Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes [2022] Where Are All My Friends (John Morales M + M Mix) [BBE] (Forthcoming)

How do you make a brilliant recording even better? Well John Morales has done an absolutely tremendous job on "Where Are All My Friends" in particular from his new album "John Morales Presents Teddy Pendergrass, The Voice, Remixed With Philly Love" which was due for release by BBE on 25 Feb but has now been put back to 11 Mar 2022. Available to pre-order on BBE website.

Samples of all the tracks were posted just over a week ago but I think you need to hear "Where Are All My Friends" in it's full glory which might just sway you to buy the full album if you were undecided.

Details

Rating:	9.5
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Philly Soul
Format:	Album Track
Media:	LP/ CD
Label:	BBE
Cat No:	None
Date:	11/03/2022
Value:	£30 / £20

Assal [2022] - Dr Boogie [Plaizir Muzic]

I felt pretty sure that "Dr Boogie" was probably sampling something, or was at least derived from something, which I couldn't initially place but after a little head scratching it revealed Don Downing's "Doctor Boogie" (obviously doh!) from 1978 but Assal has speeded it up from 95 bpm to 110 bpm. 

It's out and out Philly / Disco from Assal and Plaizir Muzic. Dust off your flares and platforms and 'get down'!

Details

Rating:	8
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Nu Disco / Philly
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Plaizir Muzic
Cat No:	None
Date:	04/02/2022
Key/BPM:	1A/110
Value:	£1

Dj Amine Bebito [2022] - Présente Teddy Pendergrass Edit [Self Released] (Full EP)

Another set of four remixes from Alicante's Dj Amine Bebito, this time Teddy Pendergrass is the victim ... I mean subject ... with four from the 70s/80s!

1/ Two Hearts (with Stephanie Mills) [1981]

2/ Heaven Only Knows [1983 from album of same name]

3/ Close The Door [1978]

4/ Love Is The Power [1988]

Details

Rating:	8
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Classic Soul / Philly
Format:	EP
Media:	Digital
Label:	Self Released
Cat No:	None
Date:	02/01/2022
Value:	€5

VA [2021] - Philadelphia International Records: Dimitri From Paris Remixes [Sony] (Full Album)

If you haven't already had your fill of PIR remixes this year then yet another one was released today (10 Dec 2021). This time at the hands of Dimitri From Paris (Dimitrios Yerasimos who is actually Turkish) and all songs are from Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes and Teddy Pendergrass.

The set kicks of with  an almost 12 minute version of one of their best "The Love I Lost" which came as a surprise to me when I heard this being played on Northern Soul dance floors only a few years ago. I thought that this was a massive pop hit, and upon checking, it was #21 on UK pop chart in Feb 1974 and their second biggest US hit after "If You Don't Know Me By Now", but of course anyone under the age of 50 wouldn't remember it but surely you must have been living on the moon to have never heard this on radio at some point in your life? Anyway, if 12 minutes wasn't long enough for you there are another two versions, a super disco blend take 2 and super disco instrumental taking up a third of the 102 minute set. ... 'If You Don't Know Me By Now?' ... you will after this set!

There are also three versions of Teddy P's "The More I Get The More I Want" and  two of "You Can't Hide From Yourself" leaving space for just three of  HM & Blue Notes songs "Bad Luck", "Tell The World How I Feel About 'Cha Baby" and "Don't Leave Me This Way".

Details

Rating:	8
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Philly / Remixes
Format:	Album / Compilation
Media:	Digital
Label:	Sony
Cat No:	None
Date:	10/12/2021
Value:	£7.99

VA [2021] - Philadelphia International Records: The John Morales M+M Remixes [Sony]

From the vaults of Philadelphia International who are celebrating their 50th Anniversary we get another ten remixes. This time from the hands of John Morales: "The John Morales M+M Remixes".

Teddy Pendergrass dominates proceedings with four solo tunes and another with Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, two each from The Jones Girls and MFSB and one from Jean Carn (which is a different version to the one included on her album "RE-Captured: The Official Jean Carn Philadelphia Remix Album" from Friday 3 Dec).

Click icons below for further information or to connect with the artist.

Details

Rating:	8.5
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Philly Soul / Remixes
Format:	Album / Compilation
Media:	Digital
Label:	Sony
Cat No:	None
Date:	03/12/2021
Value:	£7.99

Jean Carn [2021] - RE-Captured: The Official Jean Carn Philadelphia Remix Album [Sony] (Full Album)

Released today (3 Dec 2021), as well as a single on Society Hill, is an album of remixes of some of Jean Carn's many Philadelphia International recordings.

