Rahsaan Roland KIRK - Live Warsaw 1967

Rahsaan Roland KIRK - Live Warsaw 1967
Warsaw, October 14, 1967 (FM)

Jazz

Rahsaan Roland Kirk- Flute, Tenor Sax, Stritch, Manzello, Clarinet, Vocals
Ron Burton- Piano
Steve Novosel- Bass
Jimmy Hopps- Drums
**
01. Creole Love Call 9:04
02. The Inflated Tear 6:08
03. Three for the Festival 6:04
04. Blues for C&T 4:22
05. My Ship 5:52
06. Lovellevelliloqui 6:53
07. Unknown Title 0:57
08. Cousin Mary (a) 2:01
09. Cousin Mary (b) 7:40
10. Things Ain't What They Used To Be 3:21
11. Fly By Night 7:44
12. You Did It, You Did It-Ow! 9:26
**

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Rahsaan Roland KIRK - Compliments Of The Mysterious Phantom 1974

Rahsaan Roland KIRK - Compliments Of The Mysterious Phantom 1974
2003 Issue. 9311
Recorded at The Back Door Club, San Diego on November 5, 1974

Jazz

It’s tough after listening to and reviewing a dozen or so great live performances by one artist to pinpoint exactly what makes this one of that one as good as others. It’s more like it’s one point along a continuum of great music and if it’s not immediately distinguishable from all the others, it’s at least at or above a certain level of quality at all times. Song selection is there to scan and certainly doesn’t tell you anything about the playing anyway – which in the pre-stroke Roland Kirk is always amazing. Humor is high here (both musical and in the spoken interludes), hard-blown saxes are at a high too. Multi-horn playing is minimal and it’s light on manzello and stritch, though nose flute has a full feature. Excellent, yet again. I expect nothing less. And if you have some doubts that he’s serious, you should require no more proof than the first two tracks to understand – he’s major. For real.
**
Rahsaan Roland Kirk: Multi-Instrumentalist, Raconteur, Jazz Preacher, Sightless Seeker, American Music Legend. Words only scratch the surface in describing the legendary Rahsaan Roland Kirk, but this recently unearthed concert recording from 1974 paints the entire picture. Compliments of the Mysterious Phantom is the most complete "live" document of Rahsaan since the classic double LP set, Bright Moments. As a jazz artist, Rahsaan had few peers who could so masterfully deliver on as many musical fronts. Beginning with raging power of "Passion Dance," Kirk's tenor evokes the spirit of a steel locomotive roaring down the tracks, huge and unstoppable. With a wink and a smile, however, Rahsaan turns on a dime, dropping the listener into a classic '70s funk groove, stomping and stammering through the "heavy" flute melodies of "Fly Town Nose Blues" and "Bright Moments." Between songs, Kirk entertains with his now legendary discourses, spinning bits of comedy, philosophy and jazz lure that kept his audience hanging on every word. Finally, in describing Rahsaan's closing numbers "Blacknuss" and "Freaks For The Festival," it would be best to draw on the images that the phrase "old time religion" evokes. But nouns, adjectives, metaphors or mere words for that matter, won't do it justice. Hearing Rahsaan Roland Kirk is believing.
**
For those who believed Bright Moments was "it" when it came to Rahsaan Roland Kirk live recordings  meaning that Joel Dorn's various live Kirk packages have been substandard in comparison, though not without considerable interest  Christmas came early in 2003. Compliments of the Mysterious Phantom (the "phantom" believed to be producer Victor Sheldrake and his henchmen, Kirk biographer John Kruth and Kevin Calabro) is an performance of the Roland Kirk band on the final night of a western tour, recorded in November of 1974 in San Diego. First: sound quality. Excellent. Next question: editing. Very little. Already interested, eh? Even though this has been released on Dorn's Hyena Records label, which has put out some dodgy stuff in the past  including the infamously substandard Man Who Cried Fire  fans can be assured this is uncharacteristic. It was recorded just a couple of weeks after the sets that became Bright Moments. The band is Kirk, Hilton Ruiz on piano, Henry Pearson on bass, drummer John Goldsmith and a percussionist dubbed "Samson Verge."

The set starts out with a smoking, completely in your face, blowing version of McCoy Tyner's "Passion Dance." It's all fire as Kirk takes the stage and goes head to head with Ruiz. But just as quickly, the band drifts with very little pause into an absolutely heartbreaking rendition of "My One and Only Love," until Kirk begins his unaccompanied circular breathing solo that nonetheless stays in the same harmonic range as the main body of the tune -- and the solo is one of his best on record. Thankfully, none of Kirk's speech is edited out of this gig, and when he speaks for the first time, and talks of bringing "bright moments and we bring you 'miraclized music'," the great tenderness and brilliance of the man and artist is borne out. Jumping directly into "Fly Town Nose Blues," on which he jams on the nose flute, Kirk moves through the history of the evolution of blues with a funky Latin backbeat. From there the recording moves into "Volunteered Slavery" and another monologue, and then to a pair of excerpts from "Old Rugged Cross" and "Bright Moments," before the most amazing rendition of blacknuss ever released to the public. The musical part of the set closes with "Freaks for the Festival," with unbelievable left-hand work by Ruiz. This is groove jazz from outer space, and should have been playing in the barroom seen in the very first Star Wars movie. Kirk sends it out, talking about how he is not afraid of death and is ready to die  "Bring it on," bring it on"  the last sound heard is his laughter and then silence. Silence until you let your breath out because you now notice you've been holding it in suspense and awe for a very long time.
By Thom Jurek. AMG.
**
Rahsaan Roland Kirk- (Flute, Conch Shell, Stritch, Manzello, Tenor Sax, Siren);
Hilton Ruiz- (Piano);
John Goldsmith- (Drums).
**
01. Passion Dance (Tyner) 4:41
02. My One and Only Love (Mellin, Wood) 9:43
03. Rahspeak, No. 1 (Kirk) 1:58
04. Fly Town Nose Blues (Kirk) 5:49
05. Volunteered Slavery (Kirk) 7:16
06. Rahspeak, No. 2 (Kirk) 1:30
07. Bright Moments (Kirk) 7:45
08. Old Rugged Cross (Traditional) 3:54
09. Blacknuss (Kirk) 4:51
10. Freaks for the Festival (Kirk) 3:56
11. Rahspeak, No. 3 (Kirk) 0:18
**


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Rahsaan Roland KIRK - Triple Threat (Third Dimension) 1956

Rahsaan Roland KIRK - Triple Threat (Third Dimension) 1956
King LP 539
1990 Bethlehem Issue

