Rashaan Roland Kirk With Jack McDuff - Kirk's Work
ARTIST.....: Rashaan Roland Kirk With Jack McDuff
TITLE......: Kirk's Work
LABEL......: Prestige/OJC
URL........: http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=7389020&BAB=E
RIP DATE...: May-02-2007
STORE DATE.: May-01-2007
GENRE......: Jazz
QUALITY....: VBR / 44.1Hz / Joint-Stereo
SIZE.......: 48,8 MB
Track Listing:
01 - Three For Dizzy 05:10
02 - Makin Whoopee 05:06
03 - Funk Underneath 06:14
04 - Kirk's Work 03:53
05 - Doin' The Sixty-Eight 04:20
06 - Too Late Now 03:51
07 - Skater's Waltz 04:22
─────
32:56 min
Release Notes:
Original Release Date: 1961
Kirk's Work -- Rahsaan Roland Kirk's third long-player -- teams
him up with organist "Brother" Jack McDuff for Kirk's most soulful
post-bop set to date. His unorthodox performance style
incorporates the polyphonies of a tenor sax, flute, manzello, and
stritch. The latter instrument is Kirk's own modification of a
second-generation B-flat soprano sax. This contributes to the
unique sonic textures and overtones Kirk creates when playing two
-- and often three -- of those lead instruments simultaneously.
The loose and soulful nature of McDuff's Hammond organ lends
itself to the swinging R&B vibe pervasive throughout the album.
Completing the quartet is Joe Benjamin (bass) and Art Taylor
(drums) -- both veteran jazzmen in their own right. They lend
their expertise as well as innate sense of rhythm to the up-tempo
"revival meetin'" rendition of Sammy Kahn's "Makin' Whoopee" as
well as the ominous swing of the title track. This is also an
ideal showcase for Benjamin and Taylor's running counterpoint that
glides throughout -- supporting soloists Kirk and McDuff. Of the
four original Kirk compositions, "Doin' the Sixty-Eight" is
arguably the strongest. The percussive rhythms weave a hypnotic
Latin groove over which Kirk and McDuff both snake some highly
cerebral solos. The stellar interpretation of "Skater's Waltz"
combines a well-known traditional melody with some of the most
aggressive interaction from the quartet. The tune is put through
its paces and the tenor sax/Hammond organ leads bounce around like
a game of sonic ping pong. The more aggressive performance style
that Kirk would later incorporate definitely shows signs of
development on Kirk's Work. While certainly not the best in his
catalog, it is a touchstone album that captures the early soulful
Rahsaan Roland Kirk.