Album Preview: Kenneth Patchen / Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Rebel Poets of America

Label: El

Andy Gill
Thursday 24 January 2008 01:00 GMT
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Back in the late-Fifties heyday of the Beat poets, the fusion of poetry and jazz was the most thorough rejection of establishment values that could be achieved.

It resulted in pieces like the 1957 recordings collated here, of Beat godfathers Kenneth Patchen and Lawrence Ferlinghetti reading their prose and poetry over jazz arrangements.

Patchen reads verses like “State Of The Nation” in a laconic, enervated tone while Ferlinghetti’s sing-song delivery of “Autobiography” and “Junkman’s Obbligato” is more mindful of the obligations of metre, its deadpan mien ultimately bordering on the annoying.

Perfect for the Howard Moon in your life, though.

To order any CD previewed here, call the Independent Music Service on 01634 832 789.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in