Of the eight albums compiled on this Enlightenment box set, five of them belong under Roland Kirk's name as a leader. They include Triple Threat (1956, King), Introducing Roland Kirk (1960, Argo, with Ira Sullivan), Kirk's Work (1961, Prestige, with Jack McDuff), We Free Kings (Mercury, 1961), and Domino (Mercury, 1962). There are also three dates on which he is a featured soloist. Of these, Quincy Jones' Big Band Bossa Nova, while a fine recording, is completely unnecessary in this context. Better is the Roy Haynes Quartet's Out of the Afternoon from Impulse! Records in 1962, with pianist Tommy Flanagan and bassist Henry Grimes. But the best of these non-Kirk-led dates, however, is Tubby Hayes' Tubby's Back in Town, from 1962 on Smash. It placed Kirk in heavy duty company. The British saxophonist/leader plays tenor and vibes, James Moody (as "Jimmy Gloomy") also plays tenor, and the rhythm section features pianist Walter Bishop, Jr., bassist Sam Jones, and drummer Louis Hayes. Kirk plays not only tenor but also manzello, flute, and nose flute, and adds immeasurably to the force and texture of the record. There are 62 tracks on these four discs, and the sound is decent, but not remastered. The set is exceptionally cheap. One thing the consumer should be aware of, however, is that Enlightenment, being a British label, is not bound by the same copyright laws as the United States, and neither the artists nor their estates see compensation from this reissue.
Disc 1
01. Roland's Theme
02. Slow Groove
03. Stormy Weather
04. The Nearness of You
05. A La Carte
06. Easy Living
07. Triple Threat
08. The Call
09. Soul Station
10. Our Waltz
11. Our Love Is Here to Stay
12. Spirit Girl
13. Jack the Ripper
Disc 2
14. Three for the Festival
15. Moon Song
16. A Sack Full of Soul
17. The Haunted Melody
18. Blues for Alice
19. We Free Kings
20. You Did It, You Dit It
21. Some Kind of Love
22. My Delight
23. Three for Dizzy
24. Makin' Whoopee
25. Funk Underneath
26. Kirk's Work
27. Doin' the Sixty Eight
28. Too Late Now
29. Skaters Waltz
Disc 3
30. Domino
31. Meeting of Termini's Corner
32. Time
33. Lament
34. A Stritch in Time
35. 3-in-1 Without the Oil
36. Get out of Town
37. Rolando
38. I Believe in You
39. E.D.
40. Soul Bossa Nova
41. Boogie Stop Shuffle
42. Desafinado
43. Manha De Carnaval
44. Se E Tarde Me Perdoa
45. On the Street Where You Live
46. One Note Samba
47. Lalo Bossa Nova
48. Serenata
49. Chega De Saudade
50. A Taste of Honey
Disc 4
51. Hog Callin' Blues
52. Devil Women
53. Wham Bam Thank You Ma'am
54. Ecclusiastics
55. Oh Lord Don't Let Them Drop That Atomic Bomb
56. Eat That Chicken
57. Passions of a Man
58. Moon Ray
59. Fly Me to the Moon (In Other Words)
60. Raoul
61. Snap Crackle
62. If I Should Lose You
63. Long Wharf
64. Some Other Spring
65. Stitt's Tune
66. I See with My Third I
67. Medley-If I Had You-Alone Together-For Heaven's Sake
68. Afternoon in Paris
69. Lady E
