The Salsoul Orchestra

Formed in 1974, the Salsoul Orchestra was a collective of session musicians who were recruited to back many of the artists on the disco / soul label Salsoul Records. Comprised of nearly 50 musicians, the group was originally led by Vince Montana, Jr., who had originally played with MFSB and provided backing for Philadelphia International Records and many other Philly soul artists. After a financial dispute with Kenny Gamble and Lenny Huff, many of the musicians followed Montana over to Salsoul Records and began recording for them. With the Salsoul Orchestra, the band’s sound was more string based, which fit in with the growing disco music sound. While backing Salsoul artists, the group began recording their own albums including their debut album, The Salsoul Orchestra (1975), which made the Top 20 on the Billboard 200 and the R&B / Soul Albums chart. They even scored a pair of Top 40 singles with 1976’s “Tangerine” and “Nice ‘N’ Naasty.” While their subsequent albums still charted, they never had another Top 20 release. One of the band’s most infamous albums was Cuchi-Cuchi, a 1977 disco collaboration with entertainer / singer / flamenco guitarist Charo. By the end of the 1970s, disco was fading, and Salsoul Records releases were no longer doing well in the charts. With new wave and electronic music dominating the charts, the writing was on the wall and the Salsoul Orchestra split in 1983.

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