Forever - Philly Soul Gems

been looking for this cd everywhere

Great CD. I love it. Thanks

Baby Baby Baby Babyyyy

Great music and great sound

This also brings back childhood memories of songs that were songs. Classic soul R&B

Let's hear it for old school

In terms of commercial chart success, this early 1970s group, which originated in Camden, New Jersey, may not be able to point to any eye-catching results, but today they are among those artists listed as proponents of the Philadelphia Soul - or Philly Sound. In essence the precursor of Disco, it fused elaborate instrumentals involving multi-strings and brass with R&B, funk and the vocal ensembles that permeated the mid to late Sixties.Among the movers and shakers behind the "movement" were Kenneth Gamble, Philadelphia-born on August 11, 1943 and Leon A. Huff, born in Camden on April 8, 1942. A song-writing and record-producing duo unmatched by few in the business with well over 170 gold/platinum discs, they were inducted into the R&R Hall Of Fame in the non-performing category in 2008.Huff, in fact, "discovered" The Ebonys (featuring the distinctive voices of high tenor David Beasley and baritone James Tuten along with female member Jenny Holmes and Clarence "Jingles" Vaughn), who had first come together in 1968 and had one single release to their credit, 1969's Can't Get Enough/Don't Knock Me on Ron Carson's San Francisco-based Soul Clock label (Soul Clock 108). On the basis of that record, which never charted, and personal appearances, Huff signed them to the label he and Gamble just formed in 1971 - Philadelphia International where they would join the likes of Billy Paul and The O'Jays at the outset, and eventually acts like The Three Degrees, Lou Rawls, Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes (with Teddy Pendergrass), and MFSB.Indeed, The Ebonys would score the label's initial hit single with their third release (they began their numbering with 3501) when You're The Reason Why made it to # 10 R&B and # 51 Billboard Pop Hot 100 in June 1971 b/w Sexy Ways on Philadelphia Int'l 3503, and while a higher placing on the more lucrative Pop charts would have been preferred, it wasn't a bad debut. After that, however, the going would get tough, and late that year Determination struggled to a # 46 R&B in November b/w Do It on Philadelphia Int'l 3510.There were no singles released at all in 1972, and it wasn't until June 1973 that they returned to the charts with It's Forever, again producing modest results with a # 14 R&B and # 68 Hot 100 placing b/w Sexy Ways on Philadelphia Int'l 3529. That same year their only album with the label came out (Philadelphia Int'l KZ 32419 "The Ebonys" containing tracks 1 to 9 here). From that album their beautiful cover of the 1953 Frankie Laine hit, I Believe, topped out at # 34 R&B in March/April 1974 b/w Nation Time on Philadelphia Int'l 3541, while Life In The Country had to settle for a # 69 R&B in August b/w Hook Up And Get Down on Philadelphia Int'l 3548.They resurfaced briefly on the charts in 1976 with Buddah Records when Makin' Love Ain't No Fun (Without The One You Love) Part 1 stalling at # 83 R&B in September b/w Part 2 on Buddah 537. The follow-up Neighbourhood Gossip/Laughing on Buddah 576 went nowhere that year, although they did cut the 1979 LP Buddah 5679 "The Ebonys Sing About Love" containing: One Thing On My Mind; Love Of Your Own; Neighborhood Gossip; Mr. Me, Mrs. You; If You're In Need; (I'll Know) When True Love Really Passes; Sing About Life; Waiting For The Last Goodbye; Nobody But You and Laughing. These Buddah sides remain impossible to find together in a quality CD format.From 1978 to 1980, Jenny Holmes would find the R&B charts four more times with Creme D' Cocoa, which also included three former male members of the late 1960s group The Ambassadors.A very nice, concise 2010 compilation from Shout with excellent sound and informative notes written by Clive Richardson.

my husband love it

I really loved this collection of songs. I remembered only one song on this album, from when I was a teenager, and was as chuffed as ten bears to find this compilation on Spotify to listen to it all, and decided I needed a hard copy for my collection. The Ebonys may not be as well known in the U.K as some of the soul groups that followed in their footsteps when The Philly sound really took off circa 1972, but in my opinion they are up there with the rest of the gang. Brilliant.

Great soul. Great music!