Gil Scott-Heron Studio Albums Poll

Bridges

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpNUqNe0U5g

yea i'd probably say bridges too

then first minute or winter in america

since november he is almost all i've listened to

Been a while since I went through them, but I remember enjoying The First Minute of a New Day from start to finish

xpost OMG, yes, I've had Nixon-era music of black anger/sadness/inspiration in constant rotation for months. I've probably listened to Ornette's Skies of America fifteen times since the election.

I haven't gotten past the mid-'70s with Gil Scott-Heron, but this is a good motivation to do so.

i haven't much either tbh, though from what i know there some strong moments. "b-movie" is from reflections is incredible

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSOp507HJMA

Really difficult choice between Bridges and Winter in America.

Probably Winter in America. But a tough call.

winter in america

1980 is totally underrated though!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3IQPfopgJE

Voted 'Pieces of a Man' because it's got 'Think I'll Call it Morning' on it - one of Gil's most tender songs, w/ that trademark Bernard Purdie shuffle.

Pieces of a Man also has "Home is Where the Hatred Is"

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

Bridges-"We Almost Lost Detroit" slays me every time

I got a biography of him last month that I've yet to start.
Picked up the early lps when they were reissued in the mid 90s though not the 1st one, not sure why. Then picked up a couple of mid 70s ones some time later. Also got some live sets from around same time, need to check if I still do.
Started reading his novel about events at a black university but never finished it.

First Minute... all the way.

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

Kind of an underdog winner. Didn't expect that.

Hmmm, interesting result

There is still a 1976 set with brian Jackson up at dime
http://www.dimeadozen.org/torrents-details.php?id=484762

and a 1983 with the Amnesia Express
http://www.dimeadozen.org/torrents-details.php?id=207292

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xc1flR0LgwY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JvpNY1QHzs

I want him to have actually been Jesus and for the resurrection to be shortly forthcoming.

"When I went to see Jaws. . . I was for Jaws! Jaws was the home team!"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhqceBPkG7o

I believe it's called "charisma."

Bridges is out of print, right?

Not on Spotify or available as a download from any service

yep. if you're in the uk, there's a decently priced cd copy on discogs presently. otherwise, it is on youtube for now. his estate is unfortunately being fought over by his family. from wikipedia:

Scott-Heron's estate
At the time of Scott-Heron's death, a will could not be found to determine the future of his estate. Additionally, Raquiyah Kelly-Heron filed papers in Manhattan, New York's Surrogate's Court in August 2013, claiming that Rumal Rackley is not Scott-Heron's son and should therefore be omitted from matters concerning the musician's estate. According to the Daily News website, Rackley, Kelly-Heron and two other sisters have been seeking a resolution to the issue of the management of Scott-Heron's estate, as Rackley stated in court papers that Scott-Heron prepared him to be the eventual administrator of the estate. Scott-Heron's 1994 album Spirits was dedicated to "my son Rumal and my daughters Nia and Gia", and in court papers Rackley added that Scott-Heron "introduced me (Rackley) from the stage as his son".

In 2011, Rackley filed a suit against sister Gia Scott-Heron and her mother, Scott-Heron's first wife, Brenda Sykes, as he believed they had unfairly attained US$250,000 of Scott-Heron's money. The case was later settled for an undisclosed sum in early 2013; but the relationship between Rackley and Scott-Heron's two adult daughters already had become strained in the months after Gil's death. In her submission to the Surrogate's Court, Kelly-Heron states that a DNA test completed by Rackley in 2011—using DNA from Scott-Heron's brother—revealed that they "do not share a common male lineage", while Rackley has refused to undertake another DNA test since that time. A hearing to address Kelly-Heron's filing was scheduled for late August 2013, but by March 2016 further information on the matter was not publicly available.[71] Rackley still serves as court-appointed administrator for the estate, and donated material to the Smithsonian's new National Museum of African American History and Culture for Scott-Heron to be included among the exhibits and displays when the museum opened in September 2016. In December 2018, the Surrogate Court ruled that Rumal Rackley and his half sisters are all legal heirs.[citation needed]

According to the Daily News website, Kelly-Heron and two other sisters have been seeking a resolution to the issue of the management of Scott-Heron's estate.[citation needed] The case was decided in December 2018 with a ruling issued in May 2019.[72]

From 2020 ballot comments:
Gil Scott-Heron/Makaya McCraven, We're New Again: A Reimaging By Makaya McCraven---Still haven't heard the original album, or Jamie xx's reworking, but the unmistakable sound and sensibility of classic Gil come through: sharp, reflective glints in the dark, rough-edged a fluid, lyrical and realist, searching and on point, thematic and grooving---jazzwise, yet "blues is a feeling" the overall. Only thing is, some of the originals are really short, like down to 37 seconds: golden kernals of potential and realization---McCraven is def. not showboating, but I wish he extended these--maybe he was required to stick to the original track times? I'd like a bit more-- Anyway, it's all good, though faves are mostly because they have longer to make an impression: "New York is Killing Me," "I'll Take Care of You," "Me and the Devil"--yes, Scott-Heron and Robert Johnson and Mr. D. ridingF the Greyhoud, seems natural. Speaking voice is worn but clear, singing voice not that different from 1970s.

