Search - Rahsaan Roland Kirk :: Kirk's Work

Not one weak track

Patrik Lemberg | Tammisaari Finland | 01/24/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

""Kirk's Work" was recorded (not released) on June 11th, 1961. Throughout the album Roland Kirk, Jack McDuff, Joe Benjamin and Arthur Taylor are featured playing tunes based on the forms of blues and rhythm changes.

Every song has a good feel, a good groove, and the sound quality is very good throughout. Kirk plays his trademark instruments simultaneously, but not as a constant showcase; he merely uses the "multi-element" as an effect here and there on certain songs, which works better in this down-to-earth music than had the "multi-element" predominated.

The fresh sound of the Hammond organ fits in nicely and ties the album together. There aren't too many early 60's jazz recordings featuring Hammond - get this album for a great Hammond sound and feel.

Unfortunately, this edition of the album (OJCCD-459-2) is missing approximately the first second of track 1. The first second of track 2 begins at the end of track 1, the first second of track 3 begins at the end of track 2 etc. It's as if they'd pressed "play" before "rec."

There's also 1 minute and 40 seconds of silence at the end of the last track (making the album 34:40 long even though there are only 33 minutes of music.)

At the time of my writing this review, amazon.com wants $12.97 for this disc, but since it's not very long, and since the edition has the audio weaknesses mentioned above (and even though amazon provides reliable service,) I'd suggest for you to find another edition, because music this good should be presented a little bit better."

Fairly conventional for Kirk, but solid.

jazzfanmn | St Cloud, MN United States | 03/05/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Cut in 1961 this cd features the unique Roland Kirk backed by Brother Jack McDuff on Hammond organ, Joe Benjamin on bass, and Art Taylor on drums. The material is fairly straight ahead music highlighted by the phenominal one man horn section, Roland Kirk. Playing tenor, manzello, strich (sometimes at once for the uninitiated), flute and even a whistle type siren he blows when as he puts it, "...I feel that the music has reached a certain pitch of excitement...". Kirk and McDuff both produce exciting performances, with McDuff's funky soul groove hammond complimenting Kirk's horns nicely. This is a solid session from one of jazz's under appreciated masters, and is worth a listen."

Doin' The Sixty-Eight = Senor Blues?

C. Penland | 12/29/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Jack McDuff steals the record and this is up there with some of Jimmy Smith's best work on the organ. Roland Kirk is incredible, too, but listen to the clip of Kirk-arranged "Doin' the Sixty-Eight": that's a not very veiled version of Horace Silver's "Senor Blues" or I'm a monkey's uncle."