Tracklist :
1 Secret Love 10:45
Written-By – Mercer, Fain
2 Airegin 5:31
Written-By – Sonny Rollins
3 Confirmation 7:30
Written-By – Charlie Parker
4 Four 8:45
Written-By – Miles Davis
5 Stella By Starlight 16:41
Written-By – Washington, Young
Credits :
Bass – Sam Jones
Drums – Billy Higgins
Piano – Tete Montoliu
This compiles the earlier two volumes into one release. The great avant-gardist Anthony Braxton threw the jazz world a curve with these two albums. Braxton, filling in for an ill Dexter Gordon, was joined by pianist Tete Montoliu, bassist Niels Pedersen, and drummer Tootie Heath for a set of jazz standards. Braxton pays tribute to each song's melody before tearing into complex, abstract improvisations that are generally ignored by the rhythm section, who go about playing in their usual bop-oriented style. An exception is a duet with bassist Pedersen on a very spooky "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat," one of two songs on which Braxton plays contrabass clarinet. His solo on "Ornithology" on that instrument is a bit silly, for the contrabass clarinet is so low that one has difficulty telling some of its notes apart from each other. A short "Duet" (which teams the leader with Pedersen) is a change of pace and much freer. It's a historical curiosity, but features much less interaction between the trio and Anthony Braxton than one would hope. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1-1 Marshmallow 7:48
Written-By – Warne Marsh
1-2 Goodbye Pork Pie Hat 4:53
Written-By – Charles Mingus
1-3 Just Friends 9:47
Written-By – Klenner, Lewis
1-4 Ornithology 7:22
Written-By – Charlie Parker
1-5 Lush Life 11:59
Written-By – Billy Strayhorn
1-6 Trane's Blues 5:34
Written-By – John Coltrane
2-1 What's New 9:56
Written-By – Haggart
2-2 Duet 3:37
Written-By – Braxton, Ørsted Pedersen
2-3 Body And Soul 10:14
Written-By – Johnny Green
2-4 Marshmallow 6:39
Written-By – Warne Marsh
2-5 Donna Lee 6:33
Written-By – Charlie Parker
2-6 My Funny Valentine 8:05
Written-By – Richard Rodgers
2-7 Half Nelson 4:16
Written-By – Miles Davis
Credits :
Alto Saxophone [Alto Sax], Contrabass Clarinet – Anthony Braxton
Bass – Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen
Drums – Albert Tootie Heath
Piano – Tete Montoliu
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. Lindsay Planer
All Tracks & Credits
In addition to being Roland Kirk's first live long-player, the breakthrough Kirk in Copenhagen was his fifth in a little over two years during his particularly prolific relationship with Mercury Records. On this 1964 release, Kirk heads up a truly integrated quintet featuring the multi-reedsmith (tenor sax, flute, manzello, strich, nose flute, and siren) as well as Tete Montoliu (piano) from Spain, Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen (bass) from Denmark, and a pair of Yanks in Don Moore (bass) and J.C. Moses (drums). The dementedly humorous blues workout on "The Monkey Thing" features a character by the name of Big Skol (mouth harp) -- whose true identity is none other than Sonny Boy Williamson. It is presumed that contractual or other potentially litigious circumstances prevented the blues legend from being properly credited at the time of this LP's initial release. Although somewhat ragtag in derivation, the combo quickly finds its sonic niche. The opener, "Narrow Bolero," audibly suffers from a rhythmically disoriented Moses, whose sloppy skins and decidedly uneven timing are brutally evident on occasion. Thankfully, he quickly smartens up and his contributions -- especially to "Cabin in the Sky" -- are both engaging and active in their solidification of the rhythm section. Nowhere is Moses more in control