Rahsaan Roland Kirk
Encyclopedia
Rahsaan Roland Kirk was an American jazz
multi-instrumentalist
who played tenor saxophone
, flute
and many other instruments. He was renowned for his onstage vitality, during which virtuoso improvisation was accompanied by comic banter, political ranting, and the ability to play several instruments simultaneously.
, Ohio
, but felt compelled by a dream to transpose two letters in his first name to make Roland. He became blind at an early age as a result of poor medical treatment. In 1970, Kirk added "Rahsaan" to his name after hearing it in a dream.
Preferring to lead his own bands, Kirk rarely performed as a sideman, although he did record with arranger Quincy Jones
and drummer Roy Haynes
and had notable stints with bassist Charles Mingus
. One of his best-known recorded performances is the lead flute and solo on Jones' "Soul Bossa Nova
", a 1964 hit song repopularized in the Austin Powers
films (Jones 1964; McLeod et al. 1997).
His playing was generally rooted in soul jazz
or hard bop
, but Kirk's knowledge of jazz history allowed him to draw on many elements of the music's past, from ragtime
to swing
and free jazz
. Kirk also absorbed classical
influences, and his artistry reflected elements of pop music
by composers such as Smokey Robinson
and Burt Bacharach
, as well as Duke Ellington
, John Coltrane
and other jazz musicians. The live album Bright Moments (1973) is an example of one of his shows. His main instrument was the tenor saxophone, supplemented by other saxes, and contrasted with the lighter sound of the flute. At times he would play a number of these horns at once, harmonizing with himself, or sustain a note for lengthy durations by using circular breathing
, or play the rare, seldom heard nose flute. A number of his instruments were exotic or homemade, but even while playing two or three saxophones at once, the music was intricate, powerful jazz with a strong feel for the blues.
Kirk was politically outspoken. During his concerts, between songs he often talked about topical issues, including black history and the civil rights movement. His monologues were often laced with satire and absurdist humor.
In 1975, Kirk suffered a major stroke which led to partial paralysis of one side of his body. However, he continued to perform and record, modifying his instruments to enable him to play with one arm. At a live performance at Ronnie Scott's club in London he even managed to play two instruments, and carried on to tour internationally and even appear on television.
He died from a second stroke in 1977 after performing in the Frangipani Room of the Indiana University Student Union in Bloomington, Indiana
.
s, clarinet
s and flute
s. His main instruments were tenor saxophone
and two obscure saxophones: the stritch
(a straight alto sax lacking the instrument's characteristic upturned bell) and a manzello
(a modified saxello soprano sax, with a larger, upturned bell). Kirk modified these instruments himself to accommodate his simultaneous playing technique.
He typically appeared on stage with all three horns hanging around his neck, as well as a variety of other instruments, including flutes and whistles, and often kept a gong within reach. Kirk also played clarinet
, harmonica
, English horn, and recorder
s, and was a competent trumpeter. He often had unique approaches, using a saxophone mouthpiece on a trumpet or playing nose flute
. He additionally used many non-musical devices, such as alarm clocks, sirens, or a section of common garden hose (dubbed "the black mystery pipes"). His studio recordings also used tape-manipulated musique concrète
, and primitive electronic sounds (before such things became commonplace).
Kirk was also an influential flautist
, employing several techniques that he developed himself. One technique was to sing
or hum into the flute at the same time as playing. Another was to play the standard transverse flute at the same time as a nose flute
.
Some observers thought that Kirk's bizarre onstage appearance and simultaneous multi-instrumentalism
were just gimmicks, especially when coming from a blind man, but these opinions usually vanished when Kirk began to play. He used the multiple horns to play true chords, essentially functioning as a one-man saxophone section. Kirk insisted that he was only trying to emulate the sounds he heard in his head.
Kirk was a major exponent of circular breathing
. Using this technique, Kirk was not only able to sustain a single note for an extended period; he could also play sixteenth-note runs of almost unlimited length, and at high speeds. His circular breathing ability enabled him to record "Concerto For Saxophone" on the Prepare Thyself to Deal With a Miracle
LP in one continuous take of about 20 minutes' playing with no discernible "break" for inhaling. His long-time producer at Atlantic Jazz, Joel Dorn
, believed he should have received credit in The Guinness Book of World Records for such feats (he was capable of playing continuously "without taking a breath" for far longer than exhibited on that LP), but this never happened.
The Case of the 3 Sided Dream in Audio Color
was a unique album in jazz and popular music recorded annals. It was a two-LP set, with Side 4 apparently "blank," the label not indicating any content. However, once word of "the secret message" got around among Rahsaan's fans, one would find that about 12 minutes into Side 4 appeared the first of two telephone answering machine messages recorded by Kirk, the second following soon thereafter (but separated by more blank grooves). The surprise impact of these segments appearing on "blank" Side 4 was lost on the CD reissue of this album. These spoken-word segments reflected the tenor of the times, so to speak, with the rather pessimistic theme that humanity had "blown" its chance to live in a world of peace and harmony. But this was entirely in keeping with the fact that, despite his loss at an early age of his sight, Rahsaan was very much on top of societal developments, racial and economic injustice and disparity. Indeed, he had participated many years previously in protests against the failure of TV show hosts like Merv Griffin
to hire any non-white musicians.
He gleaned information on what was happening in the world via audio media like radio and the sounds coming from TV sets. His later recordings often incorporated his spoken commentaries on current events, including Richard Nixon
's involvement in the Watergate scandal
. The 3-Sided Dream album was a 'concept album', somewhat akin to the Beatles' 'psychedelic' phase in the incorporation of "found" or environmental sounds and tape loops, tapes being played backwards, etc. Snippets of Billie Holiday
singing are also heard briefly. The album even confronts the rise of influence of computers in society, as Rahsaan threatens to pull the plug on the machine trying to tell him what to do.
Argo/Cadet/Chess Records
Prestige Records
Mercury Records
Limelight Records
Verve Records
Atlantic Records
Warner Bros. Records
Posthumous releases of new material
Compilations
With Roy Haynes
With Tubby Hayes
With Quincy Jones
With Tommy Peltier
With Jaki Byard
With Les McCann
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
multi-instrumentalist
Multi-instrumentalist
A multi-instrumentalist is a musician who plays a number of different instruments.The Bachelor of Music degree usually requires a second instrument to be learned , but people who double on another instrument are not usually seen as multi-instrumentalists.-Classical music:Music written for Symphony...
who played tenor saxophone
Tenor saxophone
The tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor, with the alto, are the two most common types of saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B, and written as a transposing instrument in the treble...
