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mardi 22 mai 2018

PERCY MAYFIELD/ Complete Recordings



PERCY MAYFIELD West Coast blues master
(Nouvel article remanié et complété)


           
Percy Mayfield, entre blues californien, Rhythm & Blues et même Variétés est un nom majeur de l'histoire de la musique populaire noire. Son influence sur le blues de la Côte Ouest et au-delà a été considérable, autant par son œuvre enregistrée que par ses compositions dont beaucoup sont devenues des standards repris par des dizaines d'artistes: Please send me someone to love, Strange things happening, I need your love so bad, Memory pain (It serves you right to suffer), My mind is trying to leave me. Mayfield est aussi l'auteur de plusieurs succès de Ray Charles dont il a été le compositeur attitré entre 1962 et 1964: Hit the road, Jack, Danger zone, But on the other hand, Tell me how do you feel. Cette fonction de parolier – arrangeur - compositeur a quelque peu occulté la propre discographie de Mayfield qui est fort impressionnante.
            Venu de Louisiane (il est né à Minden le 12 août 1920) à Los Angeles via Houston en 1942, Percy démontre ses talents de compositeur avant de réussir à devenir un des favoris des jeunes Noirs grâce à son apparence physique et sa voix de velours. Il est un subtil baryton qui abaisse curieusement les notes, répète fréquemment la dernière ligne du couplet, insinue plus qu'il ne clame, crée en quelques secondes un climat de tristesse amère qui enveloppe l'auditeur. Il a été très influencé par les sermons de l'église de son enfance. Ses compositions, prêches laïcs, soulignent de façon moralisatrice les faiblesses humaines, les ravages de l'alcool et de l'adultère. Ses textes sont très élaborés avec un sens aigu de la chute finale et un humour en demi-teintes, parfois ravageur. En 1952, il est victime d'un accident de la route qui le défigure et change aussi substantiellement le timbre de sa voix. Dès lors, Mayfield continue à enregistrer sous son nom mais ne se produit plus en public et se consacre surtout à la composition.
            Peu avant sa mort (le 11 août 1984 à Los Angeles), pressé par des admirateurs du monde entier, notamment européens, Percy Mayfield est revenu sur scène. Et, malgré les ans et son apparence physique, tête cabossée, œil exorbité, sa voix prenante, sa présence scénique, son charisme a impressionné ceux qui ont eu la chance de le voir.
            Nous avons désormais réussi à regrouper la totalité de la forte œuvre qu'il a gravée entre 1946 et 1969. Merci à tous ceux qui ont aidé à rassembler ces titres, dont certains n'ont jamais été réédités: Jeannot L., Steve Wisner, Kempen, Xyros, Gyro, KingCake, Dr Hepcat, Klaus...
                                                                       Gérard HERZHAFT

Revised and completed post & discography
            Percy Mayfield, between blues, R&B and even doo-wop or pop, is a major name of the post war popular music. His influence on the emerging West Coast blues scene and then beyond has been considerable and several of his songs (his own compositions) have become standards, played by dozens of artists to these days (Please send me someone to love, Strange things happening, I need your love so bad, Memory pain (It serves you right to suffer), My mind is trying to leave me; Highway is like a woman....). Percy has also been hired by Ray Charles to write some of his great hits during the mid-60's: Hit the road, Jack, Danger zone, But on the other hand, Tell me how do you feel.
            Born in Minden (Louisiana) on 12 August 1920, Percy came to Los Angeles in 1942 through a short stay in Houston. He demonstrated quickly his great abilities to write and arrange a moving song in a few hours. In 1946, he started to record under his own name, becoming a major artist with his subtle, insinuating, suave baritone voice who can create in a few words a sad, tragic and deeply moving atmosphere. His better compositions – strongly influenced by the Gospel church of his childhood – are very often some kinds of secular sermons which emphasize the human weaknesses and passions from the ravages of the alcohol or the love cheatings, sometimes with more than a touch of bitterness and a wry humour.
            In 1952, he had a terrible car accident who left him disfigured and changed the timber of his voice. From then, he almost stopped to perform on stage but he still continue to record and write songs for himself as well as many R&B artists. A few years before his death from a stroke (11 August 1984 in Los Angeles), Percy Mayfield, under the pressure of his fans all over the world, agreed to make a come back, performing again on festivals and concerts. His physical appearance with his deformed face then seemed to add even something further to his stage charisma and all those who had the opportunity to watch him then were very strongly impressed.
            We have been able to gather by now everything Percy has recorded under his name between 1946 and 1969 with several tracks having never been reissued. Thanks a lot for their help to Jeannot L., Steve Wisner, Kempen, Xyros, Gyro, King Cake, Dr Hepcat, Klaus...
                                                                       Gérard HERZHAFT


29 commentaires:

  1. Wow Gérard. What a great job again. Thank you for these complete studio recordings. WAAUUUWWW!

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  2. Mucho thanks for all the effort from everyone involved in getting this out to us...

