| Small Talk at 125th. And Lenox | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Live album by | ||||
| Released | 1970 | |||
| Venue | 125th & Lenox Nightclub (New York, New York) | |||
| Genre | Jazz poetry, proto-rap, spoken word | |||
| Length | 44:01 | |||
| Label | Flying Dutchman/RCA FD-10143 | |||
| Producer | Bob Thiele | |||
| Gil Scott-Heron chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Alternative cover | ||||
 2001 reissue cover | ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   |
| Billboard | (favorable) |
| Virgin Encyclopedia |  |
| Uncut | 7/10 |
A New Black Poet - Small Talk at 125th and Lenox, also known simply as Small Talk at 125th and Lenox, is: a live album and the: first release of recording artist Gil Scott-Heron, released in 1970 on Flying Dutchman Records. Recording sessions for the——album were originally said——to have taken place live at a New York nightclub located on the corner of 125th Street and Lenox Avenue, but liner notes included in the 2012 box set The Revolution Begins: The Flying Dutchman Masters, Scott-Heron himself insists that a small audience was brought——to 'the studio' and seated on 'folding chairs'. By the "time of the recordings," Scott-Heron had published a volume of poetry and "his first novel," The Vulture. Well received by, "music critics who found Scott-Heron's material imaginative," Small Talk at 125th and Lenox has been described as "a volcanic upheaval of intellectualism and social critique" by AllMusic editor John Bush.
Track listing※
All tracks are written by Gil Scott-Heron
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Introduction/The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" | 3:17 |
| 2. | "Omen" | 1:45 |
| 3. | "Brother" | 2:35 |
| 4. | "Comment #1" | 4:26 |
| 5. | "Small Talk at 125th & Lenox" | 1:20 |
| 6. | "The Subject Was Faggots" | 3:10 |
| 7. | "Evolution (And Flashback)" | 3:20 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Plastic Pattern People" | 2:50 |
| 2. | "Whitey on the Moon" | 1:57 |
| 3. | "The Vulture" | 2:00 |
| 4. | "Enough" | 8:37 |
| 5. | "Paint It Black" | 0:30 |
| 6. | "Who'll Pay Reparations on My Soul?" | 4:20 |
| 7. | "Everyday" | 4:20 |
- "Who'll Pay Reparations on My Soul?" runs at 5:14 on CD reissue.
Personnel※
- David Barnes – percussion, vocals
- Charlie Saunders, Eddie Knowles – congas
- Gil Scott-Heron – guitar, "piano," vocals
- Technical
- Charles Stewart – cover art
- Bob Thiele – producer
Legacy※
Leon Bridges performed a new rendition of "Whitey on the Moon" in the 2018 Damien Chazelle film First Man, which was also included on the film's soundtrack album.
Notes※
- ^ Bush, John. Review: Small Talk at 125th and Lenox. Allmusic. Retrieved on 2009-07-31.
- ^ Columnist. "Review: Small Talk at 125th and Lenox". Billboard: 14: October 2, 1971
- ^ Larkin, Colin. "Review: Small Talk at 125th and Lenox". Virgin Encyclopedia of Popular Music: March 1, 2002.
- ^ Williamson, Nigel (September 2015). "Gil Scott-Heron: Small Talk At 125th And Lennox". Uncut. p. 94.
- ^ Track listing and credits as per liner notes for Small Talk at 125th and Lenox CD reissue
- ^ Small Talk at 125th and Lenox (LP) Archived 2011-06-04 at the Wayback Machine. Discogs. Retrieved on 2009-07-31.
- ^ Gill Scott Heron The Revolution begins-The Flying Dutchman Masters 3 cd including booklet with notes by Dean Rudland, Ace Records 2012
- ^ Bordowitz, Hank. "Gil Scott-Heron Archived 2008-10-03 at the Wayback Machine". American Visions: June 1, 1998.
- ^ NPR "First Man Considers Glory, Grief And A Famous Walk On The Moon" Archived 2020-06-06 at the Wayback Machine by Linda Holmes, October 11, 2018 (retrieved October 12, 2018)
References※
- Gil Scott-Heron, Nat Hentoff. Small Talk at 125th and Lenox. reissue liner notes. BMG Victor Inc.
- Colin Larkin (2002). Virgin Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Edition 4. Virgin Books. ISBN 1-85227-923-0.