Rahsaan Roland Kirk

Aliases: Rahsaan Roland Kirk & The Vibration Society
Roland Kirk
Roland Kirk Quartet
The Roland Kirk Quartet
Real name: Ronald Theodore Kirk
Born: August 7, 1935
Died: December 5, 1977
Country: United States
IPI: 00016276397 17 works
Affiliation: BMI
Comments: Multi-instrumentalist and composer, Kirk recorded primarily on tenor saxophone and flute, but he also recorded on such exotic instruments as the manzello, stritch, and instruments of his own creation. Mastering the technique of circular breathing, Kirk was able to sustain notes for extended periods. He became blind at the age of two. Kirk adopted the name "Rahsaan" after it came to him in a dream in 1969. After a stroke left him paralyzed on one side of his body in 1975, he continued performing, relying on the skills he had developed over the course of his career playing several instruments with a single hand.

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Originals

	Title	Performer	Release date	Covered by
i	A Handful of Fives	Roland Kirk	1968	(3 artists)
i	Anysha	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	1976	(2 artists)
i	Black Diamond	The Roland Kirk Quartet	1965	(3 artists)
i	Blue Rol	Roland Kirk	1967	Unverified
	Bright Moments Song	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	January 9, 1974	(17 artists)
	Freaks for the Festival	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	November 1975	T.J. Kirk Sampled by Beastie Boys
i	Funk Underneath	Roland Kirk with Jack McDuff	1961	Jay Geils
i	Gifts and Messages	Roland Kirk	1964	The Kelly Brand Nextet
i	Here Comes the Whistleman	Roland Kirk	1967	Eugene Chadbourne
i	Lady's Blues	Roland Kirk	1969	(3 artists)
i	Lovellevellilloqui	Roland Kirk	1968	Unverified
i	My Delight	Roland Kirk	January 1962	Fred Hess
i	Now Please Don't You Cry, Beautiful Edith	Roland Kirk	1967	(2 artists)
i	Serenade to a Cuckoo	Roland Kirk	March 1965	(21 artists)
	Spirits up Above	Roland Kirk	1969	(3 artists)
i	Stompin' Grounds	Roland Kirk	1967	Matt Wilson - Larry Goldings/Dennis Irwin/Terell Stafford
i	The Black and Crazy Blues	Roland Kirk	1968	(5 artists)
i	The Inflated Tear	Roland Kirk	1968	(6 artists)
i	Three for the Festival	Roland Kirk	January 1962	Unverified
	Volunteered Slavery	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	1969	(8 artists)

