XL Recordings artist Gil Scott-Heron has died aged 62.

Gil Scott-Heron was an influential and revolutionary musician. Gil began his career in 1970 as a recording artist. He made a huge impact on hip-hop and neo soul. Gil’s music reached a new generation in the 21st century with the 2010 release of I’m New Here on XL Recordings. Earlier this year a remixed album of the same album, named We’re New Here, was released remixed by Jamie xx and released this February.

We miss you already, Gil. x

© Brian Banks, Music Vice

There have been further gig postponements today on both sides of the Atlantic as volcanic ash continues to leave airports throughout Europe closed. The EU has announced that it will reduce flight restrictions from Tuesday but in the meantime there are still many early-week concert casualties on both sides of the pond.

LCD Soundsystem are hoping to take flight for their London gigs

LCD Soundsystem have cancelled their double-header at Dublin Tripod, which was set for 20-21 April. The dates in London at 02 Brixton Academy on 23-24 April are still up in the air… (brutal pun, I know).

Toronto duo Crystal Castles’ gig at Heaven, London, UK was set for tomorrow, 20 April, but has been re-scheduled for May 19th.

Gil Scott-Heron’s upcoming gigs in the UK are also being hit by the ash – his appearance in London tomorrow, 20 April, is looking highly unlikely, as is Edinburgh the day after.

Meanwhile, in North America, Two Door Cinema Club have cancelled their gigs with Phoenix in Chicago, Kansas City, Lousiville, and Nashville, scheduled from 20-23 April. The rest of the tour from Atlanta, GA on 24 April will go ahead, clear skies and flights permitting.

Los Campesinos have been forced to cancel their gig in Toronto at the Phoenix tomorrow. Their Canadian label Arts & Crafts have told us that there is no news of a rescheduled date yet.

Title: I’m New Here
Artist: Gil Scott-Heron
Label: XL
Released: 9 February 2010
In one word: Intriguing

If you were to ask those closest to yours truly to describe me in one word, in the way in which we infamously like to sum things up here at Music Vice, chances are the word “adventurous” wouldn’t pop up much.  Take me to a restaurant and I’m virtually guaranteed to order the same thing every time; I’m definitely someone who likes his comfort zone.  The glaring exception to this rule is art…music, especially.  Yeah, I’m one of those guys who is continually hanging out for the umpteenth Mike Patton project to materialize, and someone who owns every album the once adorably-loony Kate Bush ever released (even the relatively unadventurous last few).

So when I put my hand up to review this new release from 60 year-old jazz legend / “godfather of rap music’ Gil Scott-Heron, it wasn’t because I was in any way familiar with his work, but rather that the press release did something few such things ever do:  in a word, it intrigued me.  And I’m happy to say that in a post-post-post-modern age where nothing is new under the sun, at the very least this is a long way from your typical listening fare!

For an acknowledged jazz maverick, Heron bravely dips his toe into everything from hard-croonin’, rootsy blues to spoken words over atmospheric electronic soundscapes.  And at just under 28 minutes (quite a few of the tracks clocking in under a minute), this doesn’t overstay its welcome like many an album in this day and age of OVERLONG long players.  If you consider yourself to be someone interested in artists who push the boundaries of music, here’s one music veteran who could show the young ’uns (and the aforementioned Ms Bush) a thing or two about what the word “experimental” REALLY means.

© Michael Bowser, Music Vice