Abiodun Oyewole: Gratitude (Fire/digital outlets)

One of the original Last Poets (which formed in '68 and was influenced by Malcolm X), 74-year old Abiodun Oyewole has had quite a life.

He was born Charles David, he took his name while at Yoruba church in NYC, co-founded the Last Poets as a political/poetry mouthpiece for black nationalism, spent time in prison, graduated from Columbia University and has followed an academic career parallel to his Last Poets and solo appearances and recordings.

The Last Poets have been a major influence on black American hip-hop in that they not only anticipated rap but also articulated the causes of self-determination and addressed the reality of life on the streets.

Oyewole is a consciousness poet and here speaks of his own life (Rain, My Life, Spirit), spirituality (A Poem, Praise the Lord) and his world (the soulful Harlem, the beat-driven Brooklyn).

He wraps his words in arrangements for strings, soulful backing vocals and guest singers Taylor Pace, Ade da Poet, Pharoah Davis (on the soul-funk of Where Do We Begin) and others.

As a singer, Oyewole isn't the strongest but he conveys his feelings effectively, steps back to let poet Jessica Care Moore take centrestage for Without You and right at the end goes back to Last Poets' jazz-influenced origins with just his voice and hand drums on What I Want to See.

There's an over-riding air of positivity across Gratitude, and the wisdom of his years being passed on to new generations of poets and rappers.

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You can hear and buy this album at bandcamp here.