Covers by Rahsaan Roland Kirk

	Title	Performer	Release date	Originally by
i	A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing	Roland Kirk	1969	Johnny Hodges and His Orchestra REL, Duke Ellington and His Orchestra REC
i	Afro Blue	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	2006	The Cal Tjader Sextet
i	Ain't No Sunshine	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	1972	Bill Withers
i	Alfie	Roland Kirk	1967	Cilla Black
i	Aluminum Baby	Roland Kirk	1967	Unverified
i	And I Love Her	Roland Kirk	1966	The Beatles
i	A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square	The Roland Kirk Quartet Meets The Benny Golson Orchestra	1964	Judy Campbell PRF, Vera Lynn REC
i	A Night in Tunisia	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	1977	Dizzy Gillespie
i	Arrival	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	1976	Hilton Ruiz, Buster Williams, Billy Higgins
i	A Tribute to John Coltrane - Lush Life / Afro-Blue / Bessie's Blues	Roland Kirk	1969	King Cole and His Trio - Orch. cond. by Pete Rugolo REL, Duke Ellington and His Orchestra REC, The Cal Tjader Sextet, The John Coltrane Quartet
	Berkshire Blues	Roland Kirk	September 1964	The Randy Weston Sextet Covered by Jon Hendricks & Company
i	Blues for Alice	Roland Kirk	January 1962	Charlie Parker [US1]
i	Body and Soul	Roland Kirk Quartet	1988	Jack Hylton and His Orchestra
	Bye Bye Blackbird	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	November 1975	Sam Lanin's Dance Orchestra - Vocal Chorus Arthur Hall
i	By Myself	The Roland Kirk Quartet Meets The Benny Golson Orchestra	1964	Jack Buchanan
i	Cabin in the Sky	Roland Kirk	January 1964	Ethel Waters and Dooley Wilson
	Daybreak	Rahsaan Roland Kirk & Al Hibbler	1972	Unverified
i	Day Dream	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	1971	Johnny Hodges and Orchestra
i	Django	Roland Kirk	March 1965	The Modern Jazz Quartet
i	Domino	Roland Kirk	1962	André Claveau avec André Grassi et son orchestre
i	Donna Lee	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	1976	Charley Parker
i	Do Nothin' Till You Hear from Me	Rahsaan Roland Kirk & Al Hibbler	1972	Duke Ellington and His Famous Orchestra
	Don't Get Around Much Anymore	Rahsaan Roland Kirk & Al Hibbler	1972	Duke Ellington and His Famous Orchestra, Glen Gray and The Casa Loma Orchestra - Vocal Chorus by Kenny Sargent REC, Ink Spots REL
i	Easy Living	Roland Kirk	1957	Teddy Wilson and His Orchestra - Vocal Chorus Billie Holiday
i	Ecclusiastics	The Roland Kirk Quartet Meets The Benny Golson Orchestra	1964	Charles Mingus
i	Everything Happens to Me	Roland Kirk Quartet	1988	Kay Kyser and His Orchestra - Vocal Chorus by Harry Babbitt
i	Get Out of Town	Roland Kirk	1962	Tamara PRF, Les Brown and His Orchestra - Vocal Refrain by Miriam Shaw REC
	Giant Steps	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	1976	John Coltrane Covered by (6 artists)
	Goodbye Pork Pie Hat	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	1976	Charles Mingus Covered by (20 artists)
	High Heel Sneakers	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	November 1975	Tommy Tucker [US2]
i	Hot Cha	Roland Kirk	1969	Jr. Walker & The All Stars
i	I Believe in You	Roland Kirk	1962	Robert Morse, Charles Nelson Reilly and Paul Reed REC,REL,PRF
	I Didn't Know About You	Rahsaan Roland Kirk & Al Hibbler	1972	Woody Herman and His Orchestra REC, Jo Stafford and The Pied Pipers with Paul Weston & His Orchestra REL
i	I Didn't Know What Time It Was	Roland Kirk	1986	Marcy Westcott and Richard Kollmar PRF, Benny Goodman and His Orchestra - Vocal Chorus by Louise Tobin REC,REL
i	If I Loved You	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	January 9, 1974	Jan Clayton and John Raitt with Carousel Orchestra under direction of Joseph Littau
i	I'll Be Seeing You	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	1976	Dick Todd with Orchestra REC,REL, Tamara PRF
i	I Loves You, Porgy	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	1978	Anne Wiggins Brown & Todd Duncan REC,REL,PRF
i	In a Mellow Tone	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	1978	Duke Ellington and His Famous Orchestra
	I Say a Little Prayer	Roland Kirk	1969	Dionne Warwick
i	It's a Grand Night for Swinging	Roland Kirk	1967	(unknown)
i	It's All in the Game	Roland Kirk	1966	Fritz Kreisler - Piano Accompaniment Carl Lamson
i	I've Got Your Number	The Roland Kirk Quartet Meets The Benny Golson Orchestra	1964	Swen Swenson REL, Swen Swenson, Virginia Martin PRF
i	I Waited for You	Roland Kirk	1969	Dizzy Gillespie and His Orchestra
i	I Wished on the Moon	Roland Kirk	1967	Teddy Wilson and His Orchestra - Vocal Chorus Billie Holiday REC,REL, Bing Crosby BRD
i	Jitterbug Waltz	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	January 9, 1974	"Fats" Waller and His Rhythm
i	Love Is Here to Stay	Roland Kirk	December 1960	Kenny Baker [US1] BRD, Abe Lyman and His Orchestra – Vocal Refrain by Frank Parrish REC
i	Lover	Rahsaan Roland Kirk & The Vibration Society	1970	Jeanette MacDonald
	Lover Come Back to Me	Rahsaan Roland Kirk & Al Hibbler	1972	Evelyn Herbert PRF, Victor Arden-Phil Ohman and Their Orchestra - Vocal Refrain by Male Quartet REC
i	Loving You	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	1976	Minnie Riperton
i	Lush Life	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	2006	King Cole and His Trio - Orch. cond. by Pete Rugolo REL, Duke Ellington and His Orchestra REC
