The Last Poets : Understand What Black Is

<a href="http://thelastpoets.bandcamp.com/album/understand-what-black-is">Understand What Black Is by The Last Poets</a>

This is The Last Poets’ 50th anniversary year, and they’ve celebrated it with an album that matters – not just musically, but as a record of the times we’re living in. The Last Poets are weathervanes, warning of the future and past sins in poems that are indivisible from the rhythms they’re voiced on. Think warriors reporting from the battlefield; but their work is also a test of our own courage, because are you ready to receive what they’re saying? And is your heart clean and strong enough to withstand the truth?

These ten tracks speak of their own journey, and that of a revolutionary struggle largely defined by race when The Last Poets first came together at an event commemorating Malcolm X in East Harlem’s Marcus Garvey Park during the spring of 1968. That initial line-up, comprised of Dahveed Nelson, Gylan Kain and Felipe Luciano proved short-lived and it was a trio of different voices that would secure their legacy with a debut album, 1970’s Last Poets, that sounds just as radical and challenging today as it did nearly fifty years ago. Two of their members from that time, Umar Bin Hassan and Adiodun Oyewole, still wear the mantle of Last Poets. “Back then, I wanted to see everything burned and people hanged. I wanted to see riots,” says Abiodun, who’s from Queens in New York, and took over… more
credits
released May 18, 2018

A Nostalgia 77 & Prince Fatty Production. All tracks Produced by Benedic Lamdin & Mike Pelanconi. All tracks written by Umar Bin Hassan, Abiodun Oyowele, Benedic Lamdin, Mike Pelanconi, Dub Judah, Winston “Horseman” Williams & Riaan Vosloo.

Mike Pelanconi Published by Because Music. Umar Bin Hassan, Abiodun Oyowele, Benedic Lamdin, Dub Judah, Winston “Horseman” Williams & Riaan Vosloo Published by Copyright Control.

Rhythms recorded at The Ironworks, Brighton. Horns Recorded at the Fish Factory, London. All arrangements by Riaan Vosloo. Horns conducted by Riaan Vosloo. Vocals recorded in NYC at Moon Studios & at 68 Jay St. Engineers: Eber Pinheiro & Sean Amery. Mixed at Evergreen Studios, London.
A&R’d by Tony Thorpe.

Mastered by Frank Merritt at The Carvery, Leyton, London.

Artwork by New Analog Design (www.new-analog.net). Layout by Rich Elson. Liner notes by John Masouri.

Thanks to Lisa Mead at Apples And Snakes for helping out.

Umar Bin Hassan would like to thank:
I want to thank the Creator of all the Worlds and my ancestors for allowing me to stay around to get this done.

Abiodun Oyowele would like to thank:
Thank you to my mother – Mattie Mae Dawson, my niece Juanita, my sister Anita and my children Pharoah, Obadele, Aina, Ebon, Sowande, Donjiman and Ademola. I would also like to thank all the mother’s of my children – Biji, Ayisha, Pepsi, Nayo and Kathy – they did the work.

Thanks also to Donn Babatunde, the heartbeat of the group.

The Musicians:

UNDERSTAND WHAT BLACK IS / HOW MANY BULLETS / SHE IS / WHAT I WANT TO SEE / CERTAIN IMAGES: Drums – Winston “Horseman” Williams. Bass – Dub Judah. Guitar – Kashta Menilek Tafari. Piano & Hammond – Carlton “Bubblers” Ogilvie. Piano – Ross Stanley. Percussion – Lenny Edwards & Afla Sackey. Trumpet – Alex Bonney. Flute – Gareth Lockrane. Clarinet – Lluis Mather. Bass Clarinet – George Crowley. Tenor Saxophone – James Allsopp. Baritone – Sam Rapley. Trombones – Trevor Mires, Tom White & Adrian Hallowell.

NORTH, EAST, WEST, SOUTH: Drums – Winston “Horseman” Williams. Bass – Dub Judah. Guitar – Kashta Menilek Tafari. Piano & Hammond – Carlton “Bubblers” Ogilvie. Piano – Ross Stanley. Percussion – Lenny Edwards & Afla Sackey. Trumpet – Percy Purseglove & Rory Simmons. Flute – Gareth Lockrane. Alto & Baritone – Jason Yarde. Tuba – Andy Grappy. Tenor Saxophone – James Allsopp. Trombone – Trevor Mires.

THE BRIDGE: Drums – Winston “Horseman” Williams. Bass – Dub Judah. Guitar – Kashta Menilek Tafari. Piano & Hammond – Carlton “Bubblers” Ogilvie. Piano – Ross Stanley. Percussion – Lenny Edwards & Afla Sackey. Trumpet – Percy Purseglove & Rory Simmons. Flute – Gareth Lockrane. Alto & Baritone – Jason Yarde. Tuba – Andy Grappy. Tenor Saxophone – James Allsopp. Trombone – Trevor Mires.

WE MUST BE SACRED: Drums – Winston “Horseman” Williams. Bass – Dub Judah. Guitar – Kashta Menilek Tafari. Piano & Hammond – Carlton “Bubblers” Ogilvie. Percusion – Lenny Edwards & Afla Sackey. Bass Clarinet – James Allsopp. Additional vocals – Shniece Mcmenamin.

RAIN OF TERROR: Drums – Winston “Horseman” Williams. Bass – Dub Judah. Guitar – Kashta Menilek Tafari & Graham Coxon. Piano & Hammond – Carlton “Bubblers” Ogilvie. Piano – Ross Stanley. Synthesizers & Rhodes – Matthew Bourne. Percussion – Lenny Edwards & Afla Sackey. Trumpet – Alex Bonney. Flute – Gareth Lockrane. Clarinet – Lluis Mather. Bass Clarinet – George Crowley. Tenor Saxophone – James Allsopp. Baritone – Sam Rapley. Trombone – Trevor Mires, Tom White & Adrian Hallowell. Additional vocals – Shniece Mcmenamin. Backing Vocals – John “Segs” Jennings.

THE MUSIC: Drums – Winston “Horseman” Williams. Bass – Dub Judah. Guitar – Kashta Menilek Tafari. Piano & Hammond – Carlton “Bubblers” Ogilvie. Piano – Ross Stanley. Percussion – Lenny Edwards & Afla Sackey. Trumpet – Percy Purseglove & Rory Simmons. Flute – Gareth Lockrane. Alto & Baritone – Jason Yarde. Tuba – Andy Grappy. Tenor Saxophone – James Allsopp. Trombone – Trevor Mires.

P 2018 Studio Rockers
C 2018 Studio Rockers

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