Jazz

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 after it was rereleased a few years prior to Kirk's death. It features performances by Kirk with James Madison, Carl Pruitt and Henry Duncan. The album features the first recorded examples of Kirk's trademark playing of multiple wind instruments at the same time as well as two tracks ("Stormy Weather" and "The Nearness of You") where he overdubbed manzello and tenor saxophone. Kirk would later state that the album "was about the third overdub record in black classical music".
**
November 9, 1956 and Introducing Roland Kirk, recorded for Argo in Chicago on June 7, 1960. The earlier session, which took place when Kirk was a virtually unknown 20-year-old, contains examples of the "three horns in one mouth" phenomenon (hence the phrase "Triple Threat") and relatively uncommon instances of Kirk being overdubbed (particularly effective during Kirk's heartfelt rendering of "Stormy Weather"). On his debut album Kirk played tenor saxophone, manzello (a straight soprano with an angled bell), and stritch (a straightened out alto); he was accompanied by pianist Jimmy Madison, bassist Carl Pruitt, and drummer Henry "Hank" Duncan (Third Dimension, incidentally, was the title of an original King reissue of the Triple Threat album).
**
November 9, 1956 and Introducing Roland Kirk, recorded for Argo in Chicago on June 7, 1960. The earlier session, which took place when Kirk was a virtually unknown 20-year-old, contains examples of the "three horns in one mouth" phenomenon (hence the phrase "Triple Threat") and relatively uncommon instances of Kirk being overdubbed (particularly effective during Kirk's heartfelt rendering of "Stormy Weather"). On his debut album Kirk played tenor saxophone, manzello (a straight soprano with an angled bell), and stritch (a straightened out alto); he was accompanied by pianist Jimmy Madison, bassist Carl Pruitt, and drummer Henry "Hank" Duncan (Third Dimension, incidentally, was the title of an original King reissue of the Triple Threat album).
**
Roland Kirk- Tenor Sax, Manzello, Flute, Stritch
James Madison- Piano
Carl Pruitt- Bass
Henry Duncan- Drums
**
01. Roland's Theme 2:51
02. Slow Groove 6:52
03. Stormy Weather (Harold Arlen, Ted Koehler) 4:38
04. The Nearness of You (Hoagy Carmichael, Ned Washington) 5:34
05. A La Carte 2:22
06. Easy Living (Ralph Rainger, Leo Robin) 4:40
07. Triple Threat 2:29
**

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Rahsaan Roland KIRK - I Eye Aye Live at Montreux 1972

Rahsaan Roland KIRK - I Eye Aye Live at Montreux 1972
1996 Issue. R2 72453

Jazz

Recorded during his legendary appearance at the 1972 Montreux Jazz Festival, I EYE AYE is one of Rahsaan Roland Kirk's finest releases. The multi-instrumentalist is backed by a sympathetic quartet of longtime associates: pianist Ron Burton, bassist Henry Pearson, drummer Robert Shy, and invaluable percussionist Joe Habao Texidor, who powers this set's centerpiece, a 10-minute take on Kirk's classic "Volunteered Slavery," like a man possessed. Spurred on by Texidor's fervor, Kirk turns in some of his most impassioned playing, blowing fiery solos on one to three instruments at a time and essaying one of his best "duets for one," interweaving Ellington's standard "Satin Doll" with an improvisation of his own in an intoxicating blend. A lengthy, impassioned reading of the hymn "Balm in Gilead" is the set's emotional high point, and a relaxed, swinging take on Kirk's 1964 composition "Serenade to a Cuckoo" is an absolute joy.
**
This live recording is a companion to a documentary called The One Man Twins. Released for the first time in 1996, both audio and video gives both fans and the uninitiated a glimpse of the century's most colorful performers and most complex jazz musicians. Kirk's band for the date was comprised of pianist Ron Burton, bassist Henry Pete Pearson, drummer Robert Shy, and percussionist Joe Texidor. Only Burton and Texidor were Kirk regulars. The set is absolutely electrifying. From the few short raps Kirk offers the crowd, one cannot be prepared for the honking, shouting, funky, gritty sets that follow. Kirk begins with Seasons, a careening rush of flute acrobatics, and on into a deeply moving rendition of Balm in Gilead, where Kirk evokes the spirit of Paul Robeson, and then into arguably the greatest version of Volunteered Slavery on record, a slamming R&B stomp of literally epic proportions, where Kirk uses each of his horns and starts blowing different notes on each simultaneously. There is a gorgeous solo medley where Kirk combines Ellington's Satin Doll and an improvisation on its two themes and comes up with something completely new, yet reverentially sound. The set ends with Serenade to a Cuckoo, which moves across scalar dimensions and tonal registers with a deep, funky grace, and finally, Pedal Up, a standard Kirk crowd-pleaser that brings all of his elements — the spectral, the spiritual, and the carnal — into full play. The band, with new players, can barely keep up with Kirk, but Burton keeps them right in line with the master's shifts in mood, mode, and tempo while keeping the entire gig harmonically on course no matter which instrument Kirk chooses to play. This is a hell of an introduction to one of the least-understood figures in jazz history, and an absolute necessity for fans.
By Thom Jurek. AMG.
**
Rahsaan Roland Kirk- Ttenor Sax, Manzello, Stritch, Clarinet, Flute, Nose Flute, Siren);
Ron Burton- (Piano);
Henry Pete- Pearson (Bass);
Robert Shy- (Drums);
Joe Habao Texidor- (Percussion).
**
01.Rahsaantalk 1  (0:38)    
02.Seasons   (10:37)
03.Rahsaantalk 2  (1:12)    
04.Balm in Gilead  (7:15)    
05.Volunteered Slavery  (5:44) 
06.Rahsaantalk 3  (0:24)    
07.Blue Rol No. 2  (9:04)
08.Solo Piece Satin Doll  Improvisation  (4:19)    
09.Serenade to a Cuckoo  (3:28)     
10.Pedal Up  (6:11)
**

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Rahsaan Roland KIRK - Volunteered Slavery 1969

Rahsaan Roland KIRK - Volunteered Slavery 1969
SD 1534

Jazz

Half studio set, half live at Newport and it's a gas throughout. Studio stuff is split between Kirkified pop covers - "My Cherie Amour," "I Say A Little Prayer," both played for laffs sometimes - and a few originals that bring a soulful, gospelly feel to the proceedings, especially on the title cut. The Newport set opens and closes with songs that feature wild flute statements and pays homage to Coltrane at all times, not just on the medley called "A Tribute to John Coltrane." Basically it's a total charmer - great and accessible fun for newbies just cutting their teeth on Kirk's catalog, but seriously good-and-heavy stuff going down for the aficionados to dig into over time. One of his most playable records.
**
The opening funky intro of the title track leads you into a false sense of security about what kind of album you are about to hear, when the vocals come in they kind of sound a bit like Love Supreme which makes you think again about what you are listening to and then when the sax comes in you know this is going to kick all kinds of ass. This is one of the most exciting opening tracks I can think of (though fair enough I'm listening to it right now which makes it difficult to think of to many other things). I love the way the bass is recorded slightly too loud so that it occasionally begins to fight with the rest of the music a bit and the way the vocals in the background sound all chaotic. In short this sounds RAW which is a really good way to describe the album.
The second track "Spirits Up Above" is the first tune to dabble with a gospel choir and doesn't really reach the full potential of what Kirk is trying to do here for that you need to listen to "Search For The Reason Why".
The two soul covers "My Cherie Amour" and "I Say A Little Prayer" are amazing and rip up excellent tunes turning them into wild psychedelic-jazz freak outs.
The live tracks (which mad up side B of the original vinyl pressing dividing the album really nicely) are absolutely amazing. They demonstrate Roland Kirk's versatility, showmanship and musicianship fantastically. The way he plays multiple instruments at the same time or switches from one instrument to the other seemingly without stopping for breath and the way he sings and plays flute at the same time are unbelievable. He absolutely deserves the standing ovation at the end of the John Coltrane tribute which totally showcases his ability to play light and mellow as well as hard and free.
A Blinder!
**
Rahsaan Roland Kirk- Tenor Sax, Flute, Nose Flute, Manzello, Stritch, Gong, Whistle & Vocals
Charles McGee- Trumpet
Dick Griffin- Trombone
Ron Burton- Piano
Vernon Martin- Bass
Sonny Brown, Jimmy Hopps or Charles Crosby- Drums
**
A1. Volunteered Slavery 5:46
A2. Spirits Up Above 3:39
A3. My Cherie Amour 3:21
A4. Search for the Reason Why 2:09
A5. I Say a Little Prayer 8:02
B1. Roland's Opening Remarks 0:40
B2. One Ton 5:01
B3. Ovation and Roland's Remarks 1:47
B4. A Tribute to John Coltrane 8:09
a) Lush Life
b) Afro-Blue
c) Bessie's Blues
B5. Three for the Festival 4:28
**
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Rahsaan Roland KIRK - Reeds and Deeds 1963

Rahsaan Roland KIRK - Reeds and Deeds 1963
SR 60800
Jazz

Unavailability has made a hunted obscurity of this early RRK gem. Far's I can tell, the only way of getting hold of its precious offering is off the ridiculously expensive Mercury box set, where it takes up a bit of discs 3 and 4.

