The Complete A & B Sides 1961 - 1968 [2 CD]

2009 two CD set that collects, chronologically, one of the best runs of any '60s group, Soul or otherwise. Many use the word genius with a wild abandon, yet surely if there is one who deserves to be labeled as such, and who rarely is, it is Curtis Mayfield, a unique man in music. Mayfield was gifted with the pipes of an angel and took the rafter-raising spirit of the church, with its uplifting and hopeful message, and combined it with an indelible songwriting craft to create sublime spiritual Soul music that carried his sermons of civil rights and equality to the masses. Listening to his group, The Impressions, on this selection is a truly spiritual experience: it's like witnessing the birth of Soul over and over again. From the eerie, atmospheric 'Gypsy Woman' in 1962, Curtis Mayfield's gorgeous falsetto floats over a collection of all-time soulful greats, including US #4 hit 'It's All Right', the civil rights anthem 'People Get Ready', and Northern Soul stomper 'Can't Satisfy'. Universal.