winter america winter america studio album american vocalist keyboardist released recorded album september october maryland jackson piano based arrangements rooted jazz blues stripped production album resulted reliance traditional african sounds subject matter winter america deals african american community inner city 1970s album serves jackson debut release following dispute label departure proved sole release independent jazz label release winter america featured limited distribution united_states quickly rare print promotional help single bottle obtained considerably larger commercial success scott jackson previous work album debuted number chart ultimately sold copies united_states critically overlooked release winter america earned retrospective acclaim writers music critics jackson greatest work critical recognition noted critics influence derivative music forms neo soul hip hop music artists genres influenced jackson lyrical musical approach album march winter america reissued compact disc time united_states background leaving label signed new_york_city jazz based label early accompanied jazz keyboardist songwriter worked previous studio albums pieces man free sources financial creative differences maintained switch producer jackson billing time jackson achieved underground notice soul music listeners particularly political social nature music themes emphasis african american culture social plight compositions musical fusion jazz blues soul spoken word styles helped earn notice mainstream black music listeners time social circumstances musical events preceded jackson signing decline popularity traditional jazz forms civil rights struggle sought racial equality late 1950s 1960s black pride sentiment black americans emerged organization pan came vogue following free jazz avant garde creative jazz musicians set decade led style conception jazz maintained players jazz fusion gained mainstream notice stylistic adoption rock funk music despite subject controversy jazz circles highlighted works jazz funk emerged response growing popularity funk leading trend funk rhythms jazz musicians hard tradition attempt african american audience popularity jackson work black underground scene obtaining reputation street poet work jackson served early recording jazz poetry looked expand socially conscious pro black oriented themes independently produce conceptual album previous work envisioned jackson search creative control recordings prompted sign established jazz musicians response major record companies lack interest recordings label known signing artists recorded diverse styles jazz music themes social consciousness black nationalism minimal eye grabbing graphic design releases label known carrying management concept originally conceived penned gave artists authority responsibility recorded material independently ability assign master tapes label distribution artists control recordings major labels time offered music journalist later wrote label concept idea try develop independent cultural space outside mainstream function self sufficiently genuinely members goal live engaged way art society spirituality politics come integrated existence sub cultural renewal embodied kind music label philosophy artist management recording ethic worked advantage artists jackson able release aesthetically recordings mainstream labels allow recording production record album jackson suggested small studio located outside washington maryland sessions took place september october sound studios according studio main room small musicians recorded jackson forced cooler playing flute studio hallway sang main room felt comfortable small studio enlisted recording engineer album williams assisted jackson credited production title fall music inc production engineered album recordings entirely recording sessions served production credit jackson unofficial collaboration jackson album recording featured jackson input jackson recounted experience interview jazz stating way words thought people hear stuff offer music figured words tribal knowledge rhythmic musical draw people hear contrast recordings subsequent recordings winter america utilized sparse production quality small number sessions musicians small supporting line featuring drummer bassist contributed cuts adams studied arrived pennsylvania based college day recording october jackson handled vocals songwriting instrumentation assisted williams production september sessions featured jackson playing recording limited personnel sessions allowed rely traditional african sounds influences creative artistic control project half album songs written produced jackson input helped partnership leading records split title concept original album intended supernatural corner named cover art later changed winter america title song supernatural corner left album people seen house title according original title referred appeared haunted house neighborhood washington jackson moved prior recording cover artwork features type painting oriental graphic designs small figure version appears created friend colleague jackson historically black college supernatural corner album cover art originally commissioned design revised title intended represent use season winter metaphor concept view issues facing society time title meant represent urban themes featured album surfaced previous work referred title overall atmosphere album metaphor overall theme album winter conceived amid social economic political issues united_states early 1970s including oil crisis great effect winter stock market crash scandal urban decay elaborated social concept winter relates living times title reflects time original liner notes february interview vibe magazine discussed album concept title social political atmosphere time winter america recording retrospect stated felt come people understand recognize season going months extended period time lot folks represented summer spring