You can still feel Mingus' influence lurking, but the multi-horn blowing sightless bandleader is somewhat freer than before of the Mingoid training wheels on these eight moderate-length tracks (all originals, I believe---a major part of the Kirk treat). This is the third in a run of tremendous studio albums announcing Kirk's arrival in compositional supremacy, starting with We Free Kings , moving on to the even better Domino , and then Reeds & Deeds, which although I've just heard, strikes me as perhaps the best of the three, and worthy competition for the later, better known masterpoids, Rip, Rig and Panic and The Inflated Tear.

Somewhat more conventional than he would get a few years later starting with Rip, but none the worse for audiowear. I mean when I say conventional, I'm not talking Benny Goodman here. Or even Dexter Gordon. The odd, dramatic, slightly clownish effects and unexpected time shifts and noisemaking gags still appear every now and then, but always seem to me like diversions, because Kirk would be more than slightly "different" even without the little Spike Jonesisms.

There's the usual combination of slow ballads and peppy ballburners Kirk seems to like to jumble together. And, as always, he plays everything he can find. Tenor sax, manzello, stritch, flute and siren are the weapons of choice. Among the single-instrument mortals behind him, Richard Davis (bass), Harold Mabern (piano) and drummer Walter Perkins, a frequent Kirkian, are along for the ride, among others.
**
Roland Kirk- Tenor Sax, Manzello, Stritch, Flute, Siren
Virgil Jones- Trumpet
Charles Greenlee- Trombone (tracks B3-B4)
Harold Mabern- Piano
Abdullah Rafik- Bass (tracks B3-B4)
Walter Perkins- Drums
Tom McIntosh- Trombone (tracks A3-A4)
Richard Davis- Bass (tracks A3-A4)
Benny Golson- Arranger (tracks A3-A4)
**
A1 Reeds & Deeds 5:16
A2 Hay Ro 2:59
A3 This Is Always 4:17
A4 Song of the Countrymen 6:54
B1 Limbo Boat 2:52
B2 Lonesome August Child 4:33
B3 Land of Peace 5:49
B4 Waltz of the Friends 4:37
**
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Rahsaan Roland KIRK - Prepare Thyself to Deal With a Miracle 1973

Rahsaan Roland KIRK - Prepare Thyself to Deal With a Miracle 1973
SD-1640
Recorded at Regent Sound Studios, New York on January 22, 1973

Jazz

Roland was a true inivator. With all the cheesy stuff aside, he was a serious black muscians supporter. Which makes me wonder why I never hear him mention on black history month. I am not black and won't pretend to know all thier is know about black culture, but I will say Roland did more for black history, than 2pac ever did. Roland play a 21 minute saxaphone solo without breathing. This man had heart. It's a shame he wasnt' bigger we would be a different musical world. He was brilliant, I have much respect for him and mainly his music. I wish more people supported him so his cd's wouldnt' constanly be in and out of print. If you like music, purchase this without hesitation, you must be prepared to feel Rhasshan!!
By Shawn Carter.
**
Recorded in 1973, this is yet another criminally underappreciated Rahsaan Roland Kirk recording from the last phase of a remarkable career. This is perhaps Kirk's most experimental recording in that it involves his most involved performing on multiple horns and flutes — including his infamous and wonderful nose flute — and working with drones on a more surface level. Given Kirk's system of playing three horns at once, the drone horn was always a part of his sonic architecture. The difference here is that the melodic and improvisational lines take a back seat on tunes such as the opening "Salvation and Reminiscing," where he makes fantastic use of a baby E-flat saxophone, and on "Celestial Bliss," on which he is accompanied on his "black mystery pipes" only by percussion. On the medley "Seasons: One Mind Winter/Summer/Ninth Ghost," Kirk begins with the nose flutes, playing a part of "Balm in Gilead," before bringing in a six-piece string orchestra to play behind him as he improvises on all the melodies and modes. And this improvisation is not just a series of out arpeggios playing legato and running through and over the changes, but intricately nuanced, gentle, and architecturally sophisticated wanderings. Despite the beauty of the album's first three tracks, it is on the closer, the 21-and-a-half-minute "Saxophone Concerto," where Kirk most leaves his mark as a composer and innovator on the jazz world. Kirk comes out blowing literally like a train and weaves in, with vocalists Jeanne Lee and Dee Dee Bridgewater, a series of muted horn lines and rhythm figures. The band is 16 pieces total, and the concerto is structured in movements from an intro in which the purpose is stated: "time for America to discover some of its true Black miracles," wherein bebop and hard bop shimmy up against free modes and articulations by the rhythm section and the other horns. Kirk may solo on top with his tenor, but he holds close to the rhythm section's articulation of mutated blues. From here, Latin and faux classical chromatics are shaded into the whole as the pace becomes more and more frenetic, and just as the piece becomes perhaps circus-like, Kirk and company strip it all back and out, into a free universe washed by improvising vocalists, crashing cymbals, droning brass, and rumbling tom-toms before it's all a hush of unidentifiable sounds except for those of breaking glass. There are numerous metaphors and metonyms here, but they will not come to the listener until later, when she or he regains the conscious notion of breathing.
By Thom Jurek. AMG.
**
Tenor Saxophone, Baby E-flat Sax, Flute, Nose Flute, Clarinet, Pipes
Bass- Henry Pearson
Cello- Kermit Moore
Drums- Robert Shy
English Horn, Oboe- Harry Smiles
Percussion- Ralph MacDonald , Sonny Brown
Piano- Ron Burton
Trombone- Dick Griffin
Trumpet- Charles McGhee
Viola- Al Brown*
Violin- Gayle Dixon , Julien Barber , Sanford Allen , Selwart Clarke
**
A1. Salvation And Reminiscing 5:14
       Backing Vocals - Dee Dee Bridgewater , Jeanne Lee
       Clarinet - Rahsaan Roland Kirk
       Conductor - Dick Griffin
A2. Seasons 10:32
       Flute [Nose], Flute - Rahsaan Roland Kirk
A2a    One Mind Winter/Summer 
A2b    Ninth Ghost 
A3. Celestial Bliss 5:47
       Backing Vocals - Dee Dee Bridgewater , Jeanne Lee
       Performer [Black Mystery Pipes], Saxophone [Baby E Flat] - Rahsaan Roland Kirk
B1. Saxophone Concerto 21:31
       Backing Vocals - Jeanne Lee
       Saxophone [Tenor] - Rahsaan Roland Kirk
B1a    Saxophone Miracle 
B1b    One Breath Beyond 
B1c    Dance Of Revolution 
**
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Rahsaan Roland KIRK - Newport Jazz Festival (FM) 1962

Rahsaan Roland KIRK - Newport Jazz Festival (FM) 1962 
NEWPORT FREEBODY PARK, RI
JULY 8, 1962
Bootleg
All The Credits Go To *dinostunz*

