Vincent Montana, Jr.

Vincent Montana Jr. (February 12, 1928 – April 13, 2013), known as Vince Montana, was an American composer, arranger, vibraphonist, and percussionist. He is best known as a member of MFSB and as the founder of the Salsoul Orchestra. He has been called "the Godfather of disco". He returned to Philadelphia in the late 1950s, playing vibraphone on Frankie Avalon's 1959 hit "Venus", as well as recordings by Chubby Checker, Bobby Rydell and others. Around the same time, he started to be featured regularly on the nationally syndicated TV talk show, The Mike Douglas Show.

He helped to set up Sigma Sound Studios, owned by Joe Tarsia in Philadelphia in 1967 and began working there with record producers Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff and Thom Bell. He was a founding member of MFSB and recorded several albums with the orchestra, including the international hit track, "TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)", a Grammy Award winner released in 1973. He played on and arranged many tracks by The Intruders, The Delfonics, The Spinners, Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes, The O'Jays, The Trammps, Eddie Kendricks, William DeVaughn, Billy Paul, Lou Rawls, The Stylistics, Teddy Pendergrass, and many others. In later years, Montana worked with house music duo Masters at Work, which rekindled interest in his work. Most recently, Montana worked on "New York City Boy" by the Pet Shop Boys.

Discography

KEY: PL = Played on recording as Vibraharpist or Percussionist, Tympani, Marimba, Orchestra Bells and Chimes AC = Arranged musical composition and conducted recording session P = Produced recording session and booked all musicians. WC = As Writer and Publisher of the composition recorded.

