Roland Kirk
One of the most extraordinary musicians of any field, Roland Kirk thrilled audiences all over the world - not just with his amazing virtuosity on flute, sax and a variety of other instruments, but also his showmanship on stage. Blind from the age of two, he played several instruments at the same time, filled his concerts with hilarity and outspoken commentaries and proved himself with groundbreaking performances, lacing his jazz with unexpected influences, including classical and Motown.
His first instruments were bugle and trumpet before he graduated to clarinet and sax, joining R&B bands in his mid-teens. He soon devised his own techniques and created unique instrumentation, playing 'manzello' and 'stritch' - modified versions of the sax - experimenting with R&B on his first album 'Triple Threat' in 1956. He mastered circular breathing, allowing him to play intensely without pausing for breath, and in 1960 he recorded his second album 'Introducing Roland Kirk' in Chicago with saxophonist/trumpeter Ira Sullivan. He toured with Charles Mingus, fronted his own band - the Vibration Society - and became something of a political activist, fighting for the rights of African-American artists.
He constantly experimented, adding nose flute, piccolo and harmonica to his musical armoury as he sought to open the boundaries of jazz and invented his very own instruments, the trumpophone and the slidesophone. One of his most notable triumphs was his playing on the 1964 hit 'Soul Bossa Nova' with Quincy Jones later used in the 'Austin Powers' film franchise. He was partially paralysed following a stroke in 1975, but continued to record and perform with one arm, until his death in 1977, immediately after a concert in Bloomington, Indiana, at the age of 42.
©Copyright Music Story 2023
Similar artists
-
-
-
-
-
-
A Prairie Windstorm
Jazz - Released by prairie windstorm on 1 Feb 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
-
Nightingale
Jazz - Released by oldies and hits for future on 16 May 2019
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Just at the Turn of the Tide
Jazz - Released by turn of the tide on 9 Apr 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Classic Kirk, Vol. 2: Triple Threat
Jazz - Released by Diamond Days on 5 May 2008
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Triple Threat
Jazz - Released by Firefly Entertainment on 12 Dec 2019
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
-
-
-
Man At His Leisure
Jazz - Released by classics & more on 18 Jul 2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
-
Talkative Friend
Jazz - Released by classics & more on 3 May 2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
-
Fabulous Creature
Jazz - Released by classics & more on 18 May 2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Top Mega Hits
Jazz - Released by the gold members on 22 Apr 2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Take A Stroll
Jazz - Released by Sandmann & Walther on 19 Mar 2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo