Usually, you know a vocal group was excellent when one of the singers launches a solo career, such as Diana Ross or Smoky Robinson. In the case of The Impressions, they team was so strong that TWO of its singers had formidable careers, namely Jerry Butler and Curtis Mayfield. This two disc, 57 song collection mixes and matches hit songs by the vocal group from singles and some album tracks, and also includes some of the hits from first-to-go Jerry Butler.
For “The Ice Man” Jerry Butler, his suave baritone glides over calypso’d pieces like “He Will Break Your Heart” and “I’m A Telling You” while getting the feeling on “Lost”, “Find Another Girl” and going romantic on “Make It Easy On Yourself”
While with the Impressions (which also included Sam Gooden and Richard Brooks), Butler goes down and deep with the group on “For Your Precious Love” and “Don’t Leave Me”. After Butler departed, Mayfield took the reins, added Fred Cash as a fifth member and hit the road running with the haunting “Gypsy Woman”. Their debut album, one of the strongest first-outings by a vocal group, was unique in that it didn’t just have a couple of big hits and filler; every tune stood up on its own. Besides “Gypsy Woman”, Mayfield shines on “Minstrel and Queen”, “Never Let Me Go” and the voices blend like sorghum on “Grow Closer Together” , “Little Young Lover” and “You’ve Come Home” , “I Need Your Love” and “I’m The One Who Loves You”. There was a sweetness to the delivery that mixed the heart of the church, the innocence of doo wop and the social consciousness of the Ike-JFK years. A rare musical window of opportunity that was not missed.