Rare Gregory Corso poetry readings issued on The Gold Standard

Unrequited Records' limited vinyl-only release The Gold Standard captures Beat poet Gregory Corso in action during the 80s. 

Here's the scoop...
This record was compiled from the recently discovered Scrivani Tapes. George Scrivani – Gregory Corso’s longtime friend – traveled with Gregory in the late 1970s throughout Europe. Having cut his bootlegging chops at various operas in Europe, Scrivani recorded Corso at various readings, interviews, and events. This included an impromptu lecture Corso gave at the JFK Institute, in Berlin, on the genealogy of the Beat Generation.

Upon returning stateside, Scrivani continued to record Corso in San Francisco, in the 1980s, at locations such as S.F. Art Institute, New College (r.i.p.) and the legendary Keystone Korner in the North Beach neighborhood.

The Keystone Korner tapes include a phenomenal reading with Allen Ginsberg in 1980. The two had not read together in San Francisco since 1956. Another Keystone Korner tape features Jaki Byard on piano, the legendary pianist/composer/arranger, joins Corso for two extended poems. Also featured one track is local S.F. musician Phil Deal who has been a mainstay at various poetry events for decades.

Each side contains 27 minutes of unprecedented Corso material. Get a copy of The Gold Standard right here.

Check out Gregory Corso reading his poem "Marriage" from his book, The Happy Birthday of Death originally published by New Directions in 1960 along with a couple of other clips which similarly have nothing at all to do with The Gold Standard release.