Roots [Remastered] [Digipak] - Curtis Mayfield

Advantages: Great tracks by a great artist played by great musicians.
Disadvantages: None.

...Curtis mayfield has to be one of soul's greats. he has a sensitivity that can be felt in his timing and of course his lyrics. The Ronnie Scotts album is a great one for hearing this because of the quality of the musicians Mayfield has gathered and the superb tightness of the band. He plays a nember of Curtis classics (from songs from Superfly, Move on Up etc)but its great to hear the talent of the live musicians taking them to new hights. The purcussion in the track Superfly is nothing short of superb and Lobrian Scott's base playing is an inspiration. Plus, most unusually for a live album, the audience actually manage to clap in time and sing in tune! Testimony to the magical atmosphere that must have been created that night.... Read review

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Advantages: Classic tracks, truly experimental music
Disadvantages: Blues jams take a while to get into

...'s a different cover now, actually closer to the one requested by Hendrix (as explained in the accompanying booklet), with this "authorised release by the Hendrix family", remastered from the original tapes. On to the music… it's a very druggy affair, and the overall effect is that it's a great soundtrack for anyone wanting to relive the experimentation, and psychedelic side of the late 60's, but, more than that, it's an album that paved a way forward, for bands like Led Zeppelin, everything that Eric Clapton did, Lenny Kravitz, U2… the list goes on. And it still stands up as a classic record today. Opening track, "…And the gods made love", is a quick burst of experimental sound, sounding in the end like a sound affect for a Dr Who monster. Then comes "Have you ever been (to electric ladyland)" a soulful song, sounding closest to Curtis... Read review

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Advantages: Great Lyrics, great story telling, excellent production
Disadvantages: Interlude track of BIG having sex

...when he was releasing tracks with local groups The Old Gold Brothers and the Techniques. Legend has it BIG never made these with any intention to make a career from it but he was received so well he followed through on the rapping to become a very successful artist. The album cover is a baby with an afro sitting down with a white background, while inside is a mixture of pictures of the baby, BIG, and the usual album thanks and production notes. The Album (Sampling information taken from Wikipedia) Track 1 - Intro The intro is basically someone having a baby symbolising BIG's birth, with Puff daddy doing the voice for the expectant father, followed by several clips of some great songs interrupted by people arguing about the raising of their son. Samples "Superfly" by Curtis Mayfield "Rapper's Delight" by Sugarhill Gang... Read review

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