Jazz

Roland Kirk - reeds
Andrew Hill - piano
Vernon Martin - bass
Clifford Jarvis - drums
**
01. Three For the Festival
02. Nice and Easy
03. Domino
04. Fat Man Please Get Thin
05. The Confusions of a Madman
06. 3-in-1 Without the Oil
07. Untitled Blues
**
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Rahsaan Roland KIRK & Al HIBBLER - A Meeting Of The Times 1972

Rahsaan Roland KIRK & Al HIBBLER - A Meeting Of The Times 1972
SD-1630
Recorded on March 30 - 31, 1972

Jazz

Despite his well-deserved reputation as an iconoclast and a musical revolutionary, the legendary reedsman Rahsaan Roland Kirk always exhibited a deeply felt respect for the history of jazz and its antecedents, whether by covering standards and spirituals or through projects such as this brilliantly realized collaboration with '40s vocalist Al Hibbler. Though overshadowed during his brief tenure with the Duke Ellington Orchestra, Hibbler had a unique and unforgettable voice that pairs beautifully with Kirk's typically wide-ranging work on a variety of instruments, sometimes playing several reeds at once. The set's clear highlight is perhaps the definitive rendition of Ellington's classic "Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me," but all nine tracks--including a slightly misplaced 1966 cut, "Dream," with vocalist Leon Thomas--are superlative. The first CD issue of this album also included the entirety of Ornette Coleman's ORNETTE, which features none of the same players.
**
On first glance this LP combines together a pair of unlikely musical partners; the unique multi-instrumentalist Rahsaan Roland Kirk and Duke Ellington's former ballad singer Al Hibbler. However Rahsaan was very well acquainted with Ellington's music and he plays respectfully behind Hibbler on many of the standards, taking the wild "Carney and Bigard Place" as an instrumental. Hibbler (who did not record much this late in his career) is in good voice and phrases as eccentrically as ever on such songs as "Do Nothin' Till You Hear from Me," "Don't Get Around Much Anymore" and "I Didn't Know About You." One leftover selection from Rahsaan's session with singer Leon Thomas ("Dream") rounds out this surprising set.
By Scott Yanow. AMG.
**
This is yet another of those beautiful albums in which jazz greats reach across the stylistic and generational divides and work beautifully with each other!
Ellington's legacy is, of course, a great starting point to glue together any two musical generations, but this album goes beyond that; showcasing eccentric and sadly underappreciated vocalist Hibbler in more then reverent company of the even more excentric multi-instrumentalist Kirk, with the added bonus of an extremely versatile and competent rhythm section consisting of Hank Jones (p), Ron Carter (b) and Oliver Jackson (dm).
Yes, this is definitely not a full-time Rahsaan Roland Kirk album (I must warn Kirk fans!), it is a gentle meeting of the times in which both parties contribute the best and the most sensitive extrovert and subtle jazz they can share with each other.
Mind you, only first 5 songs feature Hibbler, but his unique phrasing is really impresive, particularly on "Don't get around much anymore" and, my favorite number, "Lover come back to me", whereas Kirk uses his incredible tallent with taste, not showing off his ability to play more than one instrument at the same time. When he does his staff, he actually sounds like two (or even more) musicians working together very well.
Leon Thomas'vocal at the last song ("Dream") are not unpleasant but are no match to Hibbler's, nor do they work well with the original concept of the album.
However, all in all, this is great and imaginative music so some conceptual glitches shouldn't diminish the listening pleasure.
By Nikica Gilic.
**
Ron Carter- Bass
Charles Crosby- Drums
Major Holley- Bass
Al Hibbler- Vocals
Leon Thomas- Vocals
Oliver Jackson- Drums
Hank Jones- Piano
Lonnie Liston Smith- Piano
Rahsaan Roland Kirk- Clarinet, Flute, Saxophone
**
A1. Do Nothin` Till You Hear From Me   4:38
A2. Daybreak   3:12
A3. Lover Come Back to Me   3:48
A4. Don`t Get Around Much Anymore   2:53
A5. This Love of Mine   4:55
B1. Carney and Begard Place   5:34
B2. I Didn`t Know About You   4:01
B3. Something `Bout Believing   6:05
B4. Dream   2:30
**
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Rahsaan Roland KIRK - Gifts and Messages 1964

Rahsaan Roland KIRK - Gifts and Messages 1964
SR60939
Recorded at Los Angeles, CA, on July 22, 1964

Jazz

Kirk's technique of humming while playing the flute was adopted later by many other players, including Jeremy Steig, and Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull;(who covered the Kirk tune "Serenade to a Cuckoo" on Jethro Tull's first album This Was in 1968).
In 1978 the number one UK single "Hit me with your rhythm stick" by Ian Dury and the Blockheads featured saxophonist Davey Payne playing a solo with two saxes simultaneously, in the manner of Kirk.
**
Roland Kirk- (Tenor Sax, Manzello, Stritch, Flute, Siren)
Horace Parlan- (Piano)
Michael Fleming- (Bass)
Steve Ellington- (Drums)
**
A1. The Things I Love 3:15
A2. Petite Fleur 3:06
A3. Hip Chops 3:32
A4. Gifts And Messages 4:08
A5. Vertigo Ro 4:02
B1. March On, Swan Lake 4:07
B2. My Heart At Thy Sweet Voice 3:22
B3. Tears Sent By You 6:00
B4. Where Does The Blame Lie? 2:50
B5. Blues For C & T 3:05
**
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Rahsaan Roland KIRK - Blacknuss 1971

