NEW YORK, NY. (Top40 Charts/ Legacy Recordings) - Part one of "Love Train: The Sound of Philadelphia" - a two-part PBS television special celebrating the enduring musical legacy of the mythic musical production/songwriting duo Kenny Gamble & Leon Huff and the entire family of Philadelphia International Records artists - will premiere on KERA TV on Saturday, October 25th at 7:00PM, with subsequent airings across-the-country during the PBS December Pledge Week (please check your local listings).
Gamble & Huff are best-known as the creators of the classic Philly Soul Sound that began dominating music and radio charts in the early 1970s and continues to thrive into the 21st century.
A cornerstone event in Legacy Recordings' monumental Philly Soul reissue project, "Love Train: The Sound of Philadelphia" was filmed during an historic live concert showcasing some of the greatest music and musicians in the Philadelphia International Records catalog including The O'Jays, Harold Melvin's Blue Notes, Russell Thompkins Jr. & The New Stylistics, The Delfonics, The Intruders, Jerry Butler, Bunny Sigler, Three Degrees, The Soul Survivors, Jean Carne, G.C. Cameron, and The Sound Of Philadelphia Orchestra.
The "Love Train" concert was lensed in front of a live audience on Saturday, June 7, 2008 at the landmark Borgata Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, documented in High Definition with a 11 camera set-up and state-of-the-art audio reproduction.
Performances on part one of the "Love Train: The Sound of Philadelphia" concert specials include "TSOP" (TSOP Orchestra with The Three Degrees), "The Love I Lost" (Harold Melvin's Blue Notes), "Expressway to Your Heart" (Soul Survivors), "I'm Stone In Love With You" (Russell Thompkins Jr. & The New Stylistics), "I Love Music" (The O'Jays), "Rubberband Man" (G.C. Cameron), "Me & Mrs. Jones" (Bunny Sigler), "Used To Be My Girl" (The O'Jays), "Wake Up Everybody" (Harold Melvin's Blue Notes), "Ain't No Stopping Us Now" (Bunny Sigler, Jean Carne, The Three Degrees), "Never Gonna Give You Up" (Jerry Butler), "La La Means I Love You" (The Delfonics) and "People Get Ready / Love Train" (The O'Jays ).
"Love Train: The Sound of Philadelphia" is an unprecedented musical experience, the most comprehensive cavalcade of Philly Soul icons ever. Combining dramatic sets and vibrant lighting, inspired by the design aesthetic of Philadelphia International Records' classic album covers, with a non-stop succession of electrifying performances, "Love Train: The Sound of Philadelphia" provides a 21st century venue for one of the greatest soul revues in concert history, a high energy tribute to the immortal sights and sounds of Philly Soul.
The "Love Train" Pledge Week broadcasts will offer PBS subscribers an expanded "Love Train" companion DVD as well as selections from the Legacy Recordings/Philadelphia International Records reissue catalog.
The "Love Train: Sound of Philadelphia" DVD will include bonus tracks and an exclusive documentary covering the Gamble & Huff collaboration which has so deeply influenced popular music and culture over the past five decades.
A second one-hour "Love Train: Sound of Philadelphia" special will be scheduled for pledge broadcast in 2009.
2008 has shaped up as a banner year in the phenomenal careers of Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff, who were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame with the newly-named Ahmet Ertegun Award (formerly the "non-performer category") at a ceremony at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City on March 10, 2008. In its review of the ceremony, the San Francisco Chronicle praised Gamble & Huff for creating a "melodic, luxurious sound - perfect for a world switching from mono to stereo - (that) was consistent no matter which artist they produced."
https://www.Bremagazine.com headlined a piece, "Gamble & Huff Legacy Impacts 2008 Grammys" noting that "Grammy winner Kanye West - who was nominated for Album of the Year, Best Rap Solo Performance and Best Rap Album - incorporated Edwin Birdsong's 'Cola Bottle Baby' into the track 'Stronger' form his album 'Graduation.' Michael Buble performed 'Me & Mrs. Jones' on 'Call Me Irresponsible,' a nominee for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album. Keyshia Cole included a sample of the O'Jays' 'She's Only A Woman' on 'Just Like You,' a nominee for the Best Contemporary R&B Album Grammy."
In its review of "Conquer The World: the Lost Soul of Philadelphia International Records," the influential music magazine Blender (May 2008) summed up the profound effect of Gamble & Huff's music in a simple succinct phrase: "Motown had polish, Stax had grit, but Philly International had it all."
