Rahsaan Roland Kirk: Brotherman in the Fatherland (Hyena/Southbound

 |   |  <1 min read

Rahsaan Roland Kirk: I Want To Make It With You
Rahsaan Roland Kirk: Brotherman in the Fatherland (Hyena/Southbound

Kirk, who died almost 30 years ago, was one of those musicians who divided jazz critics: some thought he was a showman-cum-charlatan (he could play three saxophones simultaneously) and others thought he was something close to a genius.

I head cautiously more toward the latter, although he did often seem to be pulling tricks of a bag to impress rather than to enlighten.

Certainly though a number of his albums -- We Free Kings, The Inflated Tear and Volunteered Slavery -- are in most serious jazz collections.

Since his death many live concerts have been released in an on-going series and this from Germany in 72 -- with hilarious liner notes by Joel Dorn -- is as challenging, beautiful, lazy and confrontational as any of them.

Kirk here essays tunes by Coltrane, Smokey Robinson's My Girl, the standard Lush Life, and the kitschy ballad I Want To Make It With You. All in his own way, of course, as he reached from free jazz through classic soul to pop.

No wonder some hardcore jazz critics hated him.

Share It

Your Comments

post a comment

More from this section   Jazz at Elsewhere articles index

Mathias Eick: Midwest (ECM/Ode)

Mathias Eick: Midwest (ECM/Ode)

This Norwegian trumpeter has appeared previously at Elsewhere, but never with quite the wistful, reflective and thoughtful work as here, an album inspired by the territory of its title where he --... > Read more

Sonny Rollins Trio: Shadow Waltz (Solar/Southbound)

Sonny Rollins Trio: Shadow Waltz (Solar/Southbound)

Although now 80 and still playing at the time of this writing, the problem tenor giant Rollns has faced from the Sixties onwards is that no matter how great he plays, his every accomplishment is... > Read more

Elsewhere at Elsewhere

THE FAMOUS ELSEWHERE QUESTIONNAIRE: Katie Thompson

THE FAMOUS ELSEWHERE QUESTIONNAIRE: Katie Thompson

Singer-songwriter Katie Thompson doesn't let the remoteness of her hometown on New Zealand's West Coast prevent her from engaging with an international audience. And she reaches out in many ways,... > Read more

Christy Moore: The story teller and me

Christy Moore: The story teller and me

Car dealers certainly. Lawyers and politicians of course, when it best suits them. But musicians? I know they gild the truth or embellish it for some self-aggradisement, but I never really expect... > Read more