|
RAHSAAN ROLAND KIRK Talkin' Verve: Roots Of Acid Jazz (Verve/Universal) This is an outstanding 'Verve' compilation that showcases the many facets of this awesome multi-reed player simply known as Rahsaan. The 'Verve' label have carefully imitated the 'Rhino' label, that put out a Kirk box set a few years before. Although Rahsaan was blind, this was never a handicap, and this proved to be an inspiration to musicians World-wide. Rahsaan's playing early on in his career was seen by many critics as gimmicky, whereas that thought was very quickly dismissed when they saw and heard him playing. Some titles or versions contained on this compilation have never been on CD before. Check out the swinging blues of 'A Sack Full Of Soul' (We Three Kings), or the blues-soul qualities on Randy Weston's 'Berkshire Blues', that also features Rahsaan on vocals. Rahsaan is also featured as a leader on Quincy Jones rendition of Henry Mancini's 'Peter Gunn'; and 'Untitled Blues' that was recorded live at the Copenhagen Jazz festival, this features the blues harmonica legend Sonny Boy Williamson. Just like Yusef Lateef, Rahsaan possessed a lot of feeling in his playing, and you can hear pops and burps; but this is all a part of the soulful-complexity known as jazz. This is a great place to start if you want a introduction to Rahsaan, whereas my personal choices are We Three Kings and The Inflated Tear.Gazz Click on album image to see larger album cover 
|
