A singular figure in the history of American music, Moondog produced a body of work that served as a touchstone for figures as diverse as Albert Ayler, Janis Joplin, Michael Hurley, and Glenn Branca. His deceptively simple music embraces American folk traditions and some of the more radical ideas emerging from the New York jazz scene of the time, such as the modal improvisations being conceived by Miles Davis and John Coltrane. No less a jazz giant than Charlie Parker was said to be a Moondog fan, and the friendship between the two musicians provided the subject of “Bird’s Lament”, one of Moondog’s signature compositions. This essential reissue includes two of Moondog’s earliest recordings for the Prestige label and a brace of previously unavailable bonus tracks. Many of these numbers were recorded on Sixth Avenue and are enhanced by the ambient sounds of the bustling city that can be heard in the background. These recordings offer an excellent introduction to Moondog’s distinctive musical universe.