I knew Ian Anderson was a great admirer of Rahsaan Roland Kirk. Did you know that so was Roger Plant and Jimmy Page? And that Jimi Hendrix was being tutored by Kirk when he passed away? Long Live Bright Moments!!
Ian was the source of a major disagreement between me and my father, who had (at the age of 12) won a city wide flute contest which offered lessons with Marcel Moye. I regard Ian as the only flutist to successfully integrate the instrument as a soloist in rock music. Roland Kirk was Ian’s inspiration and was totally unique.
Oh ! It wasn't really nice. I wonder which live footage it was, I really don't see Ian as a man who drinks too much, not at all. But with age, sometimes (or bot with age), like so many people, when you do all that jumping and moving on stage during live concerts under the hot lights, his face turns a bit red ! But it's got nothing to do with drinking, I think !
@@robertzantay5923 He did drink a bit back in his hayday but not a whole lot. Like average for a young man. Apparently he never did any major drugs and his biggest problem was smoking, which he quit about 30 years ago
Check out Roland Kirk's version. It will blow you away. He played multiple instruments at once. I don't remember what it's called and I'm not sure Ian does this or not, but Kirk breathes in through his nose while at the same time exhales through his mouth. Therefore he doesn't have to take a breath while playing. He was phenomenal.
That is called circular breathing, most professional woodwind players can keep notes going for as long as needed. Kenny G held notes much longer than needed as part of his act
I agree Roland Kirk's is by far superior. Jethro Tull is great and I love his playing, but Roland Kirk has a higher dimension of unmatched talent and quality.
As good as this rendition is, I prefer Ian's playing style from the 60's/70's. It was a lot grittier and raspy sounding. I know it's because at the time he was self taught and playing it "wrong", but the style fitted blues & jazz so much better than his more recent, refined style.
Yes sometimes the less you know about your instrument the better it can be, Ian’s earlier more breathy rasping flute sound suited the songs better, some of Jethro Tulls earlier 70s concerts show this to definitely be the case.
This performance, though without mistakes, lacks the life and spirit that Kirk exuded. In fairness, it is impossible to approximate Kirk's energy and dedication.
@@clasparagus After watching Kirk perform the original, I agree. However, at least Ian gives Kirk full credit and acknowledges it as a cover version. A very good one in its own way. But yeah, Kirk was an f'in' genius. They say that he could listen to about any sound, a jet engine is the example I read about, and tell what note it most closely approximated.
Ian didn't abandon sax for flute. He traded his electric guitar for a flute just a few months before Tull's first album (68). This song is also featured in that album as a tribute to Kirk. Ian only played sax for a year or two in the mid 70's. He thought that as a flautist he also needed to play sax but he didn't like it very much.
yea...but ian took it much further. All music is "inspired" one way or the other, be it intentional or not. Roland Kirk was awsome...too bad he couldn't take it further
I have enjoyed Ian's playing for a very long time but he is far from the best flute player. Give a listen to Orlando Valle or Andrea Brachfeld. I like this jazz mode they are playing in.
With all due respect to Jethro Tull, the progressive rock band, I think you're giving this performance way too much credit and I don't think you've heard much Roland Kirk. He in fact, pushed the boundaries just about as far as they can go. This performance sounds amateur at best. I've heard 8th grade jazz combos swing better and have more interesting vocabulary. They should stick to Aqua Lung and leave jazz to the professionals.