, flute
Flute
The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
and many other instruments. He was renowned for his onstage vitality, during which virtuoso improvisation was accompanied by comic banter, political ranting, and the ability to play several instruments simultaneously.
Biography
Kirk was born Ronald Theodore Kirk in ColumbusColumbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, but felt compelled by a dream to transpose two letters in his first name to make Roland. He became blind at an early age as a result of poor medical treatment. In 1970, Kirk added "Rahsaan" to his name after hearing it in a dream.
Preferring to lead his own bands, Kirk rarely performed as a sideman, although he did record with arranger Quincy Jones
Quincy Jones
Quincy Delightt Jones, Jr. is an American record producer and musician. A conductor, musical arranger, film composer, television producer, and trumpeter. His career spans five decades in the entertainment industry and a record 79 Grammy Award nominations, 27 Grammys, including a Grammy Legend...
and drummer Roy Haynes
Roy Haynes
Roy Owen Haynes is an American jazz drummer and bandleader. Haynes is among the most recorded drummers in jazz, and in a career lasting more than 60 years has played in a wide range of styles ranging from swing and bebop to jazz fusion and avant-garde jazz...
and had notable stints with bassist Charles Mingus
Charles Mingus
Charles Mingus Jr. was an American jazz musician, composer, bandleader, and civil rights activist.Mingus's compositions retained the hot and soulful feel of hard bop and drew heavily from black gospel music while sometimes drawing on elements of Third stream, free jazz, and classical music...
. One of his best-known recorded performances is the lead flute and solo on Jones' "Soul Bossa Nova
Soul Bossa Nova
"Soul Bossa Nova" is a popular instrumental title, composed by and first performed by American impresario, jazz composer, arranger and record producer Quincy Jones. It first appeared on his 1962 Big Band Bossa Nova big band album on Mercury Records. Multi-reed player Rahsaan Roland Kirk played the...
", a 1964 hit song repopularized in the Austin Powers
Austin Powers (film series)
The Austin Powers series is a series of action-comedy films written by and starring Mike Myers as the title character, directed by Jay Roach and distributed by New Line Cinema...
films (Jones 1964; McLeod et al. 1997).
His playing was generally rooted in soul jazz
Soul jazz
Soul jazz is a development of jazz incorporating strong influences from blues, soul, gospel and rhythm and blues in music for small groups, often an organ trio featuring a Hammond organ.- Overview :Soul jazz is often associated with hard bop. Mark C...
or hard bop
Hard bop
Hard bop is a style of jazz that is an extension of bebop music. Journalists and record companies began using the term in the mid-1950s to describe a new current within jazz which incorporated influences from rhythm and blues, gospel music, and blues, especially in the saxophone and piano...
, but Kirk's knowledge of jazz history allowed him to draw on many elements of the music's past, from ragtime
Ragtime
Ragtime is an original musical genre which enjoyed its peak popularity between 1897 and 1918. Its main characteristic trait is its syncopated, or "ragged," rhythm. It began as dance music in the red-light districts of American cities such as St. Louis and New Orleans years before being published...
to swing
Swing (genre)
Swing music, also known as swing jazz or simply swing, is a form of jazz music that developed in the early 1930s and became a distinctive style by 1935 in the United States...
and free jazz
Free jazz
Free jazz is an approach to jazz music that was first developed in the 1950s and 1960s. Though the music produced by free jazz pioneers varied widely, the common feature was a dissatisfaction with the limitations of bebop, hard bop, and modal jazz, which had developed in the 1940s and 1950s...
. Kirk also absorbed classical
Classical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
influences, and his artistry reflected elements of pop music
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
by composers such as Smokey Robinson
Smokey Robinson
William "Smokey" Robinson, Jr. is an American R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, and former record executive. Robinson is one of the primary figures associated with Motown, second only to the company's founder, Berry Gordy...
and Burt Bacharach
Burt Bacharach
Burt F. Bacharach is an American pianist, composer and music producer. He is known for his popular hit songs and compositions from the mid-1950s through the 1980s, with lyrics written by Hal David. Many of their hits were produced specifically for, and performed by, Dionne Warwick...
, as well as Duke Ellington
Duke Ellington
Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington was an American composer, pianist, and big band leader. Ellington wrote over 1,000 compositions...
, John Coltrane
John Coltrane
John William Coltrane was an American jazz saxophonist and composer. Working in the bebop and hard bop idioms early in his career, Coltrane helped pioneer the use of modes in jazz and later was at the forefront of free jazz...
and other jazz musicians. The live album Bright Moments (1973) is an example of one of his shows. His main instrument was the tenor saxophone, supplemented by other saxes, and contrasted with the lighter sound of the flute. At times he would play a number of these horns at once, harmonizing with himself, or sustain a note for lengthy durations by using circular breathing
Circular breathing
Circular breathing is a technique used by players of some wind instruments to produce a continuous tone without interruption. This is accomplished by breathing in through the nose while simultaneously pushing air out through the mouth using air stored in the cheeks.It is used extensively in playing...
, or play the rare, seldom heard nose flute. A number of his instruments were exotic or homemade, but even while playing two or three saxophones at once, the music was intricate, powerful jazz with a strong feel for the blues.
Kirk was politically outspoken. During his concerts, between songs he often talked about topical issues, including black history and the civil rights movement. His monologues were often laced with satire and absurdist humor.
In 1975, Kirk suffered a major stroke which led to partial paralysis of one side of his body. However, he continued to perform and record, modifying his instruments to enable him to play with one arm. At a live performance at Ronnie Scott's club in London he even managed to play two instruments, and carried on to tour internationally and even appear on television.
He died from a second stroke in 1977 after performing in the Frangipani Room of the Indiana University Student Union in Bloomington, Indiana
Bloomington, Indiana
Bloomington is a city in and the county seat of Monroe County in the southern region of the U.S. state of Indiana. The population was 80,405 at the 2010 census....
.
