Small Talk at 125th and Lenox
A New Black Poet - Small Talk at 125th and Lenox, also known simply as Small Talk at 125th and Lenox,[4] is the debut album of recording artist Gil Scott-Heron, released in 1970 on Flying Dutchman Records.[5] 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,[4] 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'.[6] By the time of the recordings, Scott-Heron had published a volume of poetry and his first novel, The Vulture.[7] Well received by music critics who found Scott-Heron's material imaginative,[2][3] Small Talk at 125th and Lenox has been described as "a volcanic upheaval of intellectualism and social critique" by Allmusic editor John Bush.[1]
| Small Talk at 125th and Lenox | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Live album by | ||||
| Released | 1970 | |||
| Recorded | 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)[2] |
| Virgin Encyclopedia |  |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 8. | "Plastic Pattern People" | 2:50 |
| 9. | "Whitey on the Moon" | 1:57 |
| 10. | "The Vulture" | 2:00 |
| 11. | "Enough" | 8:37 |
| 12. | "Paint It Black" | 0:30 |
| 13. | "Who'll Pay Reparations on My Soul?" | 4:20 |
| 14. | "Everyday" | 4:20 |
- Track 13 runs 5:14 on CD reissue.[4]
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.[8]
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.
- Track listing and credits as per liner notes for Small Talk at 125th and Lenox CD reissue
- Small Talk at 125th and Lenox (LP). 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". American Visions: June 1, 1998.
- NPR "First Man Considers Glory, Grief And A Famous Walk On The Moon" 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.