than the set's brilliant conclusion, "On the Corner of King and Scott Streets." The band commences and concludes with an open throttle as it blazes through the high-velocity and densely intricate jam, the bottom of which falls out, providing Kirk plenty of space to improvise wildly, utilizing his clever wit and immensely expressive musicality. The ten-CD Rahsaan: The Complete Mercury Recordings of Roland Kirk box set from 1990 embellishes the half-dozen performances included on this album with an additional ten sides. Ultimately, this yields over an hour and 45 minutes of primal live Kirk, and is considered by many enthusiasts as worthy of the nominal investment needed to acquire the otherwise essential and definitively comprehensive compilation. Kirk in Copenhagen was reissued on CD as part of Verve's classic reissue program in a limited edition with beautifully remastered sound in a digipack replica of the original LP sleeve. There is no bonus material on this reissue. Lindsay Planer
Tracklist :
1 Narrow Bolero 5'23
Rahsaan Roland Kirk
2 Mingus-Griff Song 8'07
Rahsaan Roland Kirk
3 The Monkey Thing 5'43
Rahsaan Roland Kirk
4 Mood Indigo 7'17
Barney Bigard / Duke Ellington / Irving Mills
5 Cabin in the Sky 7'46
Vernon Duke / John Latouche
6 On the Corner of King and Scott Streets 4'12
Rahsaan Roland Kirk
Credits :
Bass – Don Moore, Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen
Drums – J.C. Moses
Harmonica – Sonny Boy Williamson
Piano – Tete Montoliu
Producer – Quincy Jones
Tenor Saxophone, Idiophone [Manzello, Stritch], Flute, Siren, By – Roland Kirk
There are many wonderful ways to get acquainted or stay in touch with the spirit of Rahsaan Roland Kirk. For a truly mind-altering and life-changing listening experience, try this Lone Hill Jazz double-CD reissue of Kirk's amazing performances recorded live at the Club Montmartre in Copenhagen on October 24 and 25, 1963. (Present in the audience on the second night was John Coltrane, who was resting his chops after playing the Tivolis Koncertsal.) Earlier that year, Kirk was working out of Chicago when a promoter from Sweden heard him and suggested a Scandinavian tour. By late September Kirk was in London playing to packed houses at Ronnie Scott's and the Marquee Club. The tour then expanded as Kirk roared through Italy, France, Belgium, Germany and Holland in addition to Sweden and Denmark. Fortunately, Quincy Jones arranged for the Copenhagen Concert to be recorded, preserving for posterity the magical interplay between this joyously driven multi-instrumental Ohioan and the Barcelona-born pianist Tete Montoliu, bassists Don Moore and Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, and drummer J.C. Moses, who by the end of the decade would serve as the house drummer at Café Montmartre. Two tracks feature special guest blues harmonica legend Sonny Boy Williamson, identified on most previous issues only as 'Big Skol'. The gutsy combination of Kirk and Williamson on "Untitled Blues" and "The Monkey Thing" is a spicy treat that meshes nicely with Williamson's other European and British adventures in the company of Memphis Slim, Eric Clapton, the Yardbirds, and Eric Burdon & the Animals. According to what Kirk says by way of introduction, he and Sonny Boy Williamson had previously gigged together in Milwaukee, which makes their Danish rendezvous somewhat of a reunion jam. Every aspect of Kirk's artistry is documented on the Copenhagen recordings -- gorgeous ballads, gleefully reconstituted standards and fiery originals. Essential features are his supreme one-man three-sax and flute adaptation of "Mood Indigo," a bouncing medley that opens with a rousing "Rock-A-Bye Baby" and Kirk's