Pieces of a Man

Pieces of a Man (1971) finds Gil Scott-Heron blending jazz, soul, and spoken-word poetry over spare, groove-based arrangements. The album pairs intimate piano and jazz ensemble playing with direct, socially conscious lyrics on tracks such as "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" and "Home Is Where the Hatred Is", and helped bridge spoken-word performance and contemporary soul, anticipating later developments in hip-hop and spoken-word scenes.