Song:Untitled
Album:Here Comes The Whistleman
Sax player Rahsaan Roland Kirk was one of the most eclectic musicains in jazz history. It was always quite a sight watching him on stage playing several instruments at once. He was born Aug. 7, 1936 in Columbus, OH and became blind at age two. He started playing tenor sax professionally at age 15 and discovered the manzello and the stritch. Both were variants of the saxophone and Kirk began inventing his own instruments. He reshaped his instruments so they could all be played at once. Kirk made his recording debut in 1956 and though he toured with Charles Mingus in the early 60s, he usually led his own band called The Vibration Society. Here Comes The Whistleman was recorded live in 1965 at Atlantic Studios in New York with either Jaki Byard or Lonnie Smith on piano, Major Holley on bass and Charles Crosby on drums. The album includes Kirk's between song banter and this very entertaining album might work for beginners. Untitled is one of two bonus tracks added when Label M reissued the album a few years ago. Kirk added the name Rahsaan in 1970 when he became more politically active. He suffered a stroke in 1975 and died on Dec. 5, 1977 at age 41. Rahsaan Roland Kirk was one of a kind. Here's Rahsaan Roland Kirk performing I Say A Little Prayer in 1969.
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