1 Curtis Mayfield Curtis CURTOM 1970 £6, VINYL £21.54

You Say: “Still a stunning solo debut. Move On Up was a gift to many careers.” S Day, via e-mail

After an Imps career already bulging with hits and genre classics, Curtis provided the perfect solo and new label debut. From the very start, Mayfield doesn’t mince words (opener (Don’t Worry) If There’s A Hell Below We’re All Gonna Go) but as ever he also uplifts the spirit with strong gospel-rooted calls-to-arms, as exemplified by the much-covered, much-sampled Move On Up, as good a black power/empowerment anthem as those being penned at the time by Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, James Brown et al. The delicate black pride of We The People Who Are Darker Than Blue and Miss Black America are exceptional.