Gloria Ann Taylor – Deep Inside Of You
A compilation far too long overdue, Luv n’ Haight has collected the music that singer Gloria Ann Taylor recorded for her own (and husband Walt Whisenhunt) record label Selector Sound. Taylor cut a few sides elsewhere, but never hit it big. Several of these sides, “Love Is A Hurtin’ Thing,” “World That’s Not Real” and both the 7-inch and 12-inch versions of “Deep Inside You” have been much beloved by fans of rare soul and funk. The original 12″ for “Deep Inside You” is a bit of a holy grail release, fetching big time money on the open market. There was a reissue of that release recently, but this one has the full cooperation of the artist and is the most definitive release compiling this work. Of particularly interest to me, and something I suspected, is the clear and distinct influence of Dale Warren. While Walt Whisenhunt deserves a good deal of credit for the sound of these songs, it’s undeniable that the two tracks touched by Dale Warren, “World That’s Not Real” and the 7-inch version of “Deep Inside Of You” have a sound all their own. The 12-inch version of “Deep” sounds as if it’s the exact same recording, with the drums dropped out and some disco drums dropped in to excellent effect. Most definitely a sound that reaches deep inside of you, and one of the major highlights of 2015.