STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Philly soul doesn’t get enough respect in the present, considering what it did for the past.
Take The Spinners, who came from Detroit but typified the kind of lush arrangements and vocal abilities that set the tone for mainstream disco. The “Philadelphia Sound” quintet topped plenty of charts, was one of the best bands of the 1970s – and yet, they don’t seem to get the same kind of props as a Motown group like The Temptations.
Granted, they may not have as many hits as their Detroit counterparts, but anyone seeing The Spinners Jan. 14 at Lorenzo’s Cabaret will get a good feel for the group’s gifts to modern music.
Consider among those gifts: “I’ll Be Around,” “I’ll Always Love You,” “It’s a Shame,” and plenty more tunes that show off the band’s penchant for intricate vocal harmonies. The latter was given to The Spinners by a young Stevie Wonder, but they garnered lots of hat-tips over the years for their sound, by everyone from glam-god David Bowie to weirdo rockers Ween. Pop’s Daryl Hall also owes the group a debt of sound, as do The Doobie Brothers and many more.
That’s due to the rich arrangements offered by Philadelphia-based producer Thom Bell, who helped craft The Spinners’ sound with string arrangements, horns, and a light but tight rhythm section. But the quintet was also in the right place at the right time, taking a different tack than the Detroit soul sound into a quieter, smoother place.
Of course, their departure from Detroit’s sound didn’t make things easy for The Spinners, and the group reportedly didn’t get the necessary attention from Motown Records early on, and they were subsequently dropped. Add to that the 1977 departure of Philip Wynne, who helped bring the band to fame with his impressive falsetto, and you’ve got a recipe for a fading star.
But even if they don’t always get the respect they deserve, The Spinners soldier on with original members Bobbie Smith and Henry Famborough, as well as Charlton Washington, Marvin Taylor, and Jessie Robert Peck.
When the band comes to Lorenzo’s with Larry Chance & The Earls and Lady A. & Destiny, they’ll continue in a long tradition of Philly soul that deserves repeat listening, even long after its hey day. Showtime is 8:30 p.m. Tickets, $55; pre-show dinner at 6:30 p.m., $34.99; overnight package, $109. Lorenzo’s is located in the Hilton Garden Inn, 1100 South Ave., Bloomfield. For reservations, call 718-477-2400, ext. 5.