dick Jensen, who was part blue-eyed soul singer, part easy male vocalist – sounding here as if he'd almost hit the market about 5 years too late to make a difference. The record's the kind that would be more at home on late 60s Capitol than early 70s Philly – but they must have had big plans for it, as all the tracks are originals by Gamble & Huff, who also do the production with Thom Bell and Bunny Sigler. Bobby Martin, Vince Montana, and Norman Harris all arrange, so the backings are top-shelf too – it's just that Dick can't seem to figure out what he wants to be from track to track on the record. Titles include the funky "Fat Mama", plus "Peace Of Mind", "Going Up To The Mountain", "I Don't Want To Cry", "32nd Street", and "Tamika".

A great little set from this solo member of the Jones Girls – and one of the strongest new sets on Philly International in the 80s! Shirley delivers a warm set of sparkling modern soul tracks that really show the growth and the maturity of the Philly sound in the 80s – getting way past the simple club of the early years, and moving into a more adult mode that's helped along strongly by top-shelf production from Bunny Sigler, Dexter Wansel, Reggie Griffin, and Gamble & Huff. Titles include "She Knew About Me", "Breaking Up", "Do You Get Enough Love?", and "Always In The Mood".

Excellent work from this legendary vocal trio! The Jones Girls were probably one of the best female acts to ever hit the Philly International stable – really a cut above their contemporaries, and not just one of those acts that was kind of a backup singer set, come forward! Their vocals are sublime – richly complicated, and with a maturity that really comes through on this set – a record that has them grooving away nicely in a sophisticated style that's only matched by some of the other male groups on Philly International. Cuts include the classic club tracks "This Feeling's Killing Me" and "You Gonna Make Me Love Somebody Else" – plus "I'm At Your Mercy", "We're A Melody", "Who Can I Run To", and "Life Goes On". Great production by Dexter Wansel & Gamble and Huff!

Classic Philly soul from Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes – a killer batch of studio tracks, despite the live image of the group on the cover! The album's got a slightly more expansive feel than some of the other Teddy Pendergrass-era albums by The Blue Notes – almost a mini-symphony of soul, and one that takes arrangements from Bobby Martin, Norman Harris, and Vince Montana – and wraps the vocals up in a soaring, righteous sort of feel! The rougher, more personal Teddy Pendergrass style of I Miss You is folded a bit more into the harmonies of the rest of the group here – and the result is a powerful wave of soul that pushes The Blue Notes right to the top of the pack. The album features classics like "The Love I Lost" and "Is There A Place For Me" – plus other nice material like "Concentrate On Me", "It All Depends On You", and "I'm Weak For You". This CD edition has 2 bonus tracks: "The Love I Lost (Part 1 – Single Version)" and "I'm Weak For You (Part 1 – Single Version)".

We never tire of this one – and we think it's a landmark soul LP that forever changed the face of soul music! Teddy Pendergrass is in perfect form, and he really gets into it on the album's 2 incredible long tracks – "I Miss You", and "Be For Real" – both with amazing monologues that will knock your socks off! The rest of the LP is prime Philly stuff with a sound that's a lot more soulful and less uptempo than their later ones – and tracks include the hit "If You Don't Know Me By Now", "Ebony Woman", "Yesterday I Had The Blues", and "Let It Be You". CD features a bonus live version of "If You Don't Know Me By Now", from 1973!

Excellent work from Gamble & Huff – with a strong Philly groove on just about every track, and good instrumental moments that really keep the groove fresh and strong. Many tracks have background female vocals on the choruses, and the record's got good percussion by Leroy Bell and synth and keyboards by Casey James. Tracks include "Use Ta Be My Guy", "To Be In Love", "Is It Something I Said", and a nice version of "Wishing On A Star".

A sweet later groover from The O'Jays – warm, mellow, and moving at a great midtempo clip – a groove that lets the harmonies soar out beautifully over the top! The hook is wonderful, with a slight undercurrent of righteousness – and "My Favorite Person" follows with an equally great feel – one of the group's best cuts of the time!

A pivotal album from The O'Jays – and an undeniable Philly classic! The record was the third the group cut for the Philadelphia International label – but it was really the first one that pushed their strong righteous soul agenda, sort of a mix of message-oriented lyrics and heavy soul (ala The Temptations), fused with the warmer more sophisticated styles of the Philly sound! The blend is perfect – and has a way of getting the message from the underground right into the living room – and a bit onto the charts as well! From the image on the cover – which features the group in a slave ship setting – to politics of tracks like "Don't Call Me Brother", "For The Love Of Money", "Put Your Hands Together", and "This Air That I Breathe", the record's an extremely unified effort – kind of to the O'Jays what What's Going On was to Marvin Gaye. Other titles include "You Got Your Hooks In Me", "Now That We Found Love", and "People Keep Tellin Me". Also includes bonus tracks – "Put Your Hands Together (live in London 1973)", "For The Love Of Money (single version)", and "Now That We Found Love (single version)".

