''Pieces of a Man'' is the debut

studio album An album is a collection of audio recordings (e.g., music) issued on a medium such as compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl (record), audio tape (like 8-track cartridge, 8-track or Cassette tape, cassette), or digital distribution, dig ...

by American poet

Gil Scott-Heron Gilbert Scott-Heron (April 1, 1949 – May 27, 2011) was an American Jazz poetry, jazz poet, singer, musician, and author known for his work as a spoken-word performer in the 1970s and 1980s. His collaborative efforts with musician Brian Jackso ...

. It was recorded in April 1971 at RCA Studios in New York City and released later that year by

Flying Dutchman Records Flying Dutchman Records was an American jazz record label, which was owned by music industry executive, producer and songwriter Bob Thiele. History Initially distributed by Atlantic Records, Thiele made a five-album deal in 1972 with Mega Rec ...

. The album followed Scott-Heron's debut live album '' Small Talk at 125th and Lenox'' (1970) and departed from that album's

spoken-word Spoken word is an oral poetic performance art that is based mainly on the poem as well as the performer's aesthetic qualities. It is a 20th-century continuation of an ancient oral artistic tradition that focuses on the aesthetics of recitation ...

performance, instead featuring compositions in a more conventional popular song structure. ''Pieces of a Man'' marked the first of several collaborations by Scott-Heron and Brian Jackson, who played piano throughout the record. It is one of Scott-Heron's most critically acclaimed albums and one of the Flying Dutchman label's best-selling LPs. Earning modest success after its release, ''Pieces of a Man'' has received retrospective praise from critics. Music critics have suggested that Heron's combination of R&B, soul,

jazz-funk Jazz-funk is a subgenre of jazz music characterized by a strong back beat, electrified sounds, and analog synthesizers. The integration of funk, soul, and R&B music and styles into jazz resulted in the creation of a genre that ranges from ...

, and proto-rap influenced the development of

electronic dance music Electronic dance music (EDM), also referred to as dance music or club music, is a broad range of percussive electronic music genres originally made for nightclubs, raves, and List of electronic dance music festivals, festivals. It is generally ...

and

hip hop Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hip- ...

. The album was reissued on compact disc by

RCA RCA Corporation was a major American electronics company, which was founded in 1919 as the Radio Corporation of America. It was initially a patent pool, patent trust owned by General Electric (GE), Westinghouse Electric Corporation, Westinghou ...

in 1993.

Background and recording

Before pursuing a recording career, Scott-Heron focused on a writing career. He published a volume of poetry and his first novel, ''The Vulture'', in 1970. Subsequently, Scott-Heron was encouraged by jazz producer

Bob Thiele Robert "Bob" Thiele (July 27, 1922 – January 30, 1996) was an American record producer who worked on numerous classic jazz albums and record labels. Early life and career Bob Thiele was born in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, New York, United Sta ...

to record and released a live album, '' Small Talk at 125th and Lenox'' (1970). It was inspired by a volume of poetry of the same name and was well received by

music critics Music journalism (or music criticism) is media criticism and reporting about music topics, including popular music, classical music, and traditional music. Journalists began writing about music in the eighteenth century, providing commentary on ...

. ''Pieces of a Man'' was recorded at RCA Studios in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

on April 19 and 20 in 1971.Track listing and credits as per liner notes for ''Pieces of a Man'' CD reissue The album's first four tracks were written by Scott-Heron, and the last seven tracks were co-written by Scott-Heron and keyboardist Brian Jackson, who backs Scott-Heron with

Pretty Purdie Bernard Lee "Pretty" Purdie (born June 11, 1939) is an American drummer, and an influential R&B, soul, funk and jazz musician. He is known for his precise time-keeping and his signature use of triplets against a half-time backbeat: the Purdie sh ...

& the Playboys. The album was produced by Thiele, who was known for working with jazz artists such as

Louis Armstrong Louis Daniel Armstrong (August 4, 1901 – July 6, 1971), nicknamed "Satchmo", "Satch", and "Pops", was an American trumpeter and vocalist. He was among the most influential figures in jazz. His career spanned five decades and several era ...

and

John Coltrane John William Coltrane (September 23, 1926 – July 17, 1967) was an American jazz saxophonist, bandleader and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the Jazz#Post-war jazz, history of jazz and 20th-century musi ...

