Fes Fas / ⴼⴰⵙ / فاس Fez
View on the old medina of Fes
Flag
Fes Location in Morocco
Coordinates: 34°2′N 5°0′W / 34.033°N 5°W / 34.033; -5Coordinates: 34°2′N 5°0′W / 34.033°N 5°W / 34.033; -5
Country	Morocco
Region	Fès-Boulemane
Founded	789
Founder	Idrisid dynasty
Government
• Mayor	Hamid Chabat
• Governor	Mohamed Rerrhabi
Elevation[1]	1,258.9 ft (383.7 m)
Population (2004)[2]
• Total	1,044,376

Bab Bou Jeloud, "The Blue Gate" of Fez.

Leather tanning in Fes

Fes or Fez (Arabic: فاس‎ Arabic pronunciation: [fɛs]) is the second largest city of Morocco, with a population of approximately 1 million (2010). It is the capital of the Fès-Boulemane region.

Fez, the former capital, is one of the country's four "imperial cities," the others being Rabat, Marrakech and Meknes. It comprises three distinct parts, Fes el Bali (the old, walled city), Fes-Jdid (new Fes, home of the Mellah) and the Ville Nouvelle (the French-created, newest section of Fes).

"Fas el Bali" is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its medina, the larger of the two medinas of Fes, is believed to be the world's largest contiguous car-free urban area. The University of Al-Karaouine, founded in AD 859, is the oldest continuously functioning university in the world. The city has been called the "Mecca of the West" and the "Athens of Africa".^[3]

History[link]

Etymology[link]

Until the Almoravid rule in the 11th century, Fes consisted of two separate cities or medinas: Madinat Fas and Al-'Aliya. The former being founded by Idris I, the latter by his son, Idris II. During Idrisid rule the capital city was known as Al-'Aliya, with the name Fas being reserved for the separate site on the other side of the river: no Idrisid coins have been found with the name Fes, only al-'Aliya and al-'Aliya Madinat Idris. It is not known whether the name al-'Aliya was ever used to refer to both medinas. It wasn't until 1070 that the two agglomerations were united and the name Fas was used for both sites.^[4]

Foundation and the Idrisids[link]

The city was founded on a bank of the Jawhar river by Idris I in 789, founder of the Zaydi Shi'ite Idrisid dynasty. His son, Idris II (808),^[5] built a settlement on the opposing river bank. These settlements would soon develop into two separate, walled and largely autonomous sites, often in conflict with one another: Madinat Fas and Al-'Aliya. In 808 Al-'Aliya replaced Walili as the capital of the Idrisids.

Arab emigration to Fez, including 800 Muladi families in 817–818 expelled after a rebellion against the Ummayads of Córdoba, and other 2,000 families banned from Kairouan (modern Tunisia) after another rebellion in 824, gave the city a more Arabic character than other cities of the region. The Andalusians settled in Madinat Fas, while the Tunisians found their home in al-'Aliya. These two waves of immigrants would subsequently give their name to the two sites: 'Adwat Al-Andalus and 'Adwat al-Qarawiyyin.^[6] An important aspect of the city's population, largely ignored in modern historiography, was of Berber descent, with rural Berbers from the surrounding countryside settling the city throughout this early period, mainly in Madinat Fas (the Andalusian quarter) and later in Fes Jdid.^[7]

Upon the death of Idris II in 828, the dynasty’s territory was divided among his sons, and the eldest, Muhammad, received Fes. The newly-fragmented Idrisid power would never again be reunified. During Yahya ibn Muhammad's rule in Fes the Kairouyine mosque, one of the oldest and largest in Africa, was built and its associated Al-Karaouine University was founded (859).^[8] Comparatively little is known about Idrisid Fes, owing to the lack of comprehensive historical narratives from this period and the fact that little has survived of the architecture and infrastructure of early Fes (Al-'Aliya). The sources that mention Idrisid Fes, describe a rather rural one, not having the cultural sophistication of the important cities of Al-Andalus and Ifriqiya.

