The Mellow Moods

[blueskies]

Have never heard of this group.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HstT93qHwdA
One of the common remarks regarding the first single, “Tell Love Hello,” by the Philly soul vocal group The Mellow Moods, originally released in 1971 on Gamble & Huff’s Gamble label is “why wasn’t this a huge national hit?.” It has all the hallmarks of a great Philly soul recording but somehow managed to slip through the cracks. The Mellow Moods was a female vocal trio featuring lead singer Pat Cummings who first formed the group in 1968. The group played local gigs around the Philadelphia area and were discovered by the famed Philly soul producers Gamble & Huff in 1969. The group was offered a record contract and promptly went in to the studio to record some material. It wasn’t until 1971 that their first single, “Tell Love Hello” b/w “If You See Him” was released, to great critical and local acclaim. By that time the group had already disbanded, but were hired by Billy Paul as his back-up vocal group, and the group did a few tours with him. Lead singer Pat Cummings also was hired as a singer for rocker Myron Lefevre’s Holy Smoke Doo Dah Band which was signed to Columbia Records in 1970. Nearly 45 years after the fact, legendary Philly soul producer Butch Ingram contacted original lead singer Pat Cummings to see if she had any interest in reforming the group for an album. Pat replied that she’d like to participate but instead suggested that her daughter, Linda Lee, be recruited as lead singer of the group with vocalists Shellie Daniels and Sandra Brown to round out the trio. The group convened at the legendary Sigma Sound studios in October of 2015 to begin recording with the Ingram Family band and The Society Hill Orchestra to recreate the unique sound of the original group. The sessions were a big success and Pat joined in on background vocals along with her granddaughter Quinn Cummings [[Lee’s daughter) who sang backups as well. The group recorded updated versions of the early Mellow Moods singles “Tell Love Hello” and “Stop Taking My Love For Granted” along with other soul classics such as Stevie Wonders “Hey Love,” Smokey Robinson’s “The One Who Really Loves You” and other soul classics. The album was completed on the day before Christmas eve, 2015 and sounds remarkably like the original group. Nearly 45 years on, The Mellow Moods finally get their just due.





Mellow Moods
Tell Love Hello

CD [[Item 794504) Society Hill/Essential, 2016 — Condition: New Copy

$11.99 ... CD


List Price: 14.98
[[€10.61 || £8.33 || ¥1243) [[approx.)
Please note




A trio of lovely ladies from the Philly scene of the 70s – heard here in a surprisingly great contemporary recording! The Mellow Moods grew up in the same generation as bigger Philly female trios like First Choice or Three Degrees – and although they never hit the heights of those groups, they had a wonderful harmony sound that was every bit as great as some of the stellar male groups that were making mellow soul magic in the underground! All these many years later, a reformed version of the group works here with Butch Ingram and the Ingram Family – who provide the perfect sort of Philly backings for their vocals – contemporary, but handled with lots of classic touches that really fit the choice of material. The whole thing feels more like a set of female harmony soul from the late 70s, instead of something from this century – and titles include "Stop Taking My Love For Granted", "Tell Love Hello", "Right On The Tip Of My Tongue", "Tell Him That I Love Him", "Hello Stranger", and "Selfish One

[soulwally]

Have never heard of this group.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HstT93qHwdA
One of the common remarks regarding the first single, “Tell Love Hello,” by the Philly soul vocal group The Mellow Moods, originally released in 1971 on Gamble & Huff’s Gamble label is “why wasn’t this a huge national hit?.” It has all the hallmarks of a great Philly soul recording but somehow managed to slip through the cracks. The Mellow Moods was a female vocal trio featuring lead singer Pat Cummings who first formed the group in 1968. The group played local gigs around the Philadelphia area and were discovered by the famed Philly soul producers Gamble & Huff in 1969. The group was offered a record contract and promptly went in to the studio to record some material. It wasn’t until 1971 that their first single, “Tell Love Hello” b/w “If You See Him” was released, to great critical and local acclaim. By that time the group had already disbanded, but were hired by Billy Paul as his back-up vocal group, and the group did a few tours with him. Lead singer Pat Cummings also was hired as a singer for rocker Myron Lefevre’s Holy Smoke Doo Dah Band which was signed to Columbia Records in 1970. Nearly 45 years after the fact, legendary Philly soul producer Butch Ingram contacted original lead singer Pat Cummings to see if she had any interest in reforming the group for an album. Pat replied that she’d like to participate but instead suggested that her daughter, Linda Lee, be recruited as lead singer of the group with vocalists Shellie Daniels and Sandra Brown to round out the trio. The group convened at the legendary Sigma Sound studios in October of 2015 to begin recording with the Ingram Family band and The Society Hill Orchestra to recreate the unique sound of the original group. The sessions were a big success and Pat joined in on background vocals along with her granddaughter Quinn Cummings [[Lee’s daughter) who sang backups as well. The group recorded updated versions of the early Mellow Moods singles “Tell Love Hello” and “Stop Taking My Love For Granted” along with other soul classics such as Stevie Wonders “Hey Love,” Smokey Robinson’s “The One Who Really Loves You” and other soul classics. The album was completed on the day before Christmas eve, 2015 and sounds remarkably like the original group. Nearly 45 years on, The Mellow Moods finally get their just due.





