First Blues

Description

Rags, ballads and harmonium songs. Chanteys, Come-All-Ye's, aboriginal songs. Gospel, improvisations, Renaissance lyrics, Blake hymns, bluegrass, hillbilly riffs, country and western, 50s R&B, Dirty Dozens and new wave.Allen Ginsberg's recorded opus gets its very first complete vinyl reissue on a double gatefold LP filled with photographs by Robert Frank. Containing studio-recorded performances that he wrote, performed and recorded during sessions held between 1971 and 1981 - with Bob Dylan, Arthur Russell, Anne Waldman, David Mansfield, Perry Robinson, David Amram and many other friends and contemporaries.A selection of what were arguably "demos" for this record was originally recorded by the legendary Harry Smith in his Chelsea Hotel apartment in the early 70s, and this would later appear on Folkways under the title First Blues: Rags, Ballads & Harmonium Songs.