Free Will (album)

Infobox Album
Name = Free Will
Type = studio
Longtype =
Artist = Gil Scott-Heron


Released = August 1972
Recorded = March 2–3, 1972
RCA Studios
(New York, New York)
Genre = Soul, proto-rap
Length = 36:43
Label = Flying Dutchman/RCA
FD-10153
Producer = Bob Thiele
Reviews =
*Allmusic Rating|3|5 [http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:axfuxqu5ldfe link]
*"Down Beat" Rating|4|5 [http://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/music/pid/1931772/a/Free+Will.htm link]
*"The Guardian" Rating|4|5 [http://arts.guardian.co.uk/reviews/story/0,,1277064,00.html link]
*PopMatters (favorable) [http://www.popmatters.com/music/reviews/s/scottherongil-free.shtml link]
Last album = "Pieces of a Man" (1971)
This album = "Free Will"
(1972)
Next album = "Winter in America"
(1974)
Misc = Extra album cover 2
Upper caption = Alternate cover
Type = studio


Lower caption = 2001 Bluebird reissue cover

"Free Will" is the second studio album by soul poet and musician Gil Scott-Heron, released in August of 1972 on Flying Dutchman Records. Recordings sessions took place on March 2 and 3 of that same year at RCA Studios in New York City.cite web |url=http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:axfuxqu5ldfe |title=allmusic { Free Will > Overview } |publisher=All Media Guide LLC. |accessdate=2008-07-23] It was the follow-up to Scott-Heron's critically acclaimed album "Pieces of a Man", making it the second Scott-Heron album to feature keyboardist Brian Jackson, and his last studio release while on the Flying Dutchman label. [ [http://music.barnesandnoble.com/search/artistbio.asp?CTR=167270 B&N - Gil Scott-Heron biography] ] It was reissued by Bluebird Records in 2001. [ [http://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/music/pid/1931772/a/Free+Will.htm CDuniverse - Free Will] ]

Music

"Free Will" featured a format which divides the LP's two sides, musically. The first side is made up of 5 recordings done by Scott-Heron and the entire band, which once again featured Brian Jackson playing a major role as he did on the previous album, "Pieces of a Man". Unlike that album, "Free Will" is shorter in length with tracks below the three and a half minute mark. The title track opens up the album with a meditation on personal responsibility. One of Scott-Heron's best known performances, "The Get out of the Ghetto Blues" is a moving ghetto warning and features bluesy instrumentation by pianist Brian Jackson and guitarist David Spinozza. [ [http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:axfuxqu5ldfe~T1 allmusic { Free Will > Review }] ] The second side functions more as a live rap session with Brian Jackson on flute and a couple of percussionists. "Ain't No New Thing" emphasizes Scott-Heron;s black pride, which he previously displayed on his debut album, by presenting an arguement about the placement of black culture into the American mainstream [ [http://www.popmatters.com/music/reviews/s/scottherongil-free.shtml Gil Scott-Heron: Free Will - PopMatters Music Review] ] :

"Wiggy" is a haiku-like appreciation of natural black hair. The themes of police brutality, violence, and self-exploration are still present as they were on Scott-Heron's previous albums. "No Knock", a reference to a police policy whereby knocking is not required before entering a house, and "....Then He Wrote Meditations", a tribute to John Coltrane, continue these themes.

Track listing

ide one

"All songs written by Brian Jackson and Gil Scott-Heron."
# "Free Will" – 3:43
# "The Middle of Your Day" – 4:32
# "The Get out of the Ghetto Blues" – 5:12
# "Speed Kills" – 3:18
# "Did You Hear What They Said?" – 3:32

ide two

"All songs written by Gil Scott-Heron."
# "The King Alfred Plan" – 2:47
# "No Knock" – 2:12
# "Wiggy" – 1:37
# "Ain't No New Thing" – 4:36
# "Billy Green Is Dead" – 1:30
# "Sex Education: Ghetto Style" – :51
# "...And Then He Wrote Meditations" – 3:16

Bonus tracks

"Bonus cuts featured on the 2001 CD reissue."
# "Free Will (alternate take)" – 3:02
# "Speed Kills (alternate take)" – 3:25
# "The King Alfred Plan (alternate take)" – 3:01
# "No Knock (alternate take)" – 2:04
# "Wiggy (alternate take)" – 1:35
# "Ain't No New Thing (breakdown take)" – 3:34
# "Billy Green Is Dead (breakdown take)" – 2:57
# "Free Will (breakdown take)" – 2:53

Personnel

Musicians

*Gil Scott-Heron - vocals, piano, guitar
*Horace Ott - conductor, arranger
*Brian Jackson - acoustic piano, electric piano, vocals
*Gerald Jemmott - bass
*Bernard "Pretty" Purdie - drums
*Eddie Knowles - percussion
*Charles Saunders - percussion
*David Spinozza - guitar
*Hubert Laws - flute, piccolo

Additional personnel

*Bob Thiele - producer
*Bob Simpson - mixing
*Charles Stewart - cover photo

Notes

References

*cite book| title = Free Will album liner notes by Gil Scott-Heron and Alex Dutilh | publisher = Sony Music Entertainment Inc.

External links

* [http://musicbrainz.org/release/b5e464cb-e75c-4c01-9e92-93791d4fbe60.html "Free Will"] at MusicBrainz