An amazing early album from Billy Paul – the start of a rich career of sophisticated soul, and a record that really put Paul on the map right away – making him one of the most soulful interpreters of song in the 70s! There's a mix of modes going on here that's a bit similar to the early solo work of Isaac Hayes – a way of mixing mature styles from jazz, soul, and pop – into a blend that's all very much Billy's own, and which completely grabs you right from the start! The first track, "Ebony Woman", perfectly sums up Billy's style – one of those haunting tunes that never lets us down – and the album follows with a brilliant mix of tunes that includes nice groovers like "Everyday People" and "Psychedelic Sally" – plus the tracks "The Windmills Of Your Mind", "Windy", and "Let's Fall In Love All Over Again", all given a great soulful vibe and a very different twist!

A stone treasure from one of the greatest soul singers of the 70s – and a set you'll regularly find in the coolest of record collections from back in the day! Billy Paul was always one of the hippest talents on Philly International – mixing together soul and jazz influences with a deeper sense of spirituality, and long experience as a sophisticated vocalist. This album's one of his most sublime efforts – kind of a quasi-spiritual record with a similar high-concept approach to some of Marvin Gaye's work from the same time – really righteous, in ways that the Philly label didn't always hit – and which really goes past even most of Billy's already hip previous efforts. Gamble and Huff produced and wrote most of the record – including the two long tracks that make up side one, "I See The Light" and "War Of The Gods", the latter of which starts out slow and moody, then breaks out into a club groove. Other titles include the more standard soul tune "The Whole Town's Talking", plus "Thanks For Saving My Life" and "Peace Holy Peace". CD features bonus tracks – "War Of The Gods (part 1)", "The Whole Town's Talking (single)", and "I Was Married (single)".

One of Bunny's earliest, and one of his best. Although some of the tracks have an uptempo pre-disco feel, there's none of the excesses of his later albums for Gold Mind. Instead, there's a solid Philly soul groove, and great production by Bunny, with arrangements by Norman Harris and Ronnie Baker. Tracks include "Keep Smilin", "Picture Us", "Love Train", "Things Are Gonna Get Better", and "Your Love Is Good".

Great work by Bunny Sigler – and a perfect bridge between his earlier Philly soul from the late 60s, and his later disco from the end of the 70s! Bunny's in perfect form vocally – and the record is a super-strong batch of tracks that deserves to be well up there in the Gamble/Huff cannon – oft-overlooked for some odd reason, but prime 70s Philly all the way through – and quite different than some of Sigler's later material! The songwriting's great – loads of compelling original cuts – and arrangements are by Bunny, Ronnie Baker, and Norman Harris – ensuring a top-shelf Sigma sound all the way through! Titles include "I Lied", "Picture Us", "Things Are Gonna Get Better", "Your Love Is Good", and a different take on "Love Train". CD features 2 bonus tracks – "Love Train (part 1)", and "I Lied (single version)".

A great batch of uptempo east coast soul from the Trammps – one of the tightest units working in the late 70s – a group that's marked from eternity by the enormity of their huge hit "Disco Inferno" – with a wonderful overall sound that's runs much deeper! This album is a testament to that ideal! Rich, warm, string-laden soul that's ripe for rediscovery! Tracks include "Stop & Think", "Save A Place", "Where Do We Go From Here", "Love Epidemic", "Trusting Heart", "Just Say The Word", "Promise Me", "Oh Haa Hey" and "Trammps Disco Theme".

A sweet little set of classic 70s Philly – one of the best collections of work by the team of Gamble & Huff we've ever seen! There's nothing too obscure or offbeat here – and instead, the collection focuses mostly on the massive crossover tracks produced by the pair back in the day – the landmark soul that not only redefined the sound of Philly, but also the 70s as well! And while most of this material has been on the market often over the years, it's still pretty darn nice to see it all clustered together in one place. Most titles are the full-length album versions – and the CD features 14 tracks that include "Me & Mrs Jones" by Billy Paul, "When Will I See You Again" by Three Degrees, "TSOP" by MFSB, "Do It Any Way You Wanna" by People's Choice, "I'll Always Love My Mama" by The Intruders, "Use Ta Be My Girl" by The O'Jays, "You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine" by Lou Rawls, "The Love I Lost" by Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, "Back Stabbers" by The O'Jays, "Love Train" by The O'Jays, "Ain't No Stoppin Us Now" by McFadden & Whitehead, "Close The Door" by Teddy Pendergrass, and "If You Only Knew" by Patti LaBelle.

