Customer Reviews
Fantastic - By: J. E. Davidson, 06 Jan 2005 
Gil Scott-Heron is one of the great recording artists of the 20th century. It is a shame that most people know almost nothing about him.
He work is almost always interesting & I would recommend (almost) all of his albums. If you are unfamiliar with his work then this compilation album is a very good place to start.
Gil Scott-Heron draws on a wide range of influences: the music of John Coltrane, the blues, the oral traditions of the American South & many others to create fantastic musicin a variety of different styles from spoken word/rap to (almost) soul.
He is perhaps best known for his searing political (and personal) lyrics that are often so good that they can be read as poetry. However, he is also an excellent musician & the music always complements his lyrics.
If you want to know more about him then I recommend trying to catch the Don Letts documentary when it is next shown on BBC3 or BBC4. Be warned his life is something of a tragedy - problems with addiction, particularly crack cocaine, & the associated jail time have dominated his later years (particularly ironic as two of his most famous songs - The Bottle & Angel Dust - are tirades against alcohol & drugs).
However, none of these problems detract from his music - he has been my favourite artist for nearly 20 years & I suspect he will be my favourite for the next 20.
If you're only going to buy one CD in 2002 get this! - By: , 04 Jan 2002 There's no words to really describe this little gem. The only way is to get it, getin on the stereo, kick back & enjoy. Searing vocals, funky as hell jazz grooves & lyrics that make you think (something I don't think that messers Williams or Halliwell will ever achieve). Can't remember how I survived without this albumin my collection. A must for anyone music lover.
An essential buy - By: , 21 Feb 2000 Poetic vocals from a legend, this CD is an absolute must for Jazz fans. Timeless music with as much relevancein today's world as when originaly written. It's as funky as hell. If you get the chance see this man live.
