Artemis to Release Ginsberg Poetry Reading

Artemis Records will release a rare performance of Allen Ginsberg’s poem, “Wichita Vortex Sutra" on Oct. 5.

Recorded in 1994 at the Poetry Project at St. Mark’s Church in New York City, the poem features Ginsberg and a cast of musicians including Lenny Kaye (Patti Smith), Lee Ranaldo and Steve Shelley (Sonic Youth), Philip Glass, Marc Ribot, Arto Lindsay, Michael Blair (Elvis Costello, Tom Waits) and David Mansfield (Bob Dylan).

“Wichita Vortex Sutra” is Ginsberg’s 1966 epic poem about the Vietnam War. Ginsberg published countless books of poetry and prose as well as compendiums of letters and journals before his death in 1997. “Howl,” “Kaddish,” “Sunflower Sutra” and “America” comprise some of his most famous poems. “Howl,” a radical critique of American culture, became a manifesto for the Beat movement and one of the most famous poems of the 20th century.

Although famously known as a poet, Ginsberg has also appeared on albums by John Lennon, The Clash, Leonard Cohen and The Fugs.

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