fall killed assassinated season left winter folks represented spring summer killed wanted album weren trying people hell living knew trying describe certainly felt folks charge political structure music lyrics similar studio debut album pieces man winter america exercising deep tenor singing abilities spoken word elements album served conventional song structures contrast debut live album new black poet small talk composed entirely spoken word poetry rapping style previous album free according music writer pieces man winter america exhibit departure prominent angry militant poet persona bbc online writer wrote captures turning point largely leaving heavier raps favour floating poetry song illuminated jackson superb instrumentation addition album features themes social commentary pieces man winter america features stripped production melancholy mood songs exceeded minutes opposed free criticized time constraints characteristic sound album rooted blues jazz soul music referred mellow fusion style science things feel scott jackson compositions winter america incorporate elements african music heavy percussion chants feature scene setting spoken word mystical influenced free jazz contemporary artists jackson wrote arrangements tended straight ahead material incorporating classic jazz bridges compositions main lyricist vocalist exhibited pop compositions created hooks influenced black popular music time combining distinct approaches composing jackson produced sound evoked world music style artists african music scene popularity winter america themes nostalgic hope social problems early 1970s particularly african american community inner cities prominent theme lyrics people faith culture bleak impoverished environment album features examination maintaining cultural roots environment themes include love freedom alcoholism political scandal themes social human condition featured album depicted winter representing grim images poverty decay death generally urban areas created artist featured original inner sleeve liner booklet winter america reissue album style themes exemplified track peace brother vocals lyrics accompanied jackson soulful piano arrangements features moody produced jackson rhodes electric piano evokes silent way era jazz peace brother criticizing certain members generation people common humanity song continues examine significance person cultural roots regardless prove rivers fathers album longest track features drummer swing style drum rim shots pianist wide chords play blue influenced style uses water motif common metaphor african american culture evoke feelings home freedom represent faith amid modern black man opening verse chorus suggest looking way confusion looking sign carry home let lay stream let miles rivers fathers carry home narrator river deliver home revealed seconds song africa melancholy nostalgic love song precious time contains uplifting jackson flute joyful singing lyrics depict requiem innocence love song general message explores concept nostalgia means remain present despite loss hope faith brought struggle present opposed past tempo album picked opening home contains concept family positive values bottle commentary alcohol abuse caribbean beat flute harmonies jackson popular song played parties time french music critic calls epic song infectious groove set dance floors thirty years later song dance popular music social message appeal listeners following release single later said single success style pop music doesn necessarily shit bottle addresses problems drug addiction abortion features keyboards despite grim observations bottle concert favorite popular songs followed soulful low tempo tracks song bobby smith daddy loves introspective ballad ode daughter october session drummer bassist contributed tracks peace rivers fathers home bottle adams disappointed blues left album song originally served opening monologue concerning incident concerts contains rap talking blues elements rhythmic speech near speech accompanied free melody strict rhythm studio version recorded album sessions intended album prior adams objection said outside washington know hell talking scott later revisited experience liner notes album reissue adams opinion blues wrote reply people didn understand politics funny hell recording stated resulting track features sharp criticism president richard_nixon vice president politicians involved scandal incident reach conclusion song recorded introduces song short speech discussing blues referencing current events lie blues united_states government bout energy crisis blues final chorus line directly references nixon scandal swear seen king richard beneath lyrics range humor critical political corruption social issues shares lyrical similarities song haven album concludes opening track music writer said significance return refrain peace brother adds sense end record idea album travelled worries fears pleasures hopes finally pronounced richard_nixon returning opening statement hopes record selfish brother think world instead moving self imposed bubble title track featured original recorded album release suggestion artist designed winter inner sleeve initially jackson meant winter america lack title track contrasted previous label trend having work include title tracks album title purpose meant describe general theme winter america songs according title track separates rest lyrics better worse different studio version winter america released following album minute new day live version recorded washington included reissue winter america song features poetic references lyrics portray america state democracy time corner forest buried beneath highway barren conclusion fighting knows release reception original stereo release album short supply distribution label independent distribution policy artists releases consequently winter america considered fans great lost album proper reissue compact disc thirty years following