Maze’s “Live In New Orleans” Album Celebrates 40th Anniversary
Growing up in the NOLA area in the 80's, there was no other band or group that had a bigger impact on music to us than Maze Featuring Frankie Beverly. The first concert I ever attended as a kid was a Maze show and it was amazing.
It was standard issue that every resident in the city had a copy of the iconic and classic album that made them legendary superstars in our region and this year, that album celebrates its 40th anniversary!
Despite being founded in Philadelphia in the 70's, Maze always considered New Orleans their home base. Beverly has credited the city for the Gold status of their 1977 debut album, Maze featuring Frankie Beverly, saying that the majority of copies were sold in Louisiana and the greater New Orleans area. With that in mind, Maze decided to record their first live album and fifth overall album, Live in New Orleans, at the Saenger on November 14–15, 1980.
The album would be a HUGE success reaching #3 on Billboard's R&B Albums chart and #34 on the Billboard 200 chart forever solidifying Maze's place as one of the greatest live bands ever, an honor they still hold to this day.
To celebrate "Live In New Orleans" 40th Anniversary, Black History Month and the start of Mardi Gras, the band is releasing a 2LP vinyl reissue and two special digital releases on February 19 via Capitol/UMe. They are also releasing two digital remix EPs: Maze: The M+M Mixes and Joy and Pain: The Lifelines Remixes.
The album will be released in two physical forms: standard weight black double-LP and special white vinyl, an homage to Beverly’s all-white stage outfits and an acknowledgment to the audience members who in their own tribute faithfully wore all-white to Maze shows.
If you're a Maze fan like I am, then you'll definitely want to pick up these classics!