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What’s up everybody? Thanks for clicking on our newsletter this week.
Well, I don’t think you needed to be Nostradamus to predict that this year would not be a great one, but who had America starting a war with our NATO allies on their bingo card? Crazy, man. So, with the threat of WW3 and the collapse of the world order imminent let’s talk about music. Yeah!
January has been dubbed a month to appreciate all things jazz music by the internet, and indeed the radio station that I am on, The Face Radio, has been celebrating “Jazzuary“ as much as possible. I’ve certainly had fun spinning jazz records on air this month and thought I probably should pick one for y’all here. However, with the way of the world and my mood, it couldn’t be too straight. Therefore, my recommendation for you this week is to listen to Gil Scott-Heron’s 1981 album on Arista called Reflections. Yes, I know the 80s aren’t considered prime jazz years, but GSH was still pumping out bangers, and this record, although concentrating on the political situation of the Reagan era and before, is just as relevant today as then. Perhaps even more so, considering our current situation. We all need the righteous poetry and words of GSH spoken over good music. Don’t we?
Gil does more than just provide the words and voice for the record, though. He plays a variety of instruments, keyboards, and horns across the album. He’s assisted by a strong band, including Kenny Powell on drums to name one musician, and fine background vocals from the Waters family. Should those names mean anything to you.
The songs are all fire, although for me, perhaps the weakest is the opening song called Storm Music. The words and meaning of the song are fine, but the music is a sort of reggae-inspired groove everyone had to inject into their music back then. Bob Marley, Jamaica, and reggae music were boss then, and everyone had to have a reggae song on their record, even GSH. Not that the song is full-on reggae or that bad, just not the strongest start to the album in my humble opinion. However, I would never dream of criticizing a legend, and when you listen to the lyrics, it makes sense why an element of reggae and World music would be in the song. The side continues with a Bill Withers song and one that literally asks, Is That Jazz Music?
The real heat on the record comes on the second side. Beginning with an updated cover of the Marvin Gaye classic Inner City Blues, which is great, and then followed by a song titled Gun, the message is clear, and sadly still applies to today as much as it did then. The masterpiece of the album, though, is the closing cut, “B” Movie, a twelve plus minute monster of a groove and spot-on commentary from GSH. It’s a must-listen-to song. The other week whilst on our radio show Worldy, my partner Matt played it, and it went down very well with the listeners. His version was taken from an Underworld compiled compilation for the Back To Mine series. Apparently they sourced an even longer version of the song than the album version with more music at the end of the track. They might have given the song a little sonic polish also, as it sounded great. Either way, the power of the song still comes across. I am curious to get hold of the 12” single version at some point, though. I’m not entirely sure where the Underworld boys got their version from, but it is out there. Maybe on a UK-only 12”? Answers on a postcard, please. Regardless, it’s the words and the message of the song that count, and GSH delivers one of his best with “B” Movie. Go check it out here. Cool album cover art too, with Gil’s sunglasses reflection showing us different aspects of life in America.
Okay, that’s all I have for you. Thanks for reading and supporting us.
Cheers - Dom