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Amiri Baraka (LeRoi Jones) spoke the truth (and the truth under his tongue was sometimes a hammer, sometimes an anvil, sometimes a sickle, sometimes just a breath or a blast). Baraka had no tongue in cheek. Sometimes he drew his language (his thought) and in the barrel of his language (his thought), there was the cartridge of criticism, the cartridge of ranting, the cartridge of analysis, the cartridge of sedition, the cartridge of poetry, the cartridge of music. Heroes Are Gang Leaders have the same outspokenness that goes in all directions, that makes absolutely everything a target and that liberates what it touches, it is a gathering of the tribes, an assembly and an assemblage of poets and musicians who use the same miraculous weapons, as Aimé Césaire, a close relative of Baraka / Jones, said. In Paris, HAGL did this. They found the asylum, the outpost. They fired all their tongues. Like Charlie Parker's Back Home Blues or Jayne Cortez's Taking the Blues Back Home. And your eyelids are heavy. A great heat invades you, a torpor takes possession of your body. All voices, all languages are viruses, the stories they tell are virulent. A musical instrument, like a poetic instrument, is used to pick up and scramble signals. Don't wake up. Not yet. All that's left is to try and swarm. It is done now. Now you will open your eyes. You breathe deeply. Count silently to three, and at three open your eyes. Come back to yourself. Do not resist. Resist. It is 2021. Everything remains to be done. You know what to do. One, two, three...Open your ears.
Alexandre Pierrepont
2021
credits
released June 17, 2022
Thomas Sayers Ellis, bandleader poet
James Brandon Lewis, tenor sax
Luke Stewart, bass
Melanie Dyer, viola, vocals
Nettie Chickering, voice
Jenna Camille, piano, vocals
Randall Horton, poet
Devin Brahja Waldman, alto sax, synthesizer
Bonita Lee Penn, poet
Heru Shabaka-ra, trumpet
Brandon Moses, guitar
Warren "Trae" Crudup, III, drums
Recorded by Olivier Gascoin at Sons D'Hiver Festival / ECAM Le Kremlin-Bicêtre / Paris, France on February 1, 2019
Mixed by Paul Wickliffe
Mastered by Jeremy Loucas at Sear Sound, New York City
Photographs by Thomas Sayers Ellis (2020)
Mural within the photographs titled “Moonbeam Dream 2, “ by Zulu Painter, www.zulupainter.com, @zulupainter1, 2015
Graphic design by Sergio Vezzali
All music by James Brandon Lewis Music (ASCAP) and Thomas Sayers Ellis (ASCAP)
Produced by Thomas Sayers Ellis and James Brandon Lewis
577 Records is an independent record label
based in Brooklyn, New York
operating since 2001
577 Records is proud to be celebrating its 22 year anniversary. The label has been producing music since 2001 and has
released albums featuring the work of artists from New York and around the world.
The name comes from the address of the house where these concerts first took place (577 Fifth Avenue, Brooklyn, New York).
100% of profit from the sale of most of these albums goes to the musicians....more
supported by 90 fans who also own “LeAutoRoiOgraphy”
An intruiguing mix of Jazz and Ambiant, of organic instruments and electronic sounds. It wanders a little, let's itself be influenced. It's not an easy listen, but it is very interesting. Thibaut Devigne
supported by 83 fans who also own “LeAutoRoiOgraphy”
This album is absolutely on the mark! The best of what modular synth is capable of, plus a true spiritual feeling of the "griot" heritage, without aping anything. I'm more than impressed. So beautiful. wilsonnovitzki