If you’re a fan of Philly soul, then this series (Total Soul Classics) batch of re-mastered and expanded reissues of classic albums from classic performers is…well, a wonderful trip back to that wonderful world of soul music of the ‘70s, Gamble and Huff style.

Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff were the superstar producers in those years much like Rick Rubin or Timbaland is today.  Their contributions to some of the enduring albums and tunes of those years were as full of impact as that of the artists they produced.  However, they would not have gotten that quality if it weren’t for the immense talents of Billy Paul, The O’Jays, Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes, Teddy Pendergrass, and Leon Huff himself.

With these revisited Legacy Recordings of classic albums by these artists, you can take a strong trip back to those magnificent days.  And I have to admit to being swept away by these just as I’m positive they will do the same for you.  These albums are from the label success story known as Philadelphia International Records, created and helmed by Gamble and Huff.

Billy Paul, who performed in the Jazz world as a skilled scat vocalist, had already been a favourite of Kenny Gamble, who had produced several Paul albums.  With his second PI album, 360 Degrees of Billy Paul, the mixed ingredients of originals and covers (“It’s Too Late,” “My Song,” “Let’s Stay Together”) were a perfect blend of Billy Paul soul.  With “Me & Mrs Jones” known as one of the world’s great soul songs, and a Grammy-winning classic, as well as seven more fantastic tunes, this album is a shining spot in that era and is still quite a listen today.  It is expanded with a Live version of “Me & Mrs Jones” that clocks in at over nine minutes, culled from an earlier album, Live in Europe (1974).

In the same year as 360 Degrees of Billy Paul (1972), The O’Jays delivered their classic album, Backstabbers, that would give up two charting songs, “Back Stabbers” and the memorable “Love Train” (for a cool variation, locate Tommy Lee’s edgy industrial cover of “Love Train”).  Rolling Stone magazine notes Back Stabbers as one of 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.  And for good reason.  The trio of Levert, Williams, and Powell took the songs, written by songwriters that included Gamble and Huff in various partnerships, and delivered them with an inimitable style that only The O’Jays could do.  Anyone who remembers their legacy of hits, including the four found on this album (“Back Stabbers,” “Time to Get Down,” “992 Arguments,” “Love Train”), will already know how great this album is.  This album is not expanded with bonus tracks.

Moving ahead to 1975, Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes released their 4th album, Wake Up Everybody.  Their powerful lead vocalist, Teddy Pendergrass, would leave after this album to begin his own solid recording career, an step that would produce albums in excess of 1-million in sales as well as plenty of memorable singles.  On this album, the opening song was also the band’s biggest hit from it.  “Wake Up Everybody” was a song in the style of Marvin Gaye’s songs of consciousness (“What’s Going On?,” “Mercy, Mercy Me”) and sounds great here.  Also, the beautiful “You Know How to Make Me Feel So Good” with vocals contributed by Sharon Paige is on this set.  Having produced such great songs as “If You Don’t Know Me by Now,” and “The Love I Lost,”  Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes’ original line-up ended on a great note.  This reissue is expanded by the 12” single version of “Don’t Leave Me this Way (Tom Moulton Mix)”.

Ready to conquer the world after his departure from Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, Teddy Pendergrass released his first solo album in 1977.  With the same strong vocals that he demonstrated with his previous band, he delivered a forceful album that updated its sound with the emerging disco flavour, but still felt perfectly ‘70s R&B.  This made Pendergrass easy to be adopted by both sides of the music-lovin’ crowd (the dance market and R&B fans).  My favourite tune on the album is “The Whole Town’s Laughing at Me” and it sounds like fantastic on this re-master.  His next, Life is a Song Worth Singing, was released in 1978 and showed incredible maturity.  With songs like the title track, “Only You,” and the timeless “When Somebody Loves you Back,” Pendergrass second album helped to solidify his emerging career.  This reissue of his second album features two bonus cuts that include a single version of “Only You,” and a Disco Version of “Get Down, Get Funky” for those dance-loving fans.

After many years of producing and writing hits for everyone else, Leon Huff decided to give it a go on his solo effort in 1980 called Here to Create Music.  On it, Huff created a mostly instrumental funk album with the help of almost everyone touched by Huff’s magic in the past.  On an album that isn’t bad, that’s a wonderful way to help pay back on a debt that cannot be retired.  From the tender “No Greater Love” to the funky “Tight Money,” Here to Create Music is the lone self-produced legacy from one half of the team that made so many stars shine brightly.  This reissue is rounded out by two bonus tracks, “Money’s Tight,” the B-side of the “Tight Money” single, and “Sassy,” both non-album cuts.

The re-mastered music heard on these six albums vibrantly leap out of your speakers.  Clear, defining, and luxurious, all of these re-mastered albums become the go-to, must-have versions (short of LP brilliance) of these classics.  Each album is in digipak packaging with an 8-page booklet filled with credits, photos, and notes.  The CD tray is especially nice with a flashback photo of each album’s Side-One LP label.

I look forward to the continuation of reissues from the great Philadelphia International label in these Total Soul Classics series.  Highly Recommended.

Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes	The O'Jays	Leon Huff
Wake Up Everybody	Back Stabbers	Here to Create Music

Teddy Pendergrass	Teddy Pendergrass
Teddy Pendergrass	Life is a Song Worth Singing