A PBS show, which was recorded live on June
7th in 2008 at the Borgata Casino & Spa in Atlantic City, NJ, is now
released on a DVD under the title of Love Train, the Sound of Philadelphia
(Sony BMG/PIR 88697-35587-9; www.phillysoulclassics.com).
Produced by Emily Cohen, the total running time of the thirteen songs
from the show (the Intruders are not included) is 55 minutes, but the
bonuses give you one hour more. Within that hour you can listen to Kenny
Gamble, Leon Huff, Joe Tarsia and many others tell about the history of
Philly music, sessions and making records, the importance of radio stations,
the making of this particular DVD and you can visit the PIR offices and
studios, too. There’s also bonus music by the T.S.O.P. Orchestra with the
Three Degrees (T.S.O.P.), the Delfonics (Didn’t I Blow
Your Mind This Time), Harold Melvin’s Blue Notes featuring Sharon
Paige (Hope That We Can Be Together Soon) and the instrumental jam
of I Love Music.
Backed by a big
orchestra under the direction of Bill Jolly, Harold Melvin’s Blue Notes
work up a rousing performance on The Love I Lost and Wake up
Everybody, but Russell Thomkins Jr. & the New Stylistics gives
us a breather with the sweet and sophisticated I’m Stone in Love with You.
In between the two, Soul Survivors (Charlie and Richie Ingui) storm
through Expressway to Your Heart. G.C. Cameron’s singing is as
impressive as ever, but I only wish he’d chosen some other song than The
Rubberband Man. Jerry Butler’s Never Gonna Give You up is
cool and sympathetic, while the Delfonics provide another sweet soul moment
with La-La – Means I Love You.
Bunny Sigler’s (on the pic below)
interpretation of Me & Mrs. Jones is simply devastating, and later
on with Jean Carne and the Three Degrees he sets the stage on fire with Ain’t
No Stoppin’ Us Now. I gather the O’Jays were the headliners, as
they are represented here with three songs. I Love Music radiates
energy, Use Ta Be My Girl is cute and perky and finally People Get
Ready/Love Train is a show-stopper if any. As a fan of the Philly sound, I
enjoyed every minute of it.
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