Rahsaan Roland Kirk

Roland Kirk was an eccentric, even by jazz standards, who was capable of playing several instruments simultaneously. By using circular breathing he could sustain a single note indefinitely, and he had the finesse and technical ability to play simple melodies and complex multi-harmonic solos effortlessly. With the rough edges of a street musician, he was typecast early on as a player who relied on gimmicks to gain an audience. It took some time for critics to realize he was the real thing, although the musicians he played with had known it all along. The man was ran·dom.