Rahsaan Roland KIRK - Blacknuss  1971

Jazz

Like his 1968 album VOLUNTEERED SLAVERY, most of BLACKNUSS consists of Rahsaan Roland Kirk's idiosyncratic interpretations of pop songs, including a soulful ...    Full Description"Ain't So Sunshine" featuring Kirk simultaneously singing and playing the flute; bluesy versions of the Motown classics "What's Goin' On/Mercy Mercy Me," "Never Can Say Goodbye" and "My Girl"; and even a relaxed take on Bread's soft-pop hit "Make It With You." Though jazz interpretations of pop songs are often slight and shallowly commercial, Kirk's obvious fondness for the songs themselves ignites his typically emotional reedwork, passionate even when he's playing several instruments simultaneously. The pop songs are given an added gravity by the album's two stand-out tracks, a glorious take on the gospel standard "Old Rugged Cross" preceded by Kirk's fervent sermonizing, and the anthemic title track, a drawling blues jam punctuated by the vocals of Kirk and Cissy Houston and some sterling piano by Sonelius Smith.
With a deep soul groove, Kirk shines on funky renditions of Marvin Gaye's 'What's Going On/Mercy Mercy Me', the traditional 'Old Rugged Cross' and Bill Withers' 'Ain't No Sunshine'.
**
From its opening bars, with Bill Salter's bass and Rahsaan's flute passionately playing Bill Withers' "Ain't No Sunshine," you know this isn't an ordinary Kirk album (were any of them?). As the string section, electric piano, percussion, and Cornel Dupree's guitar slip in the back door, one can feel the deep soul groove Kirk is bringing to the jazz fore here. As the tune fades just two and a half minutes later, the scream of Kirk's tenor comes wailing through the intro of Marvin Gaye's "What's Goin' On," with a funk backdrop and no wink in the corner — he's serious. With Richard Tee's drums kicking it, the strings developing into a wall of tension in the backing mix, and Charles McGhee's trumpet hurling the long line back at Kirk, all bets are off — especially when they medley the mother into "Mercy Mercy Me." By the time they reach the end of the Isleys' "I Love You, Yes I Do," with the whistles, gongs, shouting, soul crooning, deep groove hustling, and greasy funk dripping from every sweet-assed note, the record could be over because the world has already turned over and surrendered — and the album is only ten minutes old! Blacknuss, like The Inflated Tear, Volunteered Slavery, Rip, Rig and Panic, and I Talk to the Spirits, is Kirk at his most visionary. He took the pop out of pop and made it Great Black Music. He took the jazz world down a peg to make it feel its roots in the people's music, and consequently made great jazz from pop tunes in the same way his forbears did with Broadway show tunes. While the entire album shines like a big black sun, the other standouts include a deeply moving read of "My Girl" and a version of "The Old Rugged Cross" that takes it back forever from those white fundamentalists who took all the blood and sweat from its grain and replaced them with cheap tin and collection plates. On Kirk's version, grace doesn't come cheap, though you can certainly be a poor person to receive it. Ladies and gents, Blacknuss is as deep as a soul record can be and as hot as a jazz record has any right to call itself. A work of sheer blacknuss!
By Thom Jurek. AMG.
**
Henry Pearson- Bass- (tracks A1, B1, B4) , Bill Salter (tracks A2 to A7, B2, B3)
Richard Landrum- Congas (tracks A1, B1, B4)
Arthur Jenkins- Congas, Percussion [Cabassa]  (tracks A2 to A7, B2, B3)
Bernard Purdie- Drums  (tracks A2 to A7, B2, B3) , Khalil Mhdri (tracks A1, B1, B4)
Rahsaan Roland Kirk- Flute, Sax [Tenor], Percussion [Police Whistle, Gong], Sax [manzello, Stritch]
Billy Butler- Guitar  (tracks A1, B1, B4) , Cornell Dupree (tracks A2 to A7, B2, B3) , Keith Loving (tracks A2 to A7, B2, B3)
Mickey Turner- Organ (tracks A2 to A7, B2, B3)
Joe Habad Texidor- Percussion
Richard Tee- Piano (tracks A2 to A7, B2, B3) , Sonelius Smith (tracks A1, B1, B4)
Dick Griffin- Trombone (tracks A2 to A7, B2, B3)
Charles McGhee- Trumpet (tracks A2 to A7, B2, B3)
Rahsaan Roland Kirk- Vocals (tracks A1, A5, B1, B4)
Princess Patience Burton- Vocals (A7)
Cissy Houston- Vocals (B1, B5)
**
A1. Ain't No Sunshine   2:26
A2. What's Goin' On / Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)  3:46
A3. I Love You Yes I Do   2:48
A4. Take Me Girl, I'm Ready  3:19
A5. My Girl   3:06
A6. Which Way Is It Going   2:24
A7. One Nation   3:40
B1. Never Can Say Goodbye  4:00
B2. Old Rugged Cross   7:14
B3. Make It With You   4:50
B4. Blacknuss  5:13
**
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Rahsaan Roland KIRK - Now Please Don't You Cry, Beautiful Edith 1967

Rahsaan Roland KIRK - Now Please Don't You Cry, Beautiful Edith 1967

Jazz

Title a reference to his wife, who he just recently divorced at the time. She was 15 years older than him, and really did treat him like a mother, very much in the wife/guardian role (think Nellie Monk for another contemporary example). She's pictured on the cover, listening attentively to Kirk as he plays his Stritch in what looks like their living room. Kirk soon found himself receiving lots of attention from younger females, something Edith couldn't stand and Kirk couldn't resist. They broke up and she was left a broken woman, turning to strong drink to ease her pain, in no small part due to Kirk's womanizing and also his finally giving her the heave-ho. I suppose this album was meant to smooth it all out -- funny how artists always think you can just put out a record with the name of someone whose life you ruined on it, and everything's hunky dory again. It's one of his more inside dates at this point, lots of smoothness and sweetness, lots of R&B, including another Bacharach cover, this time of "Alfie." Dude liked him some Bacharach
**
Combining the short yet solid 1965 release, Rip, Rig and Panic with Rahsaan Roland Kirk's 1967 release Now Please Don't You Cry, Beautiful Edith, this two-fer presents a perfect portrait of Kirk's mid-'60s sound. While the albums are very different stylistically, Now Please Don't You Cry, Beautiful Edith's mix of avant-garde and groove sounds seems like a logical next step to Rip, Rig and Panic's solid hard bop. Either of these albums would be great acquisitions on their own; getting them together is pure gravy.
By Stacia Proefrock, All Music Guide.
**
One among the less adventurous and by consequence more "conventional" recordings by the great "showman" and multi-instrumentalist Rahsaan Roland Kirk (Aug. 7, 1935 - Dec. 5, 1977), this album was released in 1967 for Verve label. Roland Kirk had the particularity to be able to play together several brass instruments including tenor saxophone, flute, manzello, stritch, castanets and some others.
But on the opposite of his habit, on this one he plays many instruments at the same time only sporadically. And this shows even more how outstanding his talent was and that he could be compared with many other great saxophonists.
Indeed it confirms that his playing was not only a batch of demonstrations about his ability to play several instruments even though he was one of the best (maybe the best) to possess this particular artistry to push back the frontiers of music.
The album contains two ballads, the Burth Bacharach's "Alfie" and the beautifully sad eponymous title, and also two blues, "Blue Rol" and the hot "Fallout". The bossa "Why Don't They Know", and more post-bop oriented "Stompin' Ground" or "It's A Grand Night For Swinging" are also part of these nice numbers.
Somehow, it is maybe one of the more "classic" albums by Roland Kirk and also certainly one of the more overlooked ones.
But of course be sure to dig out also "I Talk with The Spirits" or also "The Inflated Tear", etc. among all the quality albums this exceptional musician recorded.
Note the young Lonnie Liston Smith, then aged 27 and some years before his spacey electric sets, was on piano.
**
Rahsaan Roland Kirk- (Tenor Sax, Stritch, Manzello, Siren, Castanets)
Lonnie Liston Smith- (Piano)
Ronnie Boykins- (Bass)
Grady Tate- (Drums)
**
A1. Blue Rol   6:09
A2. Alfie   2:52
A3. Why Don't They Know   2:54
A4. Silverlization   4:57
B1. Fallout   3:01
B2. Now Please Don't You Cry, Beautiful Edith   4:23
B3. Stompin' Grounds   4:46
B4. It's a Grand Night for Swinging   3:10
**
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Rahsaan Roland KIRK - Rip, Rig & Panic 1965

Rahsaan Roland KIRK - Rip, Rig & Panic 1965

Jazz

Combining the short yet solid 1965 release, Rip, Rig and Panic with Rahsaan Roland Kirk's 1967 release Now Please Don't You Cry, Beautiful Edith, this two-fer presents a perfect portrait of Kirk's mid-'60s sound. While the albums are very different stylistically, Now Please Don't You Cry, Beautiful Edith's mix of avant-garde and groove sounds seems like a logical next step to Rip, Rig and Panic's solid hard bop. Either of these albums would be great acquisitions on their own; getting them together is pure gravy.
By Stacia Proefrock.
**
Rahsaan Roland Kirk- (Tenor Sax, Stritch, Manzello, Siren, Castanets)
Jaki Byard- (Piano)
Richard Davis- (Bass)
Elvin Jones- (Drums)
**
A1. No Tonic Pres 4:30
    Written-By - R. Kirk
A2. Once In A While 3:55
    Written-By - B. Green , M. Edwards
A3. From Bechet, Byas And Fats 7:25
    Written-By - R. Kirk
A4. Mystical Dream 2:35
    Written-By - R. Kirk

