Jazz | Pint | Rip, Rig and Panic

Some who know me might find it a little surprising that I enjoy the music of Rahsaan Roland Kirk as much as I do. That said, I’ve only managed to accumulate a few of his albums over the years... ‘The Inflated Tear’, ‘I Talk With The Spirits’, ‘Domino’, and most recently ‘Rip, Rig and Panic’. And it was that album that did the rounds tonight accompanied by Citron Soleil from Craftwork. There’s something about his energy that appeals to me. That things often get a little rough around the edges just seems to work for me when it comes to Kirk. And lets not forget that he one of the very few utilizing the soprano pre-Coltrane too. The album features the stellar threesome of Jaki Byard (is there anything he couldn’t do?... seriously), Richard Davis, and Elvin Jones alongside Rahsaan’s multiple horns. Did he record with a better rhythm section than this? As a guy with only four of his albums it might be a little hard for me to pass judgement. But this is one fine rhythm section and they work well in the Kirkian world – one of swing, blues, some abstraction, plenty of personality, and energy. This disc also includes ‘Now please don’t you cry, beautiful Edith’ but I didn’t get to that tonight, choosing instead to give ‘Rip, Rig and Panic’ a couple of runs. Because why not? Often I feel Kirk is shortchanged. I guess people just don't listen to his recordings. And I just remembered I also have 'Dog Years in the Fourth Ring' - I must pull that out again.

Rahsaan Roland Kirk: Blindfold Test

Rahsaan Roland Kirk takes Leonard Feather's "Blindfold Test." Down Beat split it over two issues (July 25 & August 8, 1968) so there is plenty of room for Kirk's thoughts. As I prepared this post last month, Kirk's 1964 all-flute outing I Talk with the Spirits had a few spins and I followed that up with Domino last week. Along with The Inflated Tear and Charles Mingus' Oh Yeah, I Talk with the Spirits is some of my favorite Kirk. If you haven't checked out his playing, those three albums would make good starting places.
Click on the image to view PDF of part 1 & 2. More vintage magazine articles are available here.

A bit of recent listening

In addition to the albums mentioned in other posts, here's a taste of what else has been having a spin over the past couple of months.

photo credit: my wife (thank you!)

Herbie Hancock: Inventions and Dimensions (Blue Note)
It's not nearly as well known as the albums that proceeded it (Empyrean Isles and Maiden Voyage) but I'm not too sure why because it's a fine, fine album. Maybe it's because the latter albums featured tunes, whereas the music on Inventions is largely improvised.

Marilyn Crispell: Nothing Ever Was, Anyway: Music of Annette Peacock (ECM)
This is one of my go-to albums when I'm after something with a great sense of space. Even when things get a bit busier, the trio still maintains a vastness to the sound. The last listen through I focussed on Paul Motian's very conversational playing.


Roland Kirk: Domino (Verve)
Regardless of the instrument(s) he's playing, I love the infectious energy that Rahsaan Roland Kirk brings to the music. I've said it before and I'll say it again - a lot of people sleep on Rahsaan, don't let him pass you by.

Mat Maneri: Trinity (ECM)
I picked up this solo violin/viola album on a whim as I have been meaning to listen to his work (I heard him at the Hungry Brain a couple of years ago and really enjoyed his playing). Maybe it will strike me when the mood is right, but so far I haven't been able to get into the flow of this one.

Joni Mitchell: Both Sides Now (Reprise)
Sometimes (not always) I feel the arrangements are a little bit overblown, but regardless of that, the vocals always hit the spot. Added bonus are some nice Wayne Shorter solos scattered throughout. His short soprano feature on "Answer Me, My Love" has a speaking quality that appeals to me.

Recent Listening: The Inflated Tear

I just realised this post has been sitting in my "drafts" folder since last month.

After hearing Kirk on Charles Mingus' Oh Yeah I saved up some busking money and picked up the only album by Kirk - The Inflated Tear - that was in stock at the now defunct Real Groovy in Wellington (I still remember the looks I use to get as I plunked $20-30 of change on the counter!).

There is an energy that Kirk plays with that I find very appealing - a certain feeling that I find hard to put into words, I can't put my finger on it. This is something that draws me to an artists' work, and although it's not always the same feeling, I have experienced this "mystery" listening to the likes of Lester Young, Lee Konitz, Roy Eldridge, Hayden Chisholm, Han Bennink, Billie Holiday, Bill Payne, Connie Crothers, Richard Tabnik and a handful of others.

Kirk is backed by Ron Burton (p) Steve Novosel (b) Jimmy Hopps (d) and Dick Griffin (tb on 8) and the ten tracks provide plenty of - blues ("The Black and Crazy Blues"), joy/exuberance ("A Laugh For Rory"), the mystical (and tender) title track, mid tempo swing ("Creole Love Call"), ballads ("Fingers In The Wind"), and some up tempo blowing ("Lovellevelliloqui" & "A Handful of Fives").

I enjoy the way his notes are not constant but instead different colours and overtones are expressed in the space of one note (check out the held notes on "The Black and Crazy Blues"). He's slightly rough around the edges at times, and I get the feeling that it's about expressing the moment that counts (rather than perfect execution).

Even after all these years, I feel Kirk is treated as somewhat of a sideshow/novelty act. As a result, what he brought to the music has not been fully appreciated. The Inflated Tear is a great starting point for those new to his music but don't stop there - Rip, Rig and Panic, I Talk With The Spirits (a must for flute fans), We Free Kings plus Mingus' Oh Yeah - dig in and enjoy!

Rahsaan Roland Kirk: The Road To Frustration - Down Beat Feature 1963

Here is Don DeMicheal's profile of Roland Kirk (b. Aug 7, 1935) that appeared in the May 22, 1963 issue of Down Beat Magazine. Click on the image to view full article as PDF. Here are more vintage magazine articles.

Bedside Listening

Of late, these albums have been hanging out on the bedside table. Occasionally the full album will be played - usually during the day (as was the case on Saturday when Shots got a couple of spins). For the most part though I listen to a few tracks before going to sleep (sometimes as a morning wake up too). The line up evolves over the course of a couple of weeks.

Herbie Nichols: The Complete Blue Note Recordings (Blue Note)

Charlie Parker & Dizzy Gillespie: Bird and Diz (Verve)

Hayden Chisholm: Breve (Pirouet)

Jay Clayton and Jerry Granelli: Sound Songs (Winter & Winter)

Steve Lacy: Shots (HatOlogy)

Roland Kirk: The Inflated Tear (Atlantic)