Music and lyrics

The album's music is rooted in

the blues Blues is a music genre and musical form that originated among African Americans in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues has incorporated spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts, chants, and rhymed simple narra ...

and

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

influences, which Scott-Heron referred to as "bluesology, the science of how things feel."Bordowitz, Hank.
Gil Scott-Heron
. ''American Visions'': June 1, 1998. The album features Gil Scott-Heron exercising his singing abilities in contrast to his previous work with poetry. It also contains more conventional song structures than the loose, spoken-word feel of ''Small Talk''. On the album's jazz elements, music critic

Vince Aletti Vince Aletti (born 1945) is a curator, writer, and photography critic. Career Music industry Aletti was a contributing writer for ''Rolling Stone'' from 1970 to 1989. He was the first person to write about disco, on 13 September 1973, in ''Disc ...

wrote, "the songs have a loose, unanchored quality that sets them apart from both R&B and rock work. Scott-Heron sings straight-out, with an ache in his voice that conveys pain, bitterness and tenderness with equal grace and, in most cases, subtlety. Frequently the nature of the jazz backing is so free that the vocals take on an independent, almost

a cappella Music performed a cappella ( , , ; ), less commonly spelled acapella in English, is music performed by a singer or a singing group without instrumental accompaniment. The term ''a cappella'' was originally intended to differentiate between Rena ...

feeling which Scott-Heron carries off surprisingly well." '' Uncut'' writes that "Heron adopts his trademark

sound, underpinned by the great Ron Carter on bass, with Hubert Laws' flute fluttering about like an elusive bird of paradise".Staff (1998)
Various Artists - Righteous Brother - Review - Uncut.co.uk
'' Uncut''. Retrieved on 2011-06-12. Sputnikmusic's Nick Butler notes its latter eight songs as "in line with the soul of the very early '70s - think a ''

Curtis Curtis or Curtiss is a common English given name and surname of Anglo-Norman origin, deriving from the Old French ''curteis'' (Modern French">-4; we might wonder whether there's a point at which it's appropriate to talk of the beginnings of Fren ...

'' that replaces an orchestra with a chamber band, or a '' What's Going On'' that replaces head-in-the-clouds wistfulness with earthy indignation, or a ''

There's A Riot Goin' On ''There's a Riot Goin' On'' is the fifth studio album by the American funk and soul music, soul band Sly and the Family Stone. It was recorded from 1970 to 1971 at Record Plant Studios in Sausalito, California, and released later that year on No ...

'' without the drugs".Butler, Nick (November 13, 2009)
Gil Scott-Heron - Pieces of a Man (staff review) , Sputnikmusic
Sputnikmusic. Retrieved on 2011-06-12. "Lady Day and John Coltrane" was written by Scott-Heron as an homage to influential jazz musicians

Billie Holiday Billie Holiday (born Eleanora Fagan; April 7, 1915 – July 17, 1959) was an American jazz and swing music singer. Nicknamed "Lady Day" by her friend and music partner, Lester Young, Holiday made significant contributions to jazz music and pop ...

and

. His lyrics discuss the ability of music to rid people of the personal problems of alienation and

existentialism Existentialism is a family of philosophical views and inquiry that explore the human individual's struggle to lead an authentic life despite the apparent absurdity or incomprehensibility of existence. In examining meaning, purpose, and valu ...

in the modern world. The album features two of Scott-Heron's most well-known songs, "Home Is Where the Hatred Is", which was later a hit for R&B singer

Esther Phillips Esther Phillips (born Esther Mae Washington; December 23, 1935 – August 7, 1984) was an American singer, best known for her R&B vocals.Santelli, Robert (2001). ''The Big Book of Blues: A Biographical Encyclopedia''. Penguin Books. p. 376. ...

, and "

The Revolution Will Not Be Televised "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" is a satirical poem and Black Liberation song by Gil Scott-Heron. Scott-Heron first recorded it for his 1970 album ''Small Talk at 125th and Lenox'', on which he recited the lyrics, accompanied by congas a ...

", which was originally featured on his debut album ''Small Talk'' in spoken word form. "Home Is Where the Hatred Is" is a melodic, somber composition of the narrator's dangerous and hopeless environment, presumably of the

ghetto A ghetto is a part of a city in which members of a minority group are concentrated, especially as a result of political, social, legal, religious, environmental or economic pressure. Ghettos are often known for being more impoverished than other ...

