New World Order is a touching, moving comeback from Curtis Mayfield. As the first new music Mayfield recorded since he was paralyzed in 1990, the album engenders a lot of goodwill -- it's undeniably affecting to hear him sing again, especially with the knowledge that his performances had to be recorded line by line, due to his paralysis. The joy of hearing him sing makes the inconsistency of the album forgivable, especially since he is in good voice. Narada Michael Walden, Daryl Simmons, and Organized Noize all contributed productions that are sensitive but strong, which gives the album added weight. The songs are hit-and-miss, but the main strength of the record is that it illustrates that Mayfield can make music that is still vital. ~ Leo Stanley, All Music Guide
Mike "Hitman" Wilson (Assistant Engineer), Luis Stenfanell (Percussion), Luis Stenfanell (Conga), Rosemary Woods (Strings), Blake Eiseman (Engineer), Eric Hicks (Keyboards), Dale Degroat (Drum Programming), Joy Bailey (Production Coordination), Dale Degroat (Keyboards), Rosemary Woods (Producer), Alvin Speights (Mixing), Roger (Producer), Carlos Glover (Strings), Rosemary Woods (Director), Frank Amato (Piano), Carlos Glover (Engineer), Rosemary Woods (Keyboard Programming), Dee Dee Hibbler (Production Coordination), Narada Michael Walden (Arranger), Tanya Smith (Vocals (Background)), Carlos Glover (Keyboards), Claytoven Richardson (Vocals (Background)), Eric Hicks (Rap), Cherise Miller (Production Coordination), Debra Killings (Vocals (Background)), Rosemary Woods (Editing), Charles Pettaway (Vocals (Background)), Curtis Mayfield (Executive Producer), Todd Mayfield (Production Coordination), Craig Love (Guitar), Tony Lindsey (Vocals (Background)), Eric Hicks (Programming), Vance Taylor (Piano), Curtis Mayfield (Vocals (Background)), Arnold Hennings (Keyboards), Linda Cobb (Art Direction), Aretha Franklin (?), Carl Brown (Assistant Engineer), Brian Fleming (Drum Programming), David Frazer (Engineer), Narada Michael Walden (Bass), Rosemary Woods (Drums), James Fischer (Producer), Ivy Skoff (Production Coordination), Raimundo Thomas (Producer), Curtis Mayfield (Producer), Carlos Glover (Drum Programming), Brian Fleming (Vocals (Background)), Arnold Hennings (Programming), Sandra St. Victor (Vocals), Dooney Jones (Vocals (Background)), Ricco Lumpkins (Mixing Assistant), James Fischer (Programming), Thom "TK" Kidd (Engineer), Thom "TK" Kidd (Mixing), Shawn Grove (Assistant Engineer), Sandy Griffith (Vocals (Background)), Blaise Mayfield (Rap), Shirley Murdock (Vocals (Background)), Kevin Walden (Production Coordination), Ralphe Armstrong (Bass (Electric)), Alex Lowe (Mixing Assistant), Ricco Lumpkins (Assistant Engineer), Brian Fleming (Producer), Joseph Jennings (Sax (Alto)), Jeanie Tracy (Vocals (Background)), Mavis Staples (Vocals (Background)), Kevin Parker (Mixing Assistant), Organized Noize (Drums), Brian Fleming (Keyboard Programming), Ron Weisner (?), Herb Powers (Mastering), Richard L. Owens (Trombone), Brian Fleming (Drums), Ron Weisner (Creative Consultant), Eric Hicks (Producer), Annie Stocking (Vocals (Background)), Daryl Simmons (Drums), Tommy Martin (Guitar), Daryl Simmons (Keyboard Programming), Carlos Glover (Guitar), Joy Bailey (Director), Marvin "Chanz" Parkman (Keyboards), REY International (Design), Raimundo Thomas (Vocals (Background)), Arnold Hennings (Drums), James Fischer (Associate Producer), Thom "TK" Kidd (Mixing Assistant), Rosemary Woods (Mixing), Daryl Simmons (Producer), Howard Nicholson (Sax (Tenor)), Tim Harrigan (Mixing), Mike Wilson (Assistant Engineer), David Morris (Vocals (Background)), Roger Troutman (Drum Programming), Janice Lee (Production Coordination), Ralph Armstrong (Bass (Electric)), Eric Hicks (Associate Producer), Dee Simmons (Drums), Tony Lindsay (Vocals (Background)), Martin Terry (Guitar (Electric)), Arnold Hennings (Keyboard Programming), Sleepy Brown (Percussion), Terry "Zapp" Troutman (Producer), Organized Noize (Mixing), Dana Lixenberg (Photography), Curtis Mayfield (Vocals), James "Diamond" Williams (Vocals (Background)), Mike Peterson (Mixing), Kevin Lively (Assistant Engineer), Dexter Simmons (Mixing), Organized Noize (Producer), James Fischer (Guitar), Lebron Scott (Bass), Preston Crump (Bass), Narada Michael Walden (Timbales), Marc Reyburn (Engineer), Roger Troutman (Mixing), Arnold Hennings (Producer), Gary Thompson (Guitar), Curtis Mayfield (Multi Instruments), Joi (Vocals (Background)), Brian Frye (Engineer), Ralph Stacy (Bass), Rosemary Woods (Piano), Eddie Davis (Trumpet), Rosemary Woods (Vocals (Background)), James Fischer (Keyboards), Organized Noize (Keyboard Programming), Dean Gant (Keyboards), Michael Peterson (Mixing), Carlos Glover (Producer), Tina Gibson (Vocals (Background)), James Fischer (Engineer), Rosemary Woods (Production Coordination), James Fischer (Guitar (Electric)), Sandra St. Victor (Vocals (Background)), Narada Michael Walden (Shaker), Roger Troutman (Guitar), Roger Troutman (Bass), Lloyd Wolf (Photography), Roger Troutman (Talk Box), Narada Michael Walden (Drums (Steel)), Narada Michael Walden (Producer), Skyler Jett (Vocals (Background)), Curtis Mayfield (Liner Notes), Tommy Martin (Guitar (Acoustic)), James Fischer (Assistant Producer), William Allgood (Editing), Curtis Mayfield (Mixing), Eric Hicks (Assistant Producer), Roger Troutman (Keyboards), Gary Thompson (Guitar (Rhythm)), Curtis Mayfield (Editing), Carlos Glover (Mixing), John Frye (Assistant Engineer), Narada Michael Walden (Conga), David Frazer (Mixing), Charles Pettaway (Bass), Alex Lowe (Assistant Engineer), Tomi Martin (Guitar (Acoustic)), Ralph Stacey (Bass), Cynthia Shiloh (Production Coordination)
New World Order is Curtis Mayfield’s final album. He was paralyzed during the recording, but still managed to both sing and oversee the project. According to Australian radio station Triple J, Mayfield managed to painstakingly record his songs by laying on his back, the only way he could get enough air into his lungs, and singing one line at a time. After he recorded each line, the songs were edited together.
Track listing
“New World Order”
“Ms. Martha”
“Back to Living Again”
“No One Knows About a Good Thing (You Don't Have to Cry)”
