Most of the time we find out about musicians by listening to them on the radio or their records. A lot of times the audio experience is perfectly fine since when the band or singers come around on tour, they’re just people playing instruments. Others you are told that you have to see them live to truly see how they make their magnificent notes. You can hear Edward Van Halen tear into “Eruption” on the first Van Halen album. But you don’t really appreciate his solo until you see video of him on stage working every part of the guitar. The same can be said about the music of Rahsaan Roland Kirk (he added the Rahsaan in 1970 after hearing it in a dream). He was a horn player who was best known for playing a variety of horns and brass instruments. What made him unique was his ability to play more than one instrument at time. Kirk had modified the instruments so he could be blowing and fingering them at the same time. If you hear him perform on an album, you could easily just believe he was overdubbed everything like Prince, Todd Rundgren or Nine Inch Nails’ Trent Reznor. But he really did multiple instruments at once or swapped off quickly. He was a one man horn section. Roland Kirk Quartet – Domino features two German TV shows where he took the stage and let the camera see his unusual set up that could make such sweet sounds.
The West German television shows were recorded at the Radio Bremen TV Studios on the 15th and 16th of November, 1963. I’m not sure of the name of the show since the specials have a title card of Domino that’s the name of his new album at the time and the first song he plays on both specials. His international quartet consists of George Gruntz (Swiss) on piano, Guy Pedersen (French) on bass and Danial Humair (Swiss) on drums. The three backing musicians create the musical space to let Kirk explore his sound with his multi-instrumental attack. It would be easy to think he was some sort of gimmick. Could he have just hired two more horn players for his band? The answer is no. Kirk is creating a sound when he plays more than one instrument at a time. The same breath is creating more than one set of notes. It’s a magical moment to watch and hear.
Kirk looks amazing in his suit, beret and sunglasses. He has his horns wrapped around his neck like a rather huge charm necklace. During one song he places a flute in the bell of a sax. He plays a nose flute to duet with his regular flute on the same exhale. He does talk about working with Charlie Mingus when he plays the bass legend’s “Better Git It In Your Soul.” While his voice isn’t near the microphone, Kirk calls for the lynching of George Wallace, the governor of Alabama. This was during the middle of the Civil Rights struggles and after four girls died when the KKK bombed the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama. Alabama didn’t get around to prosecuting a suspected bomber until 1977. Kirk’s anger has a point.
The set list for the specials has the first (25:40) consisting of “Domino (1st Take),” “Sister Sadie,” “Tenderly,” “Better Git It in Your Soul” and “Three in One, Without the Oil.” The second special (19:06) features “Domino (2nd Take),” “Blues for Alice,” “I Remember Clifford” and “There Will Never Be Another You.”
The two TV specials are a great way to get introduced to the music and innovative playing of Roland Kirk. You can visually appreciate his vision of going beyond the limitations of just playing one sax at a time. His performances weren’t just multi-track tricks in the studio. Did I forget to mention that Roland Kirk was blind. He pulls off his multi-instrument swap offs so smoothly during the songs. It only becomes apparent when he’s assisted off the set by George Gruntz. Roland Kirk Quartet – Domino show is a marvelous performance by him and his band.
The Video is 1.33:1 anamorphic. The black and white videotaped shows look great. You can see how Roland Kirk played three horns at once. The Audio is Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo and mono. The sound quality of the performance is solid. You’ll hear all Kirk is playing.
Compact Disc with the music from both TV specials.
Illustrated booklet with an essay by John Kruth.
Moosicus presents Roland Kirk – Domino. Starring Roland Kirk, George Gruntz, Guy Pedersen and Danial Humair. Running Time: 45 minutes. Rating: Unrated. Release Date: June 6, 2025.
