Bremser, Ray

Blowing Mouth/ The Jazz Poems 1958-1970

ISBN: 0916156346
Cherry Valley, NY: Cherry Valley Editions, 1978. First Edition. Glued Wrappers. A collection of poems by Ray Bremser (1934-1998), who truly lived a quintessentially Beat life & was a close associate of Allen Ginsberg & other primary founders of the Beat Generation-&- Beyond. The poems here are in unfiltered street vernacular & are highly influenced by the jagged beat of Jazz (which of course influenced the prose & poetry of many Beat icons, notably Jack Kerouac). With Bremser's short, eccentrically spelled introduction where he notes "some of these poems have appeared; the rest shd have," & lists the many underground periodicals where his work appeared as well as his literary & musical inspirational peers. Trade-format softcover original, first edition as stated on copyright page. With image of a world-weary Bremser photographed by Jonas Kover on front cover; & in the company of poet Judy Johnson on back cover. A production of Cherry Valley Editions, imprint of the great American poet, printer, publisher & Ultimate Literary Outlaw Charles Plymell, & his wife Pamela Beach Plymell. The Plymell's were good friends, kindred spirits & associates of Bremser. From the collection of the late artist-poet Erin Black Matson, who along with her then-husband the acclaimed poet & educator Clive Matson was a bona fide member of the Beat Generation- morphing into the counterculture during the 1960s. The Matsons were protégé-colleague-collaborators (in lifestyle as much as literature) with a circle that included Herbert Huncke & Bonnie Bremser, Ray's long-suffering wife & a noted poet-memoirist in her own right. The condition of this copy (see below) reflects (in this case relatively mildly) its long possession & use by a tried-&-true Beat. A classic & increasingly scarce Bremser collectible with relevant & distinguished provenance. In near-fine condition with mild-to-moderate rubbing, scratching & spotting to front, back covers & spine; mild wear & some tiny bumps, creases at edges & corners of same; mild-to-moderate rubbing & spotting to edges of text block. Interior fine with only mild browning & spotting to blank inner covers & blank lower margins of a few page leaves; tiny bumps at mostly upper corners of some of same. Near Fine. [Item #4683]

Price: $60.00