On the Town - Philadelphia

While many historic sites (Liberty Bell, Independence Hall) live on here, America's first capital has changed a lot since 1774. Discover the thriving underground art scene, hear the sounds of Philly Soul, shop for locally made souvenirs and more.

 

SOUL CITY

In 1971, Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff created the Philly sound, which still inspires today's soul musicians.

BY SHAUN BRADY

Amid the monumental music shrines that line Philly's South Broad Street - the arched glass ceiling of the Kimmel Center, the gas lights fronting the historic Academy of Music - perhaps the most influential site is also the most unassuming. At the corner of Broad and Cypress streets sits a small gift shop sharing storefront space with an art supply store. Inside, countless recordings for sale tell the story of the Sound of Philadelphia - a story written just upstairs, in the offices of Philadelphia International Records.

Founded in 1971 by producers/songwriters Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, the label became to R&B and soul music in the 1970s what Motown and Stax were in the '60s. With artists like Patti LaBelle, The O'Jays, and Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes (fronted by a young Teddy Pendergrass), the music combined funky rhythms with lush orchestrations that, in the words of either longtime James Brown saxophonist Fred Wesley or P-Funk's George Clinton, "put the bow tie on funk."

"Philadelphia is the birthplace of America," Gamble says, "and I think the story of Philadelphia came out in our songs. We were steeped in social commentary, and the messages in our music were about unity and brotherhood. These songs are as relevant today as they were when we wrote them."

Gamble suggests The O'Jays' "Love Train" as the one song that truly defines the sound of Philadelphia. "When Huff and I were writing," Gamble says, "we used to say we were writing to people all over the world. To see two guys writing a song in a little office, and six months later hear people in Japan, London, Australia and Brazil singing this song - it's just unbelievable to see the power of music."

Although its influence lived on through disco and smooth jazz, the Philly sound was eclipsed in the '80s until an updated version emerged at the end of the decade with the monumental success of Boyz II Men, who name-checked the influence of "Motownphilly" in their first single. In the late '90s, Philly artists like Musiq Soulchild and Jill Scott were at the forefront of the "neo-soul" movement, and more recently John Legend and Jazmine Sullivan, nominated as best new artist at this year's Grammy Awards, have carried the city's soul torch.

The North Jersey-born singer Tara Betterbid, aka taragirl, seems poised to continue that tradition, selling out local venues and garnering accolades for her recent debut album The 26th Power.

"Philly was and still is one of the most prolific cities to produce soul music," taragirl says. "We may have updated it a bit, given it a slightly different beat, modernized the subject matter, but current soul and R&B stars have all built on that original foundation."

While the genre may continue to change, the influence of Philly Soul will always be heard.

10 ESSENTIAL SONGS BY GAMBLE AND HUFF ON PHILLY INTERNATIONAL RECORDS

Billy Paul, "Me and Mrs. Jones" (1972) - Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, "If You Don't Know Me By Now" (1972) - MFSB, "Love is the Message" (1973) - The Intruders, "I'll Always Love My Mama" (1973) - The Three Degrees, "When Will I See You Again" (1974) - The O'Jays, "I Love Music" (1975) - Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, "Don't Leave Me this Way" (1975) - Lou Rawls, "You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine" (1976) - Teddy Pendergrass, "Only You" (1978) - The Jones Girls, "Nights Over Egypt" (1981)

LISTEN IN Despite the city's soul and R&B legacy, venues that feature the music on a regular basis are hard to come by. Here, a few sites where you're most likely to find R&B acts:

SILK CITY DINER BAR & LOUNGE
435 Spring Garden St
www.silkcityphilly.com

WARMDADDY'S
1400 Columbus Blvd
www.warmdaddys.com

CHRIS' JAZZ CAFÉ SUNSET SESSIONS (Happy hour series)
1421 Sansom St.
www.chrisjazzcafe.com