About

A TAV Curator's Pick.

“Multi-instrumentalist Roland Kirk leaves the stritch, manzello and other exotic instruments at home for this all-flute outing from his pre -"Rahsaan" days. Consisting mostly of originals, with a couple of show tunes and a swinging take on John Lewis' "Django" thrown in, I Talk to the Spirits provides the best sampling of Kirk's unique flute style. He hums along with himself as he plays, inserts pieces of lyrics when the mood hits, finds overtones and multi-part harmonies as he blows madly through the upper register and sails sweetly through the lower. Included here is the original version of "Serenade to a Cuckoo," a song later taken to rock audiences with its inclusion on the first Jethro Tull album. (In fact, for the Tull fan who wants to hear where Ian Anderson borrowed his style, I Talk to the Spirits is the place to go.)” – All Music

“The world has never quite seen someone like Rahsaan Roland Kirk. The blind multi-instrumentalist was a subverted destroyer of the expected, going as far as performing with multiple brass instruments at the same time. He did so often too; it was a staple of his. While it may seem gimmicky, it worked magnificently, making for a unique and irreplaceable sound. He was an absolute tour de force that could simply not be stopped…

…They also somehow managed to include some avant-garde, improvisation and interludes without ruining the flow of the songs. To complement these styles, the band incorporated alternative instrumentation with tremendous effect. The varying soundscapes add a layer of class and virtuosity to the music in a very natural manner. What the band created was nothing less than beauty through sound. When all is said and done, it is irrefutable that I Talk With the Spirits is a legendary gem of jazz. Well, it's not only that. It's a delicate expression of sound that only Rahsaan could coin a term for himself: Black Classical Music. Oh, and what an ornate pleasure it is.” – Sputnik Music

Item description: