Sunday, February 8, 2009

Tributes to "The Sound of Philadelphia"

Philadelphia International Records/Legacy announces the release of "Love Train: The Sound of Philadelphia Live In Concert," a new 2-hour DVD celebrating the production/songwriting duo Kenny Gamble & Leon Huff, creators of the Philly Soul Sound that began dominating music and radio charts in the early 1970s and continues into the 21st century.

This DVD contains a full hour of footage beyond the PBS special that aired last December, with performances from Jerry Butler, the Delfonics, Harold Melvin's Blue Notes, the Intruders, the O'Jays, Bunny Sigler, G.C. Cameron, the Soul Survivors, Jean Carne, Russell Thompkins Jr. & the New Stylistics, and the Three Degrees. It's a perfect companion to last year’s critically-acclaimed "Love Train: The Sound of Philadelphia 4-CD box set", also released by P.I.R./Legacy.

Visit phillysoulclassics.com for more info.

In the meantime, London-based DJ Joe Davis, founder of Far Out Records, headed to Brazil with producer David Brinkworth, where he is recording a Far Out "Tribute to the Sound of Philadelphia" in Rio (!), with local musicians, ie, his favorite band and most important act of his label, Azymuth. Veteran maestro Arthur Verocai, who will perform in Los Angeles on March with a symphony orchestra, is writing the string arrangements as well as some original tunes for the project. At the same time, Davis is preparing another concept album for the European dancefloor market. Azymuth's keyboardist José Roberto Bertrami will appear as "DJ J.R." on his tune "Dead Dance," which also features bassist Alex Malheiros.

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