Roland Kirk’s ‘We Free Kings’ Set For Reissue
The celebrated jazz musician’s vinyl re-release will arrive in June.
Roland Kirk’s We Free Kings is the latest classic jazz album to receive a vinyl reissue through Verve’s Acoustic Sounds Series. Originally released in 1962, the record struck a balance between pop and soul, while also highlighting Kirk’s 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 Kirk’s sharp arranging and writing skills, as well as additional covers of jazz standards like 1932’s “Moon Song (That Wasn’t Meant for Me)” (arranged by Arthur Johnston and written by Sam Coslow) and 1951’s “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 Kirk’s albums to join the Acoustic Sounds Series, following the 1967 album Now Please Don’t You Cry, Beautiful Edith, back in January.
The series, which first launched in 2020, features transfers from analog tapes and remastered 180-gram vinyl that’s 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 world’s 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.
