John Morrison’s Philly Top 5: Underground Anthems Of Philly Soul
Happy Black History Month! February has been all about DJ gigs, the endless task of sorting records, and occasionally popping out to my friends’ events throughout the city. In addition to live DJing, my radio work has been especially fruitful this month. On World Cafe’s “Culture Corner” segment, Raina Douris and I have been exploring the connections between the music of the African diaspora. We’ve specifically focused on how those connections have been fostered through DJ culture and genres like Hip-Hop, Disco, and Techno. The videos of these segments have been making the rounds on social media, and it’s been a cool way to celebrate Black History Month and people of African descent around the world. As always, Philly’s Black music culture has been doing some heavy lifting and influencing musicians at home and abroad. Here are 5 dope Philly-related things that have inspired me this Black History Month.
Good Company (2/14/26)
On February 14th, two of Philly’s finest selectors, DJs Dommis and Lil’ Dave, hosted the Good Company dance party at the Ice Box Project Space at the Crane Arts building. The duo lit up the dark, spacious room with cutting-edge House remixes and Philly Disco classics like Teddy Pengrass’ “You Can’t Hide From Yourself” and First Choice’s “Let No Man Put Asunder.” The vibe was rounded out with vendors selling thrifted clothes and records, and food by Motherland Infusions. Good Company did justice to the legacy of some of the great Disco and House parties of the past, like David Mancuso’s Loft, Tee Scott at Better Days, and David Todd’s famed nights at Philly’s Catacombs.
Norman Jay – Philadelphia (The Underground Anthems Of Philadelphia Soul 1973-1981)
Keeping with the spirit of Philly Soul and Disco ignited by Good Company, I’ve been digging the album Philadelphia (The Underground Anthems Of Philadelphia Soul 1973-1981). Expertly curated by legendary British DJ Norman Jay, Philadelphia digs a little deeper into the Philly soul catalog with smooth grooves like Jean Carne’s “We Got Some Catchin’ Up To Do,” Billy Paul’s “East,” and The Futures’ “Ain’t No Time Fa Nothing.”
King Britt Presents Oba Funke – CosmoAfrique
Packed with rich, Afrobeat-inspired grooves, 2002’s CosmoAfrique is an underappreciated moment in DJ King Britt’s vast and diverse catalog. With guest appearances from guitarist Chuck Treece, vocalists Diva Blue and Wumni, these songs still hold up beautifully 24 years after they first hit dancefloors. Everything here is great, but revisiting this record has reminded me that I need to reintroduce “Uzoamaka” into my DJ sets.
Werd Of Mouph – “Show Da World (Blowin Up)“
I remember hearing Werd Of Mouph’s “Show Da World (Blowin Up)” on a late-night mixshow back in 1997, and it took me years to figure out the artist’s name and the song’s title. A breezy, chilled-out anthem about making it in the rap game, the track is built around a slick beat by Philly legend, DJ Jazz, and a vocal sample cribbed from Notorious B.I.G.’s “Juicy.” The record is pretty hard to find these days, so if you come across a copy, grab it.
American Masters — Sun Ra: Do The Impossible
I think we’ve all been waiting a long time for this one. PBS is quietly one of the great distributors of music documentaries, and American Masters’ Sun Ra: Do The Impossible is the latest and greatest entry into their catalog. Digging into the musical, philosophical, and spiritual influences that shaped Ra’s work and outlook, the film does a good job of presenting the jazz pioneer as a whole greater than the sum of his parts. I’m going to be spending more time with this film in the days to come, but it’s great to see such an accessible assessment of Ra’s life that doesn’t shortchange the viewer in its attempts to encompass his genius.