Roland Kirk

Roland Kirk or Rahsaan Roland Kirk (1936-1977) blinded soon after birth, took to playing three horns at the same time after dreaming of doing so age 16. Though he played traditional horns such as the tenor sax and flute, he often played obscure ones, in particular the stritch and manzello, as well as whistles, sirens, and other instruments. Kirk also used to often sing and speak through his horns, creating a rasping buzzing quality to his music, a technique which may have originated with flautist Sam Most in the 1950s.