A couple of tracks from
Love Unlimited's fourth (and penultimate) album 'He's All I Got', neither of which were
released as singles, in fact only 'I Did It For Love' (vocal/inst) from the
album made it to a 45 release.
Love Unlimited were a female trio who were Barry White's backing singers
from 1969 onwards. White married Glodean James from the group in 1974 and
they released an album together in 1981 'Barry & Glodean'. The other
members of the group were Glodean's sister Linda and cousin Diane
Taylor.
They burst onto the scene with their debut single 'Walking In The Rain
With The One I Love' (issued by Uni in 1972) which reached #14 both sides of
the pond, but they could never quite match that position again in US but
they had a #11 hit with 'It May Be Winter Outside (But In My Heart It's
Spring)' in the UK in 1975 (although released in US in 1973). Felice
Taylor had a #42 US hit with the Barry White song in 1967. Their last single
release was in 1981 but was taken from their last album from 1979.
It is claimed that their material was lost in the
Universal Studios Fire
of 2008 which destroyed master tapes for hundreds of artists, so I guess
that there will be no reissues?
Just came across this updated version of Otis Redding's classic 'Sitting On
The Dock Of The Bay' on a 2003 album 'Nice And Slow' from Mike Logan.
The title track is quite nice as well so I'll also post that.
In fact it's a very pleasant and laid back 'listening' album so here's a link to
Full Album
Just to break up the 'sameness' of a lot of new releases here's probably one
of the best modern soul tunes from the 80s from the group that hit with 'The
Sound Of Music'.
They had four other US R&B chart entries but this wasn't one of them.
Their biggest being a cover of Sly & Family Stone's 'Hot Fun In
Summertime' which crossed over to Hot 100 #58.
There are currently none available for sale on Discogs and the last one to
sell sold for £50, even the album 'Feel The Music', from where it comes, now
sells between £20-£50.
As well as 'Promise Me' and 'The Sound Of Music', there are a couple of good ballads on the album 'It Must Be Love' (one of the 5 R&B chart singles) and 'Caught In The Middle', as well as a few 'dodgy' 80s cuts! Also, the album version is slightly longer that the single (4:02 v 3:43) so the album is probably a better 'bang for your buck'.
Here's a great little obscure track from a 1998 album 'All Because Of You'
from
Atlantic Starr. Several of the tracks were released on
'Legacy', a UK release on Expansion in 1998, with some additional tracks, but 'You'
on the Legacy release was a shorter version.
It's a sort of timeless track. It doesn't sound specifically like a 90s track,
it could have been released anywhere from mid 80s onwards.
Janita
(Maria Ervi nee Raukko) is from Helsinki (Finland) and released her first
album aged 14 in 1993 before moving to New York when she was 17. This album
was her fifth and she was still only 23 and she has subsequently released
another 4 up to 2015.
Firefly
From the 2001 album 'I'll Be Fine' and released as a single in 2002.The album is quite good all through with smooth jazz undertones.
More great music from Phil Perry taken from his third album 'One Love One Heart' album 1998.
I hope I can turn anyone, who as yet is unfamiliar with his music, onto him, as, I hope you'll agree from the several posts I've done on him already, that his vocal prowess is magnificent.
Whilst he's highly respected and sought after as a session singer within the industry, and by soul aficionados, his name outside soul circles is relatively unknown, even though he has been recording since 1969 and still going strong as his last (his 12th) solo album, 'Breathless', was released in 2017 and he is currently working on a new album.
The 50th Anniversay release of Marvin Gaye's iconic album 'What's Going On'
has just been released on 20 Jan 2021 to coincide with the original release of the single on 20 Jan 1971.
As well as the full original album, it includes Bonus Tracks, The Detroit
Mix and Funky Nation: The Detroit Instrumentals. I've also added a link to
the
'What's Going On Live'
album recorded at The Kennedy Center Auditorium, Washington, D.C. in 1972
released in 2019.
You can read about this release more on
Rolling Stone
Because I'm good to you here are some links to the full album and bonus
tracks
This week's spotlight is on
Rena Scott. Her name may not be that well know to many and I hope to correct
that. I will showcase some of her best recordings.
