Music of Rahsaan Roland Kirk [Import]

Steve Turre (Artist), Hilton Ruiz (Artist), Bill Hardman (Artist), Junior Cook (Artist), Vibration Society (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (December 1, 1993)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Hall of Sermon
• ASIN: B000008BHT
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #444,617 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars A Tribute to Roland Kirk, Junior Cook, Bill Hardman, Steve Turre et al, March 28, 2011

By 

jazz lover since 1960 (Tampa, Fl. and Franklin, NC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Music of Rahsaan Roland Kirk (Audio CD)

This marvelous recording is not just a tribute to Roland Kirk's legacy, it is also a tribute to the musicians in this group: Junior Cook, Bill Hardman, Steve Turre,Hilton Ruiz, Leroy Williams.
Roland's widow formed the Vibration Society several years after the death of Roland. Roland died in 1977. This recording was done in 1986. I'm not aware of any other recordings by this group, but if anyone is, please leave a comment, because I will seek that recording out. They played some concerts around this time.
Most of the musicians had exposure to Roland's music. Steve Turre first played with Roland when Steve was 16 years old. Bill Hardman was a teenager when he and Roland met. I have to honest, I got this recording mainly because it has Bill on trumpet and Junior on tenor. These 2 are candidates for the most neglected talents on their respective instuments. (See my reviews of Junior Cook's and Bill Hardman's Steeplechase recordings on Amazon.) But I also love Roland Kirk. One of my most gut-wrenching experiences in jazz happened in 1961 when I heard Roland play on Charles Mingus' great recording "Oh Yeah." I have not been the same since I heard that record. If you have to get a recording by Roland himself, I strongly recommend his "We Free Kings."
Needless to say, the numbers on this recording are by Roland. They include his classics: "Bright Moments", "Serenade to a Cuckoo", "The Inflated Tear", "Spirits Up Above", etc. Some are played wonderfully by what amounts to the Junior Cook-Bill Hardman Quintet plus Steve Turre. This quintet must have been one of the wonders of jazz in the 1980's, but it was recorded too seldom, maybe never. So if you want to hear this group, get this recording. Some of the numbers are augmented by 2 vocalists, to good effect. I also can't say enough positive things about the rhythm section: Hilton Ruiz, piano; Paul Brown, bass; and one of my favorite drummers, Leroy Williams.
If you are a Roland Kirk lover, get this recording. Anybody who loves jazz, get this recording. Expensive, but worth every penny.