ROLAND KIRK – We Free Kings (Verve Acoustic Sounds Series) – LP – Deluxe 180g Vinyl

Description

LP – Verves Acoustic Sounds Seriesfeatures transfers from analog tapes and remastered 180-gram vinyl in deluxe gatefold packaging.

Roland Kirks We Free Kings is the latest classic jazz album to receive a vinyl reissue through Verves Acoustic Sounds Series. Originally released in 1962, the record struck a balance between pop and soul, while also highlighting Kirks signature polyphonic approach to music.

The title track of We Free Kings is a Kirk composition, where the multi-instrumentalist (including tenor saxophone, manzello, flute, and stritch saxophone) put his spin on the classic Christmas carol We Three Kings. The album is a mix of originals that showcase Kirks sharp arranging and writing skills, as well as additional covers of jazz standards like 1932s Moon Song (That Wasnt Meant for Me) (arranged by Arthur Johnston and written by Sam Coslow) and 1951s Blues for Alice (composed by Charlie Parker).

Other jazz musicians who appeared on the album were pianists Richard Wyands and Hank Jones, double bassist Art Davis, drummer Charlie Persip, and bassist Wendell Marshall. We Free Kings is the latest of Kirks albums to join the Acoustic Sounds Series, following the 1967 album Now Please Dont You Cry, Beautiful Edith, back in January.

The series, which first launched in 2020, features transfers from analog tapes and remastered 180-gram vinyl thats packaged in high-quality tip-on gatefold jackets, replicating the original packaging. The albums will be mastered and cut to lacquer by Matthew Lutthans at the Mastering Lab at Quality Record Pressings. All releases are supervised by Chad Kassem, CEO of Acoustic Sounds, the worlds largest source for audiophile recordings, utilizing the production craft of Quality Record Pressings.

The series includes dozens of iconic jazz albums from legends like Ben Webster, Nina Simone, Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Peggy Lee, Sonny Rollins, Mel Torme, Stan Getz, Oscar Peterson, John Lee Hooker, Lightnin Hopkins, and more.

Tracklist:

A1 Three For The Festival [3:07]
A2 Moon Song [4:20]
A3 A Sack Full Of Soul [4:37]
A4 The Haunted Melody [3:37]
A5 Blues For Alice [4:06]

B1 We Free Kings [4:44]
B2 You Dit It, You Did It [2:27]
B3 Some Kind Of Love [6:09]
B4 My Delight [4:28]