Gil Scott-Heron & his Amnesia Express [2023] - Legend In His Own Mind (Live, Bremen, 1983) [M.i.G] (Full Album)

A true pioneer of soul, funk and rap music Gil Scott-Heron, often considered 'The Godfather of Rap', performed a concert in Bremen, Germany on 18 Apr 1983, supported by his eight piece band, Amnesia Express, that was recorded by technicians of Radio Bremen. 

The same year, we think, we attended a gig at The Douglas Hotel in Aberdeen. Thanks to Steve Agassild for confirming it as neither of our memories are what they were but we think it was the same year as he did a few shows in London at the end of Apr '83 and one in Sheffield that year, but if anyone knows for sure we stand corrected.

It has been unofficially released twice as a ten track double vinyl album titled "Kulturzentrum Schauburg Bremen Germany April 18th 1983" in 2017 and 2019. 

The full 1 hr 52 min set including the interludes and "B-Movie" (not included on the bootlegs) is released digitally, on CD and vinyl by MiG (Made In Germany) and titled "Legend In His Own Mind (Live, Bremen, 1983)".

After the intro the set begins with "We Almost Lost Detroit" through to perhaps his best known song (in the mainstream at least) "Johannesburg".

Click on image below for link to where you can buy from.

Details

Rating:	8.6
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Classic Soul
Format:	Album / Live
Media:	Digital / CD / Vinyl
Label:	M.i.G.
Cat No:	None
Date:	28/07/2023
Price:	£9.99 / 18.99 / £30.99

Copyright © 2009-2023 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Gil Scott-Heron [1971] - Save The Children [Flying Dutchman #FD 10143]

A few month ago Gil Scott-Heron's seminal album "Pieces Of A Man" was posted. Today I've selected a track from it as the weekly anti-war song showing solidarity for Ukraine as they enter the fifth week of conflict. 

The track is "Save The Children" which is not the same song as the Marvin Gaye one with the same title also released in 1971. 

It was later released as a single edit (3:00 v 4:55) billed as Gil Scott-Heron & The Pretty Purdie Boys as the flip to his classic "Lady Day And John Coltrane" which means it fetches big bucks (only two currently for sale on Discogs for £400). Even the album on original vinyl seem to sell for well into 3 figures.

Whilst I've posted the label scan for the single, it is the full album version sound clip.

I have been informed by DJ Kool Keith that the best version, although written by Scott-Heron, is The Intruders' version and the title track of their 1973 Philadelphia International album, and I think I would probably have to agree with him.

Details

Rating:	8.5
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Classic Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	LP / 7"
Label:	Flying Dutchman
Cat No:	FD 10143 / FD 26015
Date:	1971 / 1972
Key/BPM:	6A/76
Value:	£up to £350 / £400

Gil Scott-Heron [2022] - Ghetto Ghosts (Live 1977) [Lo-Light Records] (Full Album)

Released a couple of weeks ago on 21 Feb 2022, is this live album by Gil Scott-Heron "Ghetto Ghosts (Live 1977)" which includes many of his classics including a 16 minute version of "The Bottle".

Although not included on the album, I've included a live version of "Lady Day And John Coltrane"  performed at Glastonbury 2000.

Click icons below for further information or to connect with the artist.

Details

Rating:	9
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Classic Soul / Live
Format:	Album
Media:	Digital
Label:	Lo-Light Records
Cat No:	None
Date:	21/02/2022
Value:	£7.99

Gil Scott-Heron [1971] - Pieces Of A Man [Flying Dutchman #FD 10143] (Full Album)

On Friday night I watched a recording of a documentary about Gil Scott-Heron's classic 1971 album "Pieces Of A Dream" on Sky Arts Classic Albums series which is what has inspired this post. Recommended watching if it comes on again or you can find it on catch up.

Scott-Heron died in 2011 but the documentary has footage of him not only performing but also interviews. The main 'actor' of the documentary is Brian Jackson who often gets overlooked. He met Scott-Heron at Lincoln University and they formed the group Black & Blues with Victor Brown and recorded a single "Chains" c/w "A Toast To The People" for Flying Dutchman but I don't believe it was released (but has been in 2019 by BGP) and these two, and another track "Peace", is included on Ace Records 2014 reissue of "Pieces Of A Man".

There were some giants of jazz performing on the album. Ron Carter (a member of Miles Davis' group in the 60s) on bass, Bernard 'Pretty' Purdie on drums and Hubert Laws on flute and sax along with Burt Jones on guitar supporting Brian Jackson on keys and of course Scott-Heron all conducted by Johnny Pate who worked with Curtis Mayfield and The Impressions for many years in 60s/70s.

As well as a song that inspired generations of rappers, "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised", the album includes a few tracks that have been played on the UK modern soul/rare groove scene for decades "Lady Day And John Coltrane", "Home Is Where The Hatred Is" (later covered by Esther Phillips in 1971 on her "From A Whisper To A Scream" album and as a single) and "When You Are Who You Are". 

He is of course best known in Northern Soul circles for his classic "The Bottle" recorded a few years later in 1974 on Strata-East. "Uno, Dos .. Uno, Dos, Tres Cuatro..."! The video below was produced in 1998 as part of CD re-issue of "Winter In America" on TVT Records.

Revisiting the album many years after last listening to it was a treat so I thought it well worth sharing.

The album is still available in all formats digital, CD and vinyl on Amazon.

As a footnote I discovered that Gil Scott-Heron is the latest inductee into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame, inducted on 31 Oct 2021 in the 'early influencer' category.

I've also included a 50 minute documentary below "Who Is Gil Scott-Heron" recorded not long after his death in 2011 by XL Recordings who he had recorded his last album "I'm Here Now" for  (which I'm sure I've posted before).

In addition, if you've got nothing better to do on a wet Sunday afternoon, there is a very good documentary covering his whole career recorded in Feb this year which includes clips of many of his songs.

Click icons below for further information or to connect with the artist.

Details

Rating:	9
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Soul Jazz
Format:	Classic Album
Media:	Digital
Label:	Flying Dutchman
Cat No:	FD 10143
Date:	1971
Value:	£60-£165 (NB a NM copy sold on Discogs for £163 in Sep 2021)

Who Is Gil Scott-Heron?

If James Brown is Godfather of Soul and Aretha Franklin the Queen of Soul then Gill Scott-Heron must be the Godfather of Rap/Hip-Hop, also portrayed as The Black Dylan!

His mother was an opera singer and his father (Gil Heron) was a Jamaican footballer who was the first black man to play for Celtic!

When you think Of Scott-Heron I guess the songs that immediately spring to mind are The Bottle, Johannesburg, The Revolution Will Not Be Televised, Pieces Of A Man, Winter In America others include Lady Day And John Coltrane, Home Is Where The Hatred Is, Beg Your Pardon America, When You Are Who Are You Are or Inner City Blues.

If you're new to Scott-Heron's music then you couldn't do better than pick up a 3 CD compilation (also available on digital but not vinyl) The Revolution Begins (The Flying Dutchman Masters) which consists of his complete Flying Dutchman catalogue.

Here's a documentary film 'Who Is Gil Scott-Heron' by XL Recordings originally released to coincide with the 2010 release of his first album for 16 years 'I'm New Here' just a year before his death.  It has been re-released (2020) to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the album.

Gil Scott-Heron [1981] - "B" Movie [Arista #AS 0647]

Sadly, everything he says in this 'message' song from 1981 about the state of politics (Ronald Regan) is still true today.  Just imagine what he'd have written about Trump had he lived to see the day!