The great Gil Scott Heron. 1949 – 2011

The protagonist of 'The Revolution Will Not Be Televised' achieved in that track a phenomena way beyond a musical hit. That statement that the tune is, will stand as a pillar of conciousness  beyond our lifetimes, possibly for all time, prickling the subconcious of the supressed and suppressors alike in all circumstances; galvinising protest and disrupting the sleep of despots verbatim. What a contribution to class struggle. It is such an uplifting statement of observation but its strength lies in its personalisation, in that it resonates in us individually as one of the most significant mantras ever recorded.  Coming out of the violent intense 60's it teems with bravery. Its essence is its purity , and irrespective of its synchronism with instruments, it is uncompromising . So much so that it pioneered in the raw yet melodic delivery of its content that hasn't been equalled in 40 years.  Gil Scott Heron's grounded physical presentation made him appear genuinely accessible. 'In the bottle' and 'Home is where the hatred is' bellow with humane empathy and a wisdom you could call Orwellian ;  'Whitey's on the Moon' In spite of the opportunistic publicity he rejected the grandiose acolade, 'Godfather of Rap' because  he wasn't a rapper, nor remotely subject to its contemporary commercial formats , although he can be attributed to the origins of political rap He was also called the 'Black Bob Dylan' to which I'm deemed to comment.  There was such unpretentious clarity in his spoken word that you would never have to re-wind to understand or to grasp the lyrics. He was not remotely cryptic or ambiguous. Critics say that Gil's voice was unquestionably better than Dylan's.  I am a Dylan fan and I have to rewind often. Wouldn't it have been fairer then to give him his worthy credit and call Dylan the white Gil Scott Heron if  they must be so compared ?  He evoked the beat generation and civil rights and the sour taste of sober reality in palatable style with sophisticated jazz grooves, bongos or mere hand clapping.  A dynamic force of unbridled creativity must be respected for the humility of his self categorisation. With gratitude and respect to an incredible talent; history's greatest 'Bluesologist'