PL Frankie Avalon Solid Gold Single "Venus" (Single) 1959 PL Soul Survivors "Expressway To Your Heart" (Single) 1967 PL Cliff Nobles hit Instrumental "The Horse" (Single) 1968 PL Eddie Holman "Hey There Lonely Girl" (Single) 1969 PL Delfonics (LP) I'm Sorry, "La La Means I Love You" (Single) 1969 PL The Intruders "Save The Children" including the hit song "I’ll Always Love My Mama" "When We Get Married"(LP) "Cowboys to Girls", their first album, "The Energy of Love"(LP) "The Intruders Greatest Hits", including "Together and United" 1969-1972 PL Jerry Butler Five LP's - "You and Me" "The Ice Man Cometh" "Soul Goes On" "The Spice of Life" "Ice on Ice" 1969-1972 PL The O’Jays "The O’Jays in Philadelphia" (LP) including "One Night Affair" "Backstabber"(LP)including: "Love Train" "992 Arguments", and the title cut, "Backstabbers" "Family Reunion"(LP) including "I Love Music" 1969-1975 PL Wilson Pickett "Wilson Pickett In Philadelphia"(LP) 1970 PL Dusty Springfield "A Brand New Me" (LP) 1970 PL The Assembled Multitude (LP) "Overture For Tommy" 1970 PL The Philly Ambassadors "The Ambassadors" (LP) 1970 PL/AC The Electric Indians "The Electric Indians" (LP) "Keem-o-Sabe" WC was Vincent's first gold single 1970 PL/AC Cissie Houston (Whitney Mother) Cissy Houston on Janice Records 1971 PL The Family "Family Affair" (LP) PL The Stylistics (LP) "You are Everything", " Betcha By Golly Wow" "Stop, Look, Listen To Your Heart", "People Make The World Go Round" 1971 PL The Stylistics "Round 2" (LP) "I’m Stone in Love With You" "Break Up To Make Up" 1972 PL Joe Simon "Drowning in the Sea of Love: (LP) 1972 PL Ronny Dyson "One Man Band" (LP) 1972 PL Dick Jenson "Dick Jenson" (LP) 1973 PL/AC The True Reflections "Where I’m Coming From", "Helpless Man" "Look at all the Lonely People" 1973 PL Johnny Mathis "I’m Coming Home" (LP) including such hits as "Foolish" "Stone In Love With You" "Stop Look and Listen to Your Heart" 1973 PL Billy Paul, "Ebony Woman" (LP) "Going East(LP) "The 360 Degrees of Billy Paul" (LP) including the Gold single, "Me and Mrs. Jones" "Feeling Good at the Cadillac Club"(LP) 1972-73 PL Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes "I Miss You" (LP) "If You Don’t Know Me By Now" and "I Miss You" All Things Happen in Time (LP) PL Harold Melvin and The Blue Notes, "Black and Blue" AC "Is There A Place For Me" "Caberet" "The Love I Lost" 1973 PL The Spinners, "The Spinners"(LP) including the One Million Sellers "Could It Be I’m Falling in Love" and "I’ll Be Around" 1973 PL/AC The First Choice (LP) "Armed and Extremely Dangerous" and 1974 The Player LP) "Guilty", "Guilty Instrumental"(Single) PL/AC The Whispers "Bingo" (LP) "The True Reflection"(LP) 1973/74 PL/AC The Ebonys "The Ebonys"(LP) 1973 PL/AC The Jacksons 5 Third Album (LP) 1973 PL/AC Brenda and The Tabulations "Brenda and The Tabulations"(LP) 1973 PL Patty La Belle "La Belle"(LP) 1973 PL/AC The Tramps "Disco Inferno"(single) and (LP) 1973 PL Lou Rawls "Lou Rawls" (LP) 1973 PL/AC Eddie Kendricks "Eddie Kendricks"(LP) 1973 PL/AC Vic Damone "Vic Damone"(LP) 1973 PL/AC Jean Carne "Jean Carne"(LP) 1973 PL Barbara Mason "Give Me Your Love" (LP) including the hits AC "Yes, I'm Ready", "When I Fall In Love", "Everything I Own" "Let Me in Your Life" and "Bed and Board" 1973 PL/AC First Choice (LP) "Armed and Extremely Dangerous" "Running Out of Fools" "A Boy Named Junior" "Smarty Pants" 1973 PL Laura Nyro and LaBelle "Gonna Take A Miracle" 1973 PL Billy Paul "War of The Gods" (LP) 1973 PL The O’Jays "Ship Ahoy"(LP) 1973 PL The Stylistics "Rock and Roll Baby" (LP) 1973 PL/AC Blue Magic "The Magic of The Blue" (LP) "Let Me Be The One"(Single)"Looking For a Friend"(Single) 1974 PL/AC Blue Magic "Blue Magic (LP) "Look Me Up" "Side Show" "I Just Don’t Want To Be Lonely" "Answer To My Prayer" "Tear It Down" 1974 PL/AC The Delfonics "Alive and Kicking" (LP) "Think It Over" "I Don’t Want To Make You Wait", "I Told You So" "Start All Over" 1974 PL Billy Paul "Live in Europe"(LP) 1974 PL William DeVaughn "Be Thankful For What You Got" (LP) 1974 PL Nancy Wilson "Now I’m a Woman" (LP) 1974 PL/AC Blue Magic, Major Harris, Margie Joseph, "Live" "Musical Extravaganza Lights Up The Latin Casino Arranged and Conducted Live on Stage Production 1975 PL The Three Degrees "International"(LP) 1975 PL Disco Pak "Get Down With The Philly Sound" (LP) 1975 PL/AC The Sal Soul Orchestra "The Sal Soul Orchestra"(LP) 1975 WC/P "Sal Soul Hustle" "Chicago Bus Stop"(Ooh I Love It)"You’re Just The Right Size, "Sal Soul Rainbow" "Tangerine" "Love Letters" PL/AC The Sal Soul Orchestra "The Sal Soul Strings"(LP) 1975 -1978 WC/P "How Deep is Your Love" (LP) PL/AC Sal Soul Orchestra, "Electric Lady"(LP) Featuring WC/P Artist Carol Williams 1976 PL/AC The Sal Soul Orchestra "Christmas Jollies"(LP) 1976 WC/P Sold over 6 Million 1976 to 1997 PL/AC The Sal Soul Orchestra "Nice N’ Nasty"(LP) 1976 WC/P "It’s Good For the Soul" "NIce ‘N’ Nasty" "Ritzy Mambo PL/AC Fat Larry’s Band(LP) "Feel It" and "Center City" 1976 PL/AC Astrud Gilberto (LP) "That Girl From Ipanema" 1976 PL/AC Grace Jones "Portfolio" "Tomorrow" "Send in The Clowns" "What I Did For Love" 1977 PL/AC The Sal Soul Orchestra "Magic Journey"(LP) 1977 WC including the Grammy nominated single "Getaway" "Magic Bird of Fire" "Runaway" PL/AC The Sal Soul Orchestra (LP) WC "Disco Boogie " Super Hits For Nonstop Dancing " 1977 PL/AC The Sal Soul Orchestra’s Greatest Hits"(LP) WC "Music For Nonstop Dancing" Rereleased 1975, 1976, & 1978. PL/AC "Charo and The Sal Soul Orchestra" (LP) 1977 WC "Dance A Little Bit Closer" PL/AC The Sal Soul Saturday Night Disco Party (LP) 1978 PL Gordon Lowe "Follow The Sound" PL Monk Montgomery: "Reality" (LP) 1974 PL William DeVaughn's 1974 album 'Be Thankful For What You Got' PL/AC M.F.S.B. "M.F.S.B." "Poinciana" "My One And Only Love" All M.F.S.B. (LP's) = Freddies Dead" "Philadelphia Freedom" "M.F.S.B. Summertime" "M.F.S.B. Universal Love" "Love is The Message" PL Dee Dee Sharp "Happy ‘bout The Whole Thing" N.B. All Sal Soul Orchestra Albums including any 1973 to Present compilations or variations. PL/AC The Sal Soul Orchestra "Anthology" (LP) 1995 WC which including 15 original releases by Montana PL Teddy Pendegrass "This One’s For You" (LP) 1980 PL/AC Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes (LP) 1981 "All Things Happen in Time" PRODUCED FOR ATLANTIC RECORDS: 3 (LP's) PL/AC Montana "I Love Music" 1978 WC/P "A Dance Fantasy Inspired By Close Encounters of The Third Kind" 1978 Goody Goody (singles): "#1 Dee Jay" (US Billboard #82, 1978) and "It Looks Like Love" (1979) PL/AC Tito Puente and India (LP) Count Basie Orchestra 1996 WC "To Be In Love" and "Love Me" PL/AC Mondo Groso (LP) "Closer" (Single) 1997 PL/AC The Braxtons (LP) "The Boss" 1997 PL/AC Randy Crawford (LP) "Wishing On a Star" 1997 "Bye Bye" "Johnny" "Changes" "Almaz" PL/AC Nuyorican Soul (LP) "Runaway", "Nautilus" WC "Sweet Tears" "I Am the Black Gold of the Sun" 1997 "Its Allright" vocals by Jocelyn Brown PL/AC Incognito (LP) Jocelyn Brown "Always There" 1997