original issue album served collaborations jackson receive billing release unlike previous albums winter america experienced commercial success help promotional resources form underground music club promoters spite album limited distribution chart pop albums chart album charted jazz albums chart peaked number winter america entered jazz albums june remained weeks march according los_angeles_times article album ended selling copies winter america single release bottle soon underground cult hit following issue despite underground reputation song successful singles reached number spot singles chart according article november issue billboard success single recent album winter america national best seller wide ranging appeal success bottle helped lead jackson following recording contract established late label enjoy success larger commercial notice signing executive said interview rolling_stone excellent poet musician performer qualities look rarely combined leader social thought approval executives winter america received underground music scene earned majority fan base added reputation socially aware conscious artist retrospective reviews winter america received critics cite best albums uncut magazine praised album calling introspective seasonal offering black poet singer collaborating pianist lauded critical content called stark political allmusic wrote performance provocative album acknowledging jackson contributions bbc online called album affecting work wrote title track played standard modern history courses hopes aspirations post vietnam war mid 70s america washington_post cited bottle blues classic scott works review reissue los_angeles_times writer viewed title track sounded sad death 60s hopes transforming change calling wonderful mood piece capturing like feel oppressed soul outer world events control mojo called rhodes laden scott razor sharp beat poetry anger humour funk rapper restored health liberty dream magazine columnist stated album mixture street poetry soulful spirit political commitment black cultural expression noted history label summed winter america significance stating radically charged musically stark low key melodic soulful hell band flow voice piano hanging tight melancholy cloud thematically album reaches predecessors drawing black cultural energy source power facing coming political cultural ice age america dimensional pen double edged growing self sell buy tendencies black community stabs evil white house understated hasn dated little bit observer called album jazz fusion pillar stone social conscience boot music writer praised vocal maturity previous work noted jackson influence improving expanding music melodic content commented demonstrates evolution poet soulful singer writer expressed mixed response production quality called winter america dated scott robert_christgau said exception bottle better beat slightly melody reciting spoken word article village_voice commended album title track flawless ambitious legacy influence winter america recognized music writers prominent examples early rap early work poets bottle covered latin soul musician album recordings featured album jackson compositions sampled hip hop artists expanded legacy hip hop diverse sound mellow instrumentation featured album referred later inspired neo soul artists 1990s helped jackson legacy genre jackson legacy jazz described early architects neo soul citing early work inspirational musical stone neo soul movement french music magazine vibrations wrote album stating artist albums newspapers similar america finest observers commentators social reality creative influential figures african american music landmark album announced arrival album marked transition beat poet singer songwriter scale band developed melodic approach following work minute new day south_africa south_carolina album direct impact black music scene time proved label successful releases terms sales appeal target audience serving jackson album independent label winter america helped achieve considerable new_york_city distributors soul jazz music 1970s genre viewed jazz period creative confusion decline describing label issued musical works dream magazine stated diversity experimentation music plus great quality experiments like like creative golden age dominant idea new ideas mixing blending cultural styles artistic genres pushing existing styles new extremes according winter america impact stating deeply felt deeply funky album helped break pioneer protest jazz soul rap general public hit single bottle album released previously unreleased bonus material label following reissue project headed received ownership 1970s recordings record significance influence music led retrospective favor music writers critics shown winter rankings best publication polls winter america ranked number june list album listed music reference book albums hear die bottle later ranked number nme magazine list included magazine songs publication title track included music writer list important songs ranked number blow list songs remember track listing compact disc reissue bonus tracks personnel credits winter america adapted liner notes musicians vocals electric piano electric piano acoustic piano flute vocals bass drums traps production inc producer engineer reissue producer manager cover painting liner reissue art direction reissue design liner photos charts north_america winter america jazz albums north_america bottle singles release history winter america originally released vinyl record stereo format released limited supply record remained print nearly years united_states acquired ownership recordings exception material label initiated reissue project label obtained distribution deal compact disc reissue contains bonus tracks including live version title track original new liner notes written prior german release winter america issued remastered include features released europe listed
Winter in America