Home “Second Poem To Karmela" Or Gypsies Are Important
Peter Walker
“Second Poem To Karmela" Or Gypsies Are Important
LITA113CD
- Remastered from the original stereo 1/4" tapes
- LP and CD feature expanded gatefold tip-on jackets and liner notes
Description
Originally released in 1968 on Vanguard Records, Peter Walker’s album “Second Poem To Karmela” Or Gypsies Are Important was a ground breaking blend of folk, raga, psychedelia, Eastern and Modal sounds that has remained unsung for decades. While his debut album for Vanguard, Rainy Day Raga, has been reissued several times on LP and CD, this album (his sophomore effort), remains an obscure and hard to find vinyl relic. Until now….
Available: March 4, 2014
Light In The Attic and the legendary folk/blues/roots label Vanguard Records are proud to begin a series of collaborations under the umbrella Vanguard Vault. The series will explore the vaults of Vanguard and see the reissuing of obscure nuggets, psychedelic weirdness and just some good old-fashioned seminal music.
Originally released in 1968 on Vanguard Records, Peter Walker’s album “Second Poem To Karmela” Or Gypsies Are Important was a ground breaking blend of folk, raga, psychedelia, Eastern and Modal sounds that has remained unsung for decades. While his debut album for Vanguard, Rainy Day Raga, has been reissued several times on LP and CD, this album (his sophomore effort), remains an obscure and hard to find vinyl relic. Until now….
Carefully re-mastered from the original tapes, guitar scholar Glenn Jones recently interviewed Peter Walker for hours and has written a book-deep essay for the CD and LP liner notes that detail Walker’s association with an incredible cross-section of 1960’s counter-culture icons including LSD guru Timothy Leary (Walker personally provided ‘the soundtrack’ to many a trip), he studied raga music with Ali Akbar Khan, and like his close friend Sandy Bull, Walker worked on a fusion of Western and Eastern sounds. Jim Pepper plays flute on Second Poem (he also recorded with The Fugs and Don Cherry), other accompaniment to Walker’s guitar, Sarod and Sitar playing includes violin, organ, tablas, and tamboura.
This is true “acid folk” as interesting, progressive, and memorable as fellow 1960’s world travelers Robbie Basho, Davy Graham, and the Incredible String Band.
Artist Bio
Peter Walker is an American folk guitarist noted for dynamic instrumental pieces inspired by the Indian Raga and Spanish flamenco traditions blended with traditional American folk and occasional rock influences. Walker’s debut LP Rainy Day Raga was released by Vanguard Records in 1966, followed by the release of Second Poem in 1968. Along with Sandy Bull, John Fahey, and Robbie Basho, Walker is considered one of the premier guitarists of his generation. On Second Poem, Walker plays guitar and sitar and is accompanied by flutist Jim Pepper (of The Free Spirits) along with violin, tabla, & tamboura. Walker is the missing link between Ravi Shankar and Timothy Leary in more ways than one…..
