More on John Campbell, and further raving (sort of long
Pete Wulforst
Another thought on John Campbell; I keep hearing people say, "You haven't
heard ....... (you fill in the blanks) until you've heard him (or her) live."
I was very familiar with "One True Believer" (don't rag me if the title is
not quite correct) and quite taken by its spooky ambience. What I was not
prepared for was the fact that JC and band really kicked ass live. He also
gave his little slide guitar lecture, which I suppose might have been a stock
part of his show, but I loved it. I saw him at Philadelphia's River BLues
festival, in '92, I think. At that same festival I got my "baptism" with
Satan and Adam, who alos blew me away.
On another note (I always do this), some of the discussion among members of
this group has caused me to occasionallly question whether I am driven more
by a love of the blues or a love of the guitar. Particularly those comments
about "wanking", which I can only suppose equates playing the guitar loud and
fast to masturbation. And you know, at the age of 47, it wasn't a pleasant
prospect looking in the mirror at a wanker.
Well, last night I was listening to Roland Kirk, on a tune simply called
"Slow Blues", from the CD "The Man Who Cried Fire". Well R.K. really had me
in the palm of his hand, especially at one point in his solo when he played a
series of loud repetitive trills, which seemed to thrill his live audience as
much as it did me. But then, I had this flash of how what he was plating
would translate to guitar; it would probably be played by someone (Me?)
trilling with his left hand while, gasp, trying, probably unsuccessfully, to
refrain from using the old blues-forbidden whammy bar. ANd I wasn't ashamed!
Was Roland wanking? I think not. I'm past trying to play to impress girls,
and at my age, nobody's going to mistake me (or my style) for the next SRV.
So what is my point? I don't think it is fair for a listener to pronounce
judgement on what I or anyone else plays, and say "that's not blues, you
poseur, that's @##%$^&&(
Cause sometimes I get so wound up my guitar plays me, and i wouldn't trade
that feeling for all pedigrees and accolades in the world.
Go easy on me, I don't mean anybody any harm, just get kind of passionate
sometimes.
Pete
VT
Rahsaan Roland Kirk happens to be one of my all time favorite musicians.
Even though he is "labelled" jazz, to me he is the blues.
I had the honor to meet and befriend him back in 1968/9 in London we even
wrote to each other.
He popularized the famous GROWL flute playing (which Ian Anderson of
Jethrol Tull does). Rahsaan was known also to play 3 horns simultaneously,
he searched for, found and modified 2 sax type horns that made the sounds
he had in his mind/dreams - they were quite unique instruments called the
Manzello and Stritch.
Listen to his growl flute playing on the blues "You Did It, You Did It!" -
both the original studio version on "We Free Kings" and live - like on "Man
Who Cried Fire".
His multi horn playing sounding like a full brass section on "Sack Full of
Soul" also off "We Free Kings"
Then there's the album "The Inflated Tear" - tracks like "Black & Crazy
Blues" and the title - man, are those moving, it's hard to imagine any
music getting bluer than that.
For pure exhilaration the live sides on "Volunteered Slavery" are simply
stunning.
Some references to the CDs below:
KIRK*RAHSAAN ROLAND / INFLATED TEAR
$10.63 -- ATL90045 -- ATLANTIC -- 08/88
All-Music Guide Rating: Recommended. A good or representative CD.
Review: From the All-Music Guide: This is a fine all-around set by the
remarkable Rahsaan Roland Kirk which has
yet to be fully reissued on CD. The LP, from the Atlantic Jazzlore reissue
series of the early '80s, features Kirk on
tenor, manzello, stritch, clarinet, flute, English horn, flexafone and
whistle performing a wide variety of colorful
originals along with Duke Ellington's Creole Love Call . Highlights include
the memorable The Black and Crazy
Blues , The Inflated Tear and A Handful of Fives . It's one of Kirk's
better Atlantic sets. Scott Yanow -- AMG
Song Titles:
black & crazy blues
creole love call
fingers in the wind
fly by night
handful of fives
inflated tear
laugh for rory
lovellevelliloqui
many blessings
KIRK*ROLAND / WE FREE KINGS
$9.05 -- VER826455 -- VERVE -- 07/87
Song Titles:
blues for alice
blues for alice (alt.)
haunted melody
moon song (that wasn't meant for me)
my delight
sack full of soul
some kind of love
three for the festival
we free kings
you did it, you did it
KIRK*ROLAND / VOLUNTEERED SLAVERY
$10.63 -- RHI71407 -- RHINO -- 09/93
All-Music Guide Rating: Highly recommended. An excellent or fine CD.
