Rahsaan Roland Kirk
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Rahsaan Roland Kirk (1936-1977) was a blind American jazz saxophonist, perhaps best known for his ability to play more than one saxophone at once.
Kirk was born Ronald Kirk on 7th August 1936, in Columbus, Ohio, but felt compelled by a dream to transpose two letters in his first name to make Roland. After another dream in about 1970 he added Rahsaan to his name.
His playing was generally rooted in soul jazz or hard bop, but Kirk’s encyclopedic knowledge of jazz history allowed him to draw convincingly on any element of the music’s history, from ragtime to swing and free jazz. Kirk also regularly explored classical and pop music.
Kirk played and collected a vast number of musical instruments, mainly various saxophones, clarinets, and flutes. His main instruments were tenor saxophone, and two obscure saxophones: the manzello (similar to a soprano sax) and the stritch (a straight alto sax lacking the instrument’s characteristic 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. Kirk also played harmonica, cor anglais, recorders, and was a competent trumpeter. He often used unusual instruments or combinations of instrument parts, using a saxophone mouthpiece on a trumpet or playing nose flute. He additionally used many extramusical sounds in his music, such as alarm clocks, whistles, sirens, and even primitive electronic sounds (before such things became commonplace).
Kirk was born Ronald Kirk on 7th August 1936, in Columbus, Ohio, but felt compelled by a dream to transpose two letters in his first name to make Roland. After another dream in about 1970 he added Rahsaan to his name.
His playing was generally rooted in soul jazz or hard bop, but Kirk’s encyclopedic knowledge of jazz history allowed him to draw convincingly on any element of the music’s history, from ragtime to swing and free jazz. Kirk also regularly explored classical and pop music.
Kirk played and collected a vast number of musical instruments, mainly various saxophones, clarinets, and flutes. His main instruments were tenor saxophone, and two obscure saxophones: the manzello (similar to a soprano sax) and the stritch (a straight alto sax lacking the instrument’s characteristic 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. Kirk also played harmonica, cor anglais, recorders, and was a competent trumpeter. He often used unusual instruments or combinations of instrument parts, using a saxophone mouthpiece on a trumpet or playing nose flute. He additionally used many extramusical sounds in his music, such as alarm clocks, whistles, sirens, and even primitive electronic sounds (before such things became commonplace).
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Does Your House Have Lions (Disc 2)
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Blacknuss
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Brotherman in the Fatherland
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Compliments of the Mysterious Phantom
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tim4tw this is madness!
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OnTheFly wow
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Ton87 KubaNecina: I hope someone recorded those sessions, would love to hear them! I can't really imagine people not recording such a session.
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secondplanet_ Oh my! This is brilliant!
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KubaNecina I think he had jam sessions with Jimi Hendrix, his BIG fan . I wish to find it !!!! :D Fuck my ears!
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HipHop1984 Blacknuss might be the greatest thing I've ever heard!
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Fellini___Y !!!
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TeeJayAllDay Another phenomenal Jazz legend!
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I Say A Little Prayer - Live…
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Walk On By
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Roland Kirk - Alfie
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PEDAL UP Downbeat Readers' Poll…
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