One of the hippest albums ever recorded by the Jones/Lewis band – oddly cut for Philadelphia International, during the height of that label's classic soul output! The group is totally great – filled with deeply soulful players like Ron Bridgewater, Cecil Bridgewater, Billy Harper, Roland Hanna, Jon Faddis, and George Mraz – and the tunes have a laidback feel that moves past the group's big band stylings, into a ream that includes some hipper mellow tracks – including a few with nice electric piano work. Quite soulful throughout – almost a Quincy Jones feel – and includes covers of "Don't You Worry Bout A Thing", "For The Love Of Money", and "Living For The City" – plus the originals "Yours & Mine", "Quiet Lady", "All My Yesterdays", and "Blues In A Minute".

Essential female Philly soul recorded by the Jones Girls, a group who came to Philly later than many of their big 70s acts, but who went onto become possibly the best female act who recorded with Gamble & Huff. The record's a group effort of the Philly team – with arrangements by Gene Page, Dexter Wansel, McKinley Jackson, and Richard Rome – but it's the girls' vocals that make the record shine, as they take on a sophisticated style that pushes them past many of their contemporaries, who were still going for a disco groove that was basically just an update of the earlier girl group sound. Includes the classics "Nights Over Egypt" and "Get As Much Love As You Can" – plus "I Found That Man Of Mine", "Let's Be Friends First", and "You're Breakin' My Heart".

A stone Philly classic – and a record that gave the world one of the most positive, upbeat tunes ever! The team of McFadden & Whitehead were not only one of the best songwriting duos in the Philly International stable – they were also a great soul combo who really knew how to work the dancefloor – stepping out with surprising tightness on this debut set, and really earning some great fame as they moved from the background to the limelight! This first album by the team is certainly their strongest legacy – as it contains their massive cut "Ain't No Stoppin Us Now", a righteous dancefloor anthem that became as much a political rallying cry as it did a call to boogie. The cut's a monster, and it's included here with similar numbers like "Just Wanna Love You Baby", "Got to Change", "I've Been Pushed Aside", and "Mr. Music".

Teddy Pendergrass and crew get a bit more political than on earlier releases, and adopt the righteous bubbling soul groove that had put the O'Jays over the top a few years earlier – with incredible results! The title cut – "Wake Up Everybody" – would prove to be a great example of the political Philly International hit formula applied to socially conscious themes, but the record probably scored even bigger with the club crossover hit "Don't Leave Me This Way". Other tracks include "Keep On Lovin You", "Tell The World How I Feel About Cha Baby", "I'm Searching For A Love", and "You Know How To Make Me Feel So Good" – the latter two of which also feature female vocals by Sharon Paige. Bobby Martin, Norman Harris, and Ronnie Baker did the arrangements – and this was Teddy's last LP with the group.

A key moment for the Philly soul scene of the 70s – and the first album to feature the MFSB backing group as a solo act on their own! The ensemble were responsible for key sounds on countless soul singles of the time – yet also find a way to soar beautifully on their own – in a sweet instrumental groove that matches the strength of Barry White's Love Unlimited Orchestra, and which was definitely a key inspiration for the sound of the Salsoul Orchestra! There's definitely a bit of early disco in the mix, but the style's more uptempo east coast overall – that pre-disco groove that was going down in the clubs – with larger strings added to a core group of funky rhythm players. Gamble & Huff production make the whole thing sparkle, and arrangements are by Vince Montana, Bobby Martin, and Jack Faith – on titles that include "Love Is The Message", "Cheaper To Keep Her", "TSOP", "Zack's Fanfare", "Touch Me In The Morning", and "My One & Only Love".