Instruments and technique
Kirk played and collected a number of musical instruments, mainly various saxophoneSaxophone
The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
s, clarinet
Clarinet
The clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
s and flute
Flute
The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
s. His main instruments were tenor saxophone
Tenor saxophone
The tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor, with the alto, are the two most common types of saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B, and written as a transposing instrument in the treble...
and two obscure saxophones: the stritch
Stritch (saxophone)
Stritch is the name that Rahsaan Roland Kirk gave to the customized Buescher Straight Alto that he played. This horn had custom keywork to allow Kirk to play the horn with one hand.-References:* http://www.woodwindforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3426...
(a straight alto sax lacking the instrument's characteristic upturned bell) and a manzello
Manzello
"Manzello" is the name that Rahsaan Roland Kirk gave to an HN White King Saxello onto which he had affixed a mellophone bell. See also stritch.-References:* The Oxford Companion to Jazz, edited by Bill Kirchner Oxford Press , p...
(a modified saxello soprano sax, with a larger, upturned bell). Kirk modified these instruments himself to accommodate his simultaneous playing technique.
He typically appeared on stage with all three horns hanging around his neck, as well as a variety of other instruments, including flutes and whistles, and often kept a gong within reach. Kirk also played clarinet
Clarinet
The clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
, harmonica
Harmonica
The harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes...
, English horn, and recorder
Recorder
The recorder is a woodwind musical instrument of the family known as fipple flutes or internal duct flutes—whistle-like instruments which include the tin whistle. The recorder is end-blown and the mouth of the instrument is constricted by a wooden plug, known as a block or fipple...
s, and was a competent trumpeter. He often had unique approaches, using a saxophone mouthpiece on a trumpet or playing nose flute
Nose flute
The nose flute is a popular musical instrument played in Polynesia and the Pacific Rim countries. Other versions are found in Africa, China, and India.- Hawaii :In the North Pacific, in the Hawaiian islands the nose flute was a common courting instrument...
. He additionally used many non-musical devices, such as alarm clocks, sirens, or a section of common garden hose (dubbed "the black mystery pipes"). His studio recordings also used tape-manipulated musique concrète
Musique concrète
Musique concrète is a form of electroacoustic music that utilises acousmatic sound as a compositional resource. The compositional material is not restricted to the inclusion of sounds derived from musical instruments or voices, nor to elements traditionally thought of as "musical"...
, and primitive electronic sounds (before such things became commonplace).
Kirk was also an influential flautist
Flautist
A flautist or flutist is a musician who plays an instrument in the flute family. See List of flautists.The choice of "flautist" versus "flutist" is the source of dispute among players of the instrument...
, employing several techniques that he developed himself. One technique was to sing
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
or hum into the flute at the same time as playing. Another was to play the standard transverse flute at the same time as a nose flute
Nose flute
The nose flute is a popular musical instrument played in Polynesia and the Pacific Rim countries. Other versions are found in Africa, China, and India.- Hawaii :In the North Pacific, in the Hawaiian islands the nose flute was a common courting instrument...
.
Some observers thought that Kirk's bizarre onstage appearance and simultaneous multi-instrumentalism
Multi-instrumentalist
A multi-instrumentalist is a musician who plays a number of different instruments.The Bachelor of Music degree usually requires a second instrument to be learned , but people who double on another instrument are not usually seen as multi-instrumentalists.-Classical music:Music written for Symphony...
were just gimmicks, especially when coming from a blind man, but these opinions usually vanished when Kirk began to play. He used the multiple horns to play true chords, essentially functioning as a one-man saxophone section. Kirk insisted that he was only trying to emulate the sounds he heard in his head.
Kirk was a major exponent of circular breathing
Circular breathing
Circular breathing is a technique used by players of some wind instruments to produce a continuous tone without interruption. This is accomplished by breathing in through the nose while simultaneously pushing air out through the mouth using air stored in the cheeks.It is used extensively in playing...
. Using this technique, Kirk was not only able to sustain a single note for an extended period; he could also play sixteenth-note runs of almost unlimited length, and at high speeds. His circular breathing ability enabled him to record "Concerto For Saxophone" on the Prepare Thyself to Deal With a Miracle
Prepare Thyself to Deal With a Miracle
Prepare Thyself to Deal With a Miracle is an album by jazz multi-instrumentalist Rahsaan Roland Kirk featuring performances by Kirk with Charles McGhee, Dick Griffin, Harry Smiles, Sanford Allen, Julien Barber, Selwart Clarke, Gayle Dixon, Al Brown, Kermit Moore, Ron Burton, Henry Mattathias...
LP in one continuous take of about 20 minutes' playing with no discernible "break" for inhaling. His long-time producer at Atlantic Jazz, Joel Dorn
Joel Dorn
Joel Dorn was an American jazz and R&B music producer and record label entrepreneur. He worked at Atlantic Records, and later founded the 32 Jazz, Label M, and Hyena Records labels...
, believed he should have received credit in The Guinness Book of World Records for such feats (he was capable of playing continuously "without taking a breath" for far longer than exhibited on that LP), but this never happened.
The Case of the 3 Sided Dream in Audio Color
The Case of the 3 Sided Dream in Audio Color
The Case of the 3 Sided Dream in Audio Color is an album by jazz multi-instrumentalist Rahsaan Roland Kirk originally released as a double LP, with side 4 appearing blank - although side 4 did have a hidden track, the contents of which are released as track #20 on the CD rerelease...
was a unique album in jazz and popular music recorded annals. It was a two-LP set, with Side 4 apparently "blank," the label not indicating any content. However, once word of "the secret message" got around among Rahsaan's fans, one would find that about 12 minutes into Side 4 appeared the first of two telephone answering machine messages recorded by Kirk, the second following soon thereafter (but separated by more blank grooves). The surprise impact of these segments appearing on "blank" Side 4 was lost on the CD reissue of this album. These spoken-word segments reflected the tenor of the times, so to speak, with the rather pessimistic theme that humanity had "blown" its chance to live in a world of peace and harmony. But this was entirely in keeping with the fact that, despite his loss at an early age of his sight, Rahsaan was very much on top of societal developments, racial and economic injustice and disparity. Indeed, he had participated many years previously in protests against the failure of TV show hosts like Merv Griffin
Merv Griffin
Mervyn Edward "Merv" Griffin, Jr. was an American television host, musician, actor, and media mogul. He began his career as a radio and big band singer who went on to appear in movies and on Broadway. From 1965 to 1986 Griffin hosted his own talk show, The Merv Griffin Show on Group W Broadcasting...
to hire any non-white musicians.
