Monday, September 1, 2008

Since Art is Labor, Play On ...


Just a brief note, pointing to a musical interlude for the holiday.

I am and always have been a huge fan of Rahsaan Roland Kirk. The following video, from UbuWeb, presents the unlikely coupling of Maestro Kirk with avant-garde musician John Cage.

John Cage and Rahsaan Roland Kirk - Sound?? (1966).

If the Cage doesn't work for you, the Kirk just might. I hope it does. Watching this wild man play three wind instruments at the same time and keep your toe tapping is, well, unreal in the best kind of way.

Did I mention that Kirk was blind?

Somehow this all worked for me, Cage included. Hope you enjoy it and Happy Labor Day to everyone out there, especially all artists. As they saying goes, don't let 'em see you sweat; we know, however, how very much you do.


best,
Don

PS My thoughts are with folks down on the Gulf Coast, hoping everyone weathers Gustav safely and with a minimal amount of disruption. Hang in, Charles.
at

4 comments:

  1. Ed BakerSeptember 1, 2008 at 10:47 AM

    HEY you jus "blew me away"
    aaaa wwwwaaaaayyyyyyy!

    in high school my friend Margie Feldman's dad was a partner in a club called Showboat Lounge down on Columbia Road and (I think ) 16 th Street

    his partner was Charlie Bird he Lounge was across from The Ambassador Theater where my friend, Marty Baum ...and his Natty Bumpo rock band used to play they wold open for acts like Jefferson Airplane

    anyway we used to "hang ot" at the Showboat Lounge

    on night Kirk was there "blowing his brains out" AND

    Ramsey Lewis and some others (who where 'gigging' at Carter Barron Ampitheater just dropped in

    I also remember once going down with a (girl)
    friend to hear The Bill Evans Trio..

    we stayed through two sets..

    when returning from a trip to the john there at our table "hitting" on my friend was Evan's base player Chuck Isreals!

    anyway ALL OF THIS works for me... and jogs my

    mam-oh-ries..

    thanks

    ReplyDelete
  2. Jim H.September 1, 2008 at 11:09 AM

    Rashaan!

    Saw him at a little club in south Minneapolis and again at the Chicago Jazz Festival. He always won the Downbeat jazz poll on "miscellaneous" instruments like the stritch and the manzello. Thanks for linking to this video. Very cool.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Ed BakerSeptember 1, 2008 at 11:52 AM

    just back from Spanish Market..

    and

    I "throw into the mix" in same vein (no "horse" pun intended:

    Sonny Sherock AND Pharoah Sanders


    and, my cousin Saul took music lessons with same teacher as Gerry Mulligan did in fact for GM's very first audition for a 'gig' Gerry had hocked his horn and Saul lent him his..

    and never got it back..

    ReplyDelete
  4. Issa's Untidy HutSeptember 1, 2008 at 2:25 PM

    Ed and J.H.:

    Glad to see that Kirk hit the spot ... I'm also a huge Sharrock and Sanders fan, but this film merging Cage and Kirk, who never met, really gave me a tweek.

    Loved the Gerry Mulligan story.

    Don

    ReplyDelete