A key moment for the Philly soul scene of the 70s – and the first album to feature the MFSB backing group as a solo act on their own! The ensemble were responsible for key sounds on countless soul singles of the time – yet also find a way to soar beautifully on their own – in a sweet instrumental groove that matches the strength of Barry White's Love Unlimited Orchestra, and which was definitely a key inspiration for the sound of the Salsoul Orchestra! There's definitely a bit of early disco in the mix, but the style's more uptempo east coast overall – that pre-disco groove that was going down in the clubs – with larger strings added to a core group of funky rhythm players. Gamble & Huff production make the whole thing sparkle, and arrangements are by Vince Montana, Bobby Martin, and Jack Faith – on titles that include "Love Is The Message", "Cheaper To Keep Her", "TSOP", "Zack's Fanfare", "Touch Me In The Morning", and "My One & Only Love". CD features bonus tracks – "Love Is The Message (single version – with Three Degrees)", "TSOP (with Three Degrees)", and "Love Is The Message (Tom Moulton mix)".

A seminal album by this legendary Philly instrumental group – essentially the house band at Sigma Studios, and an incredible ensemble filled with top-shelf musicians! The sound here is virtually the blueprint for Philly soul of the 70s – a blend of wickedly tight rhythms and fuller orchestrations – served up in a way that's never sleepy, never overdone – and which has a careful balance that none of the group's imitators could match! Production is by the team of Gamble & Huff – already well-known associates of the group of musicians that includes Bobby Eli, Lenny Pakula, Leon Huff, Norman Harris, Vince Montana, and many more! Most of the titles here are instrumental remakes of familiar tunes – all given a Philly soul sound, and one heck of a groove! Titles include "Family Affair", "Freddie's Dead", "Back Stabbers", "Something For Nothing", and "Poinciana". CD also features a bonus track – "Family Affair (7" single version)".

The setting is the Golden Gate, but the sound is pure Philly International – a rare early live performance from the label, featuring some of its key vocal heavyweights working here with live accompaniment from MFSB! Although the instrumental group backed Philly artists often in the studio, this 1973 concert marks the only time they worked live with the singers – in a stunning showcase for the young label, performed as part of a Columbia Records convention in San Francisco! Given the setting, and the uniqueness of the whole event, the CD release of this rare material is a treasure for soul fans of many generations – a rare addition to the amazing run of music the label first started giving us at the time. The set begins with MFSB doing a version of "Freddie's Dead" – then runs into Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes singing "I Miss You", "The Love I Lost", and "If You Don't Know Me By Now" – followed by Three Degrees on "I Didn't Know" and "Dirty Ol Man". MFSB then follow with "TSOP", then Billy Paul sings "East" and "Me & Mrs Jones", and the set ends with The O'Jays on "Love Train", "Sunshine", "Back Stabbers", and "When The World's At Peace".

Beautifully sweet soul by Billy – perhaps a bit more pop soul than some of his other albums, but no less great! Gamble & Huff were firmly in the control room on this one – and the results show on excellent cuts like the huge hit "Me & Mrs. Jones", the funky groover "Am I Black Enough For You" (sampled by Schoolly D), and the tracks "I'm Just A Prisoner", "Brown Baby", and "Let's Stay Together". A masterpiece of sophisticated soul that not only had Billy crossing over big, but which opened whole new doors in the market for black male singers!

An excellent early album from Billy that has him singing in a mixed jazz and soul vein, with a sound that's similar to some of Nina Simone's great live albums from the time! Billy's singing with a small piano trio, and his voice is rich and soulful in a way that you don't always get on his later recordings. The set's nearly all covers, but Billy's interpretations are fantastic, and he turns the tracks into something completely different than you're used to – in the same way that Nina Simone and Isaac Hayes were doing at the time with contemporary hits. Tracks include "Bluesette", "That's Life", "Feelin' Good", "Just In Time", and the Kenny Gamble original, "Missing You".

One of Billy Paul's greatest albums ever – or perhaps the greatest! The record is an amazing blend of soul, jazz, and a soaring sense of spiritualism that's not only rare for Billy Paul – but which makes the record sound different than any other Philly International LP from the time! Billy's way more than a soul singer here – and working in a mode that's very high-concept, reaching towards the sky to bring a new maturity to the music that pushes way past his other pop and soul recordings in the 70s – almost with a consciousness of the spiritual jazz underground, but a bit more focused as well. You can hear this best on the classic track "East", a swirling long groover that takes an extended funky soul jazz journey – and other good cuts include "Jesus Boy (You Only Look Like A Man)", "Love Buddies", "I Wish It Were Yesterday", "Magic Carpet Ride", "This Is Your Life", and a nice cover of "Compared To What". CD features single versions of "Magic Carpet Ride", "Jesus Boy", and "This Is Your Life".

