Search - Rahsaan Roland Kirk :: Inflated Tear

Individual, powerful, funny, touching, down & dirty...

08/08/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Rahsaan Roland Kirk's "The Inflated Tear" is a terrific album by this underrated sax giant. The compositions are lively and diverse. He seems sometimes to somersault through several different schools of jazz within the same song, like on "The Black & Crazy Blues" which starts out like a New Orleans funeral march, slips into Ornette territory, crosses over a barroom blues and comes back again. That's just the one song; the rest are loaded with surprises. Adroit playing throughout, the band turns on a dime. This guy should have been three times as famous as he was. This Rhino reissue is really nice, with extended liner notes, pictures, and a little repro of the original album sleeve that the CD fits into. Overall, this is something that you really must have. The musical vision here is unique and yet it's accessible to anyone with an open mind and an open ear. And ya gotta love those "sirens," whistles, and musical effluvia that he throws in there. Great stuff!"

You know...Music is a beautiful thing..."

Lambros K Stambolitis | Brooklyn, New York United States | 06/25/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"...especially when one digests the incredible palette of sounds, rhythms, nuances, soul, chops and just plain ass-kicking tenor soloing such as Rahsaan's astounding circular breathing tour de force "Many Blessings" on this album. Such virtuosity never rings hollow among those who truly dig Kirk. Like Monk, Trane, Parker, etc., his influences reached far back so that he can indeed be a very deep meesenger. The same can be said for his ability to lead or be part of small and large ensembles (his collaborations with Mingus are brilliant). Kirk's eclectic musings are especially evident and rewarding on this recording, his first for Atlantic. Clearly a giant standing on his own among multi-reed players of his generation and beyond, only Dolphy can be taken just as seriously, especially due to the fact that each one has left the deepest impression as flutists as well as saxophonists."

One of the best of Sixties Jazz

T. Bombara | San Francisco, CA United States | 10/10/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The Inflated Tear is both challenging and accessible a rare combination at any time, but especially rare in the anything goes world of sixties jazz. A great musician, this is one of Kirk's best with great compositions of his own like the title track and Handful of Fives, but also an incredible version of Creole Love Call that displays once and for all that the outside musicians of the Sixties were part of the tradition. It's a shame that this is out of print. Buy it used while you can, and hopefully someone will reissue this."