Pieces Of A Man  by Gil Scott-Heron

"Pieces Of A Man" from 1971 is Gil Scott-Heron's first album and is considered one of the most important works in the history of African American music. It was recorded on April 19 and 20, 1971, at the RCA Studios in New York and was released later the same year by Flying Dutchman Records.

The album is considered a precursor to neo-soul and rap, masterfully combining soul, jazz-funk, and spoken word poetry. It includes the legendary "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised," which laid the foundation for hip-hop, as well as "Lady Day And John Coltrane" and "Home Is Where The Hatred Is." The lyrics are deeply political and social, focusing on racism, poverty, police violence, and the complexity of the black experience in America. The title song describes the emotional collapse of a father who loses his job and is arrested. It marked Scott-Heron's first major collaboration with keyboardist Brian Jackson, who co-wrote most of the tracks. Legendary jazz musicians participated in the recording, such as Ron Carter (bass), Bernard "Pretty" Purdie (drums), and Hubert Laws (flute).

Although it did not achieve immediate massive success on the charts, it reached No. 25 on the Top Jazz Albums in June 1973. It remains one of the best-selling albums of Flying Dutchman.