Although Jerry Butler had the first hit with "Only The Strong Survive" – way back in the late 60s, when Gamble & Huff were using his career to first forge their new ideas of Philly soul, Billy Paul does a great job with the cut here, taking it into a smooth modern mode that worked great in the clubs and on the radio. The rest of the record's great, too – and has a mellow sexy style that shows him moving past the early 70s years, but still keeping that frank and mature quality to his vocals that always made his work so compelling. Other tracks include "Everybody's Breaking Up", "The Times Of Our Lives", "Where I Belong", "Sooner Or Later", and a soulful version of "Takin' It To The Streets".

Teddy Pendergrass – we love you! This is one of Mr. P's greatest albums of smooth mellow soul – recorded after he left Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, and began working in a wonderfully warm solo style that had a huge influence on male vocal soul for years to come! The sound here is tremendous – nearly perfect all the way through, with a great balance between class, sophistication, and soul – clearly an indication that Teddy made the right move by going on his own. The record features the classic "The Whole Town's Laughing At Me", plus lots of other nice material like "Be Sure", "Somebody Told Me", "You Can't Hide From Yourself", "Easy Easy Got To Take It Easy", and "The More I Get The More I Want".

Smooth female soul from one of Philly's hottest female trios – Gamble & Huff's big answer to First Choice, and an equally important force in 70s female soul! The album's got a nice mixture of Philly groove and smoother pop arrangements from the likes of Norman Harris, Bobby Martin, Lenny Pakula, and Richard Rome – and tracks include the hit "When Will I See You Again", plus "Dirty Ol' Man", "Can't You See What You're Doing To Me", "I Didn't Know", "I Like Being A Woman", and "Year Of Decision". This edition includes 3 bonus tracks: "TSOP (The Sound Of Philadelphia)" by MFSB featuring The Three Degrees, "Love Is The Message" (single version) and "Dirty Ol' Man" (Tom Moulton mix).

A fantastic bit of space age funk – and maybe one of the greatest moments ever from Philly Soul maestro Dexter Wansel! The album goes way beyond any of Wansel's other work – and blends his warm soulful styles with some of the more keyboard-oriented funk that was coming out of the Herbie Hancock camp during the mid 70s – a vibe that's every bit as electric and spacey as you'd guess from the cover! Some cuts have a bit more of a soul focus, but others have loads of jazzy keyboards from Dexter – driven on by some great drums at points too. Titles include Wansel's legendary version of "Theme From the Planets" with the much sampled breakbeat at the beginning – plus the funky "Life On Mars", and the tracks "One Million Miles From The Ground", "You Can Be What You Wanna Be", "Prophet Named KG", "Rings Of Saturn", and "Stargazer".

Dexter Wansel keeps up the space jazz funk groove that was begun on Life On Mars – with those fat, thumping bass lines, elastic lead guitar, atmospheric soul vocals and loads and loads of keys – spatial work on Rhodes, Moogs and ARPs! It's all done in a funky style not always heard on Philly! Dexter arranged and produced just about everything – and cuts include "All Night Long", "Voyager", "Solutions", "Latin Love", and "Time Is The Teacher".

8 sultry slow jams from the Philly International catalog: "If Only You Knew" by Patti Labelle, "Let Me Make Love To You" by the O'Jays, "Close The Door" and "Love TKO" by Teddy Pendergrass, "I Just Love The Man" by the Jones Girls, "You're The Reason Why" by the Ebonys, "Be For Real" by Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes and "Find Me A Girl" by the Jacksons.

A beautifully-done collection of work from The Intruders – a brilliant package that follows the group from early harmony days into some of their more sophisticated grooves for Philly International in the 70s! The Intruders have a sound that's unlike anyone else we can think of – a sound that's sweet, but which has a kind of rasp at the back too – a really human, almost hesitating quality to the vocals that makes just about anything they do come out sounding wonderful. And while we're normally not fans of best-of collections over full LPs, we've got to tip our hat to the compilers on this one – because the track list is superb – filled with gems that include "A Love That's Real", "Cowboys To Girls", "Together", "United", "Love Is Like A Baseball Game", "Slow Drag", "Sad Girl", "Me Tarzan You Jane", "When We Get Married", "She's A Winner", "Mother & Child Reunion", "I'll Always Love My Mama", "I Wanna Know Your Name", "Hang On In There", "A Nice Girl Like You", "Plain Ol Fashioned Girl", "To Be Happy Is The Real Thing", and "Save The Children".

