It's the Wednesday Rewind...Curtis Mayfield

As a recording artist, songwriter, producer, arranger, talent scout and record company entrepreneur,

Curtis Mayfield, was a jack of all trades, in the music industry and the main architect of Chicago

Soul. As a member of the legendary group, The Impressions, Mayfield cross-fertilized genres of 

gospel, blues, R&B and funk, with the stroke of his pen, influencing generations of inspiring artists and songwriters and becoming recognized as the messenger of our times.

 

Making his exit as the lead singer of the Impressions, Curtis Mayfield took solo stage in 1970 releasing his first LP entitled 'Curtis'  charting No. 1 on Billboard's Soul LP charts, for two weeks in February of 1971. Along with his historic live album, 'Curtis Live' (recorded at New York's legendary club The Bitter End in January 1971, released May 71')  his 3rd  'Roots' (released October 71'),

 

Mayfield hit crossover pay dirt with his masterpiece soundtrack,  'Superfly' in 1972. Detailing the hardcore story (musically) of a Harlem drug dealer named 'Priest' (played by late actor Ron O' Neal),   trying to get out of the narcotics business, Curtis explores the dark side of drug dealing and its horrific enslaved gravitation of its substance. Superfly became the essence of a cultural concept album, rival to Marvin Gaye's quintessential 1971 LP 'What's Going On.'   

 

     Curtis Mayfield was a revolutionary poet, lyrically uprooting the aspirations of African-Americans for over 5 decades.       

 

    Join us Wednesday evening in celebrating the life and legacy of the immortal and legendary artistry of Curtis Mayfield.