Click icons below for further information or to connect with the artist.

Details

Rating:	8.5
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Modern Soul / Philly / Remixes
Format:	Album
Media:	Digital
Label:	Sony
Cat No:	None
Date:	03/12/2021
Value:	£6.99

Teddy Pendergrass, D-Nice [2021] - The More I Get, the More I Want (D-Nice Remix) [Sony]

A D-Nice remix of Teddy Pendergrass' 1977 Philly classic "The More I Get, The More I Want" was released yesterday (17 Nov 2021) with vocal and instrumental versions.

I've also dug out a video of Teddy P performing (lip-synching) it on Soul Train back in the day.

It was originally released as the B side to "The Whole Town's Laughing At Me", in the US and the B Side to "Somebody Told Me" in the UK,  all tracks taken from his debut solo self-titled album.

Click icons below for further information or to connect with the artist.

Details

Rating:	8.5
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Modern Soul / Philly
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Sony
Cat No:	None
Date:	17/11/2021
Key/BPM:	4B/120
Value:	£1.29

VA [2021] - Philadelphia International Records: The Mike Maurro Remixes [Sony Music]

One for you Philly hounds! A bunch of Philadelphia International Records (PIR) classics remixed by NYC DJ/remixer Mike Maurro was released yesterday (17 Sep 2021). 

It's the second compilation of PIR remixes in only a matter of weeks as "PIR The Remixes Volume 2" containing 22 remixes was released on 13 Aug, but on a quick glance through the tracks, thankfully, there doesn't appear to be much overlap. There are fourteen extended mixes equating to 2 hours and 31 minutes of music.

PIR are of course celebrating their 50th anniversary, not that we need an excuse to binge on their classic material which has influenced Disco and House for decades.

Details

Rating:	8.8
Genre/Style:	70s Soul / Philly / Remix
Format:	Album / Compilation
Media:	Digital
Label:	Sony Music
Cat No:	None
Date:	17/09/2021
Value:	£11.99

VA [2021] - Philadelphia International Records: The Remixes, Volume 2 [Sony] (Full Album)

Released today (13 Aug 2021), 'presumably' to celebrate Philadelphia International's 50th anniversary year, is this compilation "Philadelphia International Records: The Remixes, Volume 2" of Philly classics remixed by some heavy weight DJs/remixers such as Joey Negro/Dave Lee, Frankie Knuckles, Danny Krivit, DJ Reverend P and others.

There are simply too many of the 22 classic tracks to try and isolate just one but I never tire of hearing The O'Jays 1972 classic "Backstabbers" and DJ Reverend P's 10:29 minute epic is sublime. 

Click icons below for further information or to connect with the artist.

Details

Rating:	9
Genre/Style:	Philly Soul
Format:	Album / Compilation
Media:	Digital
Label:	Sony
Cat No:	None
Date:	13/08/2021
Value:	£12.99

S.E.L [2018] - The Sweetest Pain (DJ Spen’s & Gary Hudgins Radio Edit) [Quantize]

The debut album, ‘Loc’d In Consciousness’, from S.E.L. is due on CD on 9 Apr 2021 but won't be available digitally until 28 May 2021 when a new single 'Melodic Harmony' will also be released 

She had a #2 UK Soul chart hit last year with Bryan Chambers on 'Falling' which I've already posted, so to give you a flavour, here's her version of the Dexter Wansell/Jean Carn Philly classic 'The Sweetest Pain' which she released back in May 2018. 

It was released with six different flavours, but the best one for me is the DJ Spen’s & Gary Hudgins mix but you can choose yours from the link below. Two of the mixes are dubs/instrumentals, the MoBlack Soul mix is a misnomer to my ears as it's 'housed up'. That leaves the two  DJ Spen’s & Gary Hudgins mixes (radio & extended) and the John Morales M+M vocal remix.

S.E.L. is soulful Emma Louise from south London who debuted in 2010 with 'Necessary'. Her career took off with 'Elevation' in 2016, which she followed up with a cover of Des'ree's 1994 UK hit 'You Gotta Be' in 2017.

Listen to all remixes here.

Click icons below for further information or to connect with the artist.

