Gil Scott-Heron & Makaya McCraven – We’re New Again

In 2010 jazz revolutionary and poet Gil Scott-Heron released his final record ‘I’m New Here’. It was the most introspective we’d seen Gil, and a shift from his usual acute, socio-political commentary. A decade on, American producer and jazz drummer Makaya McCraven reimagines the late legend’s swan song with ‘We’re New Again’, and it’s this week’s 2SER feature album.

Gil’s spoken words remain intact and unembellished, but Makaya’s surrounding arrangements add a textural lustre, augmenting the original’s enduring power, while creating a newfound wholeness.