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Roland Kirk

fl, ts, sax, 1935-1977 US
Musician of Jazz
A.k.a. Ronald Theodore Kirk Theoshis Tannis

Born August 7, 1935 in Columbus, Ohio, USA. Died December 5, 1977 in Bloomington, Indiana, USA (of a stroke). He was best known for being a blind jazz saxophonist who could play more than one wind instrument at once. Kirk played a number of musical instruments, mainly various saxophones, clarinets and flutes. His main instruments were tenor saxophone and two obscure saxophones: the stritch and the manzello. Kirk modified these instruments himself to accommodate his simultaneous playing technique. The idea of playing more than one saxophone at the same time occurred to him in a dream and he set out to make it a reality. Around 1970 he added "Rahsaan" to his name after hearing it in a dream. He is also noted for his circular breathing technique and was reportedly able to sustain a note for over an hour.

     
Instruments
  • Flute
  • Tenor sax
  • Saxophone
  • Vocals
  • Clarinet
Genres
  • Jazz
  • R&B/Soul
  • Soundtrack
Plays With
Rahsaan Roland Kirk & The Vibration Society
Roy Haynes Quartet
The Roland Kirk Quartet
Tubby Hayes And The All Stars
Grencsó Surprise Kollektív
Popular Tracks   
Soul Station on The Best Of Chess Jazz by Various Artists
Intro - Three for the Festival - Live on Newport 1962 by Roland Kirk
Nice & Easy - Live on Newport 1962 by Roland Kirk
Domino - Live on Newport 1962 by Roland Kirk
Fat Man Please Get Thin - Live on Newport 1962 by Roland Kirk
Inflated Tear - Outro - Live on Newport 1962 by Roland Kirk
3-In-1 Without the Oil - Live on Newport 1962 by Roland Kirk
Confusions of a Madman - Live on Newport 1962 by Roland Kirk
A Stitch in Time - Live on Newport 1962 by Roland Kirk