B1. Rip, Rig And Panic 6:58
    Written-By - R. Kirk
B2. Black Diamond 5:20
    Written-By - M. Sealey
B3. Slippery, Hippery, Flippery 4:50
    Written-By - R. Kirk
**
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Rahsaan Roland KIRK - The Inflated Tear 1967

Rahsaan Roland KIRK - The Inflated Tear 1967

Jazz

Roland Kirk's music is jazz by definition but in reality it is s unclassifiable: a completely original performer whose style encompasses his early New Orleans roots, through swing and bebop, to the abstraction of the 1960s and 1970s avant-garde. "The Inflated Tear" is, in my opinion, his finest work. From the opening chords of the Black and Crazy Blues Roland takes the listener on a ride that is unmatched in virtuosity by any other performer regardless of their musical idiom. While Inflated Tear is Kirk's spiritual essay about his sightless life, it is a musical tone poem for the listener taking us to places seldom visited. It is truly a masterpiece. Highly recommended
By Earl Manley.
**
The debut recording by Roland Kirk (this was still pre-Rahsaan) on Atlantic Records, the same label that gave us Blacknuss and Volunteered Slavery, is not the blowing fest one might expect upon hearing it for the first time. In fact, producer Joel Dorn and label boss Neshui Ertegun weren't prepared for it either. Kirk had come to Atlantic from Emarcy after recording his swan song for them, the gorgeous Now Please Don't You Cry, Beautiful Edith, in April. In November Kirk decided to take his quartet of pianist Ron Burton, bassist Steve Novosel, and drummer Jimmy Hopps and lead them through a deeply introspective, slightly melancholy program based in the blues and in the groove traditions of the mid-'60s. Kirk himself used the flutes, the strich, the Manzello, whistle, clarinet, saxophones, and more -- the very instruments that had created his individual sound, especially when some of them were played together, and the very things that jazz critics (some of whom later grew to love him) castigated him for. Well, after hearing the restrained and elegantly layered "Black and Crazy Blues," the stunning rendered "Creole Love Call," the knife-deep soul in "The Inflated Tear," and the twisting in the wind lyricism of "Fly by Night," they were convinced -- and rightfully so. Roland Kirk won over the masses with this one too, selling over 10,000 copies in the first year. This is Roland Kirk at his most poised and visionary; his reading of jazz harmony and fickle sonances are nearly without peer. And only Mingus understood Ellington in the way Kirk did. That evidence is here also. If you are looking for a place to start with Kirk, this is it.
By Thom Jurek, AMG.
**
Steve Novosel- Bass
Jimmy Hopps- Drums
Ron Burton- Piano 
Roland Kirk- Tenor Sax, Horns [Manzello, Stritch], Clarinet, Flute, Whistle, English Horn, [Flexafone]
Dick Griffith- Trombone (B4) 
**
A1. The Black And Crazy Blues 6:07
A2. A Laugh For Rory 2:54
A3. Many Blessings 4:45
A4. Fingers In The Wind  4:18

B1. The Inflated Tear 4:58
B2. The Creole Love Call 3:53
B3. A Handful Of Fives 2:42
B4. Fly By Night 4:19 
B5. Lovellevelloloqui 4:17
**
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Rahsaan Roland KIRK - Bright Moments 1973

Rahsaan Roland KIRK - Bright Moments 1973
Recorded live at Keystone Korner, San Francisco, California.1973

2LP set, live, and yes, THIS is the Live/Dead, or better yet, the Europe '72 of the Kirk canon -- totally indispensable, perfectly capturing the live Kirk experience in all its varied facets. Kirk does it all here, from engaging the audience in long talks/rants/poems/jokes to playing pre-recorded tapes of locomotives into the microphone. Music includes the occasional use of synth (usually anathema to Kirk, who "hates electricity," as he often put it. Actually, he really just hates the way electricity was added to jazz at the time [ahem, Miles]) on one of his funniest tracks, the transparently descriptive "Fly Town Nose Blues," which makes generous use of the nose flute/mouth flute combo, along with some weird synth sounds from Todd Barkan. Covers include still MORE Bacharach ("You'll Never Get To Heaven"), MORE Ellington ("Prelude to a Kiss"), Rogers & Hammerstein ("If I Loved You"), and Fats Waller ("Jitterbug Waltz") as well as a Kirk original in the style of the New Orleans '20s jazz tradition ("'dem Red Beans and Rice"). Some of the rants kind of bog this down for me, though most all of what he says is totally on point. One of his best rants here, one that he added to and revised for years afterwards, is from the title track, "Bright Moments." It was a structure Kirk would come back to again and again for audience banter. "Bright Moments! Bright moments like eatin' a pork chop in London, knowing that that would be the last one you'd have for a long time. Bright moments like sharing an ice cream sundae with your girl, and she grabs the last bite, and that makes you mad, so you gotta grab her and get it back!" (The Man Who Cried Fire also contained one that goes, "Bright Moments! Bright Moments like making love on a leaky waterbed in a Holiday Inn…") Generally considered the A-1 pinnacle of Kirk's career, though I'm not quite THAT into it yet...the live side of Volunteered Slavery still works better for me, personally, but it might just be that I have to grow into this one. It's happened before -- took me three years of constant trying to "get" Second Edition too! I'm more than willing to be converted.
**
Rahsaan Roland Kirk's live club gigs were usually engaging, freewheeling affairs, full of good humor and a fantastically wide range of music. The double album Bright Moments is a near-definitive document of the Kirk live experience, and his greatest album of the '70s. The extroverted Kirk was in his element in front of an audience, always chatting, explaining his concepts, and recounting bits of jazz history. Even if some of his long, jive-talking intros can sound a little dated today, it's clear in the outcome of the music that Kirk fed voraciously off the energy of the room. Most of the tracks are long (seven minutes or more), demonstrating Kirk's wealth of soloing ideas in a variety of styles (and, naturally, on a variety of instruments). "Pedal Up" is a jaw-dropping demonstration of Kirk's never-duplicated three-horns-at-once technique, including plenty of unaccompanied passages that simply sound impossible. There's more quintessential Kirk weirdness on "Fly Town Nose Blues," which heavily features an instrument called the nose flute, and the title track has a healthy dose of Kirk singing through his (traditional) flute. His repertoire is typically eclectic: Ellington's "Prelude to a Kiss"; a groovy Bacharach pop tune in "You'll Never Get to Heaven"; a lovely version of Fats Waller's "Jitterbug Waltz"; and a stomping, exultant New Orleans-style original, "Dem Red Beans and Rice." Perhaps the best, however, is an impassioned rendition of the ballad standard "If I Loved You," where Kirk's viscerally raw, honking tone hints in a roundabout way at the avant-garde without ever losing its melodic foundation. Bright Moments empties all the major items out of Kirk's bag of tricks, providing a neat microcosm of his talents and displaying a consummate and knowledgeable showman. In short, it's nothing less than a tour de force.
By Steve Huey, All Music Guide.
**
Henry Pearson- Bass
Robert Shy- Drums
Rahsaan Roland Kirk- Flute, Saxophone [Tenor], Flute [Nose]
Joe Habao- Percussion
Ron Burton- Piano
Todd Barkan- Synthesizer
**
A1. Introduction 2:06
A2. Pedal Up 11:52
A3. You'll Never Get To Heaven 9:48

B1. Clackety Clack 2:30
B2. Prelude To A Kiss 5:05
B3. Talk (Electric Nose) 2:33
B4. Fly Town Nose Blues 8:52

