Simon Vinkenoog
Kunst Is De Liefde In Elke Daad
Sloow Tapes – CS 60
Official reissue of a cassette recorded in Antwerp and originally released by De Goddaert in 1984. Simon Vinkenoog (1928-2009) was a Dutch poet, social critic and literary innovator, a key figure in the international poetry underground of the 1950s and onwards. He participated in the legendary International Poetry Reading at the Royal Albert Hall in London, One World Poetry (Amsterdam), Poetry International (Rotterdam) and dozens of others literary showcases. With Jules Deelder & Johnny Van Doorn he introduced poetry as high performance art to the Lowlands. Influenced by the Beats, psychedelic experiences (he took part in LSD experiments in the late fifties/early sixties), the philosophy of non-violence and the mystic tradition, he was involved with hundreds of titles and translated works by Allen Ginsberg, Timothy Leary, Aldous Huxley, Carlos Castaneda, Antonin Artaud et al into Dutch. On this cassette, Vinkenoog's readings (in Dutch) are accompanied by Louise Landes Levi, a founding member of The Floating Lotus Magic Opera Company, the first fusion orchestra in the USA. She went on to study Indian music, was part of the Dreamweapon diaspora and worked with both Angus MacLise and Ira Cohen, its major proponents. Front cover by Eddie Woods. Edition of 100 copies.
SOLD OUT
Latest instalment in Sloow Tapes excellent documentation of fringe poetry and avant garde thought comes from the Dutch poet and social critic Simon Vinkenoog. Kunst Is De... was originally issued on cassette in 1984 and features his readings – in Dutch – accompanied by the always amazing Louise Landis Levi, a key player in the Dreamweapon Diaspora and a member of The Floating Lotus Magic Company alongside Angus MacLise. She illuminates Vinkenoog personal, gnomic style with singing sarangi drones and recorder, situating the session in some fourth world interzone where avant garde thought meets folk ritual. Another great public service from Sloow Tapes, edition of 100 copies. (Volcanic Tongue) rare 1984 recordings of this radical Dutch poet with beautiful musical interludes by Louise Landes Levi . Levi is a poet and musician equal to Angus MacLise (although maybe with a better reading voice). this is not surprising seeing that she has been around about as long and running in the same cirlces even to the point of playing with Angus and Terry Riley in the Floating Lotus Magic Opera Company . she studied with La Monte Young and Ali Akbar Khan. unlike Angus a lot more of her poetry has been published, and she's even done translations of Henri Michaux, Rene Daumal and the 16th century tantric poet Mira Bai. as far as I know, Levi's music has only been published on cassette, and of course in very small editions. both Levi and Vinkenoog are pictured on the inside cover with their friend Ira Cohen, another appropriate comparison here. in addition to his own texts, he reads pieces by Paul van Ostaijen, Fritz Usinger, Pablo Neruda, Nanao Sakaki, Lew Welch, Paramahansa Yogananda, and Nicolaas Kroese for a total of 14 pieces. unfortunately (unless you speak Dutch), the texts are read only in Dutch. packaged in a double sided b&w cover with photographs by Eddie Woods and Jean van Lingen. (ribexibalba.com)