A great sense of righteousness and groove – the key mix that made the O'Jays so great back in the day – and which really helped put the Philly International enterprise on the map! The album's miles from the group's simple harmony soul roots – even though those were pretty darn great – and it blends together soaring backings with a sweet Gamble/Huff finish, and really makes some magic in the way the whole thing comes off. Titles include the great mellow ballad "Stairway To Heaven", the party groovers "Livin For The Weekend" and "I Love Music" – and the cuts "Unity", "You & Me", and "She's Only A Woman".

Classic smooth soul from Teddy P – recorded in the years after he'd left Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, when he was recording some of the finest sensual soul ever! The set's got a total of 12 tracks in all, most of them some of Teddy's best numbers – like "Close The Door", "Come Go With Me", "Turn Off The Lights", "It's Time For Love", "Love TKO", "It Don't Hurt Now", "Somebody Told Me", "And If I Had", "The Whole Town's Laughing At Me", and "Can't We Try".

One of Lou's classics for Philly International – a warm mix of smooth soul and adult vocals, handled with some great arrangements by Dexter Wansel and Thom Bell. There's less standout singles on this set than previous Philly records, but Lou's class and quality makes nearly every track come out wonderfully – a masterpiece of soulful understatement and grace. Titles include "We Keep Getting Closer To Being Further Apart", "Time Will Take Care Of Everything", "What's The Matter With The World", "Bark Bite", and "Lover's Holiday".

A sparkling stormer from Jean Carn – and both cuts are great! "Don't Let It Go To Your Head" is one of the real Philly treasures from later years – a track that never charted big, but which has gone onto become a global soul favorite – thanks to a sublime jazzy groove, and vocals that just won't quit! "We Got Some Catchin Up To Do" has a similar lineage – overlooked at the time, but a bouncy groover filled with plenty of mature sophisticated soul!

Mid 70s magic from The Three Degrees – a time when this Philly trio was really at the height of their powers! The girl group had recorded previously, in a somewhat more standard style of Philly soul – but during the 70s they hooked up with Gamble & Huff, and managed to make some really amazing music that forever helped transform the style of female soul on the dancefloor! The trio's vocals are a perfect match for the soaring strings and lively rhythms of the Philly International groove – and the cuts are as sweet as they are grooving – a magical balance that few other groups could strike this well. CD features 14 tracks – including "When Will I See You Again", "Long Lost Lover", "Can't You See What You're Doing To Me", "Love Is The Message", "TSOP", "Dirty Ol Man", "Here I Am", "I Didn't Know", "If & When", "Year Of Decision", and "Everybody Gets To Go To The Moon (live version)".

Great stuff from Billy – not his most famous album, but filled with some obscure treasures that really stand out in his work – and the stellar Philadelphia International label! The record's got a tight Gamble/Huff sound – moving very much into the Philly modern style that would dominate the end of the 70s – appropriate that they'd set the pace so well for this album, the fifth LP to arrive on the Philadelphia International label. Includes an extended mellow love suite that includes the cuts "When Love Is New", "I Want'Cha Baby", and "Let's Make A Baby" – some of Billy's sweetest songs ever. Those are preceded by the nearly as great "America (We Need The Light)", "Let The Dollar Circulate", and "People Power". A real gem!

Soaring soul from The Futures – a Philly group who'd already worked for years in the underground before cracking the racks with this debut LP in 1975 – schooled strongly in their best vocal modes from previous singles, and ready to unleash the best side of their sound on the world! The set's got a perfectly put-together style that's much more like some of the Philly vocal work on Atlantic of Philadelphia International at the time – although also not as commercial, thanks to a righteous undercurrent in the group's presentation and overall aesthetic – hinted at by their image on the cover! Arrangements are by David Van DePitte and Wade Marcus, who also echo a bit of Detroit styles too – particularly the righteous blend of The Temptations towards the end of their Motown years. The Futures are equally great on mellow cuts and stormers – and titles include Castles", "Do Unto Others", "Ninety Days (In The House Of Love Correction)", "I Had A Dream", "Love Will Be Around Forever", and "Super Love". Plus, the CD features 7 bonus tracks – duets with Barbara Mason on "We Got Each Other" and "Make It Last" – plus "No One Could Compare", "Grade A Woman", "The Way Of A Woman In Love", "Castles (single version)", and "You Better Be Certain".

The vocals of Melba Moore, and some great Philly soul rhythms – put together with tight arrangements from McFadden & Whitehead, who give Moore a similar approach to some of the best Philadelphia International records of the time! There's a really nice sense of balance to the record – some mellower moments mixed in with the groovers, and a few stepping midtempo numbers that are especially nice – and which seem to unlock a depth and maturity in Melba's vocals we can really appreciate. Titles include "Living Freee", "You Are My River". "Standing Right Here", "Just Another Link", "Is This The End", "Promised Land" and "I Don't Know No One Else To Turn To". CD features 2 bonus tracks – extended single versions of "Promised Land" and "Standing Right Here".

