Mayfield, Irvin / Strange Fruit
Album: Strange Fruit   Collection:Jazz
Artist:Mayfield, Irvin   Added:Apr 2005
Label:Basin Street  

A-File Activity
Add Date: 2005-05-29 Pull Date: 2005-07-31 Charts: Jazz
Week Ending: Jun 19 Jun 12 Jun 5
Airplays: 1 2 2

Recent Airplay
1. Apr 23, 2022: Music Casserole
The Lynch Mob
4. Jun 10, 2005: No Cover, No Minimum - Part 2
The Beginning of the End, Intro/Opening Statements, Narration #1
2. Jun 15, 2005: Rising with the Rhythms, Hopping into the Hump Day
The Beginning of the End
5. Jun 03, 2005: Memory Select
Strange Fruit
3. Jun 11, 2005: Morning Glory
I-R--V--I-N MAYFIELD !!! "The Beginning of the End"
6. Jun 01, 2005: Junk: The Best of Jazz n' Funk
Color Lines, Narration #3, The Elder Negro Speaks, Oral Traditions of the South, Narration #2, The Beginning of the End, Intro/Opening Statements, Narration #1

Album Review
Craig Matsumoto
Reviewed 2005-05-26
A drama about a doomed interracial romance in the Old South. The story is told by deep-voiced actor Wendell Pierce, supplemented by music from a jazz orchestra and choir. The music includes lots of Basie-tinged instrumentals, shades of New Orleans jazz, and some classical choral touches too.

Not surprising, the overall feel is downcast and somber, although there are a few pick-me-up tracks thrown in the mix (11,14)

Ambitious and powerful, a 90-degree turn from Mayfield's carefree work with Los Hombres Calientes. Note the CD's title, taken from a significant and unsettling jazz standard. A strong statement that needs to be heard.

2- Slow drama: Soundtrack feel w/some snazzy trumpet.
3- Cool mid/fast bassline
4- Spoken word; the story really starts here.
5- Gospel/operatic choir
6- Midtempo and happy early swing
8- Gentle, with choir and flowing piano
10- Slow and romantic, a bit of a corny showtuney feel
11- Narrative followed by feverish bongos & hopping horns.
Fun music but not a fun juncture in the story.
13- Choir, slow and morbid but soulful. Might want to play with the narrative of track 12
14- Fast and brash, with fleet solos
16- N'Orleans blues/gospel, fairly fast but sad
18- Choir a capella: operatic, somber, powerful. Last 2 minutes are a funeral march with horns.
19- Healing conclusion, finding hope in a raw New Orleans blues

Track Listing
1. Narration #1   10. Ballad of the Long Hot Night
2. Intro/Opening Statements   11. Narration #5 / Beat
3. The Beginning of the End   12. Narration #6
4. Narration #2   13. The Lynch Mob
5. Oral Traditions of the South   14. Hoopin' and Hollerin'
6. The Elder Negro Speaks   15. Narration #7
7. Narration #3   16. The Prayer/Final Words
8. Color Lines   17. Narration #8
9. Narration #4   18. The Sacrifice/The Mourning
  19. Narration #9 / Falling ...