When Dallas is away...

The Ryan will guest spot, I guess. Shane was originally going to do this guest spot but wound up going to the Lightning game. Knowing that he would not be home until late, I decided to volunteer to keep the 365 up and running. 

If you are wondering where the regular author is, he is at Epcot. Our conversation went like this:

Me: What's up?

Dallas: Oh, just chillin' in Mexico...

Me: Awesome.

Dallas: Yep, here in Mexico...

Me: I heard about your Epcot trip.

Dallas: I was just in Japan...

Me: Jet lag must be a bitch.

Dallas: No, I walked.

Me: Heh. "I Just got back from New York.. New Amsterdam, whatever. Don't go there. It take three months...

Dallas: Ha Ha. "Thank ye, thank ye..."

Me: "Glad to be hither..."

Dallas: (Loud laughter)

Me: (Loud laughter)

We talked business and now I am here, writing for the 365. What to talk about... in honor of Dallas' style, I thought I would shed some light on a really cool album I've been loving lately: 

Jeremy got me into this one. He bought it and would put it on intermittently when we were chillin' out. I kind of liked it, but it didn't really sound that special to me at the time. A little while later we were doing a batch of record conversions (we only convert records that we cant buy anywhere else, we're not thieves) and this record was on put on the docket by Jer. It was while we were converting it and doing the subsequent mastering that it hit me that this record was truly great.

(open this up and listen for the duration: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvHNmx41fo0 )

This album is a really cool collaboration by two amazing artists: Gil Scott-Heron, who's poetry and music lent a political edge to funk in the 70's and 80's and Brian Jackson, chief musical composer on the record and incredibly gifted keyboardist and flautist who worked alongside jazz greats such as George "Bad" Benson, Ron Carter and Will Downing.

Along with an incredibly gifted group of musicians, Scott-Heron and Jackson produce thoughtful songs that run the gamut from upbeat funk to all out jazz chill, creating a really neat dynamic. And the variety doesn't just end there. Lyrically the songs are also diverse. While singing about the absurd political corruptness of George Wallace and the mistreatment of native Africans in Johannesburg, Scott-Heron also writes equally sincere lyrics about the beauty and sadness of life. Example? Check out these lyrics from the song you are listening to - "Beginnings (The First Minute of a New Day)

We're sliding through completely new

Beginnings

We're searching out our every doubt and

Winning

We want to be free

And yet we have no idea

Why we are struggling here

Faced with our every fear

Just to survive

We've heard the sound and come around to 

Listening

We've touched the vibes time after time

Insisting (that)

We know what life means

Still we can't break away

From dues we've got to pay

We hope will somehow say

That we're alive

Those are some of great words. What I love about them so much is that they are not written like poetry that one has to decipher using the Rosetta Stone from The DaVinci Code. They are so literal, yet fully describe the feeling of those trying to break free from the bonds of oppression. Combined with a warm musical backdrop and soul-stirring harmonies, Scott-Heron's words gain a powerful third dimension. Depth in the presence of feeling... what all great songs are made of.

It is a great thing when excellent musicianship, brilliant production, and intriguing lyrics all slip together to create something more powerful than the sum each individual aspect. From South Africa to South Carolina certainly fits the bill. The true shame is that I haven't been able to find this album anywhere to buy. Until the day comes when they re-issue this great album, I will be glad to make anyone a copy of this record that would like to check it out. 

Well, it's been grand, boy and girls. Until next time: keep your chin high and your ear to the ground.

Ryan

Ryan Guy is a musician, author, engineer and nerd that lives in Riverview, Florida. He writes regularly for his blog, Mr. Guy's Pulp Free Blog Juice and plays bass in the band Maybe Foreign. He can be reached at farnoun@gmail.com.