Roland Kirk Quartet Live at Théâtre de Paris

The eccentric image of Rahsaan Roland Kirk – a blind musician who played two or three reed instruments simultaneously – shouldn’t detract from his seriousness as a musician. Though an original showman, he was above all concerned with creating beautiful, muscular sound textures, ones driven by the energy of exploration and all manner of musical influences.

Kirk was a fan of stride piano, early jazz and pop. He was also a classical music aficionado and always thought jazz to be just as intricate, high-brow and learned as its Western counterpart. Indeed, he preferred the term “black classical music” to jazz. 

Here we see him in full flow, right in the middle of his best years (1964 – the same year he featured as flute soloist on Quincy Jones’ famous “Soul Bossa Nova”), with a variety of horns hanging round his neck. He is supported by a stellar cast and reels off interpretations of Miles Davis as well as original pieces.