The Berkeley Concert

CD reissue. Lenny Bruce was an American stand-up comedian, social critic, satirist, and screenwriter. He was renowned for his open, free-style and critical form of comedy which integrated satire, politics, religion, sex, and vulgarity. This unexpurgated concert album is a fitting tribute to his ground-breaking observational and revolutionary humor. Perhaps it's existence helped to finally bring about a public pardon for Bruce, some 37 years after his death, from governor of New York George Pataki. His 1964 conviction in an obscenity trial was followed by a posthumous pardon, the first in the history of New York state, by then- Governor George Pataki in 2003. He paved the way for future outspoken counterculture-era comedians, and his trial for obscenity is seen as a landmark for freedom of speech in the United States. Executive producer Frank Zappa had good foresight when he brought this recording to public attention in 1969.