Track list and 30sec audio provided by

Band Members
Discography



Title Artist Year Type
Live In Dortmund 1976Gil Evans And His Orchestra Guest Star Roland Kirk2017Album
The Essential RecordingsRoland Kirk2017Compil.
Third DimensionRoland Kirk2015Album
Original Album SeriesRoland Kirk2015Compil.
The Limelight / Verve AlbumsRoland Kirk2014Album
Complete Recordings 1956-1962Roland Kirk2014Compil.
Four Classic AlbumsRoland Kirk2014Compil.
We Free KingsRoland Kirk2014Compil.
Eight Classic AlbumsRoland Kirk2013Compil.
Domino / Out Of The AfternoonRoland Kirk / Roy Haynes2013Compil.
We Free Kings/Triple ThreatRoland Kirk2012Compil.
Domino / Reeds & DeedsRoland Kirk2012Compil.
Spirits Up Above: The Rahsaan Roland Kirk Anthology - The Atlantic Years 1965-1976Roland Kirk2012Compil.
Live In '63 & '67Roland Kirk2008Album
In Europe 1962-1967Roland Kirk2006Album
Introducing Roland KirkRoland Kirk2006Compil.
Brotherman In The FatherlandRoland Kirk2006Album
Kirkatron / Boogie-Woogie String Along For RealRoland Kirk2005Compil.
Limbo BoatRoland Kirk2005Compil.
Third Dimension And BeyondRoland Kirk2005Compil.
Ornette Coleman Trio / Sound???The Ornette Coleman Trio Featuring David Izenzon & Charles Moffett / Roland Kirk & John Cage2004Single
The Inflated Tear / Nature Black Inventions: Roots StrataRoland Kirk2004Compil.
Compliments Of The Mysterious PhantomRoland Kirk2003Album
Roland Kirk's Finest HourRoland Kirk2001Compil.
Left Hook, Right CrossRoland Kirk1999Compil.
A Meeting Of The Times / Ornette!Al Hibbler, Roland Kirk, Ornette Coleman1999Compil.
Separate But EqualRoland Kirk / Yusef Lateef1999Compil.
Aces Back To BackRoland Kirk1998Compil.
A Standing EightRoland Kirk1998Compil.
Talkin' Verve: Roots Of Acid JazzRoland Kirk1997Album
Disc #2Roland Kirk1997Album
Kirk In Copenhagen, Vol. 1Roland Kirk1997Album
Dog Years In The Fourth RingRoland Kirk1997Album
Kirk In Copenhagen, Vol. 2Roland Kirk1997Album
(I, Eye, Aye) - Live At The Montreux Jazz Festival, Switzerland 1972Roland Kirk1996Album
Talkin' Verve: Roots Of Acid JazzRoland Kirk1996Compil.
The One Man TwinsRoland Kirk1996Album
Gifts And MessagesRoland Kirk1996Album
Simmer, Reduce, Garnish And Serve / The Warner Bros. RecordingsRoland Kirk1995Compil.
Sweet FireRoland Kirk1994Compil.
Verve Jazz Masters 27Roland Kirk1994Compil.
Does Your House Have Lions: The Rahsaan Roland Kirk AnthologyRoland Kirk1993Compil.
Roller CoasterRoland Kirk1992Album
Black Classical MusicRoland Kirk1991Album
Rip, Rig & Panic / Now Please Don't You Cry, Beautiful EdithRoland Kirk1990Compil.
Petite FleurRoland Kirk1990Album
Rahsaan: The Complete Mercury Recordings Of Roland KirkRoland Kirk1990Album
The Man Who Cried FireRoland Kirk1990Album
Soulful SaxesRoland Kirk / Booker Ervin1989Compil.
Live In Paris 1970 Vol. 1Roland Kirk1988Album
Live In Paris, 1970 Vol. 2Roland Kirk1988Album
Mercury V.S.O.P. Album IIErroll Garner, Johnny Hartman, Junior Mance, Helen Merrill, Paul Bley, Maynard Ferguson, Roland Kirk1985Album
Boogie-Woogie String Along For RealRoland Kirk1978Album
The Vibration Continues...A Retrospective Of The Years 1968-1976Roland Kirk1978Compil.
Pre-RahsaanRoland Kirk1978Compil.
Boogie-Woogie String Along For RealRoland Kirk1978Album
KirkatronRoland Kirk1977Album
Kirk's WorksRoland Kirk1977Compil.
The Return Of The 5000 Lb. ManRoland Kirk1976Album
Other Folks' MusicRoland Kirk1976Album
The Case Of The 3 Sided Dream In Audio ColorRoland Kirk1975Album
Prepare Thyself To Deal With A MiracleRoland Kirk1973Album
Bright MomentsRoland Kirk1973Album
The Art Of Rahsaan Roland Kirk - The Atlantic YearsRoland Kirk1973Compil.
BlacknussRoland Kirk1972Album
A Meeting Of The TimesRoland Kirk & Al Hibbler1972Album
The Best Of Rahsaan Roland KirkRoland Kirk1971Compil.
Natural Black Inventions: Root StrataRoland Kirk1971Album
Ain't No Sunshine / Black RootRoland Kirk1971Single
Roland KirkRoland Kirk1969Compil.
Volunteered SlaveryRoland Kirk1969Album
Left & RightRoland Kirk1969Album
The Inflated TearRoland Kirk1968Album
Now Please Don't You Cry, Beautiful EdithRoland Kirk1967Album
Making Love After HoursRoland Kirk1967Single
The Jazz CorpsThe Jazz Corps Under Direction Tommy Peltier Featuring Roland Kirk1967Album
Here Comes The WhistlemanRoland Kirk1967Album
Once In A While / Mystical DreamRoland Kirk1966Single
Slightly LatinRoland Kirk1966Album
A Quote From Clifford Brown / Serenade To A CuckooRoland Kirk1965Single
I Talk With The SpiritsRoland Kirk1965Album
Hip!Roland Kirk1965Compil.
Three For DizzyRoland Kirk1964Single
Kirk In CopenhagenRoland Kirk1964Album
Gifts & MessagesRoland Kirk1964Album
DominoRoland Kirk1963Single
Jazz MakersRoland Kirk1963Single
Funk UnderneathRoland Kirk1963Single
DominoRoland Kirk1963Single
Reeds & DeedsRoland Kirk1963Album
Kirk's WorkRoland Kirk1963Single
Fly Me To The Moon (In Other Words)Roy Haynes Quartet Featuring Roland Kirk1962Single
DominoRoland Kirk1962Album
We Free KingsRoland Kirk1962Album
Kirk's WorkRoland Kirk With Brother Jack McDuff1961Album
Introducing Roland KirkRoland Kirk1960Album
Soul Station / Jack The RipperRoland Kirk1960Single
Triple ThreatRoland Kirk1957Album
Three For The FestivalRoland KirkSingle
You Did It, You Did ItRoland KirkSingle
Berkshire Blues / Dirty Money BluesRoland KirkSingle
In MemoriamRoland KirkCompil.
External Links
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Acknowledgements
To all the music fans that are contributing on Discogs, MusicBrainz and Wikipedia. Thanks to Franz Flückiger for providing Storygram used to visualize band membership.
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