Rahsaan Roland Kirk - Complete Mercury Recordings of Roland Kirk [10 CD, 1991/FLAC]

 

Rahsaan Roland Kirk's nearly one-dozen long-players on the Mercury Records family of labels -- including the Smash and Limelight subsidiaries -- are gathered on this massive ten-disc compilation. Actually, it is 11 discs if you count the surprise bonus CD. Additionally, Rahsaan: The Complete Mercury Recordings of Roland Kirk lives up to its name by augmenting those albums with more than two-dozen previously unissued sides. Kirk's thoroughly innovative multi-instrumental reed work caught the attention of legendary producer Quincy Jones, then the vice-president of Mercury Records, who signed Kirk and would later arrange and conduct orchestrations for several of his memorable sessions. Perhaps the most recognizable among them is "Soul Bossa Nova" which is heavily featured in the Austin Powers franchise. Kirk's ability to perform several reed instruments -- including the tenor, flute, clarinet, manzello, and stritch -- simultaneously allowed him a musical autonomy few instrumentalists are afforded. His youthful embrace of the R&B, soul, pop, and eventually rock genres produced swinging interpretations of "And I Love Her" and "Walk on By," among others. Regardless of the genre, however, Kirk's ability to Swing -- with a capitol "S" -- is imprinted upon every piece he performed. Although Kirk continued his prolific output on Atlantic records in the late '60s and '70s, arguably his most profound sides are included here. We Free Kings, Domino, Reeds and Deeds, Gifts and Messages, I Talk with the Spirits and Rip, Rig & Panic are offered in their entirety. Undoubtedly the centerpiece of Kirk's work for the label is the live Kirk in Copenhagen, which features some wicked harp blowing from blues legend "Sonny Boy" Williamson, aka Big Skol. It is only fitting that this album benefits so greatly from inclusion on this set. The original six sides have been supplemented with an additional ten to present the entire October '63 performance, now complete at an hour and 45 minutes. Rahsaan: The Complete Mercury Recordings if Roland Kirk is complimented visually with a 56-page information packed booklet that includes: complete discographical and recording session logs, as well individual essays for each disc. Although not for the light of funds, this is truly the best way to become immersed in these early works of Rahsaan Roland Kirk.

Rahsaan Roland Kirk - Complete Recordings 1956-1962 (4 CD, 2013/FLAC)

 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. 

 

 

Rahsaan Roland Kirk - Aces Back To Back (4 CD, 1998/FLAC)

 

Whether or not the four individual albums packaged with in Aces Back to Back are among Rahsaan Roland Kirk's finest is of no consequence. The fact that they have been assembled in a package that offers the listener a sense of Kirk's development and continuity is the issue here. And in this way, Aces Back to Back is a supreme collection. The four albums included — Left & Right, Rahsaan Rahsaan, Prepare Thyself to Deal With a Miracle, and Other Folks Music — date from 1969 to 1976 and chart dimensional growth of Kirk's completely original music.

Rahsaan Roland Kirk - Complete Mercury Recordings of Roland Kirk [10 + 1 CD, 1991]

  

Rahsaan Roland Kirk's nearly one-dozen long-players on the Mercury Records family of labels -- including the Smash and Limelight subsidiaries -- are gathered on this massive ten-disc compilation. Actually, it is 11 discs if you count the surprise bonus CD. Additionally, Rahsaan: The Complete Mercury Recordings of Roland Kirk lives up to its name by augmenting those albums with more than two-dozen previously unissued sides. Kirk's thoroughly innovative multi-instrumental reed work caught the attention of legendary producer Quincy Jones, then the vice-president of Mercury Records, who signed Kirk and would later arrange and conduct orchestrations for several of his memorable sessions. Perhaps the most recognizable among them is "Soul Bossa Nova" which is heavily featured in the Austin Powers franchise. Kirk's ability to perform several reed instruments -- including the tenor, flute, clarinet, manzello, and stritch -- simultaneously allowed him a musical autonomy few instrumentalists are afforded. His youthful embrace of the R&B, soul, pop, and eventually rock genres produced swinging interpretations of "And I Love Her" and "Walk on By," among others. Regardless of the genre, however, Kirk's ability to Swing -- with a capitol "S" -- is imprinted upon every piece he performed. Although Kirk continued his prolific output on Atlantic records in the late '60s and '70s, arguably his most profound sides are included here. We Free Kings, Domino, Reeds and Deeds, Gifts and Messages, I Talk with the Spirits and Rip, Rig & Panic are offered in their entirety. Undoubtedly the centerpiece of Kirk's work for the label is the live Kirk in Copenhagen, which features some wicked harp blowing from blues legend "Sonny Boy" Williamson, aka Big Skol. It is only fitting that this album benefits so greatly from inclusion on this set. The original six sides have been supplemented with an additional ten to present the entire October '63 performance, now complete at an hour and 45 minutes. Rahsaan: The Complete Mercury Recordings if Roland Kirk is complimented visually with a 56-page information packed booklet that includes: complete discographical and recording session logs, as well individual essays for each disc. Although not for the light of funds, this is truly the best way to become immersed in these early works of Rahsaan Roland Kirk.