The Wicked Pickett takes his groove up to Philly – and comes up with a whole new sound in the process – a raw new style for the 70s, and one that's almost even more compelling than his Muscle Shoals groove! The album was recorded at the early Sigma Sound studios in Philly – and features arrangements from Bobby Martin, Lenny Pakula, and Roland Chambers – all artists who really help bring in a northern vibe to Pickett's music, yet still let those amazingly raw vocals do their thing! In a way, it's this mix of raw and smooth that almost sets the scene for Philly International gems to come a few years later – especially since a lot of the tunes are penned by Gamble & Huff – and instrumentation is provided by Thom Bell on organ, Norman Harris and Bobby Eli on guitars, Ronnie Baker on bass, Earl Young on drums, and Vince Montana on vibes and percussion. Titles include "Days Go By", "Run Joey Run", "Help The Needy", "Don't Let The Green Grass Fool You", "Ain't No Doubt About It", "Come Right Here", and the classic 2-part track "Get Me Back On Time, Engine Number 9".

Great tracks from the second generation of Philadelphia International – that time when the label moved past the clubby Philly sounds that had won them big hits in the 70s – into an even deeper range of styles overall! Most of the tracks here have a wonderfully mature sort of feel – a move past easy dancefloor modes, into more complicated mellow steppers and midtempo rhythms that are perfect for the emotive, sensual lyrics of the tunes – most of which are performed by artists who were still the greatest working for the Pilly International label at the start of the 80s! Gems throughout – with great cuts that include "I'm In Love Again" by Patti Labelle, "Easy Easy Got To Take It Easy" by Teddy Pendergrass, "When I'm Gone" by The Jones Girls, "Mine All Mine" by The Stylistics, "Start The Fire" by Jean Carn, "I Can't Stop Turning You On" by Silk, "Set A Little Trap" by Phyllis Hyman, "So Glad I'm The One" by Instant Funk, "Yes You Need Love" by Anthony White, "Your Love Is Good" by Bunny Sigler, and "I've Been Pushed Aside" by McFadden & Whitehead.

A tremendous follow up to the first Spirit Of Philadelphia collection – released many years after that seminal set, and with an even farther-reaching selection of music! The first Spirit set focused on the best mellow and midtempo soul efforts of the Philly International label – but this one expands the groove even more to show the wide influence that Gamble & Huff had on the sound of Philly soul on other labels – especially the major labels, who'd begun following the indie lead in their productions by the mid 70s. There's a fair bit of work here by bigger names at the time, but all of it's got a stone Philly sound – and is either work by artists who first sprung out of the Philly scene directly, or others from different points around the country, and who'd made a trip to Philly in the 70s to record in a hipper groove! Titles include "Do You Remember Yesterday" by New York City, "Falling In Love With You" by Jimmy Ruffin, "It's Not What You Got" by Eddie Kendricks, "We Got Love" by Ben E King, "Don't Take Your Love" by The Whispers, "Can't Accept The Fact" by Gateway, "Straighten It Out" by Anglo-Saxon Brown, "Midnight Lady" by David Morris, "You Make Me Feel So Good Baby" by The Temprees, "It's Love" by The Persuaders, "In Love Again" by The Joneses, "Let's Go All The Way Down" by Brenda & The Tabulations, "Walk Away From Love" by Jackie Moore, "I Don't Have Time To Worry" by Little Anthony & The Imperials, and "That's What Love Does" by Vince Montana & The Philly Sound Orchestra.

Fantastic early O'Jays! The album's the first to feature the group meeting up with the Gamble/Huff team – a significant shift from their earlier work on Imperial, with a style that still retains all the vocal hardness of those days, but which makes a shift into a sweeter soaring soul groove! The move had been taken with similar success by Jerry Butler and Archie Bell & The Drells – and although the sound's a lot different than the group's later work for Philly International, it's a sign that they're really finding their voice, and a style that would push them to the top! Titles include "I Should Be Your Lover", "One Night Affair", "Deeper", "Just Can't Get Enough", "I've Got The Groove", and "You're The Best Thing Since Candy" – and arrangements are by Bobby Martin, Thom Bell, and Richard Rome.

