Rebel Poets Of America

The Rebel Poets of America- Various Artists.
Poems by Lawrence Ferlinghetti, one of the greatest beat poets, paired with jazz pieces by Kenneth Patchen with the Chamber Jazz Sextet. Recorded in 1957, has that nice grainy quality of older recordings. Poems range from quirky to disheartened, but always well written. Music on each track corresponds well with tone of the poem. No FCCs, recommended tracks: 5, 7, 9, and 10.

1. “Murder Of Two Men By A Young Kid Wearing Lemon Colored Gloves”- Upbeat swing-like piece, poem not really even a poem, but rather “Wait… wait…” [1:39]
2. “State of the Nation”- Nice music, at times almost salsa-like beat. Poem dark and sardonic; a bar story. [2:38]
3. “Do the Dead Know What Time It Is?”- A haunting, sinister piece paired with a gloomy poem. [3:29]
4. “And With the Sorrows Of This Joyousness”- A whimsical nursery rhyme-like piece. [3:05]
5. “The Lute in the Attic”- Beginning music very simple, pastoral; almost like a Shaker song. Then the poem begins around 1:55, and the beat comes in, with harmonies and more instrumentation. Track continues to alternate between jazz and folk styles. [6:09]
6. “Lonesome Boy Blues”- This song and poem are mischievous, even seductive. [2:38]
7. “Limericks”- Playful track, almost like Ferlinghetti is doing a stand-up routine. Reminds me a bit of Richard Brautigan’s poetry. Great brief piano solo around 3:25. [5:18]
8. “I Went to the City”- Great track, soulful music, at times pretty sinister. A ponderous, somewhat existential poem; rather disillusioned by the end. [8:21]
9. “Autobiography”- Different narrator (for the next three poems). The autobiography of an “all-American” man, told in a quintessentially beat-poetic fashion. Witty, clever, and even elegant. Highly recommended, though it’s pretty long. [10:54]
10. “The Statue of Saint Francis”- Lovely piano ballad, and a sweet story about Saint Francis and San Francisco. →Possible indecency, you decide… [2:12]
11. “Junkman’s Obliggato” Not a lot of music, and a rather strange, almost absurdist poem… At times feels like a response to The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock (in beat form, of course). [8:23]