He gleaned information on what was happening in the world via audio media like radio and the sounds coming from TV sets. His later recordings often incorporated his spoken commentaries on current events, including Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
's involvement in the Watergate scandal
Watergate scandal
The Watergate scandal was a political scandal during the 1970s in the United States resulting from the break-in of the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate office complex in Washington, D.C., and the Nixon administration's attempted cover-up of its involvement...
. The 3-Sided Dream album was a 'concept album', somewhat akin to the Beatles' 'psychedelic' phase in the incorporation of "found" or environmental sounds and tape loops, tapes being played backwards, etc. Snippets of Billie Holiday
Billie Holiday
Billie Holiday was an American jazz singer and songwriter. Nicknamed "Lady Day" by her friend and musical partner Lester Young, Holiday had a seminal influence on jazz and pop singing...
singing are also heard briefly. The album even confronts the rise of influence of computers in society, as Rahsaan threatens to pull the plug on the machine trying to tell him what to do.
Legacy and influence
- Virtuoso guitarist Jimi HendrixJimi HendrixJames Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
"idolized" Kirk, and even hoped to one day collaborate with him. - Trombonist Steve TurreSteve TurreSteve Turre is a trombonist, recording artist, arranger, and educator. In 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002 and 2006 he won the Down Beat Reader's Poll for best trombonist....
was strongly influenced by Kirk's music (and by his use of a conch shell as a second instrument). - Kirk's technique of humming while playing the flute was adopted later by many other players, including Jeremy SteigJeremy Steig-Biography:Steig is the son of New Yorker cartoonist William Steig,At age 19 Steig was involved in a motorcycle accident which left him paralyzed on one side...
, Thijs van LeerThijs van LeerThijs Van Leer is a Dutch musician, singer and composer, best known for heading the Dutch progressive rock band, Focus, as primary vocalist, Hammond organ player, and flautist. He also yodels and whistles...
and Ian AndersonIan Anderson (musician)Ian Scott Anderson, MBE is a Scottish singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, best known for his work as the leader and flautist of British rock band Jethro Tull.-Early life:...
of Jethro TullJethro Tull (band)Jethro Tull are a British rock group formed in 1967. Their music is characterised by the vocals, acoustic guitar, and flute playing of Ian Anderson, who has led the band since its founding, and the guitar work of Martin Barre, who has been with the band since 1969.Initially playing blues rock with...
(who covered the Kirk tune "Serenade to a Cuckoo" on Jethro Tull's first album This WasThis Was*The 2001 remastered CD added three bonus tracks and extensive liner notes.40th Anniversary Collectors' Edition*A deluxe two-CD fortieth anniversary edition was released in 2008...
in 1968). - David JacksonDavid Jackson (rock musician)David Nicholas George Jackson , nicknamed Jaxon, is a British progressive rock saxophonist, flautist, and composer. He is best known for his work with the band Van der Graaf Generator and his work in Music and Disability...
, of Van der Graaf GeneratorVan der Graaf GeneratorVan der Graaf Generator are an English progressive rock band, formed in 1967 in Manchester. They were the first act signed to Charisma Records. The band achieved considerable success in Italy during the 1970s...
, was also highly influenced by the style and technique of Kirk, and he plays multiple saxophones simultaneously since at least 1969. - Eric Burdon and War's debut 1970 release Eric Burdon Declares War has a track on it entitled "Roll On Kirk", which is a tribute to Kirk.
- British reed player Dick Heckstall-SmithDick Heckstall-SmithDick Heckstall-Smith was an English jazz and blues saxophonist. He played with some of the most important English blues-rock and jazz fusion bands of the 1960s and 1970s.-Early years:...
also emulated Kirk in playing multiple saxophones simultaneously. - Courtney PineCourtney PineCourtney Pine CBE is an English jazz musician. At school he studied the clarinet, although he is known primarily for his saxophone playing. Pine is a multi-instrumentalist, also playing the flute, clarinet, bass Clarinet and keyboards...
, a saxophonist from the UK, also uses circular breathing and plays two saxophones at once in live performance. - Jeff Coffin, solo artist and member of Bela Fleck and the FlecktonesBéla Fleck and the FlecktonesBéla Fleck and the Flecktones is a primarily instrumental group from the United States, that draws equally on bluegrass, fusion and jazz, sometimes dubbed "blu-bop". The band formed in 1988, initially to perform once on the PBS series Lonesome Pine Specials. The Flecktones have toured extensively...
(from 1988 on), plays multiple saxophones simultaneously. - Thurston MooreThurston MooreThurston Joseph Moore is an American musician best known as a singer, songwriter and guitarist of Sonic Youth. He has also participated in many solo and group collaborations outside of Sonic Youth, as well as running the Ecstatic Peace! record label...
wore a Rahsaan Roland Kirk t-shirt for a promo shoot for Sonic YouthSonic YouthSonic Youth is an American alternative rock band from New York City, formed in 1981. The current lineup consists of Thurston Moore , Kim Gordon , Lee Ranaldo , Steve Shelley , and Mark Ibold .In their early career, Sonic Youth was associated with the No Wave art and music scene in New York City...
's album GooGoo (album)Goo is the sixth album by the American alternative rock band Sonic Youth, released on June 26, 1990. Goo was the first album released after the band signed to major label Geffen Records.-Background and recording:...
(1990). - Hope Clayburn, one-time lead singer and multi-instrumentalist for funky band Deep Banana BlackoutDeep Banana BlackoutDeep Banana Blackout is a New Orleans style Jazz-funk band from Fairfield County, Connecticut. Formed in the summer of 1995 when members of two bands joined forces in their spare time to run through old Funk & Soul standards...
, was frequently known to hum and play flute and to sing while playing multiple saxophones at the same time, teasing common themes and soul standards. - Jonny GreenwoodJonny GreenwoodJonathan Richard Guy "Jonny" Greenwood is an English musician and composer, best known as a member of the English rock band Radiohead. Greenwood is a multi-instrumentalist, but serves mainly as lead guitarist and keyboard player. In addition to guitar and keyboard, he plays viola, harmonica,...
, the guitarist and multi-instrumentalist of RadioheadRadioheadRadiohead are an English rock band from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, formed in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke , Jonny Greenwood , Ed O'Brien , Colin Greenwood and Phil Selway .Radiohead released their debut single "Creep" in 1992...
