Curtis/Live! [LIVE] [ORIGINAL RECORDING REISSUED] [ORIGINAL RECORDING REMASTERED]

Curtis Mayfield

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 15, 2000)
• Original Release Date: 1971
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Live, Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered
• Label: Rhino / Wea
• ASIN: B00004UDEA
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #52,651 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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Editorial Reviews

Product Description

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. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars CURTIS LIVES!, October 9, 2000

By	Greg C (NY) - See all my reviews

Is this the greatest live album ever? Forget the names of better-known ones you may be thinking of, because this, folks, may just be it!! This is a powerful audio document of a communion between an American giant and his audience, on this occasion located in the Village's funky Bitter End club on a freezing January '71 night. The "gentle giant" and his lean, mean band (guitars, congas, bass, drums. PERIOD) work their way through his incomparable repertoire of timeless Impressions classics and groundbreaking solo material. The set includes several searing and typically thought-provoking new Curtis songs that only appear on this album. The recording is priceless for its capture of a low-key atmosphere in which people are seated at tables close together, sipping drinks and paying rapt attention as a master goes to work. Curtis works that crowd like a kind of wise street minister, his witty asides keeping everybody loose while they absorb the very real message in his music ("We've Only Just Begun," of all songs, has NEVER EVER sounded powerful, meaningful and resonant like it does here!). There have been many classic live albums, but this one is truly in a class by itself. It predates "Superfly" by a year, so don't expect to hear "Pusherman" for the umpteenth time. Curtis Mayfield's contributions to American music are too many to detail here, so I won't even try to. All I'll say is, stop reading this and order this CD IMMEDIATELY, and let Curtis light a flame in your heart and soul that will get you through some of life's more trying moments...with a smile on your face. The man is gone, but the works live on!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Curtis/Live is one of the best albums I've heard, October 14, 2004

By	Scott D. Gribble "scottgrib" (Baltimore MD) - See all my reviews

Curtis Mayfield is a legend, if you didn't know that you probably wouldn't be interested in this album. His career featured many highlights; this is only one of them.

The music quality on here is pure genius. Mayfield covers a variety of topics, certainly never shying away from the current state of politics during this time. He also dives into some of his hits with the Impressions, giving a new light on these songs with the live performance.

What really makes Curtis/Live! Worth owning for fans and new comers is how well it comes off as a live album. The recording is crystal clear, from every drum and guitar to Mayfield's vocals. In addition, there's just enough audience noise to give you the live feel without becoming overwhelming. The audience itself only adds to the music played, as they chant along the chorus with Mayfield in "Stone Junky" as well as their emphatic responses to Curtis's preaching.

The album is also structured so that the interludes are separated as tracks (noted as Rap) allowing the listener to skip directly to the music while not taking away the concert feel from a full listen.

The Deluxe version also includes two tracks not recorded with the original set "Superfly" (live) which sounds like it was performed in a concert hall as apposed to the rest of the album & the single version for "Mighty Mighty." Although both of these tracks are really unnecessary they certainly do not take away from the original album.

This is defiantly one of the best live recordings I've ever heard and certainly is on the top of all soul live recordings I've herd along with Sam Cooke's "Live at the Harlem Square Club". While Cooke's live performance made you feel like he was in a party amongst the crowd, Curtis/Live will take you to the front row of a small club in New York City, where you hear a legend jam out to some of the most prolific music recorded.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars He's A Winner!, January 24, 2005

By	Jonathan Stewart (Chicago, Il) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

If there's a better live album out there I'm not familiar with it. While Live at Leeds, How the West was Won, and probably a lot of Phish shows compare, for my money I'll take Curtis. Forget about his stellar songwriting and singing, his rhythym section on this album bests anything I've heard from Bonzo and Jonsey, Fishman and Gordon or Enwistle and Moon, who are all some pretty bad motherfunkers if you didn't already know. From the opening notes of "Mighty Mighty" through the last ones of "Stone Junkie" we are treated to funky baselines, killer congas, Curtis' often imitated but never duplicated guitar style and best of all his inspirational voice- it really does get no better. One of the few cd's I always listen to front to back, there's no need to skip songs. My favorite songs are "gypsy woman", "mighty mighty", "we're a winner", and "don't worry", the live versions here even better than the originals. Even though the album is the second set from a 1971 show in NYC it plays like Curtis' greatist hits live. That's a testament to his extremely consistent library.