RAHSAAN ROLAND KIRK
• August 7, 1935 Rahsaan Roland Kirk, hall of fame jazz multi-instrumentalist, was born Ronald Theodore Kirk in Columbus, Ohio. Kirk went blind at an early age due to poor medical treatment. He added “Rahsaan” to his name in 1970 after hearing it in a dream. Kirk played various saxophones, clarinets, and flutes, often modifying them to accommodate his playing technique. Preferring to lead his own bands, Kirk rarely performed as a sideman. His many recordings include “Triple Threat” (1956), “The Inflated Tear” (1967), and “Kirkatron” (1977). Kirk was also very political, using the stage to talk on black history, civil rights, and other issues. He died on December 5, 1977 and was posthumously inducted into the Down Beat Jazz Hall of Fame in 1978. His biography, “Bright Moments: The Life and Legacy of Rahsaan Roland Kirk,” was published in 2000.
>via: http://thewright.org/explore/blog/entry/today-in-black-history-872012
<p>Rahsaan Roland Kirk documentary from Adam Kahan on Vimeo.</p>