Curtis Mayfield: Curtis/Live! (1971)

I struggled to think of what the first live album I wanted to cover this week. What album gets across the thing I want to get out of a live release? I’ve never been one for perfect sonic replication: I can listen to the studio albums for that. I want to be inside the recording; I want to feel like I’m there – in the crowd, in the club. And it hit me: the first live release I bought when I re-kicked off my vinyl collection was Curtis/Live! the intimate, smoke and booze soaked live document from the man himself, Curtis Mayfield soon after leaving The Impressions and starting his solo career. Despite its lukewarm reception at the time (Rolling Stone continuing to prove itself the pulse of nothing), I’ve come to think of it as one of the best live albums ever, and potentially my favorite album from Mayfield.

ChrisMarch 31, 2025March 31, 20251 Comment

Playlists

(Un)Focused Definition Ep. 14: Digital Analog (70s Edition)

I used to maintain a playlist called Digital Analog which was essentially a playlist of all my vinyl and cassettes. It had a nice ring and was useful for tracking what I owned as I started V2 of my vinyl journey. That playlist is long gone, but I’ve been thinking a lot about it as I start to re-think my purchasing habits – there’s just not enough room in this house for what has built to just over 1,400 records in about six years. Especially with the new releases – most of these were recorded digitally, so ANY vinyl master is going to come from a digital source in most of those cases (I know, a few bands and starts still record analog, but that’s increasingly a rarity). So is there still a benefit? Maybe if there’s a specific vinyl master, but who knows who’s doing that?

ChrisSeptember 7, 2024September 6, 2024Leave a comment

Vinyl

Curtis Mayfield: Superfly OST (1972)

Day 23 of the #mayvinylchallenge (which was yesterday, I know) asked for a soundtrack. I was considering the other amazing 1972 soundtrack album by a titan of r&b and soul, but while doing yardwork that opening riff to “Pusherman” came on and I really had no choice. So let’s spend a few minutes talking about Curtis Mayfield and how the soundtrack to Super Fly is not only one fo the best soundtracks of all time, but one of the best albums, period.

ChrisMay 24, 2021Leave a comment

Consuming the Tangible

We are what we consume

Tag: curtis mayfield

Curtis Mayfield: Curtis/Live! (1971)

(Un)Focused Definition Ep. 14: Digital Analog (70s Edition)

Curtis Mayfield: Superfly OST (1972)