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MFSB Members
MFSB, officially standing for "Mother Father Sister Brother", was a pool of more than 30 studio musicians based at Philadelphia's Sigma Sound Studios. They worked closely with the production team of Gamble and Huff and producer/arranger Thom Bell, and backed up Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, the O'Jays, the Stylistics, the Spinners, Wilson Pickett, and Billy Paul. In 1972, MFSB began recording as a named act for the Philadelphia International label. " TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)", also known as the ''Soul Train'' theme, was their second and most successful single. Released in March 1974, it peaked at number one on the US ''Billboard'' pop and R&B charts. "TSOP" was influential in establishing the disco sound. The track sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc by the RIAA in April 1974. Overview MFSB formed in 1971 and disbanded in 1985, three years after Teddy Pendergrass' car accident, which left him paralyzed. Assembled by record producers Kenneth Gam ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Philadelphia
Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the United States, with a population of 1,603,797 in the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. The city is the urban core of the Philadelphia metropolitan area (sometimes called the Delaware Valley), the nation's Metropolitan statistical area, seventh-largest metropolitan area and ninth-largest combined statistical area with 6.245 million residents and 7.379 million residents, respectively. Philadelphia was founded in 1682 by William Penn, an English Americans, English Quakers, Quaker and advocate of Freedom of religion, religious freedom, and served as the capital of the Colonial history of the United States, colonial era Province of Pennsylvania. It then played a historic and vital role during the American Revolution and American Revolutionary ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
John Davis And The Monster Orchestra
John Davis and the Monster Orchestra were an American disco band, noted for their lead member (John "the Monster" Davis), who lent his name to the band as well as producing all of their output. History The ensemble released its first album, ''Night and Day'', in 1976. The 12" single, "I Can't Stop", was one of its original tunes.The song became an influence in the culture of hip hop being used by the Brothers Black, Jungle Brothers, Run-Dmc and Missy Elliott. The album enjoyed minor success and its second release was 1977's ''Up Jumped the Devil''. By 1978, the band had released its third album, ''Ain't That Enough For You''. It was their most commercially successful release, featuring the self-titled hit "Ain't That Enough For You". The album gave the outfit its only UK hit, when the record reached #70 in the UK Singles Chart. 1979's ''The Monster Orchestra Strikes Again!'' would be the band's final album release. The record spawned two 12" singles: "Love Magic" would r ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gamble And Huff
Kenneth Gamble (born August 11, 1943, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) and Leon A. Huff (born April 8, 1942, Camden, New Jersey) are an American songwriting and production duo credited for developing the Philadelphia soul music genre (also known as Philly sound) of the 1970s. In addition to forming their own label, Philadelphia International Records, Gamble and Huff have written and produced 175 gold and platinum records, earning them an induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the non-performer category in March 2008. History Early years Gamble's childhood in Philadelphia shaped his adult life: he recorded himself on various arcade recording machines, assisted the morning show DJs on WDAS, operated a record store, and sang with The Romeos. In 1964, before there was "Gamble & Huff" there was "Gamble & Ross". Gamble was discovered and managed by Jerry Ross when Gamble was only 17 years old and they collaborated for many years. Gamble teamed up with Leon Huff (keyboards) ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
New York, New York
New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on New York Harbor, one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises boroughs of New York City, five boroughs, each coextensive with List of counties in New York, a respective county. The city is the geographical and demographic center of both the Northeast megalopolis and the New York metropolitan area, the largest metropolitan area in the United States by both population and urban area. New York is a global city, global center of financial center, finance and Economy of New York City, commerce, Culture of New York City, culture, high technology, technology, The Entertainment Capital of the World, entertainment and Media in New York City, media, Academy, academics, and List of cities by scientific output, scientific output, the The arts, arts and fashion capital, fashion, and, as hom ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sigma Sound Studios
Sigma Sound Studios was an American independent recording studio in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, founded in 1968 by recording engineer Joseph Tarsia. Located at 212 North 12th Street in Philadelphia, Sigma Sound is closely associated with Philadelphia soul, and was the location of numerous recordings of Gamble and Huff's Philadelphia International Records, the group of session musicians known as MFSB, and producer Thom Bell. Sigma Sound is credited with well over 200 gold and platinum awards with an extensive client list that includes Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, The O'Jays, The Spinners, MFSB, David Bowie, Teddy Pendergrass, Patti LaBelle, The Roots and others. From 1977 through 1988, the studios also operated a New York City location in the Ed Sullivan Theater building, which hosted recording projects by artists including Talking Heads, Madonna, the Ramones, Aretha Franklin, and the B-52s. History Background In fall of 1967, Joseph Tarsia, who had worked as a servic ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Session Musician
