curtis

Wienerworld DVD's

Curtis Mayfield in Concert - WNRD 2167

"Wienerworld is delighted to announce the DVD release of Curtis Mayfield - Live In Concert.

Filmed live in concert at the Ohne Filter Studios in Germany on 28 April 1990 this 60 minute concert features the Soul Icon Curtis Mayfield the brilliant songwriter, vocalist, instrumentalist, producer and arranger singing live to his adoring fans.

This DVD also includes an interview with the Producer, Artist Biography and Sound Tuning."

Great to see a video of the great man, someone who I had not ever seen, despite being a great fan from the early Impressions days.

Particularly relevant as it was recorded only a few months from the awful on stage accident. Curtis's voice within the group always sounded goo, sometimes however on his solo material it could sound a bit strained on some. On others however it sounded perfect and absolutely right. That is how it comes across here – we have a laid back and excellent performance through some of the major hits, through Impressions, through Blaxploitation, through Social commentary. Difficult to cram everything into 11 songs and an hour but it is admirably done.

The backing band is competent but not exactly get down soulful, and the venue and audience reaction is somewhat restrained and clinical. This does however the gig to be recorded without the audience being over bearing. The Ohne Filter outfit however should be commended for what they set out to achieve and there are many relevant (to this site) videos available.

What comes over very strongly in the performance is the relevance and the foresight of Curtis's social commentary. Even when carried out within the confines of a film score the reality hits home, but when it is done without those restraints like in People get Ready or We got to have Peace it is as relevant now as it was then. Given also that some of this originated in the mid 60's it stands the test of time.

Good to see tracks like It's Alright and Gypsy Woman although the former comes over much more strongly, needing the Inpressions harmonies on the latter, and sadly no backing singers or horn sections in evidence. Also included was a new ballad (at the time of recording) Dobe Down.

Three obligatory tracks from the Superfly soundtrack – Superfly, a great opener, Freddie's Dead and Pusherman.

People get ready is one of those songs that always hit's you (or me at least) and no exception here, great to see a recording of it (but again I would have like to see some vocal backing to give it that extra bit of depth).

The tempo is brought up or the fast paced Move on Up, and then brougt right back down (unusually) to close with a version of the song he wrote for Gladys & the Pips To be invisible.

Nicely and cleanly filmed and professionally recorded to a quality that makes it playable again and again – with so much live stuff once you have seen it once there is no need to see it again.

Curtis – a legend, and that's a good enough reason for owning such a film.

TRACK LIST

Superfly
It's Allright
Gypsy Woman
Dobe Down
Freddie's Dead
Pusherman
Billy Jack
We Gotta Have Peace
People Get Ready
Move On Up
To Be Invisible

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