Scott-Heron, Gil - 1974 - Winter in America

Gil Scott-Heron was at his most righteous and provocative on this album. The title cut was a moving, angry summation of the social injustices Scott-Heron felt had led the nation to a particularly dangerous period, while "The Bottle" was a great treatise on the dangers of alcohol abuse. He also offered his thoughts on Nixon's legacy with "The H2O Gate Blues," a classic oral narrative. Brian Jackson's capable keyboard, acoustic piano and arranging talents helped make this a first-rate release, one of several the duo issued during the 1970s.

1 Peace Go With You, Brother (As-Salaam-Alaikum) Jackson, Scott-Heron 5:27
2 Rivers of My Fathers Jackson, Scott-Heron 8:19
3 A Very Precious Time Jackson, Scott-Heron 5:17
4 Back Home Jackson, Scott-Heron 2:51
5 The Bottle Scott-Heron 5:14
6 Song for Bobby Smith Scott-Heron 4:38
7 Your Daddy Loves You Scott-Heron 3:25
8 H2O Gate Blues Scott-Heron 8:08
9 Peace Go With You, Brother (As-Salaam-Alaikum) Jackson, Scott-Heron 1:10
10 Winter in America Scott-Heron 8:23
11 Song for Bobby Smith Scott-Heron 4:46
12 Your Daddy Loves You Scott-Heron 4:25
13 The Bottle/Guan Guanco Scott-Heron 11:56

¡Aquí!

Vaughan, Sarah - 1957 - At Mr. Kelly's

During the mid-'50s, Sarah Vaughan spent most of her time recording songbook standards backed by a large orchestra in florid arrangements, with only the occasional breath of fresh air like her masterpiece, 1954's Sarah Vaughan with Clifford Brown. Four years after that milestone, another landed with the live album At Mister Kelly's. Recorded quite early in the days of the live LP, the album captured Vaughan at her best and most relaxed, stretching out on a set of late-night torch songs and ballads. With a trio including Jimmy Jones on piano, Roy Haynes on drums, and Richard Davis on bass, Vaughan is simply captivating, easily disproving the notion that, to be entertaining, singers needed inventive arrangements and multiple voices (instrumental or otherwise) behind them. Her unerring sense of rhythm carries her through every song on this set, whether the occasion calls for playfulness and wit ("Thou Swell," "Honeysuckle Rose") or a world-wise melancholia ("Willow Weep for Me"). Her accompanists are a valuable anchor, with Haynes' drumming just as precise as Sassy's vocals and Jones' piano solos adding additional vitality.

		1		September in the Rain	Dubin, Warren	3:34
		2		Willow Weep for Me	Ronell	5:18
		3		Just One of Those Things	Porter	3:13
		4		Be Anything But Darling Be Mine	Gordon	4:46
		5		Thou Swell	Hart, Rodgers	2:45
		6		Stairway to the Stars	Malneck, Parish, Signorelli	5:05
		7		Honeysuckle Rose	Razaf, Waller	3:37
		8		Just a Gigolo	Brammer, Caesar, Casucci	4:16
		9		How High the Moon	Hamilton, Lewis	2:58

¡Aquí!