Album title: First Blues
Title: Everybody Sing (Side C, Track 01)
Publisher: John Hammond Records, New York
Date: 1976, publ. 1982
Medium: 2 records 30 cm + inserts.
Cover: Robert Franck, John de Vries
Performers: David Mansfield, Allen Ginsberg, Arthur Russell, John Scholle, Steven Taylor
The double album First Recordings by the American artist and musician Allen Ginsberg is a collection of musical pieces that he recorded together with various musicians and bands in 1971, 1976, and 1981. The songs have the same charm, precision, and honest enunciation as Ginsberg's poetry. He addresses homosexuality, politics, criticism of the war in Vietnam, and human rights. Ginsberg skillfully combined the blues and poetry, incorporating the history of this musical genre and the tradition of improvisation into his compositions.
The 1976 recordings were produced by John Hammond. He reported in 1983 about previous difficulties in publishing the recorded pieces: "I recorded Allen in 1976 but Columbia Records refused to issue the results, considering the songs obscene and disrespectful. I am thrilled to finally be able to present Allen... I will present 'disrespectful' music like this as often as possible."
PS