i	Make It with You	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	1972	Bread
	Make Me a Pallet on the Floor	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	1978	Virginia Liston
i	Makin' Whoopee	Roland Kirk	1961	Eddie Cantor REC,REL,PRF
i	Mood Indigo	Roland Kirk	January 1964	The Jungle Band [Duke Ellington]
i	Moon River	Roland Kirk Quartet	1988	Audrey Hepburn BRD, Henry Mancini and His Orchestra and Chorus REC,REL
i	Moon Song	Roland Kirk	January 1962	Kate Smith
i	Mr. P.C.	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	1990	John Coltrane
i	My cherie amour	Roland Kirk	1969	Stevie Wonder
	My Girl	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	1972	The Temptations [US1]
i	My Ship	Roland Kirk	March 1965	Hildegarde with Orchestra directed by Harry Sosnik REC, Bob Chester and His Orchestra - Vocal Refrain by Betty Bradley REL, Gertrude Lawrence PRF
i	Never Can Say Goodbye	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	1972	The Jackson 5
i	Night Train	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	1990	Duke Ellington and His Famous Orchestra, Jimmy Forrest and All Star Combo
i	Once in a While	The Roland Kirk Quartet	1965	Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra - Vocal Refrain by Male Quartet
i	One for My Baby	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	1990	Lena Horne with Orchestra conducted by Horace Henderson REC,REL, Fred Astaire BRD
i	Our Waltz	Roland Kirk, featuring Ira Sullivan	December 1960	David Rose and His Orchestra
i	Petite fleur	Roland Kirk	1964	Sidney Bechet - Claude Luter et son orchestre
i	Prelude to a Kiss	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	January 9, 1974	Duke Ellington and His Famous Orchestra
i	Quintessence	Roland Kirk	1969	Quincy Jones and His Orchestra
i	Satin Doll	Rahsaan Roland Kirk & The Vibration Society	1970	Duke Ellington and His Famous Orchestra
i	Sentimental Journey	Rahsaan Roland Kirk & The Vibration Society	1970	Les Brown and His Orchestra - Vocal Chorus by Doris Day
i	Simone	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	1976	Elvin Jones
i	Skaters Waltz	Roland Kirk with Jack McDuff	1961	(unknown)
i	Someone to Watch Over Me	Roland Kirk	1986	Gertrude Lawrence REC,REL,PRF
i	Spring Will Be a Little Late This Year	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	1990	Johnnie Johnston with Paul Weston and His Orchestra
i	Stormy Weather	Roland Kirk	1957	Ethel Waters with Duke Ellington & His Orchestra PRF, Leo Reisman and His Orchestra - Vocal Refrain by Harold Arlen REC
	Sugar	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	1977	Stanley Turrentine Covered by (11 artists)
i	Summertime	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	1978	Helen Jepson REL, Abbie Mitchell PRF, Abbie Mitchell under the direction of George Gershwin REC
	Sweet Georgia Brown	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	1976	Ben Bernie and His Hotel Roosevelt Orchestra
	Take Me Girl I'm Ready	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	1972	Jr. Walker & The All Stars
i	That's All	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	1976	Nat "King" Cole
i	The Christmas Song	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	1977	Nat "King" Cole [Trio] REC, The King Cole Trio with String Choir REL
i	The Creole Love Call	Roland Kirk	1968	King Oliver's Jazz Band, Duke Ellington and His Orchestra
i	The Entertainer	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	November 1975	Unverified
i	The Nearness of You	Roland Kirk	1957	Chick Bullock accompanied by His Orchestra
	There Will Never Be Another You	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	1976	John Payne & Joan Merrill
i	The Things I Love	Roland Kirk	1964	(unknown), Jan Savitt and His Top Hatters - Vocal Refrain by Allan DeWitt
i	This Is Always	Roland Kirk	1963	George Paxton and His Orchestra - Vocal by Lee Taylor REL, Bobby Byrne and His Orchestra REC, (unknown performer) BRD
	This Love of Mine	Rahsaan Roland Kirk & Al Hibbler	1972	Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra - Vocal Refrain by Frank Sinatra and The Pied Pipers
i	This Masquerade	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	1977	Leon Russell
i	Too Late Now	Roland Kirk with Jack McDuff	1961	Jane Powell accompanied by Johnny Green and the M-G-M Studio Orchestra REL, Jane Powell BRD
i	Walk on By	Roland Kirk	1966	Dionne Warwick
i	Watergate Blues	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	1978	Heath Brothers
i	We Free Kings	Roland Kirk	January 1962	(unknown)
i	We'll Be Together Again	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	1990	The Pied Pipers with Paul Weston and His Orchestra
i	We'll Be Together Again - People	Roland Kirk	March 1965	The Pied Pipers with Paul Weston and His Orchestra, Barbra Streisand - Arr. & Cond. by Peter Matz REC,REL, Barbra Streisand PRF
	What's Going On/Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	1972	Marvin Gaye
i	Will You Still Be Mine?	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	1990	Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra - Vocal Refrain by Connie Haines
i	Yesterdays	Roland Kirk	1967	Fay Templeton PRF, Leo Reisman and His Orchestra REC,REL
i	You'll Never Get to Heaven	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	January 9, 1974	Dionne Warwick

