ROOTS is an essential Curtis Mayfield album. Released in 1971 when he was 29 years old, this set of songs is by turns wise, world-weary, spiritual, and mostly full of love and hope. The album was his follow-up to the successful CURTIS/LIVE set. Extensive touring and performance had infused Mayfield's technique with a casual grace mingled with just enough tension to underscore the edginess of some of his subject matter. This album yielded three hits: the propulsive "Get Down," the gorgeous, big production of "Beautiful Brother Of Mine," and the incessant and catchy "We Got To Have Peace." Throughout the album, Mayfield's blending of strings with his core electric band is rich and dazzling. The contrast between his soft-but-forceful vocals and the harder underlying grooves is always compelling. In fact, Curtis Mayfield's singing set the style that led directly to Prince later in the '70s.

Estimated despatch 14-20 days after ordering.