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A Saxophone Trio - All By Himself

© Chris Mindel

I had never heard of Rahsaan Roland Kirk until very recently. I stumbled across his name reading through a string off the Saxophone Discussion Forum. Once again, this source (see May's article for more information, or click here to be taken directly to the Forum) has opened my eyes to new facets of the saxophone. I found references to Rahsaan Roland Kirk, a man who sometimes played three saxophones at the same time. Is this really possible? And what would the sound be? Let me just preface this biography of Kirk by saying that it is possible, and it is an acquired taste. But it is well worth it.

Roland Kirk was born on the seventh of August in the year 1936. Blinded at a very young age, Kirk received his education at the Ohio State School for the Blind. By age twelve, he was playing saxophone and clarinet in a school band. By age fifteen, he was leading small dance bands and playing with other bands around Ohio. The next year he had a dream.

At age sixteen, he dreamt of playing multiple saxophones at the same time (one source I found says two at the same time, another says three). The next day he went to a local music store and was taken to the basement where all the forgotten ("scrap") instruments rested. Kirk picked out two saxophones. Both were old models used in turn-of-the-century Spanish military bands. One was "a derivative of the soprano saxophone" and the other "a derivative of the straight alto saxophone." He called the first a manzello and the second, a stritch. And so he began. With three saxophones, Kirk worked out trick fingerings which allowed him to play both his new instruments and his tenor at the same time.

His first album was produced in 1956, but it was mostly ignored. His second album, in 1960, caused a stir. Kirk used sirens, whistles, and various other sounds to add new voices and layers to his music. Many musicians and listeners thought he was using these added voices as simple tricks, and for frivolous reasons. But they were wrong, Kirk heard these extra sounds when he played, so he recorded them.

In 1961, he worked with Charles Mingus. After four months with Mingus, Kirk saw his popularity and international recognition blossom. From 1963 through to his death, he traveled and played all over the world. He had a another dream around 1970. This dream prompted him to add "Rahsaan" as a first name.

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