Rahsaan Roland Kirk

**Cramchri** · 03-18-2009, 10:58 PM

So I was wondering If anyone knows what kind of Mouthpiece Rahsaan Roland Kirk played on his tenor?

**littlewailer** · 03-18-2009, 11:00 PM

On his super 20 a metal berg.

I dunno about the Selmer. Probably a HR berg.

**Tim Price** · 03-18-2009, 11:33 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVU34lV3fVc

BERGS.

Big tip openings. Right from England.

He used a Berg on Bri too.

One of my favs...then/now/always.

Its not a day at my home without some Roland Kirk.

**littlewailer** · 03-18-2009, 11:42 PM

I've got that DVD.

I find it amazing how in the last concert his straight Tenor is falling to the ground from its stand and he leaps to save it.

ummmm..... how did he see it falling?

That's real blind mans intuition.

**bongop57** · 03-19-2009, 12:49 AM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uRnvMwD6jM

Say a Little Prayer. One of my favorite Rahsaan performances. I remember seeing Rahsaan do this at the Jazz Workshop in Boston. Talk about intuition, one night Rahsaan walked out into the audience with 3 horns hanging from his neck, guiding himself with his cane and grabbed a guys hands to get him to switch from clapping on 1 and 3 to 2 and 4.

**Tim Price** · 03-19-2009, 03:19 PM

.....Also- That CD - THE JAZZ CORPS...

Listen to that.

DD · 03-19-2009, 04:04 PM

Nice to see my late Bro-in-law Joe Habao Texidor rippin' it up on his "ring thing" too!
I read somewhere he was referred to as an "Amish dude" - go figure.

**jordanreed** · 03-19-2009, 05:15 PM

now,Im watchin this and can hardly wait for roland to play a blues solo..and he doesnt!..Buddy Guy is trying desperately to get him to play, but he wont!...whats up with that??

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vW7BO...eature=related

**Kritavi** · 03-19-2009, 06:02 PM

Originally Posted by DD

Nice to see my late Bro-in-law Joe Habao Texidor rippin' it up on his "ring thing" too!
I read somewhere he was referred to as an "Amish dude" - go figure.

I corresponded with Joe some years ago. I had posted about seeing the show in Boston where Roland and Joe came out on stage and joined the Mothers of Invention for their set at the Boston Globe Jazz Festival. He was happy to hear from someone who had been there. What an epic event, not caught on tape as far as anyone knows.

**davevillajr** · 03-19-2009, 06:14 PM

I'm sure it's in the Zappa Vault somewhere....

The family's got YEARS of stuff in there. He recorded everything, if I remember correctly.

check with zappa.com

dv

**Kritavi** · 03-19-2009, 06:23 PM

this was 1969 and apparently not taped...

**Rahspeak** · 05-31-2009, 08:18 AM

just wanted to say that I have been watching the Jazz Icons DVD NON STOP since I received it a month ago as a gift. I get my screen name from the fact that I was deep into listening to Rahsaan years ago when I signed up for this site, and this DVD reminds me why, and has taken me back there. His version of Lover on this DVD is constantly in my head....I sing lines from both his tenor and manzello solos non stop. And to keep the post related to the topic...Bb tenor...Rahsaan is known as the man who played three horns at once (and nose flute, etc.), but without all of those unique skills (and they were just that...unique skills...not gimmicks), even without all of that stuff, he would've went down in history as a legend on the tenor sax. His tenor sound, phrasing, and ideas just knock me out. If you dig Rahsaan, spend $20 bucks on this DVD--you won't regret it for a minute.

**Michael Ward** · 05-31-2009, 10:49 AM

The live version on DVD of the Inflated Tear is something else. I collect everything by Roland ever since I heard him with Mingus on" Lord don't let them drop that atomic bomb on me" on an Atlantic sampler when I was a kid.

The live portion of Volunteered Slavery is in my desert island discs. I love Rahsaan.

**tinpalaceroach** · 06-03-2009, 12:01 AM

Rahsaan Roland Kirk is the 1 ton thinking Man on saxophone and as a younger cat in Ohio was scaring veterans beyond his years. in that period Rahsaan always said his favorite guy to listen and copy was Johnny Griffin and on his earlier work i can hear that. R.R.Kirk had a remarkable memory and vocabulary and a gift to mimic styles with such depth. i also loved his all inclusive way of playing the history of Jazz in phrases, instruments, toys etc.. years before the Art Ensemble of Chicago made it there own. his banter and raps at club dates was really funny because he really connected with his audience and they loved him. Bright Moments!

**dha** · 06-03-2009, 12:15 AM

I had all Roland Kirks records. The one I really love is the one he did with Al Hibbler.
On that recording is also Roland Kirk's version of Goodbye Pork Pie Hat...Rahsaan Roland Kirk is what jazz is all about..in my humble opinion.

**Rahspeak** · 06-03-2009, 12:28 AM

Originally Posted by dha

I had all Roland Kirks records. The one I really love is the one he did with Al Hibbler.
On that recording is also Roland Kirk's version of Goodbye Pork Pie Hat...Rahsaan Roland Kirk is what jazz is all about..in my humble opinion.

+1. He embodied the entire tradition of jazz up to that point.

JL · 06-03-2009, 10:44 PM

Originally Posted by Rahspeak

+1. He embodied the entire tradition of jazz up to that point.

Absolutely! Roland Kirk was pure jazz, through & through. Every time his name comes up here I feel compelled to point out some of my fondest memories were seeing/hearing him play live on numerous occasions back in the '70s. In live performance he was at the very top of my list and I was lucky enough to see many of the jazz greats playing live. Roland Kirk never, ever disappointed and I can't begin to describe the experience of hearing him live (still sends chills up my spine to think back on it). The recordings don't even come close, but they are all we have now, so check them out!

**tenor71363** · 06-04-2009, 03:07 AM

That DVD is excellent. Each time I watch it, I hear and see something new. Anybody know where to get a transcriptions of his "Lunatic Danza"? I love that piece.