RAHSAAN ROLAND KIRK
Compliments Of The Mysterious Phantom (Hyena)
Reviewed by Shaun Dale

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Although it's the first Rahsaan Roland Kirk album since 1965 that doesn't carry his name as producer, Compliments Of The Mysterious Phantom is on Joel Dorn's Hyena Records label, and Dorn describes it as "...the best example yet of who and what Rahsaan was on any given night." On the subject of Rahsaan, at least, if Dorn says so, I'm inclined to believe it, so I approached this disc with considerable excitement.

My excited anticipation was completely justified. Kirk and his Vibrations Society were in fine form that night in San Diego (November 4, 1974, to be exact) and the resulting recording reflects about as many facets of the brilliant gem that was Rahsaan as you could hope for. Inventive interpretations are joined by classic originals, soothing balladry is contrasted with manic rhythm, and Rahsaan's genius is both augmented by and revealed through his humor. In order to get the message across, he displays his impressive musical arsenal, offering performances on tenor sax, manzello, stritch, flute, nose flute, siren, conch and whistle.

Although there are grumbles from some quarters because a couple of tracks were edited, I have no idea what kind of condition the master recordings were in, and the quality that is represented here is high enough that I wouldn't want to mar it with poorly reproduced passages simply for the sake of completeness. If "Bright Moments" and "Old Rugged Cross," the two tracks represented by excerpts, are too short to satisfy (although they time in at 7:46 and 3:54 respectively, pretty decent "excerpts"), be assured that they're surrounded by full length tracks that provide a full measure of satisfaction.

Thanks, Mysterious Phantom, for yet another wonderful installment in the Rahsaanaissance.

Track List:

Passion Dance * My One And Only Love * Rahspeak #1 * Fly Town Nose Blues * Volunteered Slavery * Rahspeak #2 * Bright Moments * Old Rugged Cross * Blacknuss * Freaks For The Festival * Rahspeak #3

© 2003 - Shaun Dale