Customer Reviews

Mayfield: Remixed - The Curtis Mayfield Collection

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

Looking at the list of remixers, I expected this cd to be full of deep house hits. Unfortunately, most of the remixes are dull. They contain good sounds, but these are thrown here and there without direction. I have listened to this cd several times and I still cannot recommend its purchase.

Here are the songs breakdown and comments:

1. Superfly (Louie Vega EOL Mix) - 7:11 - Starts with the famous bassline of the original version (taken up in The Geto Boys' Do It Like It G.O.), which disappears after one minute. The rhythm is laidback, there is some piano notes and a short flute solo. The song ends up without having really started.
2. Do Do Wap Is Strong In Here (Ashley Beedle Re-Edit) - 6:45 - The first two minutes are great, with the funk vibes of Mayfield songs and the 70s, but afterwards, the song like most of the songs on this remix album loses its quality and becomes something which is musical but has no orientation.
3. Move On Up (Eric Kupper Vocal Mix) - 8:10 - Very good start with the classy touch of Eric Kupper; however, it rapidly becomes a bad disco song, with no peak and a lot of repetitions.
4. We're A Winner (Grandmaster Flash Remix) - 6:37 - Starts with a pop hip hop-like beginning ("Remix... Curtis Mayfield... Party People, are you with me...Put your hands up"). It has a synth sample repeated during the whole song which might get annoying at the end.
5. Little Child Runnin' Wild (King Britt Scuba Mix) - 8:54 - Very, very laidback remix with some reworked guitar notes. Probably the best remix of the bunch.
6. Freddie's Dead (Theme From "Superfly") (Blaze Roots DJ Mix) - 7:28 - Starts with Indian percussions and a smooth musical background ponctuated by a flute refrain, there is also a nice synth solo, typical of Blaze. However, as a whole, the song is not convincing.
7. (Don't Worry) If There's A Hell Below We're All Going To Go (Maurice Joshua Nu Soul Mix) - 5:26 - This is Maurice Joshua, the same artist who wrote "This is Acid" back in the late 80s. His remix has a tribal background with a few Indian percussions, but with almost no music to go with it. Just a few staccato piano notes and synth sounds. Quite bad.
8. We Got To Have Peace (Eddie Baez Laid Back Mix) - 6:56 - More rhythmic, with a good bassline and old-school house piano. Not great.
9. People Get Ready (StoneBridge Club Remix) - 8:05 - Nothing great to expect from this house remix, except that it is very repetitive and lacks involvement from the remixer. StoneBridge made a name for himself with the "Swemix" (remixes from Sweden) in the late 80s; he's probably remixed more songs than any of the other remixers on this cd. The problem is that he now uses a recipe for every remix without adding a direction to the song.
10. Pusherman (Mixmastermike Pusher's Nephew Mix) - 5:12 - Ice-T made a hit from this song with "I'm Your Pusher". The Mixmastermike remix has hip hop beats and scratches, but it lacks a musical background and sounds more like a dub mix.

On paper, the idea of a Curtis Mayfield remix album is radical enough to repel most music fans. But uptight purists who turn their nose at a project like this miss the point. Remix albums don't (and can't) substitute the originals; all they do is provide an alternative take on the recording. On "Mayfield: Remixed," the late soul legend gets tasteful makeovers by some of the most respected DJs in the business: Louie Vega, King Britt, and Eric Kupper to name only a few. They take their songs and explore their potential by adding new and welcome twists, yet preserving the integrity and overall spirit of the original. I was really into King Britt's version of "Little Child Runnin' Wild," in which Britt takes the "Superfly" track through an underground trip of dark beats. Blaze's deep house version of "Freddie's Dead" is an eye opener, as is Eric Kupper's disco update of the upbeat "Move On Up." And Louie Vega gives his expectedly soulful twist in the housed-up version of "Superfly." If you're assuming that this CD is another collection of tacky, revved-up dance cheese, you'd be gravely wrong. "Mayfield: Remixed" affectionately pays due respect to one of the most vital soul pioneers of the 1970s through these classy re-workings.

The word "remix" should never replace the original interpretation of an artist work. But let it be known that even DJs, or mixers, gotta work too. They make a living mixing - and that is an art in itself also. Breathing fresh air into classics is the heart of this project...and it proves to be a worthy ride.

No, this project is not perfect - and it is not compiled with a great deal of patience; probably because of meeting deadlines, but it features a chunkful of gems that are sure to push Mayfield's influence towards today's generation. The bulk of the material bases its foundation on the drive of house/club music (which may not take this album into pop chart fame); yet the original melodies are obviously in place - including Mayfield's voice. Eric Kupper graciously takes on the task of mixing "Move On Up" (which was one of Mayfield's best dance tunes), and does one of the better arrangements of the whole project. The fresh horns and bouncing rhthyms is sure to electrify any club or party setting. Louie Vega and his popular Masters At Work Team adds a greater calypso flow to the original and stretches the song out to a good seven minutes. "Do Do Wap Is Strong In Here", another Mayfield political standout, probably remains true to its original form. With a few add-ons and keyboard effects, fans of the original will surely greet this one with open arms.

