Material Wealth: Allen's Voice in Poems and Songs 1956-1996

Allen Ginsberg

Material Wealth: Allen's Voice in Poems and Songs 1956-1996

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April 05, 2024
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By Hays Davis

Allen Ginsberg, one of the seminal writers of the Beat Generation, managed to achieve the equivalent of a rock star in the world of poetry. Material wealth: Allen's Voice in Poems and Songs 1956-1996which offers a collection of poetry and songs spanning 40 years, acts as a soundtrack for the book Material Wealth: Mining the Personal Archive of Allen Ginsberg. With the 1994 4-CD set Holy Soul Jelly Roll: Songs & Poems 1949-1993 which has long been sold out, Material wealth also provides a fresh portrait of Ginsberg.

On a previously unreleased track from 1984, the haunting “Hum Bom” is a powerhouse rendition that sounds like Ginsberg igniting a protest rally, backed by drummer Elvin Jones. 1981's 'Birdbrain' and 1971's 'Prayer for John Sinclair', both originally issued as 7-inch singles, employ very different musical approaches. “The Ballad of the Skeletons” (with Paul McCartney, Philip Glass and others) was released as a CD single in 1996, at a time when MTV Unplugged The appearance was discussed, but unfortunately did not take place before Ginsberg's death the following year.

A particularly compelling passage from a 1983 reading of “Howl” prompted the inclusion of this presentation, and Ginsberg refers to “America” ​​in a 1956 recording as “An unfinished poem, which I will finish sooner or later.” In a 1995 reading, an audience is taken to “Ken Kesey's First Party With Hell's Angels,” taken from a live depiction written in 1965. Material wealth it's a reminder of how powerful and compelling Ginsberg's writing can be, and how compelling he was in his delivery. (www.allenginsberg.org)

Author Rating: 7.5/10