The above is an excerpt from the liner notes of Liberation Narratives. The subject here is Haki R. Madhubuti, one of the most acclaimed African American poets. He was the first African-American to win the coveted Pulitzer Prize. He is also the founder and director of Third World Press, which is one of the first notable African-American publishers.
As Mitchell says, Madhubuti's words, despite having been written so long ago, are extremely relevant in the present day. She could have taken it a bit further: pro-black poetry like Madhubuti's brilliant words heard on Liberation Narratives is timeless. To be more explicit, content that relates to the trials and tribulations of black people, a need for black pride, unity and the erasure of self-hate will be timeless until we live in a world where racism does not exist. No one reading this will be alive to experience that time if it ever comes.
Liberation Narratives features Madhubuti reading poetry from his entire career, which spans from the 1960s to the present. He is a magnificent voice. His cadence is smooth and his rhythm is steady. He is never yelling or rushing, but his delivery always feels passionate. The band is just as impressive. Bandleader Nicole Mitchell (flute) is joined by Ugochi (vocals), Pharez Whitted (trumpet), Tomeka Reid (cellist) and Tomas Fujiwara (drums). Although this album is not as radical as Mitchell's recent work, it is still moving and extremely well played.
"Gwendolyn Brooks" is a poetic highlight and has an impressive swinging trumpet solo. Ugochi shines on "Too Many of Our Young", where the trumpet also stands out with a skillful languid solo. Unsurprisingly, Nicole Mitchell's flute playing is gorgeous throughout the album. Other highlights include the calls for black ownership of "Move On To Our Own" and the gorgeous "Peace Starts Inside of You". The band is a great match for Madhubuti's poetry. The musicians and Madhubuti both speak poignantly to the listener.
