Vincent Montana, Jr.

Vince Montana
Birth name Vincent Montana, Jr.
Born February 12, 1928
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Died April 13, 2013 (aged 85)
Cherry Hill, New Jersey, United States
Genres Jazz, soul, disco
Occupation(s) Percussionist, arranger, bandleader, composer
Years active c.1950 - 2000s
Labels Salsoul, Atlantic, Philly Sound Works
Associated acts MFSB, The Salsoul Orchestra

Vincent Montana, Jr. (February 12, 1928 – April 13, 2013), known as Vince Montana, was an American composer, arranger, and percussionist, best known as a member of MFSB and as the founder of the Salsoul Orchestra. He has been called "the Godfather of disco".[1]

Life and career

He was born in South Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and grew up in an Italian-American neighborhood. He began playing drums as a child and soon took up other percussion instruments including the glockenspiel and marimba. By the late 1940s, he regularly played in nightclubs with jazz musicians such as Charlie Parker, Sarah Vaughan, Clifford Brown and Red Garland. He then spent some time as a musician in Las Vegas hotels, accompanying and arranging for Harry Belafonte, Louis Prima and others.[2] He returned to Philadelphia in the late 1950s, and played vibraphone on Frankie Avalon's 1959 hit "Venus" as well as recordings by Chubby Checker, Bobby Rydell and others. Around the same time, he began to be featured regularly on the nationally syndicated TV talk show, The Mike Douglas Show.[1][3]

With Joseph Tarsia, he helped set up the Sigma Sound Studios in Philadelphia in 1967, and began working with record producers Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff and Thom Bell. He formed and led MFSB, and recorded several albums with the orchestra as well as the international hit "TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)". 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.[1][2][3]

However, he fell out with Gamble and Huff over financial issues, and in 1974, after being introduced by Joe Bataan, joined with the Cayre brothers - Cayre brothers, Kenneth, Stanley, and Joseph - owners of Caytronics, a New York-based distributor of Latin music - to set up the Salsoul label. Several of the Philadelphia musicians joined him in New York. The first record for the label, "Salsoul Hustle", credited to the Salsoul Orchestra, was a commercial success, and the orchestra recorded six albums for the label over the next three years. Ken Cayre praised Montana's skill at scoring strings, brass, and diverse percussion in such way that it all worked within a dance recording, and the Salsoul Orchestra has been credited as "the first disco orchestra".[3] He also worked at Salsoul with other musicians including First Choice and Loleatta Holloway.[2]

Montana then joined Atlantic Records before launching his own Philly Sound Works label.[1] His recording of "Heavy Vibes", a reworking of part of MFSB's "Love Is The Message" credited to the Montana Sextet, reached no.59 on the UK singles chart in 1983.[2][4] 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.[1][5]

He died at Cherry Hill, New Jersey, on April 13, 2013, at the age of 85.[1][5]

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.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Perrone, Pierre (30 June 2013). "Vince Montana: Musician known as 'the Godfather of Disco'". The Independent. Retrieved 29 August 2013.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Needs, Kris (June 2013). "Not Forgotten: Vincent Montana". Record Collector (415): 144.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Hogan, Ed. "Vince Montana: Artist Biography". Retrieved 29 August 2013.
  4. ↑ Betts, Graham (2004). Complete UK Hit Singles 1952-2004 (1st ed.). London: Collins. p. 529. ISBN 0-00-717931-6.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Doc Rock. "The Dead Rock Stars Club 2013 January to June". Thedeadrockstarsclub.com. Retrieved 2013-04-17.

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