Curtis
by Curtis Mayfield
- Type: Album
- Released: September 1970
- Label: Curtom
- Country: United States
- Length: 1:15:07
- Community rating: 4.39/5 from 18 ratings
Album Notes & Community Reviews
On his debut solo album, 'Curtis', Curtis Mayfield departed from the pop-soul of The Impressions to forge a more ambitious and hard-edged sound, fusing funk grooves and psychedelic textures with lush, cinematic orchestrations. The album's songwriting directly confronts social and political issues, delivering messages of Black pride and community struggle with a new level of candor. Featuring extended instrumental jams and Mayfield's distinct falsetto, the record established him as a pioneering force in progressive soul, creating a template for politically conscious music that would resonate throughout the decade.
Genres
Descriptors: soulful, orchestral, social-commentary, funky, strings
Tracklist
- (Don't Worry) If There Is a Hell Below, We're All Going to Go (07:50)
- The Other Side of Town (04:01)
- The Makings of You (03:43)
- We the People Who Are Darker Than Blue - Live at The Bitter End, NYC (08:44)
- Move on Up - Extended Version (08:55)
- Miss Black America (02:58)
- Wild and Free (03:16)
- Give It Up (03:49)
- Power to the People - Demo Version (02:47)
- Underground - Demo Version (03:11)
- Ghetto Child - Demo Version (05:10)
- Readings in Astrology - Demo Version (03:31)
- Suffer - Demo Version (02:31)
- Miss Black America - Demo Version (02:22)
- The Makings of You - Backing Track, Take 32 (04:35)
- (Don't Worry) If There's a Hell Below We're All Going to Go - Backing Track, Take 1 & 2 (04:18)
- (Don't Worry) If There's a Hell Below We're All Going to Go - Single Version (03:26)
Credits
- Curtis Mayfield - vocals, guitar, producer
- Leonard Druss - musician
- John Howell - musician
- Harold Lepp - musician
- Loren Binford - musician
- Clifford Davis - musician
- Patrick Ferreri - musician
- Richard Single - musician
- Rudolph Stauber - musician
- Donald Simmons - musician
- Robert Lewis - musician
- Harold Dessent - musician
- Ronald Kolber - musician
- Harold Klatz - musician
- John Ross - musician
- Sol Bobrov - musician
- Sam Heiman - musician
- Elliot Golub - musician
- Henry Gibson - musician
- Robert Sims - musician
- Gary Slabo - musician, arranger, producer, mixer
- Philip Upchurch - musician
- Riley Hampton - arranger, producer, mixer
- R.J. Anfinson - recording engineer
- Tom Flye - recording engineer, vocal overdubbing
- Marvin Heiman - contractor
- Bob Cato - designer, photographer
- Danny Turbeville - vocal overdubbing assistant