Secrets is an album by Gil Scott-Heron & Brian Jackson, released in 1978 through Arista Records.

Gilbert “Gil” Scott-Heron (April 1, 1949 – May 27, 2011) was an American soul and jazz poet,  musician, and author, known primarily for his work as a spoken-word performer in the 1970s and 1980s. His collaborative efforts with musician Brian Jackson featured a musical fusion of jazz, blues, and soul, as well as lyrical content concerning social and political issues of the time, delivered in both rapping and melismatic vocal styles by Scott-Heron. His own term for himself was “bluesologist”  which he defined as “a scientist who is concerned with the origin of the blues”.  His music, most notably on Pieces of a Man and Winter in America in the early 1970s, influenced and helped engender later African-American music genres such as hip hop and neo soul.

Brian Robert Jackson (born October 11, 1952) is an American keyboardist, flautist, singer, composer, and producer known for his collaborations with Gil Scott-Heron in the 1970s. The sound of Jackson’s Rhodes electric piano and flute accompaniments featured prominently in many of their compositions, most notably on “The Bottle” and “Your Daddy Loves You” from their first official collaboration Winter in America.

Tracks

1  Angel Dust (Gil Scott-Heron) 4:16
2  Madison Avenue (Brenda Morocco, Brian Jackson, Gil Scott-Heron) 3:11
3  Cane (Gil Scott-Heron) 3:34
4  Third World Revolution (Gil Scott-Heron, Brian Jackson) 4:26
5  Better Days Ahead (Gil Scott-Heron) 3:30
6  Three Miles Down (Gil Scott-Heron, Brian Jackson) 4:19
7  Angola Louisiana (Gil Scott-Heron) 5:34
8  Show Bizness (Gil Scott-Heron) 2:52
9  A Prayer For Everybody / To Be Free (Brian Jackson) 6:28

Musicians

Drums - Harvey Mason Sr
Keyboards - Greg Phillinganes
Keyboards - Brian Jackson
Piano - Greg Phillinganes
Piano - Brian Jackson
Synthesizer - Brian Jackson
Background Vocals - Julia Tillman Waters
Background Vocals - Maxine Willard Waters
Background Vocals - Marty McCall
Vocals - Gil Scott-Heron

Other Musicians

1 Angel Dust
Drums - Alvin Taylor
Flute - Brian Jackson

3 Cane
Drums - Brian Jackson
Drums - Barnett Williams

4 Third World Revolution
Drums - Brian Jackson
Sax - Leon Williams

5 Better Days Ahead
Drums - Ralph Penland

9 A Prayer For Everybody / To Be Free
Drums - Ralph Penland
Sax - Leon Williams

Liner Notes

Producer – Gil Scott-Heron
Co-producer – Malcolm Cecil, Lenny Peterzell
Engineer – Malcolm Cecil, Lenny Peterzell
Mixed By – Malcolm Cecil, Lenny Peterzell
Art Direction – Donn Davenport
Photography – Trevor Brown
Recorded at TONTO, Santa Monica, Cal. April-June, 1978
Arista Records, Inc.

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Gil Scott-Heron – production, vocals, rhythm piano (tracks 2, 3, 6, 7, and 8)
Brian Jackson – production, flute, piano, keyboard bass (synthesizer), TONTO synthesizer, drums (tracks 3 and 4)
Malcolm Cecil – associate producer, production assistance, engineering, and mixing
Lenny Peterzell – production assistance, engineering, and mixing
Barnett "The Doctor" Williams – congas, Batá drums, assorted percussion
Leon Williams – tenor saxophone (tracks 4 and 9)
Harvey Mason – drums (tracks 2, 6, 7, and 8)
Greg Phillinganes – electric piano, Polymoog synthesizer, TONTO synthesizer
Alvin Taylor – drums (track 1)
Ralph Penland – drums (tracks 5 and 9)
Julia Waters – backing vocals
Marti McCall – backing vocals
Maxine Waters Waddell – backing vocals