A session musician (also known as studio musician or backing musician) is a musician hired to perform in a recording session or a live performance. The term sideman is also used in the case of live performances, such as accompanying a recording artist on a tour. Session musicians are usually not permanent or official members of a musical ensemble or band. Many session musicians specialize in playing common rhythm section instruments such as guitar, piano, bass, or drums. Others are specialists, and play brass, woodwinds, and strings. Many session musicians play multiple instruments, which lets them play in a wider range of musical situations, genres, and styles. Examples of "doubling" include double bass and electric bass, acoustic guitar and mandolin, piano and accordion, and saxophone and other woodwind instruments. Session musicians are used when musical skills are needed on a short-term basis. Typically, session musicians are used by recording studios to provide ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Earl Young (drummer)
Earl Donald Young (born June 2, 1940) is a Philadelphia-based drummer who rose to prominence in the early 1970s as part of the Philly Soul sound. Young is best known as the founder and leader of The Trammps who had a hit record with " Disco Inferno". Young, along with Ronnie Baker and Norman Harris (the trio best known as Baker-Harris-Young), was the owner of the Golden Fleece record label. Career Young is seen as the inventor of the disco-style of rock drumming (in Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes's " The Love I Lost" from 1973), and is often credited with popularizing four-on-the-floor bass drum beats, and as being the first drummer to make extensive and distinctive use of the hi-hat cymbal (i.e. fast, rhythmic and crisp use of open and closed hi-hats) throughout the playing time of an R&B song. This led to DJs favoring his recordings because they could hear the cymbal quite easily in their headphones as they "cued up" records to be mixed. In the mid-sixties Young played d ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dexter Wansel
Dexter Gilman Wansel (born August 22, 1950) is an American R&B/jazz fusion artist, singer, arranger, musician, composer, conductor, synthesist and A&R director. Early life Dexter Wansel began as an errand boy backstage at the Uptown Theater in Philadelphia from 1959 through 1963 for his step-uncle Georgie Woods. There he met many great artists who encouraged him to pursue music. During high school, he and his friend, Stanley Clarke, performed in bands together. Career In 1970, after being honourably discharged from the United States Army, Wansel quietly joined the ranks of synthesists like Wendy Carlos and Dick Hyman, where he began programming the EMS VCS 3 'Putney' and the ARP 2600 for sessions at Sigma Sound Studios both credited and uncredited. From the early to mid 1970s, Wansel also played keyboards for groups such as Instant Funk, Yellow Sunshine, and MFSB. After signing with Philadelphia International Records, as in-house songwriter/producer/arranger, he established ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Vincent Montana Jr
Vincent Montana Jr. (February 12, 1928 – April 13, 2013), known as Vince Montana, was an American composer, arranger, vibraphonist, and percussionist. He is best known as a member of MFSB and as the founder of the Salsoul Orchestra. He has been called "the Godfather of disco". Montana was inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in 2016. Life and career Montana was born in South Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and grew up in an Italian-American neighborhood. He began playing drums as a child and soon took up other percussion instruments, including the glockenspiel and marimba. By the late 1940s, he regularly played in nightclubs with jazz musicians such as Charlie Parker, Sarah Vaughan, Clifford Brown and Red Garland. He then spent time as a musician in Las Vegas hotels, accompanying and arranging for Harry Belafonte, Louis Prima and others. He returned to Philadelphia in the late 1950s, playing vibraphone on Frankie Avalon's 1959 hit "Venus", as well as recordi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Reggie Lucas
Reginald Grant Lucas (February 25, 1953 – May 19, 2018)Reggie Lucas Obituary legacy.com accessdate July 20, 2018 was an American guitarist, songwriter and record producer. Lucas is best known for producing the majority of Madonna's 1983 self-titled debut album, and for playing rhythm guitar with the electric band during the first half of the 1970s. He received a Grammy award for Best R&B Song. Early life Lu ...[...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ron Kersey
Tyrone Garfield Kersey (April 7, 1949 – January 25, 2005), known as Ron "Have Mercy" Kersey, was an American keyboardist, songwriter, producer and arranger most known for writing the music to " Disco Inferno" by The Trammps. Kersey was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He attended and graduated from Edison High School where he sang in the glee club and played football. He was a lifelong football fan and followed the Philadelphia Eagles. Kersey served in the United States Air Force from 1967 through 1972. While in the service he often played piano and keyboards at the local boards. There is where he gained the nickname "have mercy". It was the name the patrons would scream at him as he played because they loved his funky rhythms. Upon returning to Philadelphia, he re-acquainted himself with his longtime friend and musician Norman Harris. Norman was instrumental in Kersey becoming a studio musician at Sigma Sound Studios. He later became a member of the disco band The Trammps. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Anthony Jackson (musician)
Anthony Jackson (born June 23, 1952) is an American bassist. Described as "one of the masters of the instrument", he has performed as a session musician and live artist. He is also credited with the development of the modern extended-range bass, six-string bass, which he refers to as an electric contrabass guitar. Biography Jackson played piano before starting guitar in his teens. When he turned to bass, he was inspired by James Jamerson and Jack Casady. Jackson worked as a session musician, in the Billy Paul band, and with Philadelphia International Records. Paul’s 1972 hit "Me and Mrs. Jones" was Jackson’s first No. 1 record. His performance on "For the Love of Money" by The O'Jays helped move the song to No. 9 on the pop chart and No. 3 on the R&B chart in 1974. Jackson is a student of Jerry Fisher, Lawrence Lucie, and Pat Martino. He has performed live in more than 30 countries and has recorded in more than 3000 sessions on more than 500 albums. In 2016 Jackson had to ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
