Sometimes gems are found in the most unusual places. Well, the public library isn’t that unusual, particularly our town library, which has a nice collection of CDs.
But there are rarely recently released albums. So when I found the new Gil Scott-Heron title I’m New Here, his first in 13 years, I was surprised and delighted.
I’ve always been a fan on Heron’s and his unusual and effective mix of R&B, soul, blues, vocals and spoken word that burst on the contemporary music scene in the early 1970s. His poetry, containing a mixture of political awareness, life experience, insight and character, penetrates the listener because of his distinctive voice with its tortured, raspy world-worn quality. There is no denying, his art definitely has been a major influence and precursor to today’s rap and hip-hop artists.
The album has a string of narrations, many interludes between tracks, that help tie this compact 28 minutes together for an overpowering listening experience. Heron advises on the back of the album to stop, sit down and listen to this music, not on a portable player, in the car or through any of the many electronic devices available today. Listen to it like his generation listened in a room through a genuine music system without distractions. You won’t be disappointed if you do. When you’re finished, share it with someone and do it all over again.
The opening narration, On Coming From A Broken Home (Part 1), sets the scene of Heron’s upbringing in the South with his grandmother, whom he dearly loved, in a house devoid of men and how he was “full grown before he knew he came from a broken home.” It easily segues into a most interesting interpretation of Robert Johnson’s Me And The Devil, with a hypnotic, trip-hop rhythm track that works so well, at once establishing Heron’s relevancy today and updating his sound. And oh that voice, unlike any other in the music world. Continue reading Gil Scott-Heron’s poetry resonates with relevancy
What they did bring was a punk attitude over a competent hard rock base, augmented by brilliant melodic structure, dark edgy lyrics and the distinctive and powerful voice of 
Featuring three hard rock virtuosos in Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones, Dave Grohl, from Foo Fighters, who switches from guitar back to drums, his spot in Nirvana, and Josh Homme of Queens Of The Stone Age on guitar and lead vocals, the group exhibits a competency and energy rarely found in the genre today.
1. Already Free, 
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The site never ceases to surprise me by unearthing rare, interesting and previously unavailable concerts from its vast treasure hold.
I’ve come to really love her earthy, soulful and gospel-inspired vocals from this era of her career. As for Cooder, he’s 16, yet still shows an amazing virtuosity on acoustic guitar. One of the great players of our time.
The most disappointing? I have to pair it with an outstanding one by the same artist, but there’s little doubt that Frank Zappa at the Waterbury Palace on Oct. 29, 1975 is the one. I know the exact date because of meticulous archiving of many of Zappa’s concert dates on the Internet.
What I recall that stuck in my head was that 
The record turned out to be pretty much what I expected, a guitar workout with two tracks apiece for each player, then all four joining in on the two closing tunes. It’s a feast for lovers of funky and bluesy jazz-rock who can’t get enough melodic, tasty and proficient guitar playing from four outstanding soloists, all of whom work mostly on the West Coast but who also have East Coast roots. Count me in.