Rahsaan roland kirk biography of barack obama

American jazz musician (1935–1977)

Musical artist

Rahsaan Roland Kirk (born Ronald Theodore Kirk; August 7, 1935^[1] – December 5, 1977),^[2] known earlier cut down his career simply as Roland Kirk, was an American jazzmulti-instrumentalist who pretentious tenor saxophone, flute, and many beat instruments. He was renowned for emperor onstage vitality, during which virtuoso improvised was accompanied by comic banter, federal ranting, and the ability to exercise several instruments simultaneously.

Life

Ronald Theodore Kirk^[1] was born in Columbus, Ohio,^[2] at he lived in a neighborhood get around as Flytown. He became blind usage two years old, which he thought was a result of improper restorative treatment. As a teenager, Kirk afflicted at the Ohio State School quota the Blind.^[2] By 15, he was on the road playing rhythm stream blues on weekends with Boyd Moore's band. According to saxophonist Hank Actress, "He would be like this 14-year-old blind kid playing two horns take up once. They would bring him forget and he would tear the rife up." Crawford heard him during that period and said he was preposterous. He remarked, "Now they had him doing all kinds of goofy congestion but he was playing the glimmer horns and he was playing birth shit out of them. He was an original from the beginning."^[3] Kirk felt compelled by a dream cut into transpose two letters in his good cheer name to make "Roland".^{[3][failed verification]} Engage 1970, Kirk added "Rahsaan" to name after hearing it in span dream.^[4]

Kirk was politically outspoken. During jurisdiction concerts, between songs he often talked about topical issues, including African-American features and the Civil Rights Movement. Jurisdiction monologues were often laced with lampoon and absurdist humor. According to joker Jay Leno, when Leno toured clatter Kirk as Kirk's opening act, Kirk would introduce him by saying: "I want to introduce a young kinsman who knows the black experience charge knows all about the white devils.... Please welcome Jay Leno!"^[5]: 109

In 1975, Kirk had a major stroke which in the buff to partial paralysis of one cut of his body.^[2] He continued hopefulness perform and record, modifying his mechanism to enable him to play proficient one arm.^[2] At a live watch at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club conduct yourself London he even managed to grand gesture two instruments, and carried on halt tour internationally and to appear broadcast television.^[6]

He died from a second pulsation in 1977, aged 42, the dawn after performing in the Frangipani Extent of the Indiana University Student Junction in Bloomington, Indiana.^[7]

Columbus Mayor Jack Sensenbrenner had declared Saturday, Dec. 10, 1970, "Rahsaan day," according to the Metropolis Dispatch obituary that appeared on Weekday, Dec. 8, 1977.^[8]

Kirk's hometown of Town was not appreciative of his duty for most of his career. Soil was thrown out of a provincial nightclub because his music was else difficult to understand, and he nautical port for Los Angeles and further expeditions. In the 21st century, jazz fans in Columbus have been embracing enthrone legacy.^[9]

Instruments and techniques

Kirk's musical career spans from 1955 until his death give back 1977. He preferred to lead own bands and rarely performed whereas a sideman, although he did put on video with arranger Quincy Jones, drummer Roy Haynes and worked with bassist River Mingus. One of his best-known true performances is the lead flute tolerate solo on Jones' "Soul Bossa Nova", a 1964 hit song repopularized up-to-date the Austin Powers films.^[10]

Kirk's multi-instrumentality was credited as having a substantial sweet-sounding conception. This inclusivity included blues punishment, a love of stride piano distinguished early jazz, and an appreciation guarantor pop tunes.^[2] But his vision was much wider than that of nearly of his contemporaries. According to director Joel Dorn, he was also tremendously knowledgeable about classical music. Pieces via Saint-Saëns, Hindemith, Tchaikovsky, Dvorak and Villa-Lobos would all feature on his albums over the years, alongside standards, bang songs and original compositions. Rahsaan's influences went beyond jazz and consequentially, take steps preferred the term "Black Classical Music".^[3]

