Larry Carlton-Plays The Sound Of Philadelphia (2010)

In 2010, legendary jazz and blues guitarist Larry Carlton left his commitments with the fusion band Fourplay, resuming his solo career and releasing his twenty-eighth album. This time, Carlton ventures into a style less explored in his long career: soul. He covers songs by one of the most famous songwriting duos in history, Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff. This duo earned over 100 Gold and Platinum records over the years, in addition to more than 70 number-one hits worldwide. Carlton, with his distinctive blend of jazz, blues, and rock, has played on hundreds of recordings, from pop stars like Barbra Streisand, Kim Carnes, Albert Hammond, and Leo Sayer, to rock bands and artists such as Steely Dan, Peter Gabriel, Peter Frampton, and Christopher Cross, as well as blues and jazz greats like T-Bone Walker, Al Jarreau, James Ingram, Eumir Deodato, and Herb Alpert. In this tribute, Larry Carlton is accompanied by the velvety voice of Bill LaBounty, organist Paul Shaffer, pianist Tony DeSare, bassist Christopher LiNard Jackson, saxophonist Max Douthit, and drummer Andrea Valentini. Adapting many of the iconic songs to his characteristic style, highlights include “Could It Be I'm Falling in Love”, “You Make Me Feel Brand New”, and “I'll Be Around”, all with a fusion twist, while in “Back Stabbers”, the guitarist transforms it into a great blues number. Even more brilliant is “If You Don't Know Me By Now”, which retains the fluidity of the popular original but incorporates Carlton at his best, with a rockier sound.