, and how its effects take a toll on him. Scott-Heron's lyrics demonstrate these themes of social disillusionment and hopelessness in the first verse and the chorus. Unlike other songs on the album, "Save the Children" and "I Think I’ll Call It Morning" are optimistic dedications to joy, happiness, and freedom. The title track, described by journalist and music writer Vince Alleti as the album's best song, is a lyrically cinematic account of a man's breakdown after losing his job as witnessed by his son. Scott-Heron's lyricism on the album has been acclaimed by critics, as the lyrics for "Pieces of a Man" received praise for its empathetic narration. The album's opening track, "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised", is a proto-rap track with lyricism criticizing the

United States government The Federal Government of the United States of America (U.S. federal government or U.S. government) is the Federation#Federal governments, national government of the United States. The U.S. federal government is composed of three distinct ...

and

mass media Mass media include the diverse arrays of media that reach a large audience via mass communication. Broadcast media transmit information electronically via media such as films, radio, recorded music, or television. Digital media comprises b ...

. Considered a classic in the

rap Rapping (also rhyming, flowing, spitting, emceeing, or MCing) is an artistic form of vocal delivery and emotive expression that incorporates " rhyme, rhythmic speech, and ommonlystreet vernacular". It is usually performed over a backin ...

genre, the song features many political references, unadorned arrangements, pounding

bass line Bassline (also known as a bass line or bass part) is the term used in many styles of music, such as blues, jazz, funk, dub and electronic, traditional, and classical music, for the low-pitched instrumental part or line played (in jazz and ...

s and stripped-down drumbeats. The song's structure and musical formula would later influence the blueprint of modern

. Because of the song's spoken word style and critical overtones, it has often been referred to as the birth of rap.

Release and reception

''Pieces of a Man'' was released in 1971 by

and fared better commercially than ''Small Talk at 125th and Lenox''. Sales began to increase two years after its release, following Scott-Heron's and Jackson's departure from Flying Dutchman to Strata-East before they recorded '' Winter in America'' (1974). ''Pieces of a Man'' entered the

Top Jazz Albums The ''Billboard'' charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs and albums in the United States and elsewhere. The results are published in ''Billboard'' magazine. ''Billboard'' biz, the online extension of the ''Billboard'' charts, p ...

chart on June 2, 1973. The album peaked at number 25 on the chart and remained on the chart for six weeks until July 7, 1973. "Home Is Where the Hatred Is" was released as a radio single with "

" as the b-side. However, it did not chart. ''Pieces of a Man'' was reissued in the United States in 1993 on compact disc by RCA Upon its release, ''Pieces of a Man'' received little critical attention except for praise by ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. The magazine was first known fo ...

''. Later, the album gained much critical acclaim, as it was praised for Scott-Heron's lyrics, political awareness, and its influence on hip hop. Despite little mainstream success or critical notice during its release, music journalist

of ''Rolling Stone'' praised the album in a July 1972 article, stating, "Here is an album that needs discovering. It's strong, deeply soulful and possessed of that rare and wonderful quality in this time of hollow, obligatory "relevance" – intelligence.... the material is tough and real, "relevant" while avoiding, on the one hand, empty cliche and, on the other, fierce rhetoric, its own kind of cliche.... It may not be easy to find, but it's an involving, important album (especially so because of its successful and accessible use of jazz) and it's worth looking for." The following year, Roger St. Pierre of ''

NME ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming and culture website, bimonthly magazine, and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a "Rock music, rock inkie", the ''NME'' would be ...

'' hailed the album as "the sound of the black revolution". ''Pieces of a Man'' received stronger retrospective reviews from music critics.

Adam Sweeting Adam Sweeting is a British rock critic and writer. Graeme Thomson, writing for ''The Guardian'', deemed him as an "influential journalist" of the 1970s. He currently writes film and television reviews for '' The Arts Desk''. Biography Sweeting ...

of ''

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...

'' praised the album in an August 2004 article, calling it a "pioneering mix of politics, protest and proto-rap poetry, set to a musical jazz-funk hybrid."

