A cornerstone of Gil Scott‑Heron’s early‑70s catalogue, Free Will blends spoken‑word fire, jazz‑funk grooves and politically charged street reportage. Originally released in 1972, the album captures Scott‑Heron at his most incisive, pairing his poetic delivery with the tight, exploratory backing of Brian Jackson and the Midnight Band. This 2014 digipack edition from the Flying Dutchman Jazz Classics series expands the original album with a full suite of alternate takes, offering a deeper look into the sessions behind one of his most vital works.

Track Listing

  1. Free Will
  2. The Middle of Your Day
  3. The Get Out of the Ghetto Blues
  4. Speed Kills
  5. Did You Hear What They Said?
  6. The King Alfred Plan
  7. No Knock
  8. Wiggy
  9. Ain’t No New Thing
  10. Billy Green Is Dead
  11. Sex Education: Ghetto Style
  12. …And Then He Wrote Meditations
  13. Free Will (Alt Take 1)
  14. The Middle of Your Day (Alt Take 1)
  15. The Get Out of the Ghetto Blues (Alternate Ending)
  16. Speed Kills (Alt Take 3)
  17. Did You Hear What They Said? (Alt Take 1)
  18. The King Alfred Plan (Alt)
  19. No Knock (Alt)
  20. Wiggy (Alt)
  21. Ain’t No New Thing (Breakdown Take)
  22. Billy Green Is Dead (Alt)
  23. …And Then He Wrote Meditations (Alt)

Features

Expanded CD edition with 11 alternate takes
Part of the Flying Dutchman Jazz Classics series
Digipack presentation
Classic early‑70s Gil Scott‑Heron jazz‑funk and spoken‑word

Information

Artist: Gil Scott‑Heron
Title: Free Will
Format: CD, Album, Digipack
Label: BGP Records / Flying Dutchman – CDBGPM 281
Country: Europe
Released: 2014
Genre: Funk / Soul
Style: Free Funk