Curtis Mayfield - Curtis Live (Dlx)
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Artist: Curtis MayfieldBrand: MAYFIELD,CURTIS
Edition: Music CD
Audio: English (Original Language)
Format: Live, Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered
CD Release Date: 2000-08-15
Music Label: Rhino
Soundtracks:
- Mighty Mighty (Spade And Whitey)
- Rap
- I Plan To Stay A Believer
- We're A Winner
- Rap
- We've Only Just Begun
- People Get Ready
- Rap
- Stare And Stare
- Check Out Your Mind
- Gypsy Woman
- The Makings Of You
- Rap
- We The People Who Are Darker Than Blue
- (Don't Worry) If There's A Hell Below We're All Going To Go
- Stone Junkie
- Superfly
- Mighty Mighty (Spade And Whitey)(Single Version)
Music reviews of Curtis Live (Dlx)
Music Review: Saltine Like Me (Whitey's Review)
Rating: 4 Stars
'Curtis Live' is often heralded as one of the finest live performances ever recorded. I think that's a bit of a streatch, even though it is a fine disc, and even allowing for my Cracker roots. I do believe Curtis had the capacity to produce an elite disc, but the track selection would certainly have to include some of his choice compositions which are omitted here, such as 'Keep On Pushin' and 'I'm So Proud'. There is ample room in the setlist for these gems, considering the inclusion of numbers such as 'Stare and Stare' and 'The Makings of You'. Nevertheless, I thank Rhino Records and Curtis and Crew for taking me back on a nostalgic trip to Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan in the early 1970's, where the black student union held beer bashes in the Student Center every other Friday (I was in the first high school class allowed to drink at age 18), and always supplied a Curtis Mayfield or Funkadelic sound-alike band for our impaired enjoyment.
I prefer the stipped down band Curtis brought to The Bitter End in New York's Greenwich Village in January of 1971. Sans strings and horns, it's easy to groove to Curtis' funky wah-pedal rhythm guitar, and Henry Gibson's (NOT the "verrrrrryyyy interesssting..." Henry Gibson from 'Laugh-In') wonderfully understated percussion sounds throughout the concert. Joseph 'Lucky' Scott doesn't turn up the volume on his bass until Curtis kicks into the Constitutional sounding 'We the People..." on track 14, but when he does it cranks the concert into high gear. Aside from 'Check Out Your Mind' and 'Gypsy Woman', the previous tracks really wouldn't benefit from a thundering bass anyway. The excellent trio of 'We're a Winner' (with its sweet aside of, "Lordy, mercy, we're movin' on up"), the unlikely but thoroughly perfect 'We've Only Just Begun' (Curtis can almost make you forget Karen Carpenter's smooth delivery with his own silken strains), and the evangelizing 'People Get Ready' benefit most from subdued support for Mayfield's soulful vocals.
Lacking the black consciousness and experience with the ghetto and serious drug abuse, I have trouble identifying with some of the tracks, and much of it just seems way too dependent upon racial awareness for a white guy. At times, especially on the more laid back tracks such as 'People Get Ready', there is a bit too much crowd noise generated in the intimate confines of this club-like atmosphere. Unlike many white concertgoers, however, at least our black brothers and sisters know when to kick in with a "That's right", or "Tell It" from the front row.
My favorite track on the disc is '(Don't Worry) If There's a Hell Below We're All Gonna Go', with Curtis delivering the chorus in a manner all but screaming RAP MUSIC! Scott's prominent bass lines are now joined by some slick lead guitar by Craig McCullen as the concert hits a peak. Rhino wisely added the bonus track 'Superfly' from a 1973 performance in Chicago, this time with a horn section present. This last track was recorded by radio station WTTW and sounds distant in contrast to the intimate feel one gets from The Bitter End recordings.
The 2000 Rhino remastered reissue of this recording comes nicely packaged with extensive liner notes detailing Mayfield's career, dating back to the 1950's, and culminating with his passing in 1999. Despite listing the tracks three times, however, Rhino fails to offer the running times, something many CD producers have apparently decided is superfluous information. Another curious aspect of the disc is assigning Curtis' between song monologues with the audience 'track status'. This disc really only contains 13 seperate songs (the second bonus track is simply the edited version of track one which was released as a single for AM radio), but it's listed as 18 tracks. The term 'rap' of course meant 'to discuss openly' in the 1970's, but Rhino's treatment of these asides makes one at least expect some Muhammad Ali-like rhythmic rhyming. Not. Nevertheless, a choice disc from a choice artist, even for Saltines like me.
Description of Curtis Live (Dlx)
Exact miniature replica of the LP, limited edition 1,500 copies. Recorded live at NYC's Bitter End in 1971, this is the Curtis album. It just doesn't get any better than this. Includes 'Stone Junkie,' 'People Get Ready' and 'If There's A Hell Below, We're All Gonna Go.' 24 bit digitally remastered. Sunspots. 2002.Blues CDs
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