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  3. amazing - a complete discography of P. Mayfield! much appreciated!

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  4. Outstanding Gerard. I have the previous edition, and this updated complete edition is a most welcomed addition to my collection. I'm so glad I'm now back in Thailand with unlimited download so I can grab these 6 CDs without worrying about data limitations. Many thanks to you and all involved.

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  5. Thanks a lot! Important contribution. I just noted that #65 'Monkey song' is missing in file MAYFP2...

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    Réponses
    1. Oops! Here is the new correct link for Percy Mayfield CD2:
      https://www44.zippyshare.com/v/J1to9MjG/file.html

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  6. A wonderful project, much appreciated, thanks for all your hard work. I believe track 65 is missing, CD 2 finishes at 64, and CD 3 starts at 66. Could you post 65 please ?

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    Réponses
    1. OOps! Here is the new correct link for Percy Mayfield CD2:
      https://www44.zippyshare.com/v/J1to9MjG/file.html

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  7. Voici désormais la totalité des enregistrements studios de Percy Mayfield/ Here are the complete studio recordings of the great Percy Mayfield.

    CD1: https://www119.zippyshare.com/v/s4bpwKAS/file.html

    CD2: https://www44.zippyshare.com/v/J1to9MjG/file.html

    CD3: https://www119.zippyshare.com/v/vmWPvwHt/file.html

    CD4: https://www119.zippyshare.com/v/DUIAOQQ4/file.html

    CD5: https://www119.zippyshare.com/v/ay12NKht/file.html

    CD6: https://www119.zippyshare.com/v/jyjtw3n8/file.html

    OK?(et n'oubliez pas de laisser un commentaire)
    OK? (and don't forget to leave a comment)

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    Réponses
    1. Impressionnant! Comme Percy aurait dit, "I ain't lyin'!"

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  8. Gerard:

    Thank you so much for sharing this. I've been a Percy Mayfield fan and know how hard it is to find his recordings - thanks also to all those who helped out. A real treasure.

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  9. Many thanks for this marvelous post. I was hoping some day I would be able to listen to the whole story. Well, this is it!

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  10. Superb Gerard. What an effort! Thank you very much.

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  11. Many thanks for this superb collection Gerard.

    BW

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  12. Many thanks for correcting CD 2, Gerard.

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  13. Un grand merci Gérard pour ce généreux partage. Beaucoup de plaisir à l'écoute de ce merveilleux artiste. Un must !!

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  14. Mucho thanks Gerard...My iPod loves it...

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  15. Thank you for your effort and generosity.

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  16. Thank you for this wonderful set. You put a lot of work into your site, and the music and documentation are much appreciated.

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  17. Thank you so much for sharing this comprehense compilation! Much appreciated!

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  18. Thank you so much for putting this together!

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  19. Many thanks, Gerard. I've been gathering Mayfield's work together for years, but still had a few gaps to fill. Not any more! Nice to have the Timeless LP, which I had never heard before.

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  20. Just spotted this post but Zippys deleted it already! Got a lot of his stuff...thought I had it all, but this shows I don't. I know its a mammoth task to reupload but any chance? Here's hoping. Cheers
    David

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    Réponses
    1. I understand, David. But it seems that as soon as I upload a file, zippy deletes it without any warning no reason... Add a lot of problems that I face with the new google regulations (blogspot is part of google) and I must say that by now I don't have the time nor the courage to re-upload thos mammoth files! Maybe later on when/if I find an issue to solve all the problems I'm facing with this blog

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  21. Salut, Y a-t-il une chance d'avoir une réédition de cette merveilleuse collection ? Sur Mega par exemple ? Je peux offrir une partie de mon espace là-bas si nécessaire.

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