Welcome back to the CD Odyssey. Sad news today, with the announcement of the death of Justin Townes Earle, at only 38 years young. No cause of death has yet been given, but at that age it can’t be good. I just wrote my last JT Earle review a month ago (at Disc 1390), at the time having no idea that it would, in fact, be my last.
Rest in peace, Justin, and thanks for the music.
Disc 1400 is…. The Very Best of Curtis Mayfield
Artist: Curtis Mayfield
Year of Release: 1997, but featuring music from 1970-1990
What’s up with the Cover? Mayfield himself, putting that guitar through its paces.
How I Came To Know It: I had probably heard Curtis Mayfield songs over the years, but I knew next to nothing about him until my friend Spence played some tracks off this album. I was hooked and went out and bought it the next chance I had.
How It Stacks Up: This is a compilation album, so it can’t stack up. Them’s the rules.
Ratings: I don’t rate compilation albums. They’re not really albums. Those who put Greatest Hits records on their “best of” lists should know better (I’m looking at you, Rolling Stone).
There will be times in your life when you just want to get down, and at those times I heartily recommend Curtis Mayfield.
“The Very Best of…” is a cross-section of Mayfield’s prolific career, mostly taken from his heyday from 1970 through 1979. The seventies are the era of funk and soul, and Mayfield is at the forefront of that movement, laying down tracks that still influence multiple genres decades later.
Growing up, I had almost no exposure to Curtis Mayfield. Small town British Columbia is just not the place to hear this kind of music; its frenetic restless energy just doesn’t match up well with dusty streets and empty spaces. But if, like me, you love the hustle and bustle of city life, then this music will speak to you. It left me fondly missing the throngs of summer tourists before COVID wrecked the experience. Sometimes all those people can be annoying, but listening to Mayfield, you just feel part of humanity, happy to rub shoulders with everyone (note: but only after the pandemic is over!).
The tunes are lush, filled with bass lines, guitar riffs, soaring strings and stirring horn sections. There is a little bit of everything going on, all in service to the groove.
Over this symphony of soul, Curtis Mayfield sings in his high falsetto, sexy and inspirational. When you see him for the first time you do a double take. With that high head voice and those upbeat rhythms you expect to see someone more akin to Prince; small and bouncing around with energy. Instead, Mayfield is a big imposing figure, commanding the stage with understated grace.
While his high voice is a constant, he writes songs that range all over the frontiers of soul. “Move On Up” is a prime example: a mix of RnB horn flourishes, South American rhythms and more than a little jazz. The potpourri of styles come together in an undeniable party of sound.
In terms of song subjects, this music will inspire you to either make placards or babies. On the placard side, Mayfield covers a number of social causes, including environmental protection, racial inequality, drug addiction and the biggest one of all – world peace! That last one (“We Got To Have Peace”) is up there with Cat Stevens’ “Peace Train” for songs that would seem ridiculous if they weren’t so damned inspiring. Listening to Mayfield sing out “save the children!” over and over as trumpets blast off in the background, anything feels possible.
On the baby side, I think you know how that one works, but if you’re at all uncertain, turn down the lights and put on “Only You Babe” or Between You Baby and Me.” It’ll all feel very natural very quickly.
He also has a song about a kid called “Kung Fu” who is inspired by his name to kick ass, showing that people don’t have to grow up with embarrassing names to make them tough (I’m looking at you, Johnny Cash).
This record breaks my usual rule for length, with 16 tracks and 74 minutes of music, but I had no complaints. A lot of that length are songs that go on for a while, but at no point did I want them to come to an end. Curtis Mayfield epics don’t repeat themselves so much as they slowly spiral higher and higher.
Curtis Mayfield died relatively young, a few years after a tragic stage accident. And while he’s gone, he left behind an impressive body of work that will continue to inspire future generations for years to come.
Best tracks: (Don’t Worry) If There’s a Hell Below We’re All Gonna Go, Move On Up, Get Down, We Got to Have Peace, Superfly, Pusherman, Future Shock, Kung Fu
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