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| Gil Scott-Heron & Friends: CD Release Show for "I'm New Here" |
FEATURING:
Gil Scott-Heron, spoken word/vocals/keyboards
Kim Jordan, vocals/piano/keys
Glenn Turner, harmonica/keys
Tony Duncanson, percussion |
Vocalist, poet, author and activist Gil Scott-Heron returns to the Blue Note for two nights only from March 2 – 3 upon the release of his first recording in 16 years, the highly anticipated I’m New Here (XL, 2010). With songs like “On Coming From A Broken Home (Pts. 1 & 2)” and “Where Did The Night Go,” I’m New Here is a refreshingly honest, raw display of emotion from a man who has experienced numerous personal ups and downs over the last few decades.
I’m New Here, available for free streaming online, has received tremendous critical praise already, with the UK Guardian predicting it will be “regarded as one of the year’s best albums.” Though I’m New Here focuses primarily on events of the past, Gil Scott-Heron told the Village Voice that he’s looking towards the future: “It makes you think, and that may turn out to be dangerous, but this ain’t Inherit the Wind. To hell with sponges! This is the 21st century – let's keep on movin’.”
Most famous for his era-defining 1970's poem, "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised," Gil Scott-Heron’s politically charged material made him a stalwart figure in the 1970’s civil rights movement. His lyrical content covered topics like the superficiality of television and mass consumerism, the hypocrisy of some would-be Black revolutionaries, white middle-class ignorance of the difficulties faced by inner-city residents, and fear of homosexuals.
Not only a pioneer of blues, jazz and funk, his honesty, matter-of-fact delivery and fearlessness to address important social issues in the face of media criticism made him one of the foremost progenitors of contemporary hip-hop and spoken word.
Among countless other allusions and references, Public Enemy used the phrase “the revolution will not be televised” to open its classic 1987 album It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back and Kanye West sampled Gil’s timeless “Home is Where the Hatred Is” on the Common-supported “On My Way” from 2005’s Late Registration.
In the current global climate of social and political upheaval, Gil Scott-Heron has picked the perfect time to resurface and offer his catalogue up for consumption again, along with some new material. Gil is currently close to completion on his latest book, The Last Holiday, which tells the story of Stevie Wonder's 1980 campaign to make Martin Luther King Jr. Day a national holiday.
Unpredictable throughout his career, Gil Scott-Heron remains somewhat of a mystery to the public; fans will have to show up to his live performances to see what songs he’ll perform and what iconic musicians will show up to join him. |