In the 10th century the city was contested by the Caliphate of Córdoba and the Fatimids of Tunisia. The later took the city in 927 and expelled the Idrissids, after which the Miknasa allies of the Fatimids were installed in the city. The Miknasa were driven out of Fes in 1001 by the Maghrawa, allies of the Caliphate of Córdoba. According to the Rawd al-Qirtas and other Marinid era sources, the Maghrawi emir Dunas Al-Maghrawi filled up the open spaces between the two medinas and the banks of the river dividing them with new constructions. Thus, the two cities grew into each other, being now only separated by their city walls and the river flowing through them. His sons fortified the city to a great extent. This could not keep the Almoravids from conquering the city in 1070.

Golden age and the Marinid period[link]

Madinat Fas and Al-'Aliya were united in 1070 by the Almoravids: the walls dividing them were destroyed, bridges connecting the two parts were built and connecting walls were constructed that unified the medinas. Although the capital was moved to Marrakech and Tlemcen under the Almoravids, Fez acquired a reputation for Maliki legal scholarship and became an important centre of Jewish trade.

Like many Moroccan cities, Fes was greatly enlarged in the Almohad era and saw its previously dominating rural aspect lessen. This was accomplished partly by the settling there of Andalusians and the further improvement of the infrastructure. At the start of the 13th century they broke down the Idrisid city walls and constructed new ones, which covered a much wider space. These Almohad walls exist to this day as the outline of Fes el Bali. Under Almohad rule the city grew to become the largest city in the world for a short period of time, with an estimated 200.000 people living there in the late 12th century.^[9] In the early 13th century the sources for the first time describe it as being 'a grand city'.

In 1250 Fes regained its capital status under the Marinid dynasty. In 1276 they founded Fes Jdid, which they made their administrative and militairy centre. Fez reached its golden age in the Marinid period, which marked the beginning of an official, historical narrative for the city.^[10][11] It is from the Marinid period that Fes' reputation as an important intellectual centre largely dates.^[12] They established the first madrassas in the city and country.^[13][14] The principal monuments in the medina, the residences and public buildings, date from the Marinid period.^[15] The madrasas are a hallmark of Marinid architecture, with its striking blending of Andalusian and Almohad traditions. Between 1271 and 1357 seven madrassas were built in Fes, the style of which has come to be typical of Fassi architecture. The Jewish quarter of Fes, the Mellah was built in 1438, near the royal residence in Fes Jdid. The Mellah at first consisted of Jews from Fes el Bali, but soon saw the arrival of Berber Jews from the Atlas range and Jewish immigrants from Al-Andalus. The Marinids spread the cult of Idris I and encouraged sharifism, financing sharifian families as a way to legitimize their (in essence secular) rule: from the 14th century onwards hundreds of families throughout Morocco claimed descent from Idris I, especially in Fes and the Rif mountains. In this regard they can be seen as the enablers of the latter sharifian dynasties of Morocco. A revolt in 1465 overthrew the last Maranid sultan and in 1474 the Marinids were replaced by their relatives of the Wattasid dynasty, who faithfully (but for a large part unsuccessfully) continued Marinid policies.^[16]

Modern period[link]

In the Early Modern Age, the Ottoman Empire came close to Fez after the conquest of Oujda in the 16th century. In 1554, the Wattasid Dynasty took Fez with the support of the Turks, and the city became a vassal of the Ottomans, who finally conquered it in 1579 under sultan Murad III.^[17]

The Ottoman power in North Africa focused on threats posed by the Habsburg Spain and the Portuguese Kingdom. As a result, Fez was not under pressure from the Ottoman rulers. The conquest of Fez was the catalyst for the move of the capital city of the Saadi Dynasty to Marrakech. Early in the 17th century the town returned to Moroccan control under Ahmad al-Mansur.^[18]

After the fall of the Saadi Dynasty (1649), Fez was a major trading post of the Barbary Coast of North Africa. Until the 19th century it was the only source of Fez hats (also known as the tarboosh). Then manufacturing began in France and Turkey as well. Originally, the dye for the hats came from a berry that was grown outside the city, known as the Turkish "kızılcık" or Greek "akenia" (Cornus mascula). Fez was also the end of a north-south gold trading route from Timbuktu. Fez was also a prime manufacturing location for leather goods such as the Adarga.