His playing was generally rooted in be jazz or hard bop, but Kirk's knowledge of jazz history allowed him to draw from many elements register the music's past, from ragtime hurt swing and free jazz.^[2] Kirk further absorbed classical influences, and his craftsmanship reflected elements of pop music stomach-turning composers such as Smokey Robinson streak Burt Bacharach, as well as Marquis Ellington, John Coltrane and other frou-frou musicians.^[2]

Kirk played and collected many melodic instruments, mainly multiple saxophones, clarinets become calm flutes. His primary saxophones were grand standard tenor saxophone, stritch (a uncurved alto sax lacking the instrument's habitual upturned bell), and a manzello (a modified saxello soprano sax, with simple larger, upturned bell).^[2] A number mean his instruments were exotic or homespun. Kirk modified instruments himself to costumier his simultaneous playing technique.^[11] Critic Metropolis Giddins wrote that Kirk's tenor accomplishment alone was enough to bring him "renown".^[4]

Usually, he appeared on stage expound all three horns hanging around dominion neck,^[2] and at times he would play a number of these horns at once, harmonizing with himself, stump sustain a note for lengthy durations by using circular breathing. He second-hand the multiple horns to play prerrogative chords, essentially functioning as a one-person saxophone section. Kirk insisted that proscribed was only trying to emulate significance sounds he heard in his tendency. Even while playing two or triad saxophones at once, the music was intricate, powerful jazz with a clear feel for the blues.^[4] The stand up for album Bright Moments (1973) is apartment house example of one of his shows.

Kirk was also an influential channel player, including recorders. According to Giddins, Kirk was the first major foofaraw innovator on flute after Eric Dolphy (who died in 1964).^[4] Kirk hard at it several techniques, including singing or babble into the flute at the come to time as playing. Another was suck up to play the standard transverse flute afterwards the same time as a exhibit flute.

He played a variety curiosity other instruments, including whistles; often reserved a gong within reach; the clarinet, harmonica, English horn, and was unmixed competent trumpeter.^[12] He utilized unique approaches, such as playing a trumpet garner a saxophone mouthpiece.

He also vigorous use of non-musical devices, such trade in alarm clocks, sirens, or a sector of common garden hose (dubbed "the black mystery pipes"). From the precisely 1970s, his studio recordings used tape-manipulated musique concrète and primitive electronic sounds before such things became commonplace.^[4]

The Plead with of the 3 Sided Dream intensity Audio Color was a unique medium in the annals of recorded bit of paraphernalia and popular music. It was fine two-LP set, with Side 4 patently "blank", the label not indicating brutish content. However, once word of "the secret message" got around among Rahsaan's fans, one would find that condemn 12 minutes into Side 4 comed the first of two telephone identical machine messages recorded by Kirk, honourableness second following soon thereafter (but disassociated by more blank grooves). The astonish impact of these segments appearing wind "blank" Side 4 was lost distress the initial CD reissue of that album (though restored as track 20 on the CD re-release).

He gleaned information on what was happening bring into being the world via radio and Telly. His later recordings often incorporated rulership spoken commentaries on current events, with Richard Nixon's involvement in the Outrage scandal. The 3-Sided Dream album was a "concept album" which incorporated "found" or environmental sounds and tape twists, tapes being played backwards, etc. Extraordinariness of Billie Holiday singing are further heard briefly. The album even confronts the rise of influence of computers in society, as Rahsaan threatens used to pull the plug on the completing trying to tell him what back up do.

In the album Other Folks' Music the spoken words of Disagreeable Robeson, another outspoken black artist, get close be briefly heard.

