| From South Africa to South Carolina | |
| Type: | studio |
| Artist: | Gil Scott-Heron and Brian Jackson |
| Cover: | From South Africa To South Carolina.jpg |
| Released: | November 1975 |
| Recorded: | June–July 1975 |
| Studio: | D&B Sound in Silver Spring, Maryland |
| Label: | Arista |
| Producer: | Perpis-Fall Music, Inc., Jose Williams, Midnight Band |
| Prev Title: | The First Minute of a New Day |
| Prev Year: | 1975 |
| Next Title: | It's Your World |
| Next Year: | 1976 |
From South Africa to South Carolina is a studio album by the American vocalist Gil Scott-Heron and the keyboardist Brian Jackson.[1] [2] It was released in November 1975 by Arista Records.[3] Scott-Heron performed "Johannesburg" and "A Lovely Day" on Saturday Night Live in December 1975.[4] The album was reissued in the late 1990s via Scott-Heron's Rumal-Gia label, distributed by TVT Records.[5]
The album peaked at No. 103 on the Billboard 200.[6] "Johannesburg" was a moderate "disco" hit.[7]
The music was provided by the Midnight Band, led by Jackson.[8]
The Houston Press, reviewing a reissue, wrote that the album's "best moments are the beautiful lament 'Beginnings', which is rife with bittersweet harmonies, and 'A Lovely Day', a light, poppish, medium-tempo number that builds to a smart climax."[9] The Chicago Tribune thought that it was one of a handful of albums that "brought a new depth and political consciousness to the urban vision of the '70s."[10] The Wire praised "Essex", calling the song "probably the most out thing this team ever tried: freeform intro, mordantly twining vocals, Jackson's darting, flickering flute."[11]
CD reissue bonus tracks
"Let Me See Your I.D." performed by Big Youth, Ray Barretto, Brian Jackson, Duke Bootee, Peter Garrett, Grandmaster Melle Mel and Gil Scott-Heron