Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Rahsaan Roland Kirk: Brotherman to the Fatherland
Rahsaan Roland Kirk: Brotherman to the Fatherland
ByThat's far from the only notable thing about Kirk, who freely borrowed from any number of styles to create his own branding of black music. But as Joel DornKirk's producer during his years at Atlantic, where he recorded his best albumscontinues to dig up unreleased live tapes, that is what stands out. Kirk died almost thirty years ago at the age of 41, and we're fortunate to have a healthy stock of his work available, with no small debt of gratitude to Dorn. But as the titles continue to come, there needs to be something to sell them. And finding something that measures up to the 21-minute "Saxophone Concerto on Prepare Thyself to Deal With a Miracle (Atlantic, 1973) would itself be miraculous.
The supporting band on Brotherman (pianist Ron Burton, bassist Henry Peter Pearson and percussionists Richie Goldberg and Joe "Habao Texidor) is solid, if not his strongest. There are moments of pure Rahsaan idiosyncrasy, as on "Seasons/Serenade to a Cuckoo, and powerful extended playing on "Pedal Up.
But that ain't where the party's at. What was going on in the Fatherland was like this: Opening with Coltrane's "Like Sonny and plowing straight into Bread's "Make It With You, a seven-minute bop excursion ("Rahsaan's Spirit ) and Smokey Robinson's "My Girl, the band hits two more Kirk comps and then a slightly forced "Lush Life, a rolling version of Mongo Santamaria's largely Trane-identified "Afro Blue, and a powerful closing take of Coltrane's "Blue Trane. Essential? I dunno. But it's a joy. Being in possession of a time machine would be the best, and perhaps the only reason for not checking this recording out.
Track Listing
Intro/Like Sonny; Make It with You; Rahsaan's Spirit; My Girl; Seasons/Serenade to a Cuckoo; Pedal Up; Lush Life; Afro Blue; Blue Trane.
Personnel
Rahsaan Roland Kirk
woodwindsRahsaan Roland Kirk: clarinet, flute, tenor saxophone, stritch, manzello, nose flute; Ron Burton: piano; Richie Goldberg: drums; Henry Pete "Mettathias" Pearson: bass; Joe "Habao" Texidor: percussion.
Album information
Title: Brotherman in the Fatherland | Year Released: 2006 | Record Label: Collectables
< Previous
Play
Next >
Red Sky In Brooklyn