Of all the riveting cuts, "(Don't Worry) If There's A Hell Below..." gets the extra hype. It doesn't sound like the original, except for Mayfield's falsetto expressions in the lyrics. But the great part about this one is that it features a hefty electronica bounce that will have you dancing from the very beginning. Of course, it's the lyrics that is one should focus more on (even though the music may distract you), but it's a wonderful ride. Another great track one should check out is the riveting "We Got To Have Peace"; mixed wondrously by Eddie Baez.

Unlike one of the other reviewers, I personally didn't enjoy DJ Grandmaster Flash's take on "We're A Winner". The words were broken up so much and stretched out so drastically that it was hard to enjoy the flow. "People Get Ready" may be the only track that may offend, or upset, fans of the original. A gospel house version of this would have been suffice.

It would have been nice, or unique, to have the songs flow together in one heavy mix (in the form of modern day mix tapes). But individualizing each cut for each mixer probably would have been more beneficial in identifying their work. And plus, who would dare attempt to merge these songs together like that...and get cuzzed out later on.

This is a good journey of music and wonderful way in delivering Mayfield's influential music to today's generation of party-goers. Yes, funk still lives on...and soul music lives on...but what an excellent way of embracing a person's art; to re-introduce it with tribute in mind.

My problem with this album is not the fact that it's a collection of modern interpretations of already perfect and brilliant compositions, rather that I don't believe the vocals on this album actually belong to the great Curtis Mayfield.

For the most part, the vocals here are definitely not taken from the original versions of these songs. One could argue that rare outtakes and/or alternate mixes were utilized, but I don't buy it. This just doesn't sound like Curtis Mayfield to me, rather someone impersonating Mayfield. Anyone else agree?

It is exactly what the title says it is...a remix album. If you like house and dance music, it's for you. If you want traditional, untouched Mayfield, stick to his unaltered recordings.

I give it 4 stars because if you are into dance/club techno type of remixes this is a good collection. The CD open's with the Little Louis Vega mix of "Superfly." Grandmaster Flash remixed the song "We're a Winner." Other DJ's included on the set are Eddie Baez, King Britt, Mixmaster Mike and others. These songs are club mixes or dance mixes of Curtis' songs. Surprisingly the producers of this set strayed far away from hip-hop. The set is absent of remixes from well known hip-hop DJ's like Just Blaze, Swizz Beats, Whoo Kid or DJ Green Lantern. There are no well known rappers spitting verses on the songs, these are straight up club mixes. The songs on the set are songs which were originally performed by Curtis, so don't expect to find any of the classic songs that he wrote for others to appear on this set.

Curtis Mayfield Remixed is a great collection. It's great music to listen to at a party, while working out, or just when you are in the mood to hear some great dance music. These songs pale in comparison to Curtis' original versions of the songs which seem much more musical, but these remixes are a great addition to stand in the Curtis collection.

This has got to be one of the worst albums I've heard. Most songs are unrecognizable from the originals. If you like Curtis, skip this. If you are a fan of house music, you may like it.

The 4 stars is an average between the bravery to Remix a MonsterKing of the music (5 stars for bravery) and for the outcome music(3 stars).
The cd is a little more than a remixed and a little less that a remake.
The original songs are easy to identify but finally they are new songs (this is a remix or a remake?).
Anyway if you are a fan of Curtis probably you miss this side of his music (but if you are a purist probably you will not like it)and if you are a beginner probably is a good way to know the King Curtis.
A clever experience i am happy that this cd is in my collection.

If you're like me, old enough to remember Curtis in his prime and also old enough to have suffered through Disco, then this disk will be like torture to you. Most of these "remixs" come across and lame, discoizations of superior music. That same old tired "thumpa thumpa" beat is used in song after song.

I believe the "artists" who made these remixes have little or no love nor familiarity with Curtis' materiel. Most of the these tracks seemed to consist of Curtis' vocals being "square pegged" into some canned beat. Only "Move On Up" seems to have been complimented and/or improved by it's treatment on this disk. The rest are regrettable and forgettable Frankensteinian mish mashes that neither entertain nor enlighten.

If you honor and love Curtis and his legacy, avoid this piece of trash like the plague.

Da Worfster

A Curtis Mayfield remix album ? Not a bad idea. Are there really Acapella tapes in the vault of the record co. ? That should be a dream come true and it should have been a boxed set of 10 CDs with the WHO'S WHO of the pop/rock/dance scene. Remixes by THE ROOTS, perhaps LINKIN PARK, LENNY KRAVITZ again (like Superfly 1990 with Ice-T), COLDCUT, BILL LASWELL (hey !!!), ...ok, ok,...WAKE UP, music fans and open-minded listerners, what we have got here in our hands after all is an overall disappointment (2 stars rating means Ashley Beedle, King Britt and Mixmaster "Pusher" [that "izzay" or what?] ;-0 did their job almost well. Louie Vega's Remix could've been so much better (he worked with Mr. Puente and Roy Ayers etc.; they should've helped him on this one), or is it really necessary to throw a 909 kickdrum and some housey organ sounds (all-)over everything ? Grandmaster Flash is losing it on the Go-Go scene ? By the way - ask Trouble Funk to do this again... Maurice Joshua also would've done better with a 303 bassline and some old school 909 beats on "If There's A Hell..". Instead he did a ugly digital sounding DJ-tool out of it. The record companies (what's up with Rhino anyway ?) should do better researching on possible artists or release the original tapes for the customers to do a remix by themselves. In this case here nearly every second homemade Remix would've been better. Take a listen - and just overlook this release. With hope on a better future release...