Arguably, America's true poet laureate. Gil Scott-Heron belongs in the discussion with names like Stevie Wonder, Bob Marley, Marvin Gaye, or even Fela Kuti, when it comes to groundbreaking, consciousness-raising, timeless black music from the late 20th century.
Gil lived, worked, and recorded in DC in the 1970s and 1980s. And throughout his career, he collaborated with DC-based musicians, including pianist Kim Jordan, drummers Rodney Youngs and Kenny Powell, saxophonist Ron Holloway, bassist Robbie Gordon, and guitarist Ed Brady. But his greatest collaborator and mutual influence was composer, multi-instrumentalist and bandleader Brian Jackson, who thankfully continues to create, perform, and record.
