Vincent Montana Jr.  

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Vincent Montana, Jr. (February 12, 1928 - April 13, 2013) was an American composer, arranger, and percussionist, best-known as a member of MFSB and as the founder of the Salsoul Orchestra and for such tracks as "Heavy Vibes".

He is the spiritual father of the Salsoul Orchestra, the backing band for the many acts on Salsoul Records. The personnel of MFSB and the Salsoul orchestra overlapped substantially, and both groups were recorded at Philadelphia's famous Sigma Sound Studios.

In recent years Montana has worked with house music duo Masters at Work, which has rekindled interest in his work. Ken Cayre, founder of Salsoul Records, has praised Montana's skill at scoring strings, brass, and diverse percussion in such way that it all worked within a dance recording. As Montana was among the first with his considerable training and skill to apply such scoring technique to disco-oriented recordings, it is safe to say he is a true pioneer in the field.

Most recently, Montana worked on 'New York City Boy' by the Pet Shop Boys.

Vince Montana died on April 13, 2013.

VINCENT MONTANA JR. 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 Tabulaions "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" "#1 Dee Jay and It Looks Like Love(Singles) 1979 Featuring Denise Montana
• 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

Studio credits

• Played vibes on William DeVaughn's 1974 album 'Be Thankful For What You Got'