Give, Get, Take and Have

One of the most consistent soul artists of the ‘70s, or indeed of any era, Curtis Mayfield possessed an indomitable work ethic, and as the owner of his own label (Curtom) he exercised complete creative control over his catalog. Though the albums Curtis released in the mid and late ‘70s failed to achieve the crossover success that he enjoyed with Superfly, they are nonetheless endlessly rewarding, tightly constructed expressions of his continually evolving musical vision. Give, Get, Take and Have, from 1976, sports a mellow, introverted sound that is eminently suited to Mayfield’s hushed falsetto. As on other albums from this period, the main instrumental focus is on his veteran rhythm section, comprised of bassist Lucky Scott, conguera Henry Gibson and drummer Donnelle Hagan. Curtis had been playing with this group since his first solo album and their restrained yet uncannily coordinated playing make songs like the sweet yet propulsive “P.S. I Love You” some of the finest in Curtis’ legendary catalog. Simply put, the dreamily subdued Give, Get, Take and Have is one of the undiscovered triumphs of Mayfield’s career.