Rahsaan Roland Kirk: Blacknuss

REVIEW: “Blacknuss was a trend-setting iconic contribution to jazz. Rahsaan Roland Kirk’s creative force helped to define musical culture. This re-mastering is excellent. The stereo separation is top-notch and the overall mix is balanced.” Robbie Gearson

https://www.audaud.com/rahsaan-roland-kirk-blacknuss-pure-pleasure-records/

As the tune fades just two and a half minutes later, the scream of Kirk’s tenor comes wailing through the intro of Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Goin’ On”, with a funk backdrop and no wink in the corner — he’s serious. With Richard Tee’s drums kicking it, the strings developing into a wall of tension in the backing mix, and Charles McGhee’s trumpet hurling the long line back at Kirk, all bets are off — especially when they medley the mother into “Mercy Mercy Me”. By the time they reach the end of the Isleys’ “I Love You, Yes I Do”, with the whistles, gongs, shouting, soul crooning, deep groove hustling, and greasy funk dripping from every sweet-assed note, the record could be over because the world has already turned over and surrendered — and the album is only ten minutes old!

“Blacknuss”, like “The Inflated Tear”, “Volunteered Slavery”, “Rip, Rig And Panic”, and “I Talk To The Spirits”, is Kirk at his most visionary. He took the pop out of pop and made it Great Black Music. He took the jazz world down a peg to make it feel its roots in the people’s music, and consequently made great jazz from pop tunes in the same way his forbears did with Broadway show tunes. While the entire album shines like a big black sun, the other standouts include a deeply moving read of “My Girl” and a version of “The Old Rugged Cross” that takes it back forever from those white fundamentalists who took all the blood and sweat from its grain and replaced them with cheap tin and collection plates. On Kirk’s version, grace doesn’t come cheap, though you can certainly be a poor person to receive it. Ladies and gents, “Blacknuss” is as deep as a soul record can be and as hot as a jazz record has any right to call itself. A work of sheer blacknuss!

Personnel: “Blacknuss” – Rahsaan Roland Kirk (ts, fl, manzello, stritch, whistle, gong, voc); Dick Griffin (tb); Charles McGhee (tp); Billy Butler (g); Richard Tee (p); Mickey Turner (org); Henry Pearson (b); Bernard Purdie, Khalil Mhdri (dr); Arthur Jenkins (cga, perc); a.o.

Tracklisting

Side 1: 1. Ain’t No Sunshine 2a. What’s Goin’ On 2b. Mercy Mercy Me (The

Ecology) 3. Take Me Girl, I’m Ready 4. I Love You Yes I Do 5. My Girl

6. Which Way Is It Going 7. One Nation

Side 2: 1. Never Can Say Goodbye 2. Old Rugged Cross 3. Make It With You

4. Blacknuss