Praising Rahsaan

Marcus Johnson · #1 08-12-2008, 05:32 PM

I was snuffling around my CD collection and came across a cool disc by Roland Kirk entitled "The Case Of The Three Sided Dream In Audio Color" (1975). I'd forgotten about it.

This is a more accessible disc than some of his others... some might even call it a "pop" album, even though there is some very impassioned playing. It features some cuts with a more acoustic band, and then others with an electric band with Steve Gadd and Eric Gale, etc. In between, there are snippets of Rahsaan being interviewed , sound bites of Billie Holiday, galloping horses, and whatnot, all linked into one seamless whole that's a lot of fun.

What can I say? I love the guy.

JDubbleyoo · #2 08-12-2008, 06:50 PM

"What can I say? I love the guy."

I, as well. And he was one of those cats of whom I said "I'll catch him next time he comes to town." He died, and so I never saw him live. For albums, I love "Rip, Rig and Panic", with Jaki Byard, Richard Davis and Elvin Jones (young Bob Moses breaks Elvin's empty scotch bottle for effect on the title cut, but I don't think he got scale for that), and "The Inflated Tear." May as well throw "Domino", "I Talk with the Spirits", and "We Free Kings" in there, too.

Marcus Johnson · #3 08-12-2008, 07:18 PM

Yeah... all great. Nobody sounds like Rahsaan.

I asked Bob about the scotch bottle incident when I played with him... but he either forgot about it or didn't feel like talking about it again.

mpm · #4 08-14-2008, 11:50 AM

Last time I saw him was at Shelley's Mannehole in Hollywood. When I walked in he was standing on top of the piano, playing the the manzello w/ the stritch hanging around his neck. It was a memorable night to say the least!