Rare live recordings from Gil Scott-Heron in tribute to a master open up the week for us. Cuban pianist Gonzalo Rubalcaba travels the spirit-ways. And we close with five interpretations of Coltrane’s "Spiritual" featuring the Art Ensemble of Chicago, Steve Kuhn Trio with Joe Lovano, Bobby Hutcherson, Jean-Michel Pilc, and, of course, John Coltrane with Eric Dolphy.
The terrible truth is that Gil was a twisted genius who ultimately found it impossible to live what most of us call a normal life. And if you think it’s just cause Gil was a drug addict you are incredibly mistaken. True that the drugs were a major impediment but there was an even deeper danger.
The problem is Gil spoke out against the system and the system made him pay. The system exacts heavy dues from everyone and is especially oppressive to those who dare resist. They hound you. They force you to make choices: heads they win, tails you lose. Make a mistake and they are all over your ass.
Smile at their silly shit, smile and do silly shit, they’ll give you a dollar; scowl at their bullshit and they’ll give you a hard way to go and not even a goddamn penny—hand your ass an inflated bill and demand payment in full.
You can become famous and rich but never achieve freedom, especially if you understand individual wealth is not freedom for one’s people. To true freedom fighters, individual perks and pleasures mean little if there is no freedom for others who are like you but far less fortunate (or lucky) than you are.
You can become president of the Untied States and you are still held hostage to their maniacal schemes to control the planet. You find yourself doing their bidding, you just operate on a higher level. Same shit, different floor—you’re just in a high-rise outhouse. You’re still shoveling shit.
—kalamu ya salaam