Curtis Mayfield

On his solo debut, the former Impressions frontman combined his old streamlined compositional style with complex structural changes and swirling, cinematic orchestrations. A complete artistic triumph, like What's Going On, this hasn't aged a day. Mayfield's sound, his lyrics (as critical as they are caring), and his inner and musical soul each shine.

Here's a Curtis Mayfield (of the Impressions) solo album; so far as I know, the first. Most of
the eight cuts are distinctly Impressionistic, and one, "Miss Black America," includes Sam
and Fred singing choruses. There are really no surprises in this album. It's just eight more
Mayfield tunes, sweet music to Mayfield maybe, but not what I'd call the best demonstration
of the man's talents. For the past year or so, a lot of Mayfield's tunes have seeme... More >

Initially I distrusted these putatively middlebrow guides to black pride--"Miss Black America" indeed. But a lot of black people found them estimable, so I listened some more, and I'm glad. Since Mayfield is a more trustworthy talent than Isaac Hayes, I wasn't too surprised at the durability of the two long cuts--the percussion jam is as natural an extension of soul music (those Sunday handclaps) as the jazzish solo. What did surprise me was that the whole project seemed less and less middlebrow as I got to know it. Forget the harps--"Move On Up" is Mayfield's most explicit political song, "If There's a Hell Below We're All Gonna Go" revises the usual gospel pieties, and "Miss Black America" has its charms, too. (Grade - B+)