C1. Talk (Bright Moments) 3:30
C2. Bright Moments Song 10:02
C3. Dem Red Beans And Rice 7:05

D1. If I Loved You 8:50
D2. Talk (Fats Waller) 1:30
D3. Jitterbug Waltz 7:00
D4. Second Line Jump 1:30
**
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Rahsaan Roland KIRK - Domino 1962

Rahsaan Roland KIRK - Domino 1962

Jazz

The expanding musical universe of Rahsaan Roland Kirk continues its orbit on Domino. While always true to his exceptional talents, Kirk's previous efforts are somewhat derivative when compared to his later and more aggressive sound. On Domino, the genesis of his more assertive presence is thoroughly evident. Additionally, this disc features several impressive originals, as well as the most distinctly branded cover tunes to date, including the intense bop of the title track. As evidenced throughout the album, Kirk's compositions are becoming denser and more involved. "Meeting on Termini's Corner" -- an ode to the legendary Five Spot club -- mimics the off-kilter rhythms of Thelonious Monk. The tenor sax solo that rises through his multi-instrumentation is stunning. The contrast between the lilting flute work, which bookends "Domino," and the stirring tenor sax solo at the center is yet again indicative of the boundaries Kirk would be approaching. However, it's the Latin-tinged "Rolando" that might best display the unmistakably singular sound that comes from the stritch -- a Kirk modified second generation B flat soprano sax -- and the tenor sax, when performed simultaneously. The warmth and clarity are at once unique and hypnotic. Another prime example of the multiplicity in Kirk's performance styles can be heard on "I Believe in You." The juxtaposition of the husky tenor with the spry manzello provides a false sense of balance as Kirk delays combining the two until the final chorus. This produces a surprising and memorable effect, as Kirk's arrangement does not anticipate the finale. Domino was the first album to feature Kirk's live band of Haynes, Andrew Hill (celeste/piano), and Henry Duncan (percussion) on several tracks.
By Lindsay Planer, All Music Guide.
**
Vernon Martin- Bass
Henry Duncan , Roy Hayes- Drums -
Andrew Hill , Herbie Hancock , Wynton Kelly- Piano 
Roland Kirk- Tenor Sax, Saxophone [Manzello, Stritch], Flute, Flute [Nose Flute], Whistle [Siren Wistle], Voice 
**
A1. Domino 
A2. Meeting On Termini's Corner 
A3. Time 
A4. Lament 
A5. A Stritch In Time 
B1. 3-In-1 Without The Oil 
B2. Get Out Of Town 
B3. Rolando 
B4. I Believe In You 
B5. E.D.
**
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Rahsaan Roland KIRK - The Case of the 3 Sided Dream In Audio Color 1975

Rahsaan Roland KIRK - The Case of the 3 Sided Dream In Audio Color 1975
Label: Collectables
Originally released in 1975
Release Date: Aug 13, 2002

Jazz

Perhaps I am an apologist for Rahsaan Roland Kirk, I don't know. If I am then I should be smacked, because he needed no one to make apologies for him. The Case of the 3-Sided Dream in Audio Color is a case in point. The namby-pamby jazz critics, those "serious" guys who look for every note to be in order before they'll say anything positive, can shove it on this one. They panned the hell out of it in 1975, claiming it was "indulgent." Okay. Which Kirk record wasn't? Excess was always the name of the game for Kirk, but so was the groove, and here on this three-sided double LP, groove is at the heart of everything. Surrounding himself with players like Cornell Dupree, Hugh McCracken, Richard Tee, Hilton Ruiz (whose playing on "Echoes of Primitive Ohio and Chili Dogs" is so greasy, so deliciously dirty it's enthralling), Steve Gadd, and others from that soul-jazz scene, it's obvious what you're gonna get, right? Nope. From his imitations of Miles Davis and John Coltrane on "Bye, Bye, Blackbird" to his screaming, funky read on "High Heel Sneakers" to his Delta-to-New-Orleans version of "The Entertainer," Kirk is deep in the groove. But the groove he moves through is one that is so large, so universal, deep, and serene, that it transcends all notions of commercialism versus innovation. Bottom line, even with the charming tape-recorded ramblings of his between tunes, this was his concept and it works like a voodoo charm. Here's one for the revisionists: This record jams.
By Thom Jurek, All Music Guide.
**
Hilton Ruiz- Keyboards
Hugh McCracken- Guitar
Pat Patrick- Sax (Baritone)
Bill Salter- Bass
Richard Tee- Keyboards
John Goldsmith- Drums
Metathias Pearson- Bass
Ralph MacDonald- Percussion, Conga
Sonny Brown- Drums
Francisco Centeno- Bass
Cornell Dupree- Guitar
Steve Gadd- Drums
Arthur Jenkin-s Arranger, Keyboards, Conductor
Lawrence Killian- Conga
Keith Loving- Guitar
Rahsaan Roland Kirk- Flute, Trumpet, Sax (Tenor), Performer, Liner Notes, Manzello, ?, Main Performer, Sax (Baritone)
**
01. Conversation 0:59
02. Bye Bye Blackbird 2:43
03. Horses (Monogram/Republic) 0:18
04. High Heel Sneakers 4:50
05. Dream 0:53
06. Echoes of Primitive Ohio and Chili Dogs 6:55
07. The Entertainer (Done in the Style of the Blues) 6:02
08. Freaks for the Festival 4:01
09. Dream 1:28
10. Portrait of Those Beautiful Ladies 6:24
11. Dream 0:59
12. The Entertainment 6:17
13. Dream 1:05
14. Portrait of Those Beautiful Ladies 7:56
15. Dream 0:52
16. Freaks for the Festival 5:34
17. Sesroh 0:24 18
18. Bye Bye Blackbird  2:37
19. Conversation  0:56
20. Space 12:35
**
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Rahsaan Roland KIRK - Here Comes the Whistleman 1967

Rahsaan Roland KIRK - Here Comes the Whistleman 1967
Label: Water
Recorded live at Atlantic Studios,
New York on March 14, 1965
Originally released on Atlantic.

Jazz

Roland Kirk's Debut Album For Atlantic Records For The First Time On CD In The U.S.

Multi-instrumentalist Rahsaan Roland Kirk was one of the great originals of jazz, unparalleled to this day. In 1965 however, ten years into his career, Kirk was without a recording contract. He?d cut a dozen albums between Mercury and Limelight Records, but had grown increasingly unhappy with the lack of promotion and support he´d been receiving and refused to re-sign. A blind black musician who played three saxophones simultaneously, Kirk was regularly regarded as a novelty act, written off time and time again by the greater majority of the jazz community. Though he desperately sought critical and mainstream acceptance, Kirk refused to compromise his style. One of his biggest supporters in those years was Joel Dorn, a 22-year old disc jockey on Philadelphia?s flagship jazz station WHAT-FM, who had been moonlighting as a producer for Atlantic Records, recording albums by Sonny Stitt, Duke Pearson, Rufus Harley and Hubert Laws. Using whatever influence he could muster at the time, Dorn persuaded Rahsaan to let him produce his next record, while convincing Nesuhi Ertegun, Atlantic Records co-founder, to sign Rahsaan for a one-off deal. The result was Here Comes The Whistleman, the first of 12 records Rahsaan would make for Atlantic Records and a partnership with Dorn that would last until his untimely death in 1977.

