Филадельфиялық студиялық музыканттар тобы MFSB

American collective of session musicians

MFSB, officially standing for "Mother Father Sister Brother", was a pool of more than 30 studio musicians based at Philadelphia's Sigma Sound Studios. They worked closely with the production team of Gamble and Huff and producer/arranger Thom Bell, and backed up Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, the O'Jays, the Stylistics, the Spinners, Wilson Pickett, and Billy Paul.

MFSB formed in 1971 and disbanded in 1985, three years after Teddy Pendergrass' car accident, which left him paralyzed. Assembled by record producers Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff, MFSB was the house band for their Philadelphia International Records label and originated "Philly sound" that dominated the early 1970s for the artists who recorded at the Sigma Sound Studios, including The O'Jays, The Spinners, Harold Melvin & the Bluenotes, the Intruders, the Three Degrees, Jerry Butler, and Teddy Pendergrass. Later in the decade, the collective would become known for the hi hat dominated disco sounds that became popular in the late 1970s with groups such as the Trammps, First Choice, Ripple and Double Exposure. It was the 1973 release of their first album, MFSB, that put them on the map. The success of "TSOP" launched a recording career for the band under their own name. MFSB albums and singles were released for the rest of the decade. MFSB recorded a cover of the Nite Liters's 1971 instrumental "K Jee", which gained some popularity when it was featured in a key scene in the film Saturday Night Fever (1977). An episode of the television series Pose named after the song aired on July 18, 2018, and the song appeared prominently in the episode. Due to a disagreement with Gamble & Huff over finances, several members 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, and John Davis and the Monster Orchestra. Not to be outdone, Gamble & Huff replaced them with a new rhythm section consisting of Charles Collins on drums, Michael Foreman on bass guitar, and Dennis Harris on lead guitar. They also employed Dexter Wansel and others on MFSB's latter recordings for the label. First recommended by news anchor Jim Vance, MFSB's "My Mood" has been the closing theme music for the Friday 6:00 p. m. newscast on WRC TV (NBC4), the NBC owned television station in Washington, D. C. since 1975. MFSB's "TLC" (Tender Lovin' Care) was used for decades as the closing credits theme for the Washington, DC, version of the It's Academic quiz show recorded at WRC TV. In 2008, some of the members appeared together on new recordings made at Bobby Eli’s Studio E/The Grooveyard in the Philly suburbs. Musicians on the session were Earl Young on drums, Bobby Eli and Dennis Harris on guitars, Jimmie Williams on bass guitar, Rikki Hicks on percussion and T G Conway on keys. Two songs have been released from that session: "Soul Recession" by Double Exposure and "There I go falling in love again" by Chiquita Green.

Year Title Peak chart positions US CAN NLD SWI UK1973 "Family Affair" — — — — — — — — — —1974 "TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)" (featuring The Three Degrees) 1 1 — 12 17 1 5 18 3 22 "Love Is the Message" (featuring The Three Degrees) 85 42 — — — 37 — — — —1975 "Sexy" 42 2 2 — — 51 — — — 37 "T. L. C. (Tender Lovin' Care)" — 54 — — — — — — — — "K Jee" — — 18 — — — — — — — "The Zip" 91 72 — — — — — 24 — — 1976 "Philadelphia Freedom" — — — — — — — — — — "Picnic in the Park" — — 14 — — — — — — — "Summertime and I'm Feelin' Mellow" — 65 — — — — — — — "We Got the Time" — — — — — — — — — — 1977 "Let's Clean Up the Ghetto" (with Philadelphia International All Stars) 91 4 26 — — — — 8 — 34 1978 "Use ta Be My Guy" — 94 — — — — — — — — "To Be in Love" — — — — — — — — — — 1980 "Manhattan Skyline" — — — — — — — — — — "Mysteries of the World" — — — — — — — — — 41 1994 "TSOP (Theme from Soul Train '94)" (vs Johnny Vicious) — — — — — — — — — 98 "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.