curtis mayfield
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Gone Away: a one-two-three chicago-bred punch of soul
Performing below (in Ghana, circa 1971) is Roberta Flack. She is singing “Gone Away”… a cool, loping soul record from her album “Chapter Two”. This record was written by the one-two-three Chicago-bred punch of Leroy Hutson, Curtis Mayfield, and Donny Hathaway (before his own breakout single “The Ghetto”). “Gone Away” was also recorded by The Impressions and Lovelace Watkins (in…
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Dancing Girl – Terry Callier. Windy City Mellow.
I remember where I was when I first heard this: the local round-the-way record store. The carpet was checkered with the maytag logo in bittersweet on brown (harkening back to the store’s past life). There we stood in a communal experience that began with the shop owner saying, “You’ve got to hear this record”. We…
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Billy Butler: Brotherly Soul
From Jerry Butler’s little brother, Billy, it’s “I’ll Bet You”. Jerry Butler, of course, was a member of the Impressions (as well as one of the most successful solo acts in Chicago Soul history). Billy never quite made it out from the shadow of his superstar brother, but he made a few valiant efforts: among them, “Right Track”, and…
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Ain’t No Love Lost…a lost Curtis Mayfield gem
The year was 1972. The Year of his “Superfly” soundtrack (arguably, one of the best albums ever to come out of Chicago), and Curtis Mayfield could do no wrong…including this record, produced by Mayfield (and arranged by Rich Tufo). A sixteen year old Nashvillian named Patti Jo says to some Cassanova, “ain’t no love lost“. …
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Come With Khari Lemuel
Local artist/instrumentalist Khari Lemuel performing his song “Come With Me” with Yaw (video by Bobby Rocwell)….Super talented brother who I’ve seen perform live multiple times. His voice combines some of the best elements of Chicago Soul’s legacy: rootsiness, spirituality, truth, and beauty. Below, Khari’s composition “Good Morning Love” summons the power of Curtis Mayfield (and…
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We the People (Who are Darker than Blue)
Curtis Mayfield performing “We the People” and “Gimme Your Love”, plus archival tape of folks vibin’ in various Chicago parks back-in-the-day. From the classic film “Save the Children” (1972). The film chronicled PUSH Expo ’72 (at the International Amphitheatre** in Chicago), touted as the biggest gathering of black business in history. When black power was…
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This Love’s For Real
This is a Local Chicago record also recorded by The Impressions (and written by Leroy Hutson). Very obscure. Very Lincoln-Continental-with-the-suicide-doors Gangster. Enjoy.
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Danger, She’s a Stranger!
The Five can’t-say-too-much-good-stuff-about-them Stairsteps recorded this petite cherie in 1967.
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Leroy Hutson: Love the Feeling (of good old Chicago Lean)
Originally from New Jersey, Leroy Hutson attended Howard University, eventually majoring in Music. It was during those years that Hutson met Roberta Flack, Herbie Hancock, Debbie Allen, Phylicia Rashad, and Chicago’s own Donny Hathaway (who would become Hutson’s roommate). Hutson collaborated with Hathaway on “The Ghetto”, a smash 1970 hit (Hathaway’s first). In 1971, three…
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