Customer Reviews

Baadasssss Cinema

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
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You really shouldn't be reading this review, you should be in your car right now on your way to buy this CD. This isn't just a sampling of some of the best music from 70s black cinema, it's a collection of songs that transcends its time and genre. It has not aged, it is not dated, it is simply great music. Period. And some of the coolest, funkiest, socially aware music you could possibly ever own on one CD. You have only to listen to this to realize just how sterile and one-dimensional today's soul and R&B music has become. Oh, and dig the cover artwork--it just doesn't get any more baadasssss than that!

"Baadasssss Cinema" compiles soundtrack hits from the blaxploitation movies of the 1970s, and it literally transplants you to the era where Pam Grier and Fred Williamson ruled the silver screen in all their glory. I'd hate to pick a favorite song off a collection this stellar, but for me, the winner is the groovilicious "Coffy Is the Color" taken from the 1973 revenge fantasy "Coffy." Other main attractions are James Brown's "People Get Up and Drive Your Funky Soul," Curtis Mayfield's "Pusherman" from "Superfly," and the closer Earth Wind and Fire's "Sweetback's Theme" from Melvin Van Peebles debut film. Frankly, the mere fact that the tracklisting has EWF, James Brown, Curtis Mayfield, Isaac Hayes, WAR, and BT Express should be enough reason for you to get this disc. What's more, these songs have apparently been digitally remastered, so the sound quality is better than what we've heard previously. An absolute must-have for any music collector or admirer of the old school.

Great, great compilation. It has "Sweetback's Theme" by Earth, Wind, and Fire! What else do you need? One of James Brown's most underappreciated songs? Got it! William DeVaughn's one-hit wonder? It's there! Arguably Curtis Mayfield's definitive masterpiece? There too! Stop looking and just buy it.

If you are a fan of the blaxploitation movies of the 70's this is a great compilation to own. As noted by other reviewers, not every one of these songs was featured in a movie from this period, but the compilers did a great job of collecting some of the best music from the biggest names of the period and putting it all on one disc. While this disc is not as comprehensive as the collections offered by the "Sessions" series, it has enough classics to make it worth getting for the casual listener. With James Brown, Curtis Mayfield, Roy Ayers, Isaac Hayes, War, and Gil Scott-Heron all on one disc how can you go wrong? I had also forgotten about Earth Wind & Fire's "Sweetback's Theme", which is a great song which I hadn't heard probably since I saw the movie. This is a great disc to have in the car to crank with the windows down. If you are a fan of the music from this period, the "Harlem Sessions" and "Superfly Soul" collections are two disc sets that contain many of these songs but also go further into the vaults and feature more obscure (but just as solid) funk from this period. However, this disc serves as a good introduction to blaxploitation era soul and funk and is definitely worth getting.

Being a white teenager going to an inner city school was one of the greatest things that ever happened to me! My friends were the coolest, the B-A-A-A-DEST and the BEST. Seeing "Shaft, Cleopatra Jones, or Coffey was liberating and awesome.. The funky rhythms, the "don't mess w/me message" and the ultimate "survival" message that permeated these songs and movies, was a gift and a life saver for me. When I listen to this CD I groove, and cry just a little for the

music that mean't and still means so much to me.

What a nice surprise--this is a solid collection of blaxplo tunes, most of which won't be familiar to most listeners. Actually, the relations to some of these songs to actual pictures are specious. For instance, I've never heard of the movie "Ghetto Man," but I love War's "Happy Head" that supposedly comes from it (I can't find evidence of this movie, and actually, other sites refer to this track as "Nappy Head"). And precisely what movies do Gil-Scott Heron's gently grooving "The Bottle" and William DeVaughn's "Be Thankful for What You Got" come from? No matter--they're great songs and good representatives of the time period. "Coffy is the Color" has always been one of my faves, with that great Roy Ayers vibes solo at the end..."Truck Turner" of course is in the same vein as Hayes' megahit "Shaft," and "Pusherman" is the gold standard for the songs of this era. Mix in the jazz funk of Lonnie Liston Smith, the goofy excess of Graham Central Station, etc. and you have a cd that bears many repeated listenings.

this Set Captures the Jazz&Funk Fusion of the 70's Right on the Mark.you have a strong Army of Artists&Acts here bringing up the Jams non-stop.Earth,Wind&Fire,Lonnie listen Smith,Donald Byrd&Crew,Issac Hayes,etc...this isn't the usual 70's style Jams by these Artist this Set explores the Jams that Captured the films on the Money.I can't wait for the PBS Special&this is a Great Warm-Up Lead in to it.

Have you ever wanted to feel as if you were in a movie? Well, feel like Shaft or Superfly, get this album. With songs from the Blaxploitation films of the 70's, you can't miss. War, Isaac Hayes, Edwin Star, and others bring you into that polyester lesiure suit without getting itchy.

I truly enjoyed this album. It features a broad spectrum of artists from that great era of Blaxpoitation that was so popular. This soundtrack features great music from such highly acclaimed artists like JAMES BROWN, ISAAC HAYES, EARTH WIND & FIRE, and CURTIS MAYFIELD... just to name a select few. If you have any appreciation for any of these artists you can rest assured this album is a wise purchase. It's honestly one of those CDs you put in your car and it NEVER leaves... you play it over and over again! Do you need the FUNK?! I think so!

UNA SUPER ANTOLOGIA FUNK, QUE NO PUEDE FALTAR EN LA COLECCION DE SONIDOS SICODELICOS DE LOS 70'S.