Rahsaan Roland Kirk

Although Rahsaan Roland Kirk and John Cage never actually meet in this film (Cage's enigmatic questions about sound are intercut with some of Kirk's more ambitious experiments with it) these two very different musical iconoclasts share a similar vision of the boundless possibilities of music.

The documentary film on the life and legacy of Rahsaan Roland Kirk – a one of a kind musician, personality, activist and windmill slayer who despite being blind, becoming paralyzed, and facing America’s racial injustices - did not relent.

Roland Kirk's instrumental arsenal included saxophone, flute, manzello, stritch, clarinet, siren and whistles - often times simultaneously! This DVD presents three astounding oncerts by this musical superhero. Kirk is backed by extraordinary side musicians including legendary bassist Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen, drummers Alex Riel and Daniel Humair, and long-time pianist Ron Burton. Also includes two renditions of Three for the Festival, arguably his most spectacular performance piece. 80 minutes. Songs performed from the 1963 Belgium concert include: Moon Song · Lover · Three for the Festival · Yesterdays · Milestones. Songs performed from the 1963 Holland concert include: Bags' Groove · Lover Man · There Will Never Be Another You · Three for the Festival. Songs performed from the 1967 Norway concert include: Blues for Alice · Blue Rol · The Shadow of Your Smile · Making Love After Hours · NY Theme.

This 1972 concert, with the excellent support of Ron Buron, Henry Pearson, Richie Goldberg and Joe Texidor, is a perfect example Rahsaan Roland Kirk's unique genius ... featuring classics from Coltrane to Ellington ... Often playing two and three reed instruments simultaneously with amazing skill, he was a living encyclopedia of jazz and an ever-thinking force of energy who swept the audience up into his orbit.

This collection presents Rahsaan Roland Kirk playing with his entire instrumental arsenal of flutes, siren, music box, whistles, manzello, stritch, clarinet, and tenor saxophones-sometimes simultaneously! Even longtime Rahsaan Roland Kirk fans will be surprised and delighted by the renditions of Milestones and The Sandpiper. One of Europe's most highly regarded and creative drummers, Daniel Humair, accompanies Kirk on two of the three concert videos and on the other, the ever-resourceful Alex Riel, of Bill Evans Trio fame, provides the fire and the swing. This collection includes two different renditions of "Three For the Festival", arguably Kirk's most spectacular performance piece.

October 19, 1967. Roland Kirk (multiple reeds), Ron Burton (p), Steve Novosel (b) and Jimmy Hopps (d) share the stage at Fourth Mezinarodni Jazz Festival, Prague