Volunteered Slavery


Volunteered Slavery is an album by jazz multi-instrumentalist Roland Kirk containing portions of his 1968 Newport Jazz Festival performance along with studio recordings from July 1969. It was released on the Atlantic label and features performances by Kirk with Rahn Burton, Vernon Martin, Jimmy Hopps and Joseph "Habao" Texidor, Dick Griffin, Charles McGhee, Sonny Brown, Charles Crosby and the "Roland Kirk Spirit Choir".

Critical reception

The AllMusic review by Thom Jurek states: "Volunteered Slavery, with its beat/African chanted poetry and post-bop blues ethos was certainly the first strike in the right direction... Kirk proves that he is indeed the master of any music he plays because his sense of harmony, rhythm, and melody comes not only from the masters acknowledged, but also from the collective heart of the people the masters touched. It's just awesome".

Track listing

  1. "Volunteered Slavery" - 5:43
  2. "Spirits Up Above" - 3:37
  3. "My Cherie Amour" - 3:20
  4. "Search for the Reason Why" - 2:07
  5. "I Say a Little Prayer" - 7:59
  6. "Roland's Opening Remarks" - 0:41
  7. "One Ton" - 5:02
  8. "Ovation and Roland's Remarks" - 1:42
  9. "A Tribute to John Coltrane: Lush Life/Afro-Blue/Bessie's Blues" - 8:14
  10. "Three for the Festival" - 4:23

Personnel