Underrated jazz greats

For me, I would say that, while fairly well known, Rashaan Roland Kirk was often dismissed in his time, primarily due to his politics and circus-like self promotion. His place in the history of jazz is not clear, but I truly believe that time will sort it out.

The last time that I saw him, at the Vanguard, was after the stroke, and only a couple of short months before his death. Since he had lost the use of essentially half his body, he had his strange instruments, strich and manzello, as well as the saxs and flutes, on floor stands, so that he could just walk from one to the other and finger with one hand. I never saw anyone who wanted to play that badly before or since. I never saw anyone so intent on communicating the full palette of their emotions so desperately. I have never heard emotion distilled into sound so completely. Rashaan will have his day.

Kirk was a great for sure.

Tina Brooks

Fortunately, almost all of those mentioned are well represented in my collection; including Tina Brooks. I have him on Mosaic Blue Note LP's.

I would like to add Ray Nance; he played violin, trumpet, and could sing. While he is best known for trumpet, I like his violin. On Chico Hamilton's "The Head Hunters", I know there's smoke coming off the violin strings, I can smell it coming through the speakers.

Second Ray Nance, try him on "Jaki Byard with Strings", where he even lays out and does a vocal. The guitar on this one is great as well from a very, very young George Benson.