Sampled songs

		Title	Performer	Release date	Info
		Freaks for the Festival	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	November 1975	Covered by T.J. Kirk Sampled by Beastie Boys

Songs written by Rahsaan Roland Kirk

Original songs

Title	Written by	Originally by	Original date	Covered by
A Handful of Fives	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	Roland Kirk	1968	Covered by (3 artists)
Black and Crazy	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	Roland Kirk	1968	Covered by (5 artists)
Blue Rol	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	Roland Kirk	1967	Unverified
Bright Moments	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	June 1973	Covered by (17 artists)
Freaks for the Festival	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	November 1975	Covered by T.J. Kirk
Funk Underneath	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	Roland Kirk with Jack McDuff	July 11, 1961	Covered by Jay Geils
Gifts and Messages	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	Roland Kirk	1964	Covered by The Kelly Brand Nextet
Here Comes the Whistleman	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	Roland Kirk	1967	Covered by Eugene Chadbourne
Lady's Blues	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	Roland Kirk	1969	Covered by (3 artists)
Lovellevellilloqui	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	Roland Kirk	1968	Unverified
My Delight	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	Roland Kirk	August 16, 1961	Covered by Fred Hess
Now Please Don't Cry Beautiful Edith	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	Roland Kirk	May 2, 1967	Covered by (2 artists)
Serenade to a Cuckoo	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	Roland Kirk	September 1964	Covered by (21 artists)
Spirits up Above	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	Roland Kirk	1969	Covered by (3 artists)
Stomping Grounds	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	Roland Kirk	May 2, 1967	Covered by Matt Wilson - Larry Goldings/Dennis Irwin/Terell Stafford
The Inflated Tear	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	Roland Kirk	November 27, 1967	Covered by (6 artists)
Three for the Festival	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	Roland Kirk	January 1962	Unverified
Volunteered Slavery	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	1969	Covered by (8 artists)

Adapted songs

Title	Written by	Originals	Originally by	Covered by
Berkshire Blues	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	Berkshire Blues	Roland Kirk	Covered by Jon Hendricks & Company
Goodbye Pork Pie Hat	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	Goodbye Pork Pie Hat	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	Covered by (20 artists)
Sugar	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	Sugar	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	Covered by (11 artists)
We Free Kings	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	We Three Kings	Roland Kirk

Releases

Albums

Title	Performer	Release date	Label
A Meeting of the Times	Rahsaan Roland Kirk & Al Hibbler	1972	Atlantic
Blacknuss	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	1972	Atlantic
Boogie-Woogie String Along for Real	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	1978	Warner Bros. Records
Bright Moments	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	January 9, 1974	Atlantic
Brotherman in the Fatherland	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	2006	Hyena
Domino	Roland Kirk	1986	Mercury
Domino	Roland Kirk	1962	Mercury
Gifts & Messages	Roland Kirk	1964	Mercury
Here Comes the Whistleman	Roland Kirk	1967	Atlantic
Introducing Roland Kirk and featuring Ira Sullivan	Roland Kirk, featuring Ira Sullivan	December 1960	Argo [US]
I Talk with the Spirits	Roland Kirk	March 1965	Limelight
Kirkatron	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	1977	Warner Bros. Records
Kirk in Copenhagen	Roland Kirk	January 1964	Mercury
Kirk's Work	Roland Kirk with Jack McDuff	1961	Prestige [US]
Left & Right	Roland Kirk	1969	Atlantic
Live in Copenhagen	Roland Kirk Quartet	1988	Magnetic Records
Natural Black Inventions - Root Strata	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	1971	Atlantic
Now Please Don't You Cry, Beautiful Edith	Roland Kirk	1967	Verve Records
Other Folks' Music	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	1976	Atlantic
Rahsaan Rahsaan	Rahsaan Roland Kirk & The Vibration Society	1970	Atlantic
Rahsaan - The Complete Mercury Recordings of Roland Kirk	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	1990	Mercury
Reeds & Deeds	Roland Kirk	1963	Mercury
Rip, Rig and Panic	The Roland Kirk Quartet	1965	Limelight
Slightly Latin	Roland Kirk	1966	Limelight
The Case of the 3 Sided Dream in Audio Color	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	November 1975	Atlantic
The Inflated Tear	Roland Kirk	1968	Atlantic
The Man Who Cried Fire	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	1990	Night Records [GB]
The Return of the 5000 Lb. Man	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	1976	Warner Bros. Records
The Roland Kirk Quartet Meets The Benny Golson Orchestra	The Roland Kirk Quartet Meets The Benny Golson Orchestra	1964	Mercury
Triple Threat	Roland Kirk	1957	King [US]
Volunteered Slavery	Roland Kirk	1969	Atlantic
We Free Kings	Roland Kirk	January 1962	Mercury