About this Artist

• Biography

Editorial Reviews

Collectables gets some points for going to WEA and reissuing all of the Rahsaan Roland Kirk's sides he cut for Atlantic. The late Joel Dorn -- who produced them all originally -- reissued them on CD initially in a number of packages on his now-defunct 32Jazz imprint, and Collectables began releasing single discs and two-fers some time after. In 2009, in two big multiple-CD box sets, Kirk's complete catalog, for the label is available again. It does seem that this collection of albums was assembled along what would physically fit best on two boxes rather than in presenting the material in chronological or even aesthetic order. But it's a small complaint. There are seven CDs in volume one, containing the albums Blacknuss, The Case of the 3 Sided Dream in Audio Color -- originally issued on double LP with one side left blank -- The Inflated Tear presented on a disc with Natural Black Inventions: Root Strata, Kirkatron, the criminally under-recognized Boogie-Woogie String Along for Real, Left and Right, and Other Folk's Music. Classics like Bright Moments and Volunteered Slavery will be left for Volume 2. This cannot be stated strongly enough: if you don't know Kirk, the Atlantic and Warner material is as good a place to start as any. The Emarcy, Verve, and Mercury (all earlier) stuff is equally great, but this final period is where Kirk's music (and his persona as "Rahsaan" emerged) really became a genre of its own. All of these albums are worth hearing. For those who bought some of the Atlantic single titles, or the 32Jazz packages, you might have some debating to do here; the material does sound a bit better, but that may be due to new mastering techniques rather than anything like remixing or super bitmap remastering. The packages are nothing to speak of in and of themselves but the price is attractive. Kirk's albums should never, ever be out of print, so thumbs up to Collectables for this reissue program. Thom Jurek, All Music Guide

Customer Reviews

• Listener Rating: