Although his work in the 1970s cemented his place in the pantheon of modern black music, Gil Scott-Heron was still firing on creative cylinders in the subsequent decade and this excellent concert in Bremen in 1983 makes that abundantly clear.

The band that the singer-poet led at that time was brilliantly anchored by the drums and bass team of Kenny Powell and Ed Brady (normally the guitarist), while a three-piece horn section featuring the excellent tenor saxophonist Ron Holloway fleshed out the sound more than adequately, with everybody moving smartly between punchy back beat and fluid swing to suit the varied character of the melodies.

While newer tracks, like the fierce anti-Reagan anthem ‘B-Movie’ were absolutely relevant to the times, the inclusion in the set of earlier anthems such as ‘The Bottle’ and ‘Winter In America’ are potent reminders of the heights Scott-Heron scaled in that magical first phase of his career. The result is a performance that underlines the depth of his catalogue: a veritable treasure trove in modern music which remains informative to all progressive artists today.