, acknowledged his respect and love for Kirk's music on the band's blog. - Drummer Ramon LopezRamón LópezJosé Ramón López Hevia was a professional baseball player who played one season for the California Angels of Major League Baseball.-References:...
paid tribute to Rahsaan Roland Kirk in his 2002 album Duets 2 Rahsaan Roland Kirk, inviting nine differents artists (Joëlle Léandre, Thierry Madiot, Harry Beckett, Majid Bekkas, Beñat Achiary...) for nine duets on nine compositions of Kirk's. - Guitarist Michael Angelo BatioMichael Angelo BatioMichael Angelo Batio also known as Mike Batio or MAB, is a guitarist and columnist from Chicago, Illinois. His work has encompassed many genres, notably metal and its subgenres. Batio was voted the "No. 1 Shredder of All Time" by Guitar One Magazine in 2003...
mentioned in an interview with Ultimate Guitar ArchiveUltimate Guitar ArchiveUltimate Guitar Archive, also known as Ultimate-Guitar.com or simply UG, is a large guitarist community website known for its large amount of guitar and bass tablature, reviews of music and equipment, interviews with notable musicians, online written and video lessons, and forums...
that Kirk's playing of two saxophones at once inspired him to create his "double guitar". - T.J. Kirk was a San Francisco-based band named after the three artists it tributed: Thelonious Monk, James Brown, and Rahsaan Roland Kirk. Formed by eight-string guitarist Charlie HunterCharlie Hunterfor the New Zealand racehorse trainer and driver see: Charlie HunterCharlie Hunter is an American guitarist, composer and bandleader....
as a side group to his own self-titled and San Francisco-based band, other members include Scott AmendolaScott AmendolaScott Amendola is an American jazz drummer from the San Francisco Bay Area. His styles include jazz, blues, groove, rock and new music. He is considered central to the Bay Area music scene....
, Will BernardWill BernardWill Bernard is a guitarist and band leader from the San Francisco Bay Area, now living in Brooklyn, New York. He has led the Will Bernard Band, Will Bernard Trio, Will Bernard 4-tet, and Motherbug....
and John Schott. - Paul WellerPaul WellerPaul Weller is an English singer-songwriter. Starting with the band The Jam , Weller then went on to branch out musically to a more soulful style with The Style Council...
cited the Kirk album I Talk with the SpiritsI Talk with the SpiritsI Talk with the Spirits is a 1964 album by Roland Kirk. On this album, Kirk only plays the flute, and no saxophone or other instruments. It is notable as being the first appearance of the song "Serenade to a Cuckoo", later covered by Jethro Tull...
(1964) as one of his 'Most Influential Albums' in an interview with The TimesThe TimesThe Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
. - Rahsaan Roland Kirk is the namesake of jazz artists Roland and Rahsaan Barber, brothers who play trombone and saxophone respectively.
As leader
King Records- 1956 - Triple ThreatTriple Threat (album)Triple Threat is the debut album by jazz multi-instrumentalist Roland Kirk originally released on the King label in 1956, rereleased on the Bethlehem label as Third Dimension and on the Affinity label as Early Roots. The original album received limited distribution and only became widely known...
Argo/Cadet/Chess Records
- 1960 - Introducing Roland KirkIntroducing Roland KirkIntroducing Roland Kirk is the second album by jazz multi-instrumentalist Roland Kirk. It was originally released on the Argo label in 1960. It features performances by Kirk with Ira Sullivan, William Burton, Donald Garrett and Sonny Brown...
Prestige Records
- 1961 - Kirk's WorkKirk's WorkThe Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings describes Kirk's Work as "a largely forgotten Kirk album, but one which generally deserves the classic reissue billing." Ron Wynn has described the album as "a fine reissue of Kirk in a soul-jazz and mainstream vein." Allmusic notes a "swinging R&B vibe...
- with Jack McDuffJack McDuff"Brother" Jack McDuff was an American jazz organist and organ trio bandleader who was most prominent during the hard bop and soul jazz era of the 1960s, often performing with an organ trio.-Career:...
on organ
Mercury Records
- 1961 - We Free KingsWe Free KingsWe Free Kings is a 1961 LP by jazz multi-instrumentalist Roland Kirk. It sees the group working through a set of bluesy post-bop numbers, including a highly regarded version of Charlie Parker's "Blues for Alice"...
- with Richard WyandsRichard WyandsRichard Wyands is a hard bop pianist best known as a side-man. He began playing in his teens in San Francisco, but later moved to New York City. He worked with Kenny Burrell in the 1960s and also played in Gigi Gryce's quintet...
on piano - 1962 - DominoDomino (Rahsaan Roland Kirk album)Domino is an album by Roland Kirk recorded and released in 1962. The follow-up to We Free Kings, his 1961 breakthrough as a bandleader, it found him increasingly reliant on standards and cover versions. It was reissued in 2000 on Verve with bonus tracks featuring sessions with Herbie Hancock...
- 1963 - Reeds & DeedsReeds & DeedsReeds & Deeds is an album by jazz multi-instrumentalist Roland Kirk. It was originally released on the Mercury label in 1963 and features performances by Kirk with Virgil Jones, Charles Greenlea, Harold Mabern, Abdullah Rafik, Walter Perkins, Tom McIntosh and Richard Davis with arrangements by...
- 1964 - The Roland Kirk Quartet Meets the Benny Golson OrchestraThe Roland Kirk Quartet Meets the Benny Golson OrchestraThe Roland Kirk Quartet Meets the Benny Golson Orchestra is an album by jazz multi-instrumentalist Roland Kirk. It was originally released on the Mercury label in 1964 and features performances by Kirk with Harold Mabern, Abdullah Rafik, Sonny Brown and Benny Golson's Orchestra featuring Virgil...
- 1964 - Kirk in CopenhagenKirk in CopenhagenKirk in Copenhagen is a live album by jazz multi-instrumentalist Roland Kirk recorded in October, 1963 at the Club Monmartre in Copenhagen, Denmark. It was originally released on the Mercury label in 1963 and features performances by Kirk with Tete Montoliu, Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, Don Moore...
- 1964 - Gifts & MessagesGifts & MessagesGifts & Messages is an album by jazz multi-instrumentalist Roland Kirk. It was originally released on the Mercury label in 1964 and features performances by Kirk with Horace Parlan, Michael Fleming, and Steve Ellington....