From the beginning, Roland Kirk and Joel Dorn refused to play it straight, despite the fact that they were admittedly trying to make a hit jazz record. They agreed upon the idea of recording the album in front of a ?live? studio audience. Dorn had preeminent New York City disc jockeys Alan Grant of WABC-FM and Del Shields of WLIB-FM invite listeners to the studio for the taping on March 14, 1965. ?Our goal was to get on the radio, but even in attempting to make a commercial jazz record, it went against the grain,? remembers Dorn. ?Looking back, it?s unconventional structure and looseness were indicators of the records we?d make in the future.? A conversation included on the album tips off listeners that Dorn arrived late to the session after being stuck in traffic on the New Jersey Turnpike. Atlantic staff producer Arif Mardin would start the session, which included some of the most in-demand sidemen of the day, Jaki Byard and Lonnie Smith on piano, Major Holley on bass and Charles Crosby on drums. Atlantic Records would not release the album until 1967.

This month, Here Comes The Whistleman is reissued on CD for the first time in the U.S. by Label M. Beginning with the infectious swinger, Roots, Kirk draws deeply from the vocabulary of Illinois Jacquet, Wardell Gray and Lester Young, all of whose records he was known to study like scripture. Potentially disregarded for its accessibility at the time, but a wonderfully funky highlight 35 years later is the self-penned ?Making Love After Hours. Kirks personality spills over the sides, cheering his nose on, before bringing back the horn section, which includes himself on tenor, manzello and stritch for the tag. Major Holley is featured on ?Yesterdays, applying Slam Stewart´s bowing technique to the beautiful standard. Declared Kirk´s most swinging and appealing album so far, by England´s Jazz Journal in 1968, Here Comes The Whistleman concludes with the fiery hard bop of Step Right Up. Unknowingly autobiographical, Kirk was perhaps preparing himself for what lay ahead, as he would become an increasingly visionary and pioneering force in the years to come.
All About Jazz Publicity.
**
Here Comes The Whistleman showcases Rahsaan Roland Kirk in 1967 with a fine band, live in front of a host of invited guests at Atlantic Studios in New York. His band for the occasion is stellar: Jacki Byard or Lonnie Smith on piano, Major Holley on bass, Lonnie Smith on piano, and Charles Crosby on drums. This is the hard, jump blues and deep R&B Roland Kirk band, and from the git, on "Roots," they show why. Kirk comes screaming out of the gate following a double time I-IV-V progression, with Holley punching the accents along the bottom and Byard shoving the hard tight chords up against Kirk's three-horn lead. The extended harmony Kirk plays — though the melody line is a bar walking honk — is extreme, full of piss and vinegar. On the title track, along with the artist's requisite, and genuinely good, humor, Kirk breaks out the whistles on top of the horn for a blues stomp with Smith taking over the piano chores. Smith plays a two chord vamp, changing the accent before he beings to break it open into a blues with skittering fills and turnarounds while Kirk blows circularly for 12 and 14 bars at a time. Byard returns for a tender and stirring duet rendition of "I Wished on the Moon," with his own glorious rich lyricism. And here is where Kirk displays the true measure of his ability as a saxophonist. Turning the ballad inside out, every which way without overstating the notes. Here, Ben Webster meets Coleman Hawkins in pure lyric ecstasy. The set officially ends with the wailing flute and sax jam "Aluminum Baby," (both courtesy of the irrepressible Kirk) and the bizarre ride of "Step Right Up" where Kirk sings scat in a dialect that sounds like Pop-eye. Now that's where the LP version ended, but the Label M CD reissue tags on, without credits anywhere two absolutely essential scorchers with what seems to be Byard on piano and an over-the-top bass blowout from Holley. Kirk plays saxophones on both, being his own horn section. This makes an already satisfying date an essential one. Given these additions, this might arguably be the place to start for an interested but underexposed listener who wants to experience how dazzlingly original Kirk was
By Thom Jurek.  AMG.
**
Rahsaan Roland Kirk- (Flute, stritch, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone);
Jaki Byard, Lonnie Smith- (Piano);
Major Holley- (Double bass);
Charles Crosby- (Drums).
**
01. Roots
02. Here Comes the Whistleman 
03. I Wished on the Moon
04. Making Love After Hours 
05. Yesterdays
06. Aluminum Baby
07. Step Right Up
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Rahsaan Roland KIRK With Jack McDuff - Kirk's Work 1961

Rahsaan Roland KIRK With Jack McDuff - Kirk's Work 1961
Label: Prestige

Jazz 

A strange and tasty little album that Roland Kirk made with organist Jack McDuff in the early 60s -- one of his few outings in such a format, and a smoking little session that almost makes us wish he'd cut more of them! The format is relatively simple, with lots of interplay between McDuff's organ and Kirk's range of reeds (tenor, manzello, stritch, flute, and siren on this record!) And given that both players have a good sense of whimsy that still always manages to swing nicely, the pairing is a strong one -- and makes for a record that's slightly different for both artists. Titles include "Makin Whoopie", "Funk Underneath", "Kirk's Work", "Three for Dizzy", and "Doin' the Sixty-Eight".
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Roland Kirk- Tenor saxophone, Manzello, Strick, Flute, Siren
Jack McDuff- Hammonnd Organ
Joe Benjamin- Bass
Arthur Taylor- Drums-
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01. Three for Dizzy  5:11
02. Makin’ Whoopee  5:07
03. Funk Underneath  6:15
04. Kirk’s Work  3:54
05. Doin’ the Sixty-Eight  4:20
06. Too Late Now  3:52
07. Skater's Waltz  4:23
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Rahsaan Roland KIRK - Slightly Latin 1966

Rahsaan Roland KIRK - Slightly Latin 1966
Label: Mercury (LP)
Released: 1966
Recorded on November 16 & 17, 1965 NYC

Jazz

Unbelievable! This is one of the maddest Roland Kirk albums of all time -- and it's also one of the hardest to find! The title says "Slightly Latin", but it's more of a mixed-up Now Sound/Bacharach-ish blend of orchestrations and voices, plus Exotica tinges, with Roland playing some very off-kilter reed solos on flute and various saxes. The sound is incredible, and the arrangements are incredibly strange -- and the album sounds like nothing that Kirk (or anyone else) has ever done! Highlights include "Shaky Money", "Safari", "Ebrauos", "Raouf", "Juarez", and a wild version of "Walk On By". The whole thing's wild, though, and it never lets up for a minute! More "out" than "easy", and a real treasure that's the kind of reissue we like to get behind!
From Dusty Groove.
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Roland Kirk- Saxophone [Baritone, Tenor, Manzello, Strich]
Arranged By [Vocals] - Coleridge Perkinson*
Edward Mathias- Bass
Montego Joe- Congas
Gerald Brown- Drums
Martin Banks- Flugelhorn  
Manuel Ramos- Percussion 
Horace Parlan- Piano, Keyboards [Celeste]    
Garnett Brown- Trombone, Harp [Nagoya Harp], Arrange
Virgil Jones- Trumpet - 
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A1. Walk On By (2:25)
    Written-By - B. Bacharach - H.David
A2. Raouf (3:02)
    Written-By - R. Kirk
A3. It's All In The Game (5:17)
    Written-By - C. Sigman , C. Dawes
A4. Juarez (5:33)
    Written-By - R. Kirk
A5. Shaky Money (1:48)
    Written-By - R. Kirk

B1. Nothing But The Truth (3:02)
    Written-By - R. Kirk
B2. Safari (4:25)
    Written-By - E. Mathias
B3. And I Love Her (3:02)
    Written-By - J. Lennon - P. McCartney
B4. Ebrauqs (8:20)
    Written-By - R. Kirk 
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