BBC Online BBC Online, formerly known as BBCi, is the BBC's online service. It is a large network of websites including such high-profile sites as BBC News and BBC Sport, Sport, the on-demand video and radio services branded BBC iPlayer and BBC Sounds, t ...

described ''Pieces of a Man'' as a "great example of his lyrical prowess and perfectly showcases the depths of his vocal talent."O'Donnell, David
Review: ''Pieces of a Man''

. Retrieved on 2009-07-31.

Legacy and influence

The album has earned a larger legacy thanks to the influential proto-rap song "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised". In a 1998 interview with the ''

Houston Press The ''Houston Press'' is an online newspaper published in Houston, Texas, United States. It is headquartered in the Midtown Houston, Midtown area. It was also a weekly print newspaper until November 2017. The publication is supported entirely ...

'', Scott-Heron discussed how much of the album was overshadowed by the controversial song and the social-consciousness displayed: In a review of the album, Nick Dedina of Rhapsody noted the album's influence on modern music forms, stating "

Dance Dance is an The arts, art form, consisting of sequences of body movements with aesthetic and often Symbol, symbolic value, either improvised or purposefully selected. Dance can be categorized and described by its choreography, by its repertoir ...

and hip-hop have borrowed (or stolen) so much from this album that it's easy to forget how original Scott-Heron's mix of soul, jazz, and pre-rap once was."Dedina, Nick
Review: ''Pieces of a Man''
Rhapsody. Retrieved on 2009-07-31. In 1996, radio station

WXPN WXPN (88.5 FM) is a non-commercial, public radio station licensed to the Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that broadcasts an adult album alternative (AAA) radio format, along with many other format sh ...

ranked ''Pieces of a Man'' number 100 on its list of The 100 Most Progressive Albums, and in 2005 it was included in ''Blow Up''s list of The 600 Essential Albums. The blend of sound and instrumentation featured on ''Pieces of a Man'' later inspired many

neo-soul Neo soul (sometimes called progressive soul) is a genre of popular music. As a term, it was coined by music industry entrepreneur Kedar Massenburg during the late 1990s to market and describe a style of music that emerged from soul and contem ...

artists in the 1990s. Heron's works have greatly impacted and influenced

hip-hop Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hi ...

and in 2018, rapper Mick Jenkins titled his sophomore studio album after this album as an homage to Heron.

Track listing

Personnel

Musicians

– guitar, piano, vocals *

Hubert Laws Hubert Laws (born November 10, 1939) is an American flutist, piccoloist and saxophonist with a career spanning over 50 years in jazz, classical, and other music genres. Laws is one of the few classical artists who has also mastered jazz, pop ...

– flute, saxophone * Brian Jackson – piano * Burt Jones – electric guitar *

Ron Carter Ronald Levin Carter (born May 4, 1937) is an American jazz double bassist. His appearances on 2,221 recording sessions make him the most-recorded jazz bassist in history. He has won three Grammy Awards, and is also a Cello, cellist who has reco ...

– bass and electric bass *

Bernard Purdie Bernard Lee "Pretty" Purdie (born June 11, 1939) is an American drummer, and an influential R&B, soul, funk and jazz musician. He is known for his precise time-keeping and his signature use of Tuplet, triplets against a half-time backbeat: the P ...

– drums *

Johnny Pate John William Pate (born December 5, 1923) is an American former musician, a jazz bassist who became a producer, arranger, and leading figure in Chicago soul, pop, and rhythm and blues. He learned piano and tuba as a child and later picked up th ...

– conductor

Production

– production * Bob Simpson – mixing * Charles Stewart – cover photo

Charts

References

Bibliography

* * *

External links

*
Pieces of a Man
' at

Discogs Discogs ( ; short for " discographies") is a database of information about audio recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and bootleg or off-label releases. Database contents are user-generated, and described in ''T ...

Sound Check: ''Pieces of a Man''
— By ''

Vibe Vibe, alternatively '' vibes,'' is short for ''vibration''. A "vibe" is an emotional reaction to the aura or energy felt to belong to a person, place or thing. Vibe may also refer to: People * DJ Vibe (born 1968), Portuguese DJ * Lasse Vibe (b ...

''
Album Review
at ''Must Hear'' * Music video {{DEFAULTSORT:Pieces Of A Man 1971 debut albums Gil Scott-Heron albums RCA Records albums Albums produced by Bob Thiele Albums conducted by Johnny Pate Jazz-funk albums Progressive soul albums Jazz albums by American artists