UPDATE 23 Nov 2021. Rena was interviewed by Gary Van Den Bussche on his lunchtime Starpoint radio show on 23 Nov 2021 so I've now added that interview to this post.
Her biggest hit, until recently, was a duet with Michael Henderson in 1978
with 'Take Me I'm Yours' which reached #3 US R&B. She has since,
in 2005, had a #1 US R&B hit with 'A Love Thang', which also reached #17
on Hot 100. The album from which it came, 'Let Me Love You', was
nominated for a Grammy for Best New Album in the Urban Adult Contemporary
category. The title track from the album featured in the movie 'Love In
Action In Chicago'. Another single from the album 'Remember' charted as a
ballad and was later remixed by Dutch producer BM on Room Recording label in
2017.
Rena grew up in Detroit and her talent was recognised from an early age,
she performed in her first talent show aged 13 and released her first single
at 16 in 1971. At the same time she was opening for many Motown acts such as
The Temptations, The Originals and The Four Tops and at the age of 18 was a
backing singer for Aretha Franklin perfoming at Carnegie Hall.
The artists she has toured with include The Crusaders, Michael Henderson,
David Ruffin, Bobby Womack, Ronnie McNeir and (that man again) Phil Perry.
She replaced Randy Crawford in The Crusaders in the early 80s not long after
the world-wide hit 'Street Life'.
Frustrated that she had deals with three labels that failed, she set up her
own label, 'Amor', in partnership with Lloyd Tolbert in 2005.
To date, she has released four albums and approx. 15-20 singles:
Her latest recording is the release in 2020 of two previously unreleased
tracks from 1983 on UK label Izipho Soul.
Here's a selection of her best recordings in chronological order.
It's almost a full discography apart from some 80s recordings which didn't
make the cut.
Little Rena Scott [1971] - I Just Cant Forget That Boy [Grand Junction
#1002]
Her debut single released in 1971 when she was just 16. It was issued on
both Grand Junction and it's subsidiary Black Rock. I'm not sure which was
first as 45Cat states both were released in May 1971. It then got a national
release in Aug 1971 on Epic.
The song was written by George McGregor who released a solitary 45 on
Chicago's Twilight (before it was renamed to Twinight) in 1967 as George
McGregor & The Bronzettes -
'Temptation Is Hard To Fight' / 'Every Time I Wake Up'.
Little Rena Scott [1971] - Set Me Free [Grand Junction #1002]
Deep Soul song on the flip to 'I Just Cant Forget That Boy' that was on
both Grand Junction and Black Rock and nationally on Epic.
This song was written by Tyrone Hite who was a member of Black Merda who
also released a song of the same title on their debut album but it was only
only a
40 second snippet
as the last track on the album, and I don't think it's the same
song.
Rena Scott [1972] - Testify [Epic #5-10864]
Another deep and soulful ballad again co-written by George McGregor.
Rena Scott [1972] - I Finally Found A Love [Epic #5-10864]
A 70s Northern Soul tune written by George McGregor. It doesn't seem that
this record was ever released as only promos are listed.
Rena Scott [1973] - La-Te-Da (This Girl's In Love) [Epic #5-11064]
Mid-tempo Modern Soul / Crossover
Rena Scott [1973] - It's Time To Go Now [Epic #5-11064]
Another deep and soulful ballad written by Barrett Strong and Norman
Whitfield and recorded by
Gladys Knight & The Pips
in 1967 on the flip side to 'I Heard It Through The Grapevine'.
Gladys Knight & Pips version of 'Grapevine' was the first 'release' of the record
but it was 'recorded' first by Smokey Robinson & The Miracles in 1966 but
wasn't released until they put it on 'Special Occasion' album in 1968.
It was, of course, Marvin Gaye who had the big hit with it in 1968.
Michael Henderson Feat. Rena Scott [1978] - Take Me I'm Yours [Budda #BDA
#597]
This is the full length album version from 'In The Night-Time'. This would
have to be up there in my Top 100 favourites of all time. This is simply a
marvellous piece of music that I never tire of hearing, it's got everything -
soul perfection. It reached #3 in US R&B and #88 Hot 100 and also got a
release in UK but didn't chart.