"Me and the Devil"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrqjpnpkKJY

My local sports talk station's afternoon drive time host has used Gil Scott Heron as bumper music coming back from break on two different days

"Winter In America" is the one my local jazz station plays the most--pretty much year-round during Trump term. xpostYeesh, sorry for typos!

i keep hoping every time i go into cvs that i'll hear "johannesburg" or maybe "the bottle" — alas no, just aztec camera `oblivious` yet again (no, seriously!).

Their theme song--oblivious to Gil, for inst.

xxp isn't Bridges is still around? I got a new copy of it on CD a year or so ago, on the UK imprint Soul Brother Records.

"Your Soul and Mine" and Revolution are in the Sopranos movie... but don't bother!

Just wanna rep for ‘Real Eyes’ much underrated

I'm a firm believer that all of his albums up to and including Moving Target are at least four stars. Hard to really single out any from such a consistent run, but Real Eyes has some definitive highlights for sure.

xxp, and it IS on Spotify, too

everything with Brian Jackson is sheer brilliance, don’t know much of anything after

no comment on “I’m new here” or whatever it is

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2022/apr/27/i-was-consumed-with-anger-brian-jackson-gil-scott-herons-brilliant-badly-wronged-partner

Brian Jackson interview

thanks for posting. he seems like a chill person these days and that jazz is dead thing is definitely cool and worth checking out.

checking this out now. first song sounds like vintage midnight band.

Oh cool!

so the rest of the album is really good! nothing surprising or groundbreaking happens, but it's a foregone conclusion that if you like classic midnight band, you'll like this too. maybe a bit preachy in spots — again: very reminiscent of vintage material. still lots of good vibes and solid grooves. last track was the highlight for me.

I was a bit underwhelmed by the Brian Jackson effort. Some was funky & jazzy like old-school Midnight Band but some was too derivative, a little too fusiony, and the vocals aren't Scott-Heron of course.

i dug the album. i really like his playing and the groove on "mami wata" in particular

getting back into gil's reggae attempts. you know i'm a sucker for music that's about how awesome music is-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVY2Dp1u1Z8
"storm music" (1981)

this is more of his usual 'paranoia in pop song' form, but with a roots-y backing. i love it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9efhvkcz_AM
"no exit" (1982)

anyway, nothing else really to say. he only did a few of these, but these two are alltimers back where i come from. he never got back into the style after the early 80s.

Interesting re those reggae attempts. Genre was crossing over more then too

speaking of early 80s
on November 16 - Black Wax (Robert Mugge 1983 directed film about Gil-Scott Heron) is showing @ AFI Silver near Washington DC as part of a short Robert Mugge film fest

highly recommend watching black wax however you can. that was his tightest band.

(and they play "storm music" in it too)

nice, it’s on YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtFNSxM9704

Never understood why Pieces of a Man doesn't appear in all those best album ever lists in NME, Mojo etc. Seems exactly the kind of record that appeals to that sort of thing.

ooooo
givin you the reggae, "Ready or Not" (also on Moving Target)

I had my first real listen to Spirits this weekend and I'd happily vote for it — it's kind of amazing that it got made at all and has some beautiful tracks. The title track is a modal beast with Malcolm Cecil coming on like McCoy Tyner.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1zf4dCeYzs

'Give Her A Call' too. He can be so naked.

My life is one of movement
I been traveling as fast as I can
And I've inherited trial and error directly from my old man
But I'm committed to the consequences
Whether I stand or fall

And when I get back to my life
I think I'm gonna give her a call
I think I'm gonna give her a call

and still we are victims of word games
semantics is always a bitch
places once referred to as "underdeveloped"
are now called "mineral rich"

Kinda odd there hasn't been a proper box set.

Could be licensing issues given that he was on four different labels throughout his career.

i know there's way too much conflicting interests with brian jackson and gil's estate. also keep in mind: gil was righteous, but he burned a lot of bridges, especially among industry folks.

also chinaski otm. spirits is rad. i think about "message to the messengers" often. "work for peace" is a sort of sequel to "the revolution will not be televised" if you think about. also has an ali shaheed muhammad cameo on the title track. it's one of his best imo, but i rate everything he did as at least worthwhile so i'm quite biased.

Black Wax (Robert Mugge 1983 directed film about Gil-Scott Heron)

this was so awesome

totally changed my view of him. i didn't realize he was so fucking funny!

one of my alltime favorite concert films.

"it's a year of hysterical importance."

*historical

xpost that's a good line, though

from plymouth rock to acid rock, skip to 3.18 for context:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=beqC_m2pU1U
"bicentennial blues" (1976)

the deadpan delivery. (chef's kiss)

sorry, just thinking about past greatness or whatever. gsh was indeed a very funny guy.

have been revisiting Secrets a lot recently, definitely one of my favorites by him

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZhqqF7oNxGg

this groove. undeniable.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Y6wcR3fcSk
"explanations" (1982)