Limelight Records
- 1964 - I Talk with the SpiritsI Talk with the SpiritsI Talk with the Spirits is a 1964 album by Roland Kirk. On this album, Kirk only plays the flute, and no saxophone or other instruments. It is notable as being the first appearance of the song "Serenade to a Cuckoo", later covered by Jethro Tull...
- album of Kirk playing the flute - 1965 - Slightly LatinSlightly LatinSlightly Latin is an album by jazz multi-instrumentalist Roland Kirk. It was originally released on the Limelight label in 1965 and features performances by Kirk with Virgil Jones, Martin Banks, Garnett Brown, Horace Parlan, Eddie Mathias, Sonny Brown, Montego Joe, Manuel Ramos, Coleridge Perkinson...
- 1965 - Rip, Rig and PanicRip, Rig and Panic (album)Rip, Rig and Panic is a 1965 jazz album by saxophonist Roland Kirk. It was recorded at Rudy Van Gelder's studio by a quartet that sees Kirk accompanied by Elvin Jones , Jaki Byard , and Richard Davis , who have been described as "the most awesome rhythm section he ever recorded with"...
- fast bop with Jaki ByardJaki ByardJaki Byard was an American jazz pianist and composer who also played trumpet and saxophone, among several other instruments. He was noteworthy for his eclectic style, incorporating everything from ragtime and stride to free jazz...
on piano, Richard Davis on bass, and drummer Elvin JonesElvin JonesElvin Ray Jones was a jazz drummer of the post-bop era. He showed interest in drums at a young age, watching the circus bands march by his family's home in Pontiac, Michigan....
Verve Records
- 1967 - Now Please Don't You Cry, Beautiful EdithNow Please Don't You Cry, Beautiful EdithNow Please Don't You Cry, Beautiful Edith is an album by jazz multi-instrumentalist Roland Kirk. It was originally released on the Verve label in 1967 and features performances by Kirk with Lonnie Liston Smith, Ronnie Boykins and Grady Tate...
Atlantic Records
- 1965 - Here Comes the WhistlemanHere Comes the WhistlemanHere Comes the Whistleman is a live album by jazz multi-instrumentalist Roland Kirk recorded in March 1965 at Atlantic Studios in New York. It was his first release on the Atlantic label and features performances by Kirk with Lonnie Liston Smith, Major Holley and Charles Crosby. The Allmusic review...
(Live) - including all Kirk's banter between tracks - 1967 - The Inflated TearThe Inflated TearThe Inflated Tear is an album by Roland Kirk released in 1968. One of his most popular albums and sometimes regarded as his magnum opus, it established his reputation as a jazz composer and earned him a modicum of respect in music circles who had previously written him off as a sideshow.It was...
- 1968 - Left & RightLeft & Right (album)Left & Right is an album by jazz multi-instrumentalist Roland Kirk. It was originally released on the Atlantic label in 1968 and features performances by Kirk with Jim Buffington, Julius Watkins, Frank Wess, Ron Burton, Vernon Martin and Roy Haynes with Warren Smith, Richard Williams, Dick...
- 1969 - Volunteered SlaveryVolunteered SlaveryVolunteered Slavery is an album by jazz multi-instrumentalist Roland Kirk featuring his 1968 Newport Jazz Festival appearance and studio performances recorded in July 1969...
- a meltdown of pop tunes, hard bop, African chanting - 1970 - Rahsaan RahsaanRahsaan RahsaanRahsaan Rahsaan is a live album by jazz multi-instrumentalist Rahsaan Roland Kirk featuring performances recorded at the Village Vanguard in May 1970...
- 1971 - Natural Black Inventions: Root StrataNatural Black Inventions: Root StrataNatural Black Inventions: Root Strata is a solo album by jazz multi-instrumentalist Rahsaan Roland Kirk featuring performances by Kirk with accompaniment by drummer Maurice McKinley and percussionist Joe Habad Texidor with Sonelius Smith on piano appearing on one track.The Allmusic review by Scott...
- mostly Kirk alone, on many instruments - 1971 - BlacknussBlacknussBlacknuss is a 1971 album by Rahsaan Roland Kirk.-Track listing:#"Ain't No Sunshine" – 2:26#"What's Goin' On/Mercy Mercy Me " – 3:47...
- 1972 - A Meeting of the TimesA Meeting of the TimesA Meeting of the Times is an album by jazz multi-instrumentalist Rahsaan Roland Kirk and vocalist Al Hibbler recorded in March 1972 in New York City...
w ex-Duke EllingtonDuke EllingtonEdward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington was an American composer, pianist, and big band leader. Ellington wrote over 1,000 compositions...
singer Al HibblerAl HibblerAlbert George "Al" Hibbler was an American baritone vocalist, who sang with Duke Ellington's orchestra before having several pop hits as a solo artist. Some of his singing is classified as rhythm and blues, but he is best classified as a bridge between R&B and traditional pop music... - 1973 - Prepare Thyself to Deal With a MiraclePrepare Thyself to Deal With a MiraclePrepare Thyself to Deal With a Miracle is an album by jazz multi-instrumentalist Rahsaan Roland Kirk featuring performances by Kirk with Charles McGhee, Dick Griffin, Harry Smiles, Sanford Allen, Julien Barber, Selwart Clarke, Gayle Dixon, Al Brown, Kermit Moore, Ron Burton, Henry Mattathias...
- 1973 - Bright Moments - live at Keystone Korner, San Francisco
- 1975 - The Case of the 3 Sided Dream in Audio ColorThe Case of the 3 Sided Dream in Audio ColorThe Case of the 3 Sided Dream in Audio Color is an album by jazz multi-instrumentalist Rahsaan Roland Kirk originally released as a double LP, with side 4 appearing blank - although side 4 did have a hidden track, the contents of which are released as track #20 on the CD rerelease...
- 1976 - Other Folks' MusicOther Folks' MusicOther Folks' Music is an album by jazz multi-instrumentalist Rahsaan Roland Kirk featuring performances by Kirk withRichard Williams, Kermit Moore, Gloria Agostini, Trudy Pitts, Hilton Ruiz, Henry Mattathias Pearson, Roy Haynes, Sonny Brown, Arthur Jenkins and Joe Habad Texidor recorded in March...
