Love Is the Message: The Best of MFSB

by MFSB

Overview

Love Is the Message: The Best of MFSB is an extensive, 16-track career summary for Philadelphia soul's greatest instrumental outfit. Despite all the strings and horns coloring its orchestrations, MFSB managed to remain fairly funky, and along with Barry White's Love Unlimited Orchestra, the band's early work helped create the instrumental blueprint for disco. Love Is the Message illustrates that MFSB crossed the line between smooth instrumental soul and disco quite often, even despite the fact that it's missing quite a few of the band's most popular disco cuts -- "Let's Go Disco," "Get Down With the Philly Sound," "Zip," "K-Jee," "Picnic in the Park," and "Summertime and I'm Feelin' Mellow" all earned substantial club/dance play, but are nowhere to be found here. Despite that bit of revisionist history, Love Is the Message does make for a fine overview of the band's more soulful outings. "T.S.O.P. (The Sound of Philadelphia)," the title track, "Sexy," "My One and Only Love," and "T.L.C. (Tender Lovin' Care)" were all among the group's most popular cuts, and they're all present, as are covers of Curtis Mayfield's "Freddie's Dead," the O'Jays' "Back Stabbers," and Elton John's "Philadelphia Freedom." Even if Love Is the Message isn't quite complete, though, it does accurately summarize how MFSB defined the sound of Philly soul, and it's really all that most fans will need. ~ Steve Huey

Product Details

Release Date:	10/31/1995
Label:	Legacy / Epic/Legacy
UPC:	0074646668924
Rank:	57285

Tracks

1. Interlude, Pt. 1
2. Love Is the Message
3. Poinciana
4. Freddie's Dead
5. My One and Only Love
6. Sexy
7. Something for Nothing
8. Zack's Fanfare (I Hear Music)
9. Back Stabbers
10. Bitter Sweet
11. T.S.O.P. (The Sound of Philadelphia)
12. Cheaper to Keep Her
13. My Mood
14. T. L. C. (Tender Lovin' Care)
15. Philadelphia Freedom
16. Smile Happy

Album Credits

Performance Credits

MFSB   Primary Artist
The Three Degrees   Guest Artist
Leon Huff   Piano (Electric)
Norman Harris   Guitar
Anthony Jackson   Bass
Karl Chambers   Drums
Norman Farrington   Drums
Toni Williams   Saxophone,Flute
Don Renaldo   Horn,Strings
Zach Zachary   Soloist,Sax (Alto)
T.J. Tindall   Guitar
James Calvin Wilsey   Flute,Saxophone
Harold "Ivory" Williams   Piano
Eddie Green   Piano,Piano
Bobby Eli   Guitar
Larry Washington   Bongos,Congas
Earl Young   Drums
Lenny Pakula   Organ
Ron Baker   Bass
Roland Chambers   Guitar
Vince Montana   Vibraphone
Reggie Lucas   Guitar
Ronnie Baker   Bass

Technical Credits

Elton John   Composer
Dexter Wansel   Arranger
Leon Huff   Composer,Producer
Lonnie Jordan   Composer
Buddy Bernier   Composer
Tony Martell   Executive Producer
Penny Armstrong   Product Manager
Bobby Martin   Arranger,Composer,Producer
Adam Block   Series Director
Zach Zachary   Arranger,Composer,Composer
Tom "Curly" Ruff   Mastering,Digital Mastering
Tony Sellari   Art Direction
Frank Loesser   Composer
Burton Lane   Composer
Sir Mack Rice   Composer
Kenny Gamble   Composer,Producer
Jack Faith   Arranger,Composer,Producer
Curtis Mayfield   Composer
Gene McFadden   Composer
John Whitehead   Composer
Charles Miller   Composer
Joe Tarsia   Engineer
Lee Oskar   Composer
Lenny Pakula   Arranger
Leo Sacks   Compilation Producer
Howard Scott   Composer
Robert Mellin   Composer
Richard Torres   Essay,Liner Notes
Roland Chambers   Composer
Nat Simon   Composer
Bernie Taupin   Composer
Vince Montana   Arranger,Producer
Guy Wood   Composer
Harold Brown   Composer
Tom Moulton   Mixing
Bruce Hawes   Composer
Thom Bell   Arranger,Composer
Papa Dee Allen   Composer
B.B. Dickerson   Composer