Review: From the All-Music Guide: This straight CD reissue of an Atlantic
LP has plenty of variety. Rahsaan Kirk
(on tenor, flutes, manzello, stritch and even gong) performs three melodic
originals (including the title cut) along
with two pop tunes during which he is assisted by the Roland Kirk Spirit
Choir on background vocals. However it is
his performance at the 1969 Newport Jazz Festival (near-riotous versions of
One Ton and Three for the Festival
plus a remarkable John Coltrane three-song medley) that is most memorable.
Scott Yanow -- AMG
Song Titles:
i say a little prayer
my cherie amour
one ton
ovation & roland's remarks
roland's opening remarks
search for the reason why
spirits up above
three for the festival
tribute to john coltrane: lush life/afro-bl
volunteered slavery
Man Who Cried Fire - which Pete W. was referring to, seems to be out of
print, but it's worth tracking down it has some real fine performances live
- I think they are from the same sessions as "Bright Moments": ( I think
the track Pete W. referred to is actually titled "A Visit from the Blues")
Man Who Cried Fire
Artist Rahsaan Roland Kirk
Album Title Man Who Cried Fire
Date of Release 1973 - 1977 (approx.)
AMG Rating (Best-of-Artist)
Genre Jazz
Time 52:56 minutes
AMG REVIEW
The best of the releases put out on Joel Dorn's Night Records, this CD
has previously
unreleased live performances by the amazing Rahsaan Roland Kirk. A few of
the
numbers are unfortunately just excerpts (including a potentially amazing
encounter with
the Olympia Brass Band) but there are plenty of highlights. Kirk imitates
both Miles
Davis and John Coltrane effectively on "Bye Bye Blackbird," performs
"Multi-Horn
Variations" unaccompanied on three horns, yells humorously through his
flute on "You
Did It, You Did It," jams in an R&B vein on "Night Train," trades off
with singer Jon
Hendricks on "Mr. P.C." and is heard making humorous yet insightful
comments to the
audience. The final selection ("A Visit from the Blues") was Kirk's last
recording, an
outing on flute just two months before his death. Fans are advised to
pick up this
valuable and consistently enjoyable CD before it disappears altogether. -
Scott Yanow
ALBUM RELEASES
date media label number
1991 CD Night 91592-2
1991 CS Night 91592-4
- CD Capitol 86202
ALBUM TRACKS
1. Unidentified Blues
2. Bye Bye Blackbird
3. Multi-Horn Variations
4. Unidentified Tenor Selection
5. You Did It, You Did It
6. New Orleans Fantasy
7. Traditional New Orleans Piece
8. Black and Crazy Blues
9. Night Train
10. Mister P.C.
11. Visit from the Blues
--
Vincent
v...@pipeline.com
On Jun 17, 1996 20:14:45 in article <More on John Campbell, and further
raving (sort of long>, 'Pete Wulforst <PHWoo...@AOL.COM>' wrote:
[snip]
>Well, last night I was listening to Roland Kirk, on a tune simply called
>"Slow Blues", from the CD "The Man Who Cried Fire". Well R.K. really had
me
>in the palm of his hand, especially at one point in his solo when he
played a
>series of loud repetitive trills, which seemed to thrill his live audience
as
>much as it did me. But then, I had this flash of how what he was plating
>would translate to guitar; it would probably be played by someone (Me?)
>trilling with his left hand while, gasp, trying, probably unsuccessfully,
to
>refrain from using the old blues-forbidden whammy bar. ANd I wasn't
ashamed!
>Was Roland wanking? I think not. I'm past trying to play to impress
girls,
>and at my age, nobody's going to mistake me (or my style) for the next
SRV.
>
[snip]
>
>Pete
Chris Smith
Vincent wrote:
>Rahsaan Roland Kirk happens to be one of my all time favorite musicians.
>Even though he is "labelled" jazz, to me he is the blues.
>
I've heard a tape of him jamming with Big Joe Williams oon 'Good Morning
Little School Girl', when they were both in East Germany.
\|/
@ @
--------------------------------------------------oOO-(_)-OOo----------
Chris Smith (ch...@skerries.demon.co.uk)
Consistency is vital. Unless it isn't.
VT
Chris,
Thanks for that information.
You wouldn't know how I could get a copy of that recording would you?
BTW - there are tracks on the 10CD Complete Mercury Recordings set of
Rahsaan that have him playing with SONNY BOY WILLIAMSON II.
Thanks,
--
Vincent
v...@pipeline.com
On Jun 19, 1996 03:49:42 in article <Re: Rahsaan Roland Kirk was Re: More
on John Campbell, and further raving (sort of long>, 'Chris