vrijdag 27 december 2019

Curtis Mayfield - Superfly , Live at the Hofstra University (2 Nov.1972)

Super Fly is the third studio album by American soul and funk musician Curtis Mayfield, released in July 1972 on Curtom Records. It was released as the soundtrack for the Blaxploitation film of the same name. Widely considered a classic of 1970s soul and funk music, Super Fly was a nearly immediate hit. Its sales were bolstered by two million-selling singles, "Freddie's Dead" (#2 R&B, #4 Pop) and the title track (#5 R&B, #8 Pop). Super Fly is one of the few soundtracks to out-gross the film it accompanied.(Wikipedia)

                                          Freddie,s Dead
 
"Freddie's Dead" is a song by Curtis Mayfield. It was the first single from his 1972 soundtrack album for the film Super Fly. The single was released before the Super Fly album, and in fact before the film itself was in theaters. The song peaked at #4 on the U.S. Pop Chart and #2 on the R&B chart.
The song laments the death of Fat Freddie, a character in the film who is run over by a car.



                                            Superfly

 "Superfly" is a song by Curtis Mayfield, the title track from his 1972 soundtrack album for the film of the same name. It was the second single released from the album, following "Freddie's Dead (Theme From Superfly)", and reached #8 on the Billboard Pop chart. The lyrics celebrate the craftiness and determination of the film's main character. The song plays over the film's closing credits.

                                           Pusherman
 Curtis Mayfield used each song on the album, Super Fly, to demonstrate a different aspect of the problems he noticed were plaguing inner-city America. "Pusherman," the second track, uses the metaphor of drug dealing. We see the Pusherman (the drug dealer) as a businessman, trying to make a living and a better life for himself in the tough situation. The Pusherman is both good and evil. Mayfield sings, "Ain't I clean, bad machine, super cool, super mean," to show the man's tough exterior, but he implies that the Pusherman is just as much a victim as he is a villain with, "A man of odd circumstance, a victim of ghetto demands."


                                 Curtis Lee Mayfield (June 3, 1942 – December 26, 1999)
was an American soul, R&B, and funk singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer. He achieved success and recognition with the Impressions during the Civil Rights Movement of the late 50's and 1960s. Mayfield is also known for his efforts in writing the soundtrack to the blaxploitation film Super Fly which was considered unusual as a soundtrack for a blaxploitation film, as its songs contained themes focusing more on the social problems of impoverished African American urban areas during the time. Mayfield is regarded as a pioneer of funk and of politically conscious African-American music. Being one of the most celebrated figures in the genre of soul and 20th century music, Mayfield is a winner of both the Grammy Legend Award (in 1994) and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award (in 1995), and he was a double inductee into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, inducted as a member of the Impressions into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1991, and again in 1999 as a solo artist. He is also a two-time Grammy Hall of Fame inductee.
 

dinsdag 24 december 2019

Blaze Foley - live at The Cave Club Austin (circa 1986)


                                                           Photo by CP Vaughn


Blaze Foley was a poet and ace finger picker, a walking contradiction, equal parts spiritual and troubled. A genius and beautiful loser, but most importantly he was a songwriter who poured his entire soul into his art.
He died an unknown songwriter yet quickly became a legend, commanding the respect of greats like Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, Lucinda Williams, John Prine, Nanci Griffith and Lyle Lovett. His influential output includes the iconic “If I Could Only Fly” and haunting laments like “Clay Pigeons,” “My Reasons Why” and “Election Day.” With his duct-taped boots, Foley represents a truly punk continuation of the famous Texas outlaw music movement
 https://www.blazefoley.com/




Blaze Foley 1949-1989) was recorded at the Cave Club in Austin, Texas during a P.S.A. shoot promoting Austin music. Blaze had his guitar with him so he just decided to do a couple of songs including: "Wouldn't That Be Nice", "WW III, and "Oval Room".. Produced by Tim Hamblin for VidEotic Productions.

 Michael David Fuller (December 18, 1949 – February 1, 1989), better known by his stage name Blaze Foley,

zondag 22 december 2019

Albert King - Oh Pretty Woman ( Fillmore East - New York, NY 9/23/1970)

     Oh, Pretty Woman
     Recorded Live: 9/23/1970 - Fillmore East - New York, NY


Oh Pretty Woman is from the album Born Under a Bad Sign it was the first album by Albert King for Stax Records and his second album overall. It is composed of singles released by King recorded between March 3, 1966 and June 9, 1967, with additional studio tracks. Providing accompaniment to Albert King, who sang and played lead guitar, were the Stax in-house recording session band, Booker T. and the MGs, featuring the Memphis Horns.