Gil Scott-Heron is not a name widely recognised by the general public. Yet he is a highly influential figure from the Afro-American scene of the last forty years. Music lovers know him well and in their world he is an artist both appreciated and highly respected. Despite being less familiar than his contemporaries, Curtis Mayfield and Marvin Gaye, he is nonetheless a talented musician, an emblematic figure with a unique and passionate character.

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© Pascal Sacleux

Gil Scott-Heron was a writer, poet and musician. His legacy comprises 15 studio albums (plus numerous live albums and compilations) as well as other purely literary works : two collections of poetry ‘Now and Then’ and ‘So Far So Good’, two novels ‘The Vulture’ and ‘The Nigger Factory’ plus his memoirs ‘The Last Holiday’.

His influence on poetry and music is immense. He is considered by a number of artists to be a pillar of the seventies Afro- American music scene. Some even go so far to say that he was the inventor of rap so while the American government classify him as ‘one of the most dangerous artists,’ the spoken word movement and rappers have made him their master. For many he is ‘The Godfather of Rap’ but one could equally claim that he is ‘The Dylan of Soul’ for his poetic language, full of wit and commitment. Musically his style is a mix of jazz-soul and poetic songs, mixed with a healthy dose of scepticism towards American politics. His best known songs are ‘The Revolution will not be televised’ and ‘The Bottle’. His detective novel ‘The Vulture’, which he wrote when only nineteen years old, has also achieved a certain literary recognition.

In brief, Gil Scott-Heron is a person out of the ordinary, a moving and passionate figure that we want others to discover through the pages of this book, written in tribute to his exceptional character.

WHY A BOOK ABOUT GIL SCOTT-HERON?

This book project is born of the passion we have for the artistic achievement of Gil Scott Heron and from a wish to explore and discover or rediscover his universe. It is a humble homage to a man who was and remains for many people a hero.

After creating a website dedicated to him in 2000: www.gilscottheron .fr we found it was received with enthusiasm, generating plenty of positive feedback as well as many new contacts through the site itself and the surrounding social media. Thus the desire was born to create a book, something truly beautiful, like the man himself.

There are some existing works on Gil Scott-Heron but they are few and far between : his memoirs ‘The last Holiday’, a biography ‘Pieces of a Man’, written by Marcus Baram in English, ‘Gil Scott-Heron A father and son’, the book which traces the life of his father, a professional footballer, as well as of Gil, by Leslie Gordon Goffe and again in English.

16729915_1533661113329084_1157143026_n-1491393166 Illustration © Ben Hito

A NEW BLACK POET

We propose to produce a new biography but with a strong aesthetic. A New Black Poet will contain superb photographs, in large format, as well as original illustrations by French artists (Ben Hito, Oncle Red, Martin Masmonet and Raul Sinier.)

The text will be both English and French.

A beautiful book of high quality, created by French artists and printed in France. A book that will be a pleasure to read and to look at again and again.

The book covers:

• His life history

• His writings

• His influences

• His political and social activism

• His impact on society

• His music

• His musicians

• His discography

• Testimonials from those who knew him

• And much more…

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Photo - © Marie Monteiro

TESTIMONIALS

We have gathered together the testimonials of: Gia Scott-Heron (Gil Scott-Heron's daughter), Sandra Nkaké and Jï Drû, Mélissa Laveaux, Jean-Jaques Milteau, Raphaël Didjaman, along with a surprising anecdote from Thomas Mauceri, the French film maker, and stories and memories from the poet Malik al Nasir, the protégé of Gil Scott Heron, the producer Manu Boubli (Comet Records) and the ‘Libération’ journalist, Jaques Denis. Also testimonials of Victor Kiswell and Sebastian Danchin. We have also obtained a fascinating text from Belkacem Meziane, speaker and musician and a specialist in soul/funk and civil rights.

The preface has been written by Olivier Cachin, the French journalist and expert on Afro- American music and hip hop, a regular contributer to the magazine ‘Rock and Folk’ and presenter of ‘Selection Rap’ on Radio Le Mouv.

O._cachin__phil_lec_ur_dr-1491317299 © Phil Lecoeur

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A New Black Poet un livre sur Gil Scott-Heron