Mellow Moods
Tell Love Hello

CD [[Item 794504) Society Hill/Essential, 2016 — Condition: New Copy

$11.99 ... CD


List Price: 14.98
[[€10.61 || £8.33 || ¥1243) [[approx.)
Please note




A trio of lovely ladies from the Philly scene of the 70s – heard here in a surprisingly great contemporary recording! The Mellow Moods grew up in the same generation as bigger Philly female trios like First Choice or Three Degrees – and although they never hit the heights of those groups, they had a wonderful harmony sound that was every bit as great as some of the stellar male groups that were making mellow soul magic in the underground! All these many years later, a reformed version of the group works here with Butch Ingram and the Ingram Family – who provide the perfect sort of Philly backings for their vocals – contemporary, but handled with lots of classic touches that really fit the choice of material. The whole thing feels more like a set of female harmony soul from the late 70s, instead of something from this century – and titles include "Stop Taking My Love For Granted", "Tell Love Hello", "Right On The Tip Of My Tongue", "Tell Him That I Love Him", "Hello Stranger", and "Selfish One

I absolutely love this too. Only heard it for the first time about a month ago.
I'm a real sucker for the Philly sound as it was evolving around this period.

[blueskies]

I absolutely love this too. Only heard it for the first time about a month ago.
I'm a real sucker for the Philly sound as it was evolving around this period.

Me, too....soulwally. I just put my order in at cdimports. Good price, too.

[blueskies]

Just received my CD today.....it's great! It takes me back to the 'old days'....when girl groups could really sing! Hope more will be coming from The Mellow Moods.

[JimBagley]

Does anyone know if the original 1971 version of "Tell Love Hello" is available on CD? Perhaps on one of the Northern Soul collections?

Thanks,
Jim.

[robb_k]

Just another thread that makes me feel ancient. I was all excited that someone was going to talk about the male harmony group, The Mello Moods, who recorded for Prestige, Robin and Red Robin records back in 1950-1953. Seems like all those old names like The Eagles [[Mercury 1954-55), Heartbreakers [[RCA and Vik 1953-55) and the like have been getting recycled lately.

[JimBagley]

HI Robb,
I would say that at least these Philly ladies added a "w" to Mello, but their own press folks often spelled their name without it.

[manny]

The only one I have on CD is a track titled something like "Stop Takin' My Love" on the PIR CD "The Lost Soul Of P.I.R."

[JimBagley]

I have that CD too, Manny. Nice track.

[manny]

I have that CD too, Manny. Nice track.

I'm still waiting to Volume 2 [[and 3, 4, 5,...) with the entire PIR, TSOP, Gamble, North Bay, Huff-Puff, Tommy, Thunder, Golden Fleece & Neptune 45's A & B sides collection reedited on CD...!

My favorite track on this CD is the one by Yellow Sunshine [[they are the folk on the picture)

[JimBagley]

I'm still waiting to Volume 2 [[and 3, 4, 5,...) with the entire PIR, TSOP, Gamble, North Bay, Huff-Puff, Tommy, Thunder, Golden Fleece & Neptune 45's A & B sides collection reedited on CD...!

My favorite track on this CD is the one by Yellow Sunshine [[they are the folk on the picture)

I would love to see all of the recordings that you mentioned released on CD.