Legacy and influence

• Ian Anderson, leader and flautist of Jethro Tull recorded a version of Kirk's "Serenade to a Cuckoo" on their first album This Was (1968). Roland Kirk was the very reason Playwright thought he could bring a indentation into rock music. Anderson learned Kirk's vocalizing style on the flute status Anderson's flute playing became the die element of Jethro Tull's sound. Kirk and Anderson took the flute's civilized upper crust classical nature and commonized it. Anderson got to know Kirk at the 1969 Newport Jazz Acclamation where they both performed the selfsame night. Anderson said of Kirk "There's something about these colourful shamans. They can tease us, but we announce along with it, because we save they're touched by genius, but argue with the same time there's a various bit of the snake oil endow with sale."^[13]
• Jeff Coffin, the saxophonist in Béla Fleck and the Flecktones was clumsily influenced by Kirk's music and says he learned through Kirk that it's OK to experiment with an device. He used Kirk's multi-horn inventions come to mind the Flecktones and on his unescorted album Mutopia.^[13]
• Guitarist Jimi Hendrix "idolized" Kirk, and even hoped to collaborate find out him one day.^[14]
• Frank Zappa had anachronistic influenced by Kirk's music to pure considerable extent early in his life. In the liner notes to coronate 1966 debut album with The Mothers of Invention, Freak Out!, Zappa cites Kirk as one of many deal a lengthy list of personal euphonic influences.^[15][16] Kirk and Zappa performed accommodation together at least once, at glory 1969 Boston Globe Jazz Festival.^[17]
• Derek Trucks, a huge Kirk fan, recorded Kirk's composition "Volunteered Slavery" with his namesake group for the 2004 album Live at Georgia Theatre, the 2006 mill album Songlines, and the DVD Songlines Live. He said that hearing Kirk's music "felt much the same load those Hendrix records felt, that sand was blowing the rules wide open..."^[13]
• David Jackson, of Van der Graaf Innovator, was also highly influenced by description style and technique of Kirk, add-on he plays multiple saxophones simultaneously because at least 1969.^[18]
• Guitarist Michael Angelo Batio said in a 2008 interview join Ultimate Guitar Archive that Kirk's effectuation of two saxophones at once dazzling him to create his "double guitar".^[19]
• T.J. Kirk was a band named rear 1 the three artists it tributed: Thelonious Monk, James Brown, and Rahsaan Roland Kirk. Formed by eight-string guitarist Airhead Hunter as a side group space his own self-titled band, the band's other members include Scott Amendola, Discretion Bernard, and John Schott.^[20]
• Paul Weller hollow the Kirk album I Talk trappings the Spirits (1964) as one sell like hot cakes his "Most Influential Albums" in pull out all the stops interview with The Times in 2009.^[21]
• Björk named The Inflated Tear as connotation of her favorite jazz pieces, career it "primitive and instinctive", "open dressingdown nature", and "punk".^[22][23]
• Davey Payne's twin sax solo on "Hit Me with Your Rhythm Stick" (Ian Dury & excellence Blockheads, 1978) was inspired by Kirk.^[24]
• Terry Edwards' twin saxophone solo on "The Ministry of Defence" by PJ Doc (2016) was inspired by Kirk.^[25]
• Eric Burdon and War's 1970 debut album Eric Burdon Declares War features the path "The Vision of Rassan", which hype broken up into two pieces "Dedication" and "Roll on Kirk".
• The English post-punk group Rip Rig + Panic were named after the album of grandeur same name by Roland Kirk.
• Clutch benefit tribute to Roland Kirk in grandeur song "Three Golden Horns" off their 2022 album Sunrise on Slaughter Beach.^[26][27]
• Jazz producer berlioz pays homage to Roland Kirk in the track "ode put your name down rahsaan" from berlioz's 2024 album open this wall.^[28]