Collaborations A Brand New Me - Dusty Springfield (Atlantic Records, 1970) Wilson Pickett in Philadelphia - Wilson Pickett (Atlantic Records, 1970) Sweet Sweet Soul - The Sweet Inspirations (Atlantic Records, 1970) Gonna Take a Miracle - Laura Nyro (Columbia Records, 1971) I Miss You - Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes (Philadelphia, 1972) Drowning in the Sea of Love - Joe Simon (Spring Records, 1972) Back Stabbers - The O'Jays (Epic Records, 1972) To Know You Is to Love You - B. B. King (ABC Records, 1973) Spinners - The Spinners (Atlantic Records, 1973) Jimmy Ruffin - Jimmy Ruffin (Polydor Records, 1973) My Way - Major Harris (Atlantic Records, 1974) Bingo - The Whispers (Janus, 1974) Friends - B. B. King (ABC Records, 1974) Mighty Love - The Spinners (Atlantic Records, 1974) Blue Magic - Blue Magic (Atco, 1974) The Magic of the Blue - Blue Magic (Atco, 1974) Tears on My Pillow - Johnny Nash (CBS Records, 1975) Thirteen Blue Magic Lane - Blue Magic (Atco, 1975) Jealousy - Major Harris (Atlantic Records, 1976) He's a Friend - Eddie Kendricks (Tamla, 1976) Mystic Dragons - Blue Magic (Atco, 1976) Goin' Up in Smoke - Eddie Kendricks (Tamla, 1976) So Let Us Entertain You - First Choice (Philly Groove, 1976) Portfolio - Grace Jones (Island Records, 1977) Loleatta - Loleatta Holloway (Gold Mind Records, 1977) Delusions - First Choice (Gold Mind Records, 1977) France Joli - France Joli (VMC, 1979) The Best Love - Jerry Butler (Philadelphia, 1980) Mixin' It Up - The Trammps (Atlantic Records, 1980) The Spirit's in It - Patti LaBelle (Philadelphia, 1981) Keep It Comin''' - Jean Knight (Cotillion, 1981) All Things Happen in Time - Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes (MCA Records, 1981) Changes - Keni Burke (RCA Victor, 1982) Let Me Touch You - The O'Jays (Philadelphia, 1987) This Christmas - Patti LaBelle (MCA Records, 1990) Every Kind of Mood: Randy, Randi, Randee - Randy Crawford (WEA, 1997) Fresh Outta 'P' University - Bootsy Collins (Private, 1997) Nicole Renée - Nicole Renée (Atlantic Records, 1998) Together We Are One'' - The O'Jays (Philadelphia, 2004)