Details

Rating:	8.5
Genre/Style:	Philly / Cover Version
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Quantize
Cat No:	None
Year:	25/05/2018
Key:	8A
BPM:	110
Value:	£5.94

VA [2021] - The Women of Philadelphia International Records (The Remixes) [PIR Legacy] (Full Album)

A compilation album released 24 Mar 2021 in PIR's 50th anniversary year with remixes of Philly classic by the ladies of PIR. There are too many to highlight but I've chosen to feature the Morning Star Re-edit of Jean Carn's 'Was That All It Was'. You can click on album image for full track listing and the link below to listen to full the full album.

Listen to Full Album here.

Details

Rating:	8.4
Genre/Style:	Phillly Classics
Format:	Album
Media:	Digital
Label:	PIR
Cat No:	None
Year:	24/03/2021
Key:	10B
BPM:	116
Value:	£11.99

Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes [2013] - The Love I Lost (Tom Moulton Remix) [Harmless #HURTXVINYL112]

This just popped up on my feed - how can you better a Philly classic such as this and extend it to nearly 13 minutes and keep the listener interested. Well the master Tom Moulton has managed just that!

From a compilation album: Tom Moulton [2013] - Philadelphia International Classics The Tom Moulton Remixes [Harmless #HURTXVINYL 112], this is the dogs doodahs!  

There are another 30 tracks spread over 8 x 12" vinyl discs and available on CD. There are a few comments about poor mastering though!

The vinyl copies are selling on Discogs for an median price of £280! There are only two currently for sale for £390 and £430.

Details

Format:	Album
Media:	12"/CD
Label:	Harmless
Cat No:	HURTXVINYL112
Year:	2012/13
Key:	10B
BPM:	123
Value:	£300

Finishing Touch - Discography

Finishing Touch released only 2 singles on Philly Groove between 1974-75, but they recorded one of the best 70s Philly Modern Soul tunes you're likely to hear with 'Second Best (Is Never Enough)'. In fact it was so good they issued it twice on Philly Groove PG 201 in Oct. 1975 and then as flip to their only other 45, 'Sunshine & Promises', on PG 203 in Feb.1975.

Discography

1974 - Second Best (Is Never Enough) / Your Love Has Put A Spell On Me [Philly Groove #PG 201]

1975 - Sunshine & Promises / Second Best [Philly Groove #PG 203]

197? - Don't Put Me Down [Philly Groove #Unreleased]

The only other know recording from them was an unreleased track 'Don't Put Me Down' which was later reworked ('housed' up) and released with 6 different mixes in 2003 in the Netherlands and Italy. Being the bloodhound that I am, I've found the original cut which was released on a Philly Groove compilation in 2010 (link above). There is also a 9:11 long Tom Moulton mix doing the rounds.

I can find no info on the group so don't know if they renamed themselves and released further recods or split up with members joining different groups. I find it difficult to comprehend if that wasn't the case and they simply sunk into obscurity. I can find no evidence that either release even charted on US R&B chart so perhaps they did just sink into obscurity after the commercial 'failure' of both records.

However, on the UK soul scene 'Second Best' has been a favourite for many years/decades so hopefully if any surviving members come across this post they can be reassured that their recording didn't completely fall on deaf ears.

Details

Format:	Single
Media:	7"
Label:	Philly Groove
Cat No:	PG 201/PG 203
Year:	1974/1975
Key:	4A
BPM:	114
Value:	£20-£40

Jean Carn [1978] - Don't Let It Go To Your Head [PIR #ZS8 3654]

In the 50th anniversary year for Philadelphia International Records here's an 'unsung' classic.  It's an absolute 'scandal' that only one of Jean Carn's singles ever crossed over to pop charts, and that one was under the auspices of Norman Connors on a duet with Michael Henderson with 'Valentine Love'.

I think I should do a profile on her as she has so many great recordings. Tracks like 'If You Wanna Go Back', '(No, No) You Can't Come Back Now', 'My Love Don't Come Easy', 'Was That All It Was', 'Bet Your Lucky Star', 'Sweet And Wonderful', 'I'm Back For More' (with Al Johnson), 'We Got Some Catching Up To Do', 'The Sweetest Pain' (with Dexter Wansel), 'Sweet And Wonderful', 'Ain't No Way', 'Closer Than Close' and that's just a dozen off the top of my head, there are many others.

The O'Jays [2015] - Backstabbers (DJ Reverend P) [Sony]

A quick post, a 10 minute remix of the O'Jays classic from 1972.  Pure Philly magic one of the finest.  No further words required just sit back and try and keep your feet still!

Taken from 'The Legacy Of Soul' compilation released 2015/16 which contains 30 Philly classics remixed by DJ Reverend P.