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Another November RSD release Seek & Listen: Live at the Penthouse is a never-before-released recording of the luminous multi-instrumentalist Rahsaan Roland Kirk recorded live at the Penthouse jazz club in Seattle, WA on August 12 and 19, 1967 with pianist Ron Burton, bassist Steve Novosel and drummer Jimmy Hopps. Released in cooperation with Kirk's widow, Dorthaan Kirk of the Rahsaan Roland Kirk Estate, the infectious music on this release was originally recorded by radio DJ Jim Wilke for KING-FM radio. Transferred from the original tapes and restored and mastered by Matthew Lutthans at The Mastering Lab, Live at the Penthouse was pressed at the respected audiophile pressing plant Le Vinylist in Quebec, Canada. The limited-edition 180-gram 2-LP edition includes an extensive booklet with rare photographs from Jan Persson, Tom Copi, Raymond Ross and others, newly-commissioned liner notes by authors John Kruth and May Cobb, and interviews and testimonials from saxophone icons James Carter and Chico Freeman, trombonist Steve Turre, Dorthaan Kirk, Adam Dorn (son of long-time Kirk producer and champion Joel Dorn), and others.   Tracklist SIDE A  The Jump Thing (1:18) Alfie (5:22) Mingus-Griff Song (12:12) SIDE B  Duke Ellington Melody: Everytime We Say Goodbye, I've Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good), Sophisticated Lady, Satin Doll (14:31) Bagpipe Melody/Happy Days Are Here Again (8:14) SIDE C  Ode To Billie Joe (12:22) Prelude To A Kiss (7:50) Funk Underneath (4:59) SIDE D  Lovellevelliloqui (7:12) Now Please Don't You Cry, Beautiful Edith (7:57) Making Love After Hours (4:29)

RSD release November 28, 2025 Vibrations in the Village: Live at the Village Gate is an ultra-rare recording of the brilliant multi-instrumentalist Rahsaan Roland Kirk recorded live at the hallowed Village Gate in New York City, New York on November 26, 1963 with pianists Horace Parlan, Melvin Rhyne, and Jane Getz, along with bassist Henry Grimes and drummer Sonny Brown. Released in cooperation with Kirk's widow, Dorthaan Kirk of the Rahsaan Roland Kirk Estate, this music was originally recorded for a documentary film on Kirk that was being made. After the concert, the filmmaker passed away, and the tapes remained tucked away with the original recording engineer in storage for the next 62 years until now.  Transferred from the original tapes and restored and mastered by Matthew Lutthans at The Mastering Lab, Vibrations in the Village was pressed at the respected audiophile pressing plant Le Vinylist in Quebec, Canada. The limited-edition 180-gram 2-LP edition includes an extensive booklet with rare photographs from Jan Persson, Tom Copi, Raymond Ross and others, newly-commissioned liner notes by authors John Kruth and May Cobb, and interviews and testimonials from Jane Getz, saxophone icons James Carter and Chico Freeman, trombonist Steve Turre, Adam Dorn - son of long-time Kirk producer and champion Joel Dorn, and others. SIDE A  Jump Up And Down - Fast (15:34) Ecclusiastics (5:52) SIDE B   All the Things You Are (7:33)   We'll Be Together Again (7:43) SIDE C   My Delight (12:37) Baritone Oboe Blues (10:20) SIDE D   Termini's Corner (6:28) Falling In Love With Love (5:44)   Three For the Festival (6:09)  

I played some of this once for a friend who listens to pop music.  His reaction was that he didn't much like jazz that seemed like "noodling".  I wonder if there was a problem selling a large, relatively expensive set like this with music like this.  I guess it actually may be difficult to appreciate these live sessions without having experienced quite a bit of jazz and understanding the context?  The music is kind of 'advanced'?

It also took forever to come out. I placed a preorder as soon as it was announced, and, IIRC it took about a year (or more?) to actually be released. For such great, seminal (albeit in slow motion) music, Columbia has been stingy with it.