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— The Analog Vault // Essential Listening —

A year after the revolutionary American poet released Small Talk at 125th and Lenox, Gil Scott-Heron would break away from his pure spoken word roots, endeavouring to permeate his profound verses of political protest within a more musical context. The result was his iconic 1971 album, Pieces of a Man, where Heron’s powerful and prescient critiques were shaped into rhythmic proto-rap form, and backed by a band (led by career-long collaborator Brian Jackson) who complemented his incisive poetry through jazz-funk and blues compositions. From his ingeniously satiric “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised,” to paying homage to his jazz influences on “"Lady Day and John Coltrane", to the title track’s unravelling of strife - Pieces of a Man is an intelligent and soulful documentation of the Black experience in America. — The Analog Vault

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Gil Scott-Heron's 1971 album Pieces of a Man set a standard for vocal artistry and political awareness that few musicians will ever match. His unique proto-rap vocal style influenced a generation of hip-hop artists, and nowhere is his style more powerful than on the classic "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised." Even though the media - the very entity attacked in this song - has used, reused, and recontextualized the song and its title so many times, the message is so strong that it has become almost impossible to co-opt. Musically, the track created a formula that modern hip-hop would follow for years to come: bare-bones arrangements featuring pounding basslines and stripped-down drumbeats. Although the song features plenty of outdated references to everything from Spiro Agnew and Jim Webb to The Beverly Hillbillies, the force of Scott-Heron's well-directed anger makes the song timeless.

More than just a spoken word poet, Scott-Heron was also a uniquely gifted vocalist. On tracks like the reflective "I Think I'll Call It Morning" and the title track, Scott-Heron's voice is complemented perfectly by the soulful keyboards of Brian Jackson. On "Lady Day and John Coltrane," he not only celebrates jazz legends of the past in his words but in his vocal performance, one that is filled with enough soul and innovation to make Coltrane and Billie Holiday nod their heads in approval. More than three decades after its release, Pieces of a Man is just as - if not more - powerful and influential today as it was the day it was released. - (via AllMusic)

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Label: Flying Dutchman, BGP Records
Format: 2 x Vinyl, 12", 45 RPM, Album, Reissue, Remastered, Stereo, 180g, Gatefold
Reissued: 2022 / Original: 1971
Genre: Jazz
Style: Poetry, Soul-Jazz, Jazz-Funk

File under: TAV Essential Listening
File under: Jazz // Soul-Jazz
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