Man, I just love Rahsaan Roland Kirk. For starters, the guy could play multiple reed instruments at the same time. I don't know how many of you have tried blowing a clarinet or a sax, but getting even a note out of one takes quite a bit of wind. It's just crazy to play more than one and I've seen photos of him playing four at once. How does that work? You might have the wind, and a big enough mouth but you only have two hands. He was also known to play the flute with his nose. Say whaaaaa? This would be about the time that you run off to YouTube to see how he does it. Go ahead, I'll wait.
Another thing I dig about him is that more often than not, the beginning of what he's playing gives no indication of where the song, or his performance, is going. Particularly his live stuff. They'll start out one way, instruments added, some subtracted, and different sections morphing into another, and end completely different. They're engaging. He's really beyond jazz. Dude's a trip.
This first one below takes the WTF factor to another level. While Kirk's jamming all manner of reeds into his mouth, here comes Sonny Boy Williamson. Sonny Boy fucking Williamson. He's a blues harp player, Chicago blues. What the fuck he's doing sharing a stage with (pre-Rahsaan) Roland Kirk in 1963 in Copenhagen is anybody's guess.
Check out all of the Rashaan Roland Kirk posts over at Melting Pot. They love the guy over there. There's tons of stuff on YouTube as well. Never boring.
Another thing I dig about him is that more often than not, the beginning of what he's playing gives no indication of where the song, or his performance, is going. Particularly his live stuff. They'll start out one way, instruments added, some subtracted, and different sections morphing into another, and end completely different. They're engaging. He's really beyond jazz. Dude's a trip.
This first one below takes the WTF factor to another level. While Kirk's jamming all manner of reeds into his mouth, here comes Sonny Boy Williamson. Sonny Boy fucking Williamson. He's a blues harp player, Chicago blues. What the fuck he's doing sharing a stage with (pre-Rahsaan) Roland Kirk in 1963 in Copenhagen is anybody's guess.
Check out all of the Rashaan Roland Kirk posts over at Melting Pot. They love the guy over there. There's tons of stuff on YouTube as well. Never boring.
~ NOTE: ALL MEDIA IS HOSTED BY THE BLOGS & SITES NAMED BELOW ~
Listen
Rahsaan Roland Kirk - Monkey Thing mp3 at Melting Pot With Sonny Boy Williamson, 1963
Rahsaan Roland Kirk - The Seeker mp3 at Melting Pot 1970. 17 minutes, the mid-song full wig out is worth the wait.
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