The Philadelphia Signature Soul Sound during the 1980s Pt 6

                                            Featuring female solo artist

"Sweet and Wonderful" classic album

Jean Carne followed in 1981 with her album “Sweet and Wonderful” on TSOP Records, a subsidiary imprint of Philadelphia International Records. The album featuring a stunning remake of the Spinners' ballad classic “Love Don’t Love Nobody”, which went to number thirty-five on the Billboard Hot Soul and R&B Singles Chart. The album also entered the top forty of the Billboard Hot Soul and R&B Albums Chart.

The album containing the
 Philly class "Yes I'm Ready"

Philly great Barbara Mason (known for her 1965 Philly classic gold record  “Yes I’m Ready”) released an album on WMOT Records in 1980 entitled “A Piece of My Life”. The album’s title track “Yes I’m Ready” benefits from an updated treatment, with an early 1980s sound. Butch Ingram was the main producer and arranger, while his brother James Ingram conducted arrangements.

The by Phyllis Hyman album
 containing the Philly classic "Old Friend"

The late Phyllis Hyman recorded a come-back album after she signed to Philadelphia International Records in 1985. “Living All Lone” was released in 1986. The title track, produced by Dexter Wansell, peaked at number twelve on the Billboard Hot Soul and R&B Singles Chart. It was followed by another excellent track entitled “Old Friend” which was written by the late Linda Creed and produced by Thom Bell. The song went to number fourteen on the Billboard Hot Soul and R&B Singles Chart. It was reported by Billboard Magazine in 1986 that album sold close to half a million copies in America. This was the best performance for Phyllis Hyman since her 1979-released album “You Know How to Love Me” on Arista Records which nearly achieved gold status. Interestingly the album was recorded at Sigma Sound Studios in New York City by the same production team, James Mtume and Reggie Lucas, who co-produced Stephanie Mills’ three gold albums and one gold single. Many of the produced in Philadelphia recording studios featured the brilliant string and horn arrangements conducted by the late Don Renaldo, a key figure in the development of  "The Sound of Philadelphia"
 signature sound that was popular during the 1970s. He was a key member of the MFSB studio band responsible for many of hits that came out of Philadelphia during it golden era.

                               

                              
                         ©Signaturesoundsonline2013-2015 



                                                  

                                                

The Philadelphia Signature Soul Sound during the 1980s Pt 2

Two Female artists who dominated the American Billboard R&B Singles Chart for the entire month of August 1986 with singles produced and recorded in the city of Philadelphia, at different recording studios were Shirley Jones and Jean Carne.

Both artists shared the number one position for two weeks, beginning with Jean Carne taking a run at the top of the Billboard Soul and R&B Singles Chart week-ending

  2^nd August 1986 ( 2 weeks) with “Closer than Closer” Omni 99531. Which was produced by the late Grover Washington, Jr. Also Jean was once signed to Philadelphia International Records during the 1970s to the early 1980s.

Shirley Jones achieved the top position on 16^th August 1986. Co-Produced by Kenny Gamble and Bunny Sigler. The single “Do You Get enough Love” Philadelphia International Records 50034, was the second single for Philadelphia International Records to have achieved one during the 1980s, with Patti LaBelle’s single been the first in 1984 for “If Only You Knew”, Philadelphia International Records 04248, 28^th January 1984 (4 weeks). The single was extracted “I’m In Love Again” album, been the last gold certified album to be distributed CBS Records for label.

      Researched and compiled by 
                   Mr K Tomlin Music Historian                   
           ©Signaturesoundsonline2014-2015

Quinton Joseph (Part 6)

"The R&B and Soul Music Drummer with a Signature Touch"

 The Philadelphia Years:

This album was LaBelle's first Grammy 
Award winning project

In the following decade of the 1990s, Joseph stayed busy working on many projects with Gamble and Huff music organisation. His first major recording project was the late Phyllis Hyman album “Prime Of Life” which obtained near gold sales in North America , he also played on the track “When I Give My Love (This Time)” . 

The album was released in 1991. During that same year he played drums on the legendary Patti LaBelle's gold certified  album “Burin’ a Grammy Award winning project for LaBelle in 1992.                   .

 In 1993 he reunited with the late Teddy Pendergrass on his “A Little More Magic” album playing both as a percussionist  and drummer  on the  track “I’m Always Thinking Of You”, co-producer by Pendergrass and his long  time producer Leon Huff while he was signed at PIR (Philadelphia International Records).

Joseph last major contribution as a drummer was on The Five Blind Boys of Alabama album released in 2003 on Philadelphia International Records, with the title track co-produced by Gamble and Huff with drums played by Joseph. The album was a landmark recording using a more up to date Post-Philadelphia Soul signature sound with great results . 

The album featured many of the old Philadelphia Soul Sound musicians and composers such as Dexter Wansel, Jack Faith, Leon Huff and also sound engineer Mike Taria the son of Joe Taria the sound engineer during the gold era of “The Sound of Philadelphia” during the 1970s.

Quinton Joseph definitely will go down in music history as one of the most successful Soul and R&B drummer to emerge out the Chicago soul and R&B era. His credits listed over a five decades period with outstanding results from to the “Windy City” of Chicago all the way to the city of the Philadelphia also known as the city of “Brotherly Love”.



                                   Researched and compiled by               
                                   Mr K Tomlin Music Historian                   
                                  ©RCM Music/Signaturesoundsonline2013-2014