MARILYN SCOTT – Avenues of Love (1998) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

A top-notch adult contemporary vocalist still awaiting a well-deserved crossover commercial breakthrough, Marilyn Scott adds powerful fuel to her cause on Avenues of Love by helping herself with a well-balanced array of production and songwriting talent. George Duke surrounds her with party voices and a kneejerking Latin groove on a playful list of dance steps on "I Like to Dance," then surrounds her clear, sensuous voice with airy, billowing synth cushioning on the Bacharach-David classic "The Look of Love." Scott and bassist Jimmy Haslip reroute to Memphis on Michael Ruff's Wilson Pickett-like pick me up, "Love Is a Powerful Thing," engaging a two-piece horn section that sounds even larger. The Yellowjacket touch is in full effect on the picturesque "Avenida del Sol," which approximates an update of the gentle Astrud Gilberto sound; the tune was written by Scott and Bob Mintzer, and produced by Scott, Haslip, and Russell Ferrante. Scott's greatest gift here is her sense of modulation; she belts like crazy on the funk pieces, but recognizes the emotional power of restraint on the ballads. Jonathan Widran 
Tracklist :
1.    Starting to Fall    4:47
 George Duke / Marilyn Scott 
2.    I Like to Dance    5:00
 George Duke / Bob Mintzer / Marilyn Scott 
3.    Avenida del Sol    4:27
 Bob Mintzer / Marilyn Scott 
4.    The Look of Love    5:38
 Burt Bacharach / Hal David 
5.    Heaven's Design    5:53
 Bobby McFerrin 
6.    Love is a Powerful Thing    4:30
 Michael Ruff 
7.    Hold You Up    5:34
 Russell Ferrante / Jimmy Haslip / Marilyn Scott 
8.    Hey Love    6:16
 Russell Ferrante / Jimmy Haslip / Marilyn Scott 
9.    Get Home    5:45
 Russell Ferrante / Jimmy Haslip / Marilyn Scott 
10.    The Last Day    3:38
 John Ewbank / Brenda Russell 
Credits :
Bob Mintzer - Composer, Guest Artist, Horn
Brandon Fields, Steve Allen - Saxophone
Fred Washington - Bass
George Duke - Bass, Bass Programming, Composer, Executive Producer, Guest Artist, Keyboards, Piano, Producer, Vocal Producer
Jimmy Haslip - Bass, Composer, Producer
Joe Heredia - Drums
Lori Perry - Arranger, Vocal Arrangement, Vocals (Background), Voices
Marilyn Scott - Composer, Primary Artist, Producer, Vocals, Vocals (Background)
Michael Landau, Mike Miller, Ray Fuller - Guitar
Michael Ruff - Composer, Keyboards, Vocals (Background)
Paul Jackson, Jr. - Guest Artist, Guitar
Paulinho Da Costa - Guest Artist, Percussion
Rafael Padilla - Percussion
Ralph Rickert - Trumpet
Russell Ferrante - Arranger, Composer, Keyboards, Producer
Take 6 - Guest Artist
Walt Fowler - Horn
William Kennedy - Drums
Yellowjackets - Guest Artist
Alvin Chea, Sharon Perry, Carolyn Perry, Darlene Perry, David Porter Thomas, David Powell,  Lynn Davis, Richard Montgomery, Lisa Horton, Jim Gilstrap, Mary Turner, Maxayn Lewis - Vocals (Background) Voices