Free Will

by Gil Scott-Heron

Overview

Gil Scott-Heron's third album is split down the middle, the first side being a purely musical experience with a full band (including flutist Hubert Laws and drummer Pretty Purdie), the second functioning more as a live rap session with collaborator Brian Jackson on flute and a few friends on percussion. For side one, although he's overly tentative on the ballad "The Middle of Your Day," Scott-Heron excels on the title track and the third song, "The Get Out of the Ghetto Blues," one of his best, best-known performances. The second side is more of an impromptu performance, with Scott-Heron often explaining his tracks by way of introduction ("No Knock" referred to a new police policy whereby knocking was no longer required before entering a house, "And Then He Wrote Meditations" being Scott-Heron's tribute to John Coltrane). His first exploration of pure music-making, Free Will functions as one of Scott-Heron's most visceral performance, displaying a maturing artist who still draws on the raw feeling of his youth. The Bluebird reissue from 2001 includes eight alternate takes, best being an alternate of the title track. ~ John Bush

Product Details

Release Date:	10/07/2014
Label:	Bgp
UPC:	0029667528122

Tracks

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
13. Free Will [Alt Take 1]
14. The Middle of Your Day [Alt Take 2]
15. The Get Out of the Ghetto Blues [Alternate Ending]
16. Speed Kills [Alt Take 3]
17. Did You Hear What They Said? [Alt Take 1]
18. The King Alfred Plan [Alt]
19. No Knock [Alt]
20. Wiggy [Alt]
21. Ain't No New Thing [Breakdown Take]
22. Billy Green is Dead [Alt]
23. ...And Then He Wrote Meditations [Alt]

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Gil Scott-Heron   Primary Artist,Piano,Guitar,Vocals
Bernard "Pretty" Purdie   Guest Artist,Drums
David Spinozza   Guest Artist,Guitar
Hubert Laws   Guest Artist,Piccolo,Flute
Brian Jackson   Guest Artist,Bells,Flute,Piano,Vocals,Piano (Electric)
Horace Ott   Conductor
Jerry Jemmott   Bass
Gerald Jemmott   Bass
Pretty Purdie   Drums
Charles Saunders   Percussion
Eddie Knowles   Percussion
Charlie Saunders   Percussion

Technical Credits

Bob Thiele   Producer
Bob Simpson   Mixing
Horace Ott   Arranger
Brian Jackson   Composer
Gil Scott-Heron   Composer
Daniel Baumgarten   Reissue Producer,Reissue Preparation
Haig Adishian   Design
Charles Stewart   Photography
Jean-Pierre Chalbos   Digital Remastering
Ray Ross   Cover Photo,Photography
Alex Dutilh   Liner Notes