(from http://jazztimes.com/articles/17992-rahsaan-roland-kirk-the-cult-of-kirk)
". . . Steve Turre, who served several stints in Kirk’s bands, assembled a group featuring multi-reedist James Carter for the 2004 Kirk tribute album, The Spirits Up Above (HighNote), and led the all-star band last December at Saint Peter’s Church in New York City that paid tribute to Kirk close to the 30th anniversary of his death. Turre argues that only when people turn away from the visual—and Kirk’s videos are popular items on YouTube—and focus on the aural will they fully grasp Kirk’s achievements. “It’s all about listening,” Turre insists, “though I don’t think kids are taught that today. When I first encountered him, I’d just listen and go with the flow. We used to go up to his hotel room and listen to records in the dark. He was sightless, so he didn’t need the lights. It made me concentrate on the sound. It took me inside Rahsaan’s world and allowed me to experience music as he did.
“Yeah, the unusual aspects of his shows were amazing, but I didn’t let that stop me from hearing the music. His shows were unconventional, but only because he was being himself. It was all about feeling; it wasn’t all mechanical and contrived; it wasn’t different for different’s sake. It wasn’t for an intellectual concept; it was just Rahsaan being Rahsaan.” . . . "
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