An amazing album produced and arranged by legendary Philly mastermind Larry Gold – the cello player/
writer/
arranger for MFSB – and a key player in the best Philly soul
of the last several decades! Don Cello &
Friends features Gold as Don Cello – and the
friends include Black Thought
of the Roots, McFadden & Whitehead, Carol Riddick, Gerald Levert, Kindred The Family Soul, Jaguar Wright, Bunny Sigler and others. The goal for the set was not only to celebrate the depth and rich history
of Philly soul with a variety
of vocalists, but to draw a direct parallel with the best
of today's scene. It succeeds at both masterfully. Gold's production and arranging is lush and sparkling – and the vocalists bring the very best
of their games. Black Thought's rhymes on the lead off remake
of "No Stoppin'", with McFadden & Whitehead, sets the stage perfectly – think the Roots on Curtom, and that's about half the picture! Much
of the album carries more
of a classic soul sheen – smooth and sparkling, with just enough grit for a nice edge! In the liner notes, Gold explains that he loves songs from "Gamble, Huff to Timbaland" – and this album is the perfect sonic encapsulation
of that aesthetic! Possibly the best album yet with the relatively fledgling Beat Generation imprint – and a great signpost for the future
of underground soul! 12 tracks including "Loving You" with Carol Riddick, "Dance" with Gerald Levert, "And I Hope" featuring Floetry, "Travelin'" with Kameelah Waheed, ""All That You Are" featuring Kindred, "Nothin'" with Jaguar Wright, "Just A Dream" with Erro, "Everybody" with Cristal Oliver, "Can I" with Bunny Sigler, and Larry Gold's "Outro".