| The New York Optimist December 2008 |
| MFSB Love Is The Message The New York Optimist Publishers Pick Of The Week December 1st, 2008 |
MFSB (short for "Mother Father Sister Brother") was a pool of more than thirty resident studio musicians based at Philadelphia’s famed Sigma Sound Studios.
They worked closely with record producers Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff and Arranger Thom Bell, and backed up such groups as The Bluenotes, O’Jays,
Stylistics, Spinners, Intruders, Three Degrees, Jerry Butler, Wilson Picket, and Billy Paul. Starting in 1974, MFSB started recording for the Philadelphia
International label. " TSOP" was their first product, produced in March, and it peaked at Number One. TSOP was most influential in establishing the Disco
sound. They later released other successful singles and albums as a stand-alone recording act.
Assembled by the production team of Gamble & Huff, MFSB was the house band for their Philadelphia International Records label and provided both the
signature smooth Philadelphia sound that dominated the early 1970s for the acts who recorded at their Sigma Sound Studios, including The Delfonics, The
O'Jays, Blue Magic, The Spinners, Teddy Pendergrass and Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes; and the "high hat" disco sounds that dominated the late 1970s with
groups like The Trammps, First Choice, Ripple and Double Exposure.
The classic line up of musicians included Karl Chambers and Earl Young on drums; Norman Harris, Roland Chambers, Bobby Eli, and TJ Tindall on guitar;
Winnie Wilford and Ronnie Baker on bass; Vince Montana and Larry Washington on vibes and percussion and Leon Huff and Thom Bell on keyboards and Don
Renaldo on strings and horns.
In 1974, Philadelphia International released an instrumental track which had been recorded by the band as the theme music for the television show Soul Train
as a single. The record, titled "TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)" was a hit on both the pop and R&B charts, and launched a recording career for the band
under their own name. MFSB albums and singles were released for the rest of the decade. Another popular tune that was also used for another television show,
was called Sexy (released in 1975), as a prize cue during the Big Deal of the Day in the 1980 version of Let's Make a Deal.
Another popular MFSB number, "Love Is The Message", has been a favorite of dance/disco DJs since its release; countless remixes, both official and
unofficial, exist of the song. On September 20, 2004, the record became among the first to be inducted into the newly formed Dance Music Hall of Fame. Due
to a disagreement with Gamble & Huff over certain policies, the majority of the group moved on to Salsoul Records, where they became known as The Salsoul
Orchestra. Other members began performing as The Ritchie Family orchestra, Vince Montana and the John Davis Monster Orchestra. Not to be outdone,
Gamble & Huff replaced them with Instant Funk, Dexter Wansel and others on MFSB's latter recordings for the label.
In October 2004 "Love Is The Message" appeared in popular videogame Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, playing on Funk radio station Bounce FM. Since 1980
"My Mood" has been the closing theme music for WRC-TV's Friday night 6 PM newscast.
They worked closely with record producers Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff and Arranger Thom Bell, and backed up such groups as The Bluenotes, O’Jays,
Stylistics, Spinners, Intruders, Three Degrees, Jerry Butler, Wilson Picket, and Billy Paul. Starting in 1974, MFSB started recording for the Philadelphia
International label. " TSOP" was their first product, produced in March, and it peaked at Number One. TSOP was most influential in establishing the Disco
sound. They later released other successful singles and albums as a stand-alone recording act.
Assembled by the production team of Gamble & Huff, MFSB was the house band for their Philadelphia International Records label and provided both the
signature smooth Philadelphia sound that dominated the early 1970s for the acts who recorded at their Sigma Sound Studios, including The Delfonics, The
O'Jays, Blue Magic, The Spinners, Teddy Pendergrass and Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes; and the "high hat" disco sounds that dominated the late 1970s with
groups like The Trammps, First Choice, Ripple and Double Exposure.
The classic line up of musicians included Karl Chambers and Earl Young on drums; Norman Harris, Roland Chambers, Bobby Eli, and TJ Tindall on guitar;
Winnie Wilford and Ronnie Baker on bass; Vince Montana and Larry Washington on vibes and percussion and Leon Huff and Thom Bell on keyboards and Don
Renaldo on strings and horns.
In 1974, Philadelphia International released an instrumental track which had been recorded by the band as the theme music for the television show Soul Train
as a single. The record, titled "TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)" was a hit on both the pop and R&B charts, and launched a recording career for the band
under their own name. MFSB albums and singles were released for the rest of the decade. Another popular tune that was also used for another television show,
was called Sexy (released in 1975), as a prize cue during the Big Deal of the Day in the 1980 version of Let's Make a Deal.
Another popular MFSB number, "Love Is The Message", has been a favorite of dance/disco DJs since its release; countless remixes, both official and
unofficial, exist of the song. On September 20, 2004, the record became among the first to be inducted into the newly formed Dance Music Hall of Fame. Due
to a disagreement with Gamble & Huff over certain policies, the majority of the group moved on to Salsoul Records, where they became known as The Salsoul
Orchestra. Other members began performing as The Ritchie Family orchestra, Vince Montana and the John Davis Monster Orchestra. Not to be outdone,
Gamble & Huff replaced them with Instant Funk, Dexter Wansel and others on MFSB's latter recordings for the label.
In October 2004 "Love Is The Message" appeared in popular videogame Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, playing on Funk radio station Bounce FM. Since 1980
"My Mood" has been the closing theme music for WRC-TV's Friday night 6 PM newscast.
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