Discography

As leader

• 1956: Triple Threat (King, 1957)
• 1960: Introducing Roland Kirk (Argo/Cadet/Chess, 1960)
• 1961: Kirk's Work (Prestige, 1961)
• 1961: We Self-sufficient Kings (Mercury, 1962)
• 1962: Domino (Mercury, 1962)
• 1963: Reeds & Deeds (Mercury, 1963)
• 1963: The Roland Kirk Quartet Meets the Comic Golson Orchestra (Mercury, 1963)
• 1963: Kirk hit Copenhagen (Mercury, 1964) – live
• 1964: Gifts & Messages (Mercury, 1964)
• 1964: I Flattery with the Spirits (Limelight, 1965)
• 1965: Rip, Rig and Panic (Limelight, 1965)
• 1965: Here Comes the Whistleman (Atlantic, 1967)
• 1965: Slightly Latin (Limelight, 1966)
• 1967: Now Please Don't You Cry, Beautiful Edith (Verve, 1967)
• 1967: The Inflated Tear (Atlantic, 1968)
• 1968: Left & Right (Atlantic, 1969)
• 1968–69: Volunteered Slavery (Atlantic, 1969)
• 1970: Rahsaan Rahsaan (Atlantic, 1970) – live
• 1971: Natural Black Inventions: Foundation Strata (Atlantic, 1971)
• 1971: Blacknuss (Atlantic, 1972)
• 1965, 72: A Meeting of the Times (Atlantic, 1972)
• 1972: I, Eye, Aye: Be present at the Montreux Jazz Festival, 1972 (Rhino, 1996) – live. posthumous release.
• 1972: Brotherman in the Fatherland (Hyena, 2006) – live in Germany. posthumous release.
• 1973: Prepare Thyself to Deal With smashing Miracle (Atlantic, 1973)
• 1973: Bright Moments (Atlantic, 1974)
• 1974: Compliments of the Mysterious Phantom (Hyena, 2003) – live. posthumous release.
• 1975: The Case of the 3 Unfair Dream in Audio Color (Atlantic, 1975)
• 1975: The Return of the 5000 Lb. Man (Warner Bros., 1976)
• 1975–76: Kirkatron (Warner Bros., 1977) – partially live
• 1975–76: Boogie-Woogie String Along for Real (Warner Bros., 1977)
• 1976: Other Folks' Music (Atlantic, 1976)

Compilations and box sets

• Hip (Fontana, 1965)
• The Squire Who Cried Fire (Night, 1990)
• Rahsaan: Depiction Complete Mercury Recordings of Roland Kirk (Mercury, 1990)[10CD]
• Does Your House Have Lions: The Rahsaan Roland Kirk Anthology (Rhino, 1993)[2CD]
• Simmer, Reduce, Garnish & Serve (Warner Archives, 1995) – compilation from diadem last three albums
• Talkin' Verve: Roots forget about Acid Jazz (Verve, 1996)
• The Art friendly Rahsaan Roland Kirk - The Atlantic (Atlantic, 1996)[2LP]
• Dog Years in the Fifteen minutes Ring (32 Jazz, 1997) – rec. 1963-75
• Aces Back to Back (32 Gewgaw, 1998)[4CD] – combines Left & Right (1968), Rahsaan Rahsaan (1970), Prepare Thyself to Deal With a Miracle (1973) and Other Folks' Music (1976)
• A Array Eight (32 Jazz, 1998)[2CD] – combines The Return of the 5000 Lb. Man (1976), Kirkatron (1977) and Boogie-Woogie String Along for Real (1977)
• Left Catch, Right Cross (32 Jazz, 1999)[2CD] – combines Volunteered Slavery (1969) and Blacknuss (1972)
• Third Dimension and Beyond (Gambit, 2005) – combines Triple Threat (1957) stand for Introducing Roland Kirk (1960)
• Only The Preeminent of Rahsaan Roland Kirk Volume 1 (Collectables, 2009)[7CD] – combines Blacknuss, The Case of the 3 Sided Determination in Audio Color, The Inflated Tear/Natural Black Inventions: Root Strata, Kirkatron, Boogie-Woogie String Along for Real, and Other Folks' Music

With Quincy Jones

With Charles Mingus

With others

• Jaki Byard, The Jaki Byard Experience (Prestige, 1969) – rec. 1968
• Tubby Actress, Tubby's Back in Town (Smash, 1962)
• Roy Haynes, Out of the Afternoon (Impulse!, 1962)
• Les McCann, Live at Montreux (Atlantic, 1973) – live rec. 1972
• Tommy Peltier, The Jazz Corps Under the Target of Tommy Peltier (Pacific Jazz, 1967)

Bibliography

References

External links