Released 1961 Length 38:40 Artist Rahsaan Roland Kirk Label Mercury Records | Recorded August 16–17, 1961 We Free Kings
(1961) Domino
(1962) Release date 1961 Genre Jazz | |
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Similar Rahsaan Roland Kirk albums, Jazz albums | ||
Roland kirk we free kings
We Free Kings is a 1961 LP by the jazz multi-instrumentalist Roland Kirk. His group works through a set of bluesy post-bop numbers, including a highly regarded version of Charlie Parker's "Blues for Alice". The title track, a Kirk composition, is a variation on the Christmas carol "We Three Kings".
Contents
Roland kirk three for the festival
Reception
The Allmusic review by Lindsay Planer calls the album "among the most consistent of his early efforts. The assembled quartet provides an ample balance of bop and soul compliments to Kirk's decidedly individual polyphonic performance style. His inimitable writing and arranging techniques develop into some great originals, as well as personalize the chosen cover tunes. With a nod to the contemporary performance style of John Coltrane, as well as a measure of his influences — most notably Clifford Brown and Sidney Bechet — Kirk maneuvers into and out of some inspiring situations".
Track listing
All compositions by Roland Kirk except where noted.
- "Three for the Festival" – 3:10
- "Moon Song" (Sam Coslow, Arthur Johnston) – 4:23
- "A Sack Full of Soul" – 4:40
- "The Haunted Melody" – 3:38
- "Blues for Alice" (Charlie Parker) – 4:08
- "We Free Kings" – 4:46
- "You Did It, You Did It" – 2:29
- "Some Kind of Love" – 6:11
- "My Delight" – 4:28
CD editions of the album include a different version of "Blues for Alice" (Parker) - 5:11.
Personnel
Songs
1Three for the Festival3:10
2Moon Song4:23
3A Sack Full of Soul4:40