Ronnie McNeir (Special Appearance by Rena Scott) [1978] - A Different Kind
Of Love [Tortoise #JH 11381]
Modern Soul from 1978 with a 'special appearance' by Rena Scott on Ronnie
McNeir's recording. The track was reissued in 2008 in UK on Expansion
45 and also appeared on his 'Rare McNeir' compilation released in UK and
Japan in 1996.
The Dramatics [1978] - Stop Your Weeping [ABC #AA 1072]
Rena featured on The Dramatics 1978 album 'Do What You Wanna Do' on 'Stop
You're Weeping' track written by LJ Reynolds, although she didn't actually
sing, hers is the weeping voice.
Rena Scott [1979] - The Grass Ain't Greener [Buddah #BDA 607]
Modern Soul. This was released as flip side to 'Super Lover' and was on
'Come On Inside' album.
Rena Scott [1979] - We Can Make It Better [Buddah #BDA 614]
A good 70's modern soul dancer.
Rena Scott [1988] - Nightdancing [Sedona #SDI 7511]
A classy jazz flavoured stepper from 'Love Zone' album (only).
Rena Scott [1979] - I Could Use A Kiss [Sedona #SDO-7610]
A mellow soul ballad from 'Love Zone'
Rena Scott [1979] - Don't Know What You Got [Sedona #SDO-7610]
Another soulful ballad on flip to 'I Could Use A Kiss'.
Rena Scott [2005] - Remember Me (Radio Version) [Amor #AMR0001]
The ballad version from 'Let Me Love You'. This build and builds into a
deep soul ballad.
Rena Scott [2005] - A Love Thang [Amor #AMR 0711]
Modern Soul stepper released as a single from 'Let Me Love You'
album.
Rena Scott [2017] - A Love Thang (BM Soulful Remix) [Room
Recordings]
A BM Soulful House Remix done in 2017.
Rena Scott [2005] - Day And Night [Amor #AMR 0711]
Another Modern Soul stepper released as a single along with 'A Love Thang'
from 'Let Me Love You' album.
Rena Scott [2005] - I Know It's Right [Amor]
Smooth, sensual and soulful ballad/stepper from 'Let Me Love You'
Rena Scott [2010] - Take Me Away [Amor
#AMR0001]
A few tracks from her 2010 album 'Take Me Away'.
Take Me Away
The title, and best, track on the album.
Joy And Pain
A cover of Frankie Beverly & Maze's UK soul weekender anthem.
Don't Ask My Neighbors
Cover of a song written by Skip Scarborough and recorded originally by
The Emotions in 1977.
Rena Scott [2014] - One More Chance [Amor]
A soulful house track released in 2014.
Rena Scott [2017] - Remember Me (BM Radio Mix [Room Recordings]
A 'soulful house' remix of her
ballad
from 'Let Me Love You'. There is another
Deep House Mix.
Rena Scott [2018] - Until You Come Back To Me [Amor]
Rena's rendition of the Stevie Wonder song made famous by Aretha
Franklin.
Rena Scott [2020] - In This Life (Jazzindahouse Remix) [New Jazz
Adventure]
Mellow and jazzy stepper rework of album track from 'Take Me Away'
released 19 Sep 2020.
Rena Scott [2009] - In This Life (Astral22 Rework) [Trans Phatt]
Remixed by Astral 22 and released on a 2009 compilation.
Rena Scott [2020] - Driftin' On A Dream [Izipho Soul #ZP54]
Released on Izipho Soul in 2020, but was written in 1982 with Skip
Scarborough and recorded in 1983 with The Crusaders, who she toured
with, performing on it, but it was never released.
Wilton Felder
(The Crusaders) recorded an
instrumental version
of it on his 1983 'Gentle Fire' album.
Rena Scott [2020] - Kick It [Izipho Soul #ZP54]
Another previously unreleased track which is a mellow ballad/stepper. The
intro reminds me of Isley Bros. - Between The Sheets as it's very much in
that vein.