blustery, screaming over-the-top flute solo during "On the Corner of King and Scott Streets." This edition also contains two exciting bonus tracks: a sunny seven-minute version of "A Stritch in Time" recorded live at the 1962 Newport Jazz Festival, and a rare recording of a nearly 15-minute jam on Charlie Parker's "Au Privave," tape recorded by an enterprising amateur at a gig in Berlin on September 24, 1964. In addition to Tete Montoliu, bassist Jimmy Woode, and drummer Kenny Clarke, this steamy blowout features alto saxophonist Sonny Stitt. Those who really love their jazz will want to absorb this track in all its muddy-sounding "bootleg" splendor, as this is the only known recording of Sonny Stitt and Rahsaan Roland Kirk performing together. Don't miss it. arwulf arwulf
Tracklist 1 :
1-1 Narrow Bolero 8:24
Rahsaan Roland Kirk
1-2 My Heart Stood Still 5:50
Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers
1-3 No Title No. 1 5:56
Rahsaan Roland Kirk
1-4 Mood Indigo 7:14
Ellington / Mills / Bigard
1-5 Cabin In The Sky 7:47
Duke / Latouche
1-6 On The Corner Of King And Scott Streets 4:41
Rahsaan Roland Kirk
1-7 Untitled Blues 6:16
Rahsaan Roland Kirk
1-8 The Monkey Thing 5:55
Rahsaan Roland Kirk
1-9 Will You Still Be Mine? 8:40
Adair / Dennis
1-10 One For My Baby 3:54
Harold Arlen / Johnny Mercer
1-11 We'll Be Together Again 5:21
Fisher / Laine
1-12 Mingus-Griff Song 8:03
Rahsaan Roland Kirk
Tracklist 2 :
2-1 Mood Indigo 7:28
Ellington / Mills / Bigard
2-2 Medley: Rock-A-Bye Baby / The Nearness Of You / No Title No. 3 12:35
Rahsaan Roland Kirk / Ned Washington
2-3 Half A Triple 4:54
Rahsaan Roland Kirk
2-4 Narrow Bolero 6:46
Rahsaan Roland Kirk
2-5 A Stritch In Time 7:08
Rahsaan Roland Kirk
2-6 Au Privave 14:37
C. Parker
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – Sonny Stitt (pistas: 2-6)
Bass – Don Moore (pistas: 1-1 to 2-4), Jimmy Woode (pistas: 2-6), Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen (pistas: 1-1 to 2-4), Vernon Martin (pistas: 2-5)
Drums – Clifford Jarvis (pistas: 2-5), J.C. Moses (pistas: 1-1 to 2-4), Kenny Clarke (pistas: 2-6)
Harmonica – Sonny Boy Williamson (pistas: 1-7, 1-8)
Nose Flute – Roland Kirk (pistas: 1-1 to 2-4)
Piano – Andrew Hill (pistas: 2-5), Tete Montoliu (pistas: 1-1 to 2-4, 2-6)
Siren, Flute – Roland Kirk (pistas: 1-1 to 2-5)
Tenor Saxophone, Saxophone [Manzello], Saxophone [Stritch] – Roland Kirk
Vocals – Sonny Boy Williamson (pistas: 1-7)
This is a fascinating release. Tenor-saxophonist Archie Shepp would not burst upon the U.S. avant-garde scene until 1964-65 but here he is featured at a Danish concert with the great coolbop baritonist Lars Gullin and a top-notch straightahead rhythm section (pianist Tete Montoliu, bassist Niels Pedersen and drummer Alex Riel). The quintet stretches out on four lengthy standards (including "Sweet Georgia Brown" and a 19-minute rendition of "You Stepped out of a Dream") and it is particularly interesting to hear the reactions of the other musicians to Shepp's rather free flights; at a couple of points Gullin tries to copy him. An important historical release. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1 You Stepped Out of a Dream 19'06
Nacio Herb Brown / Gus Kahn
2 I Should Care 9'00
Sammy Cahn / Axel Stordahl / Paul Weston
3 The House I Live In 9'09
Earl Robinson
4 Sweet Georgia Brown 11'22
Ben Bernie / Kenneth Casey / Maceo Pinkard
Credits :
Baritone Saxophone – Lars Gullin
Bass – Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen
Drums – Alex Riel
Piano – Tete Montoliu
Tenor Saxophone – Archie Shepp
One of the greatest slide guitarists of the early blues era, and a man with an odd fascination with the kazoo, Tampa Red also fancied himsel...