Warner Bros. Records
- 1976 - The Return of the 5000 Lb. ManThe Return of the 5000 Lb. ManThe Return of the 5000 Lb. Man is an album by jazz multi-instrumentalist Rahsaan Roland Kirk featuring performances by Kirk with Howard Johnson, Romeo Penque, Hilton Ruiz, Buster Williams, Charlie Persip, Joe Habao Texidor, Betty Neals, Maeretha Stewart, Hank Jones, Milt Hinton, Fred Moore, Wilton...
- 1977 - KirkatronKirkatronKirkatron is an album by jazz multi-instrumentalist Rahsaan Roland Kirk featuring performances by Kirk recorded at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1975 and studio sessions from 1975 and 1976....
- 1977 - Boogie-Woogie String Along for RealBoogie-Woogie String Along for RealBoogie-Woogie String Along for Real is the final album recorded by jazz multi-instrumentalist Rahsaan Roland Kirk featuring performances by Kirk with string section and orchestra. It was recorded in 1977 following a stroke which left him partially paralysed.The Allmusic review by Thom Jurek states...
Posthumous releases of new material
- I, Eye, Aye: Live at the Montreux Jazz Festival, 1972I, Eye, Aye: Live at the Montreux Jazz Festival, 1972I, Eye, Aye is a live album by jazz multi-instrumentalist Rahsaan Roland Kirk featuring performances by Kirk recorded at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1972 with Ron Burton, Henry "Pete" Pearson, Robert Shy and Joe Habad Texidor first released on the Rhino label in 1996.The Allmusic review by Thom...
(Rhino) - The Man Who Cried Fire (Night)
- Dog Years in the Fourth RingDog Years in the Fourth RingDog Years in the Fourth Ring is a compilation album by jazz multi-instrumentalist Rahsaan Roland Kirk featuring 2 CDs of previously unreleased live performances and Kirk's solo album Natural Black Inventions: Root Strata on the third disc. It was released on the 32 Jazz label in 1997.The Allmusic...
(32 Jazz) - Compliments of the Mysterious Phantom (Hyena)
- Brotherman in the FatherlandBrotherman in the FatherlandBrotherman in the Fatherland is a live album by jazz multi-instrumentalist Rahsaan Roland Kirk featuring a performance by Kirk recorded at the Funkhaus in Hamburg, Germany in 1972 with Ron Burton, Henry Metathias Pearson, Richie Goldberg and Joe Habad Texidor first released on the Hyena label in...
- Recorded "Live" in Germany 1972 (Hyena)
Compilations
- Rahsaan: The Complete Mercury Recordings Of Roland Kirk
- Does Your House Have Lions: The Rahsaan Roland Kirk Anthology
- Simmer, Reduce, Garnish & Serve - compilation from his last three albums
- Talkin' Verve: Roots of Acid Jazz
- The Art of Rahsaan Roland Kirk
- Third Dimension and Beyond combines Triple ThreatTriple Threat (album)Triple Threat is the debut album by jazz multi-instrumentalist Roland Kirk originally released on the King label in 1956, rereleased on the Bethlehem label as Third Dimension and on the Affinity label as Early Roots. The original album received limited distribution and only became widely known...
and Introducing Roland KirkIntroducing Roland KirkIntroducing Roland Kirk is the second album by jazz multi-instrumentalist Roland Kirk. It was originally released on the Argo label in 1960. It features performances by Kirk with Ira Sullivan, William Burton, Donald Garrett and Sonny Brown... - Left Hook, Right Cross combines Volunteered SlaveryVolunteered SlaveryVolunteered Slavery is an album by jazz multi-instrumentalist Roland Kirk featuring his 1968 Newport Jazz Festival appearance and studio performances recorded in July 1969...
and BlacknussBlacknussBlacknuss is a 1971 album by Rahsaan Roland Kirk.-Track listing:#"Ain't No Sunshine" – 2:26#"What's Goin' On/Mercy Mercy Me " – 3:47... - Aces Back to Back combines Left & RightLeft & Right (album)Left & Right is an album by jazz multi-instrumentalist Roland Kirk. It was originally released on the Atlantic label in 1968 and features performances by Kirk with Jim Buffington, Julius Watkins, Frank Wess, Ron Burton, Vernon Martin and Roy Haynes with Warren Smith, Richard Williams, Dick...
, Rahsaan RahsaanRahsaan RahsaanRahsaan Rahsaan is a live album by jazz multi-instrumentalist Rahsaan Roland Kirk featuring performances recorded at the Village Vanguard in May 1970...
, Prepare Thyself to Deal With a MiraclePrepare Thyself to Deal With a MiraclePrepare Thyself to Deal With a Miracle is an album by jazz multi-instrumentalist Rahsaan Roland Kirk featuring performances by Kirk with Charles McGhee, Dick Griffin, Harry Smiles, Sanford Allen, Julien Barber, Selwart Clarke, Gayle Dixon, Al Brown, Kermit Moore, Ron Burton, Henry Mattathias...
, and Other Folks' MusicOther Folks' MusicOther Folks' Music is an album by jazz multi-instrumentalist Rahsaan Roland Kirk featuring performances by Kirk withRichard Williams, Kermit Moore, Gloria Agostini, Trudy Pitts, Hilton Ruiz, Henry Mattathias Pearson, Roy Haynes, Sonny Brown, Arthur Jenkins and Joe Habad Texidor recorded in March... - A Standing Eight combines The Return of the 5000 Lb. ManThe Return of the 5000 Lb. ManThe Return of the 5000 Lb. Man is an album by jazz multi-instrumentalist Rahsaan Roland Kirk featuring performances by Kirk with Howard Johnson, Romeo Penque, Hilton Ruiz, Buster Williams, Charlie Persip, Joe Habao Texidor, Betty Neals, Maeretha Stewart, Hank Jones, Milt Hinton, Fred Moore, Wilton...
, KirkatronKirkatronKirkatron is an album by jazz multi-instrumentalist Rahsaan Roland Kirk featuring performances by Kirk recorded at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1975 and studio sessions from 1975 and 1976....
and Boogie-Woogie String Along for RealBoogie-Woogie String Along for RealBoogie-Woogie String Along for Real is the final album recorded by jazz multi-instrumentalist Rahsaan Roland Kirk featuring performances by Kirk with string section and orchestra. It was recorded in 1977 following a stroke which left him partially paralysed.The Allmusic review by Thom Jurek states... - Only The Best Of Rahsaan Roland Kirk Volume 1 combines BlacknussBlacknussBlacknuss is a 1971 album by Rahsaan Roland Kirk.-Track listing:#"Ain't No Sunshine" – 2:26#"What's Goin' On/Mercy Mercy Me " – 3:47...
