Artist Profile,
Rahsaan Roland Kirk's Bright(est) Moments
Not many musicians can be recognised from the silhouette of their occasional donning of a fur hat, sunglasses, or more instruments than you can count on one hand dangling from their neck; but then, not many musicians are Rahsaan Roland Kirk. In this Artist Profile we take a look at the renowned Ohio-born multi-instrumentalist and composer who could count Jimi Hendrix among the generation of iconic artists whom he influenced.
Born Ronald Theodore Kirk in Flytown, a melting-pot neighbourhood of Columbus, O.H., in 1935, Kirk all but lost his vision at the age of 2 due to an ill-prepared medical treatment of eye drops. Soon developing the gift of seeing with his ears, Kirk was quick to commence his journey of musical discovery and self-invention: “I didn't ask my mother to buy me a trumpet or a violin, I started right on the water hose.” It was this vital spark that enabled Kirk to pursue jazz in a way that was true to him, enabling him to perform music that was as dazzlingly sophisticated as it was politically charged with a vivid imagination and social conscience. To paraphrase Quincy Jones, Kirk ‘could do anything’ - be that performing lead flute on Jones’ Soul Bossa Nova (of Austin Powers fame) or appearing on the Ed Sullivan show in 1971 in protest of the distinct lack of black artists being featured across the mainstream media. Always one for self-discovery and reinvention, he further adapted his name to include 'Rahsaan' after being compelled by a dream - the same reason for his initial retitling all those years previously.
Kirk’s influence was felt far and wide across the leftfield musical spectrum of the 1960s, particularly Frank Zappa, whose band The Mothers of Invention he performed twice with in 1969. Listen to Roland Kirk and you’ll be taken aback by his circular breathing technique and the shocking ability of playing several (often homemade) instruments at once - initially dismissed as a gimmick, this talent was a sign of the true virtuosity that lay beneath Kirk’s seemingly madcap exterior. His bold and persistent spirit would hold true throughout his life, not only in his overcoming the loss of eyesight at an early age but also the colossal stroke that left him partially paralysed in 1975, before a second stroke would sadly take his life a few years later.
Our Recommendations...
Although Kirk released his debut album Triple Threat in 1956, he wouldn't fully emerge as a solo artist until the dawn of the 60s. In the meantime, he performed under the likes of bandleader's such as Quincy Jones as well as on this particularly riotous album with the angry man of jazz, Charles Mingus, bringing a raucous inventiveness to the recording that he would soon go on to perfect.
Available Formats: MP3, FLAC
Originally a RSD release from 2021, this live recording captures all the fire you would expect from a post-bop Kirk performance of this era. This quartet setting that features Stan Tracey on keys is unique, intense and truly larger than life!
Available Format: CD
Kirk puts down the horn and makes his flautist chops known for this straight-ahead but whimsically intriguing recording from 1965. It also contains 'Serenade To A Cuckoo', a piece which starts with the chimes of a cuckoo clock that would go on to inspire Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull.
Available Formats: MP3, FLAC
Out of this world, this record hotly anticipates the 'Rahsaan' direction in which the artist was quickly heading. Back on monstrous form on tenor horn, Kirk stated that his main inspiration for this record was avant-garde composer Edgard Varèse. Elvin Jones does an incredible job tearing things up from underneath the maelstrom.
Available Formats: MP3, FLAC
A nod to the psychedelic scene that was sweeping the counter-culture at the time, this record features stellar and complementary playing between these two Mingus-alums. With Byard setting the mood on keys, Kirk is free to head in whatever direction he pleases, from fiery barnstorming opener 'Parisian Thoroughfare' to the stride-like duet of 'Memories of You'.
Available Formats: MP3, FLAC
A double-album whose first half is a gospel-infused suite and whose second is a heavy live set from the 1968 Newport Jazz Festival. In equal parts spiritual, here is Kirk at the height of his powers, doing what he best - preaching the overall unity of being through the power of musical emancipation.
Available Formats: MP3, FLAC
Another live album here, this time from a performance that took place in San Francisco in 1973. Kirk is on top form as his usual talkative self and the ensemble as a whole are on fire. It makes an interesting comparison with the Ronnie's set recorded a decade prior, as we chart the makings of a truly individual artist and messenger.
Available Formats: MP3, FLAC
And, finally, Adam Kahan's esteemed 2014 documentary that tells the story of Rahsaan Roland Kirk with incredible insight - the perfect next step if this profile has whetted your appetite. The release also features a live performance of Bright Moments from 1977 and a conversation with the legendary producer, Joel Dorn, who worked on several of Kirk's classic albums.
Available Format: DVD Video
Barney Whittaker
