Roland Kirk
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Biography
One of the most extraordinary musicians of any field, Roland Kirk thrilled audiences all over the world - not just with his amazing virtuosity on flute, sax and a variety of other instruments, but also his showmanship on stage. Blind from the age of two, he played several instruments at the same time, filled his concerts with hilarity and outspoken commentaries and proved himself with groundbreaking performances, lacing his jazz with unexpected influences, including classical and Motown.
His first instruments were bugle and trumpet before he graduated to clarinet and sax, joining R&B bands in his mid-teens. He soon devised his own techniques and created unique instrumentation, playing 'manzello' and 'stritch' - modified versions of the sax - experimenting with R&B on his first album 'Triple Threat' in 1956. He mastered circular breathing, allowing him to play intensely without pausing for breath, and in 1960 he recorded his second album 'Introducing Roland Kirk' in Chicago with saxophonist/trumpeter Ira Sullivan. He toured with Charles Mingus, fronted his own band - the Vibration Society - and became something of a political activist, fighting for the rights of African-American artists.
He constantly experimented, adding nose flute, piccolo and harmonica to his musical armoury as he sought to open the boundaries of jazz and invented his very own instruments, the trumpophone and the slidesophone. One of his most notable triumphs was his playing on the 1964 hit 'Soul Bossa Nova' with Quincy Jones later used in the 'Austin Powers' film franchise. He was partially paralysed following a stroke in 1975, but continued to record and perform with one arm, until his death in 1977, immediately after a concert in Bloomington, Indiana, at the age of 42.
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Albums
Top Tracks
- Track Popularity
- Volunteered Slavery
- I Believe in You by Rahsaan Roland Kirk
- Search For The Reason Why
- Three for Dizzy featuring Jack McDuff
- Funk Underneath featuring Jack McDuff
- Blue Rol
- Three for the Festival
- Steppin' Into Beauty
- Yesterdays
- Sugar
- Step Right Up
- Bright Moments
- Aluminum Baby
- Night In Tunisia
- Roots
- I Wished on the Moon
- This Masquerade
- Here Comes the Whistleman
- Wham Bam Thank You Ma'am
- Shine On Me featuring Alan Dawson
- Portrait of Those Beautiful Ladies #2
- Harplyness by Roland Kirk
- Black Root
- Medley (This Love of Mine/Roots)
