Lenny Bruce

• The Best of Lenny Bruce [Fantasy, 1962] A
• To Is a Preposition; Come Is a Verb [Douglas, 1970] A

Consumer Guide Reviews:

The Best of Lenny Bruce [Fantasy, 1962] A

To Is a Preposition; Come Is a Verb [Douglas, 1970]
Because of the way his intense humanism is balanced and sometimes overwhelmed by his tormented bitterness, Bruce is the father of modern humor, the man who transformed schtick into tragicomedy. Now that he's a totem, three labels (Fantasy, United Artists and Bizarre) have released multi-record, live concert albums, but they tend to drag. I suggest the two edited collections above, the Fantasy for a notion of his roots, the Douglas for his rich middle period. A