Legendary Newark Poet Allen Ginsberg, Although Dead, Will Appear On New Edgar Allan Poe Tribute

Written By Mike Greenblatt

Leave it to Bergen County visionary Kramer to amass a tribute to author/poet Edgar Allan Poe [1809-1849]. On October 18, his Shimmy-Disc record label will release Poe:  To One In Paradise, dedicated to producer Hal Wilner [1956-2020]. Wilner is best-known for assembling diverse casts of artists for esoteric projects that stretched the limits of imagination like pairing U2 with Sun Ra, Rufus Wainwright with Triumph The Insult Dog on a Disney tribute or as longtime music coordinator on Saturday Night Live.

Kramer traverses a similar trajectory. The musician-filmmaker-composer-label head played bass for The Fugs, Ween, Butthole Surfers, Bongwater and Shockabilly while finding time to produce White Zombie, GWAR, Pussy Galore and Urge Overkill. His recent forays with Kato Hidecki and Pan-American explored the inner sanctum of ambient music.

To One In Paradise consists of spoken-word utterances of Poe poems plus music. The first track being released is “Dreamland,” as read by Lydia Lunch. Participating artists include Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth with Eva Moore, Eric Mingus, Teller (of Penn & Teller), Anne Waldman, Ratso Sloman, Chloe Webb, Rick Moody and Jennifer Charles. It all ends with an archival recording of Newark poet Allen Ginsberg [1926-1997] reciting “The Bells.”

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Mike Greenblatt

MIKE GREENBLATT has been writing for Goldmine magazine and New Jersey's Aquarian Weekly for more than 35 years. His writing subjects fill the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

He's interviewed Joe Cocker, Graham Nash, David Crosby, Carlos Santana, Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney, Johnny Cash, and members of The Rolling Stones and The Beatles. He was 18 when he attended Woodstock in 1969.

In addition to writing about music, Greenblatt has worked on publicity campaigns for The Animals, Pat Benatar, Johnny Winter, Tommy James and Richard Branson, among others. He is currently the editor of The Jersey Sound.

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