Nobody fills a dancefloor like Philly – especially with a batch of 70s groovers this great! The set's a really well-chosen batch of classics from the City Of Brotherly Love – one that features a few hits and lots more overlooked nuggets from the Gamble & Huff universe on Philly International – plus some even more obscure bits from labels like Buddah or Epic – showing that there was lots of great Philly work going on in the 70s! The package was put together by Ralph Tee – the man who gave us the sublime Philadelphia Uncovered collections – and the set features 16 titles that include "I Just Can't Goodbye" by Philly Devotions, "I'll Always Love My Mama" by The Intruders, "Do You Like The Way I Love" by The Ebonys, "People Power" by Billy Paul, "Party Time Man" by The Futures, "Can't Accept The Fact" by Gateway, "Falling In Love With You" by Jimmy Ruffin, "Midnight Lady" by David Morris Jr, "Words Without Love" by City Limits, "All I Need" by Anacostia, "Make It Last" by Barbara Mason & The Futures, "Your Love Has Me Locked Up" by The Modulations, and "The Love I Lost" by Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes.

Soaring sounds from Philadelphia International – the label that virtually defined the sound of soul in the 70s, thanks to a succession of ultra-big hits! Those cuts are great, but this set goes even deeper – to move past the chart standouts, and come up with a brilliant batch of Philly groovers that stayed mostly on the underground – but which have had a huge influence on the global scene over the past few decades! All the best Philly 70s elements are in place here – tight rhythms, impeccable musicianship, and production that finds a way to polish without ever making things too slick – a wonderful blend that makes these tunes totally top-shelf all the way through – and even fresher than some of the bigger hits you'd know from the artists. Titles include "Hey Baby" by Anthony White, "I Heard It In A Love Song" by McFadden & Whitehead, "Old People" by Archie Bell & The Drells, "Sunshine & You" by The Futures, "Groovy People" by Lou Rawls, "You Can't Come Back Now" by Jean Carn, "Tell The World How I Feel About Cha Baby" by Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, "Let The Dollar Circulate" by Billy Paul, "Found A Love You Couldn't Handle" by The Stylistics, and "I'm Just Thinking About Cooling Out" by Jerry Butler.

Simply the best Philly 70s collection we've heard – ever! This one goes way past the hits, and moves into work from a variety of labels – not just the famous tunes on Philly International, but all of the Philly-produced gems that were coming out from other sources and other singers during the 1970s – a decade when the Philly sound had a golden touch that could transform the work of any singer into pure genius! The tracks on the set are really well thought-out – a sampling of work from a variety of different artists that you might not think to associate with the Philly groove at first glance, plus others who had their only really truly strong success through a brief link with the City of Brotherly Love. 18 tunes in all – and all of them warm clubby grooves with a perfectly smooth feel! Titles include "Look On The Good Side" by The Invitations, "Make It Last" by Barbara Mason & The Futures, "Good For The Gander" by Jermaine Jackson, "Stay With Me" by The Futures, "Who Loves You" by The Joneses, "I Just Can't Say Goodbye" by Touch Of Class, "Hurt So Bad" by The Philly Devotions, "Will You Be Mine" by The Whispers, "Now OR Never" by Little Dooley, "One More Time" by Dianne Steinberg, "Where It's Warm" by Revelation, and "A Little Bit Or Love" by Charen Cotton.

The roots of the 70s sound of Philly International – served up here in a host of earlier tracks that have a wickedly funky sound! All numbers here are instrumentals – and all are played by some formation of players who'd later end up working for Philadelphia International Records in the MSFB studio group – but who record here under a variety of names used for obscure funky 45s! Much of the work here was cut at Sigma Sound Studios back when the label was first cutting Philly soul – and the collection features early work by artists who include Norman Harris, Bobby Eli, Earl Young, Vince Montana, Ronnie Baker, Leon Huff, Larry Washington, Ron Kersey, and others – all jamming in a way that's more hard-edged and funk-based than the Philly hits of the 70s. Titles include "Nickol Nickol" by Brothers Of Hope, "Vibrations" and "Bo Did It" by Hidden Cost, "Trippin" and "Jason Pew Mosso (part 2)" by Interpretations, "Egg Foo Wa Wa" by Race Street Chinatown Band, "Squeeze Your Knees" by Cupit, "I Can Dig It" by Daley Diggers, "Cupid's Holding" by Alliance", "Ambassador's Theme" & "Jimmy Bishop Theme" by Sam Reed Band, "Keem O Sabe" by Electric Indian, "Monte Carlo" by French Connection, and "Ando's Theme" by Ando Orchestra.