, The Case of the 3 Sided Dream in Audio ColorThe Case of the 3 Sided Dream in Audio ColorThe Case of the 3 Sided Dream in Audio Color is an album by jazz multi-instrumentalist Rahsaan Roland Kirk originally released as a double LP, with side 4 appearing blank - although side 4 did have a hidden track, the contents of which are released as track #20 on the CD rerelease...
, The Inflated Tear/Natural Black Inventions: Roots Strata, KirkatronKirkatronKirkatron is an album by jazz multi-instrumentalist Rahsaan Roland Kirk featuring performances by Kirk recorded at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1975 and studio sessions from 1975 and 1976....
, Boogie-Woogie String Along for RealBoogie-Woogie String Along for RealBoogie-Woogie String Along for Real is the final album recorded by jazz multi-instrumentalist Rahsaan Roland Kirk featuring performances by Kirk with string section and orchestra. It was recorded in 1977 following a stroke which left him partially paralysed.The Allmusic review by Thom Jurek states...
, and Other Folks' MusicOther Folks' MusicOther Folks' Music is an album by jazz multi-instrumentalist Rahsaan Roland Kirk featuring performances by Kirk withRichard Williams, Kermit Moore, Gloria Agostini, Trudy Pitts, Hilton Ruiz, Henry Mattathias Pearson, Roy Haynes, Sonny Brown, Arthur Jenkins and Joe Habad Texidor recorded in March...
(7CD)
As sideman
With Charles MingusCharles Mingus
Charles Mingus Jr. was an American jazz musician, composer, bandleader, and civil rights activist.Mingus's compositions retained the hot and soulful feel of hard bop and drew heavily from black gospel music while sometimes drawing on elements of Third stream, free jazz, and classical music...
- Oh YeahOh Yeah (album)Oh Yeah is a 1962 album by jazz musician Charles Mingus. It was recorded in 1961, and features the leader singing on three of the cuts and playing piano throughout.-Track listing:...
(1962) - Tonight at NoonTonight at Noon (album)Tonight at Noon is an album by jazz bassist and composer Charles Mingus compiling tracks recorded at two sessions, one in 1957 from the sessions that produced The Clown and the other in 1961 which produced the album Oh Yeah, that was released on the Atlantic label in 1965...
(1965) - Mingus at Carnegie HallMingus at Carnegie Hall-Track listing:# "C Jam Blues" - 24:32# "Perdido" - 21:53*Recorded on January 19, 1974 at Carnegie Hall, New York City-Personnel:*Charles Mingus - bass*Jon Faddis - trumpet*Charles McPherson - alto saxophone...
(1974)
With Roy Haynes
Roy Haynes
Roy Owen Haynes is an American jazz drummer and bandleader. Haynes is among the most recorded drummers in jazz, and in a career lasting more than 60 years has played in a wide range of styles ranging from swing and bebop to jazz fusion and avant-garde jazz...
- Out of the AfternoonOut of the AfternoonOut of the Afternoon is an album by jazz drummer Roy Haynes, released in 1962 on Impulse! Records.- Tracklisting :# "Moon Ray" - 6:41# "Fly Me to the Moon " - 6:40# "Raoul" - 6:01# "Snap Crackle" - 4:11...
(1962)
With Tubby Hayes
Tubby Hayes
Edward Brian "Tubby" Hayes was an English jazz multi-instrumentalist, best known for his tenor saxophone playing in groups with fellow sax player Ronnie Scott and with trumpeter Jimmy Deuchar. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest British jazz instrumentalists.- Early life :Hayes was born...
- Tubby's Back in Town (1962)
With Quincy Jones
Quincy Jones
Quincy Delightt Jones, Jr. is an American record producer and musician. A conductor, musical arranger, film composer, television producer, and trumpeter. His career spans five decades in the entertainment industry and a record 79 Grammy Award nominations, 27 Grammys, including a Grammy Legend...
- Big Band Bossa NovaBig Band Bossa NovaBig Band Bossa Nova is a 1962 Bossa Nova album by American impresario, jazz composer, trumpeter, arranger and record producer Quincy Jones. and his big band. It features the popular "Soul Bossa Nova" that was used as theme music in the Austin Powers films...
(1962) - Explores Music of Henry Mancini (1964)
- Walking in SpaceWalking in SpaceWalking in Space is a 1969 studio album by Quincy Jones.. The album was recorded for A&M, and features an iconic photo of Quincy designed by Pete Turner who made some of the most famous A&M album covers. The album features Valerie Simpson on vocals of 'Walking In Space', and a recording based on a...
(1969)
With Tommy Peltier
- The Jazz Corps Under the Direction of Tommy Peltier
With Jaki Byard
Jaki Byard
Jaki Byard was an American jazz pianist and composer who also played trumpet and saxophone, among several other instruments. He was noteworthy for his eclectic style, incorporating everything from ragtime and stride to free jazz...
- The Jaki Byard ExperienceThe Jaki Byard ExperienceThe Jaki Byard Experience is an album by jazz pianist Jaki Byard, originally released on the Prestige label in 1968, featuring performances by Byard with Roland Kirk, Richard Davis and Alan Dawson...
(1968)
With Les McCann
Les McCann
Les McCann is an American soul jazz piano player and vocalist whose biggest successes came as a crossover artist into R&B and soul.-Biography:...
- Les McCann Live at Montreux (1972)
External links
- the Rahsaan Roland Kirk website
- Stopping the white wash - Rahsaan Roland Kirk on TV
- Roland Kirk Discography (Jazz Discography Project)
- Sound?? film of Kirk with John CageJohn CageJohn Milton Cage Jr. was an American composer, music theorist, writer, philosopher and artist. A pioneer of indeterminacy in music, electroacoustic music, and non-standard use of musical instruments, Cage was one of the leading figures of the post-war avant-garde...
at UbuWebUbuWebUbuWeb is a large web-based educational resource for avant-garde material available on the internet, founded in 1996 by poet Kenneth Goldsmith. It offers visual, concrete and sound poetry, expanding to include film and sound art mp3 archives.-Philosophy:... - Video: Rahsaan Roland Kirk (1975)
- Video: Rahsaan Roland Kirk and The Vibration Society (1972)