Scott-Heron, Gil: Free Will (Vinyl LP)

A reissue of Gil Scott-Heron's 1972 album taken from the original master tapes. The album is special as one side consists of songs - all but one written with Brian Jackson - and the flipside is of poetry. Both forms showcase the political and the personal, in a way where even the time-specific lyrics transcend their era. Gil and Brian are backed an all-star band consisting of Bernard Purdie, Gerry Jemmott, Hubert Laws and David Spinozza.

These help bring out the pathos in the achingly sad 'Did You Hear What They Say' - one of Gil's finest pieces of writing. Gil's final album for Flying Dutchman, it capped a hugely creative period for him when he wrote many of his best-remembered songs.

1. Free Will
2. The Middle Of Your Day
3. The Get Out Of The Ghetto Blues
4. Speed Kills
5. Did You Hear What They Said?
6. The King Alfred Plan
7. No Knock
8. Wiggy
9. Ain't No New Thing
10. Billy Green Is Dead
11. Sex Education: Ghetto Style 
12. ... And Then He Wrote Meditations