Pioneering Spoken Word Collective The Last Poets Have Plenty Left to Say on “Transcending Toxic Times” (Album Review)

Mention The Last Poets to most people and the likely responses are “You mean that group from the ‘70s?” or “Yeah, they were part of that whole spoken word thing back then with Gil Scott-Heron.” Both responses are reasonable, but many don’t realize that The Last Poets released their first album in more than twenty years in 2018 and now they are back with an encore. No doubt, our political times are a catalyst for their resurgence, but it also seems (unless it’s just this writer’s myopic perspective) that spoken word is more in vogue now. Just a few weeks ago Bernard Fowler (known mostly as The Rolling Stones’ backup singer) released a spoken word album of Stones songs, with an approach he modeled on The Last Poets.  Jazz musicians like Robert Glasper and many others have incorporated spoken word into their recent work. Yet, arguably, these pioneers, The Last Poets, are still the best as they prove here in this 2CD Transcending Toxic Times.

This version of the group consists of Seventies-era members Abiodun Oyewole and Umar Bin Hassan, along with percussionist Baba Donn Babatunde and a slew of collaborators, including producer and avant-jazz bassist Jamaladeen Tacuma. Other poets include Ursula Rucker, Wadud Ahmad, And Malik B. (founding member of The Roots). Both Abiodun and Bin Hassan appeared on the group’s first album, long hailed as a protype hip-hop classic with traks like “When the Revolution Comes” and “Niggers Are Scared of Revolution.” The themes herein remain the same since the group’s founding in Harlem in 1968 – racism, oppression, and sins of America’s past.

They hold little back. In “For the Millions” Abiodun speaks in a booming dramatic voice about the African-American experience from slavery (“For the millions of scars/On their back and  faces by the bullwhips”) to lynching (“For the millions…./Whose flesh has rotten/With the trees they hung us from”). Yet, the group finds a bit of balance in the grimness. Even in the end of this track we get messages of pride and positivity – “We decided to stop and take a look/At the beauty of ourselves/At this colored skin/And this thick hair/And these full lips/And this Africa inside our souls/Still breathing the breath of gods/In our lungs/Greatness is where we’re coming from”

50 years ago, Oyewold was mourning the deaths of Malcom X and Martin Luther King Jr. He met Bin Hassan at black arts event in Ohio and Umar then joined him in New York with Baba Donn Babtunde showing up shortly thereafter to form the group. These three have persevered through many personal and political challenges for decades now but their messaging remains steadfast. Yes, they are railing but they adhere to love, respect, and kindness to all humans. Bin Hassan credits Babatunde, Tacuma and Abiodun for coming up with the album title and core concept, “It’s about transcending toxic times with our poetry, to get our message to the people, to get out of this madness and to start to move forward as one people, as a united people, with human decency and understanding of others.”

Spoken word may sound boring to some but Tacuma brings a magical touch to this recording as the core band features guitar, keys, drums, and his ever-present bass. Tacuma has collaborated with Ornette Coleman, Marc Ribot and many jazz luminaries and he brings a special irresistible groove to these selections. Guests appear on various tracks playing trumpet, saxophone, viol, or electric guitar. There are many references to Miles and there’s even a chorus of Coltrane’s “A Love Supreme” in “A.M. Project”. “Juju Jimi” is in part, that now infamous pairing that never took place – Jimi playing with Miles. The song goes on to reference Son House, Charley Patton and Robert Johnson.  So, while most of this is directly political, much of it is also historical in the context of black music. Some of it deals with love too. Ursula Rucker’s delivery coupled with the gorgeous viola on “Don’t Know What I’d Do” make it a must-listen track.

We could detail several selections like “Rain of Terror” where “America is the terrorist” or “Black Rage” where the incessant chant Is “destroy the lies” but in the interest of space, let’s focus on “Young Love.” It’s about a young man who really wants to live even though he knows he’s deeply in the throes of death due to drugs and life on the streets. Hassan wrote the piece, masterfully delivered by Malik B., in the hope that “young boys who were enthralled in the fast life would forget the money, forget the glitz, forget the glamour and get away. Because these streets are a beast. They will kill you and come to your funeral.”

You may choose to focus on the last lines in the title track “The only solution is a complete revolution” but take stock of this entire work. Every conceivable human emotion from outrage to scorn to frustration to beauty, sorrow, love, and joy are all here. The spoken word is not just rhythmic and dramatic. At times it’s melodic. No, this is not some tired act from the ‘70s. This is a group with messages that are as important now as they ever were. Listen up.

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