While Gil Scott-Heron was hardly the first person to speak in rhyme to music, he was definitely one of the first of the rappers. Spanning 1970-1972, this superb collection takes us back to Scott-Heron's early years, when he worked with jazz producer Bob Thiele and jazz musicians like Hubert Laws on flute and Ron Carter on bass. Though jazz-influenced, this is not a jazz collection per se; it showcases Scott-Heron's innovative R&B, spoken poetry, and excellence as a singer.