The city became independent in 1790, under the leadership of Yazid (1790–1792) and later, of Abu´r-Rabi Sulayman. In 1795 control of the city returned to Morocco. Fez took part in a rebellion in 1819-1821, led by Ibrahim ibn Yazid, as well as in the 1832 rebellion led by Muhammad ibn Tayyib.

Fez was again the capital of Morocco until 1912, when most of Morocco came under French control and Rabat was chosen as the capital of the new colony. Rabat remained the capital even when Morocco achieved independence in 1956. While many of the original inhabitants of Fez have since emigrated, and the Jewish quarter has been emptied of its Jewish population. This has led to a stagnation of the city's economy.

Despite the traditional character of most of the city, there is also a modern section, the Ville Nouvelle, or "New City". Today that is a bustling commercial center. The popularity of the city has increased since the King of Morocco took a computer engineer from Fes, Salma Bennani, as his wife.

Climate[link]

Fez has a Mediterranean climate. Located by the Atlas Mountains, Fez has a seasonal climate, shifting from cool and sometimes rain in the winter to dry and hot days in the summer months between July and September. The nights are always cool (or colder in winter). The winter highs typically reach only 16 °C (61 °F) in December–January (see weather-table below).

Subdivisions[link]

The prefecture is divided administratively into the following:^[19]

Main sights[link]

The Bou Inania Madrasa built by the Marinid sultan Abu Inan Faris in 1351.

Fez is becoming an increasingly popular tourist destination and many non-Moroccans are now restoring traditional houses (riads and dars) as second homes in the Fez medina. The most important monuments in the city are:

• Bou Inania Madrasa
• Al-Attarine Madrasa
• University of Al-Karaouine
• Zaouia Moulay Idriss II
• Dar al-Magana
• Aben Danan Synagogue

Transport[link]

The city is served by Saïss Airport. It also has an ONCF train station with lines east to Oujda and west to Tanger and Casablanca.^[20]

Notable residents[link]

• Muhammad XII of Granada, last Moorish king of Al-Andalus.
• Jamal Fakir, French international rugby league player.
• Madame Guinaudeau, French cookery and travel writer.^[21]

International relations[link]

Twin towns — Sister cities[link]

Fez is twinned with:

• Montpellier, France, since 1961
• Strasbourg, France, since 1961
• Florence, Italy, since 1961
• Kairouan, Tunisia, since 1965
• Saint Louis, Senegal, since 1979
• Córdoba, Andalusia, Spain, since 1982
• İzmir, Turkey, since 1995^[22]
• Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso, since 2003
• Suwon, South Korea, since 2003
• Coimbra, Portugal^[23]
• Lahore, Pakistan
• Puebla, Mexico

Partnerships[link]

• Kraków in Poland (since 1985)^[24]

Notes[link]

See also[link]

• Treaty of Fez
• Book by Roger Le Tourneau (English translation by Besse Clement), Fez in the Age of the Marinides, Oklahoma University, editions 1961 and 1974 (latter ISBN 0-8061-1198-4).
• Article by Julian Vigo. "The Renovation of Fes’ medina qdima and the (re)Creation of the Traditional", Writing the City, Transforming the City, New Delhi: Katha, edition 2006.
• The Open International Project Competition for Lalla Yeddouna, A Neighborhood in the Medina of Fez, announced in September 2010 in collaboration with the Union International des Architectes (UIA) and the Millenium Challenge Corporation (MCC), to renew the area and upgrade the living and working standards of the artisans in the medina. The approach of the project is probably one of the most ambitious for an Arab medina and therefor of exemplary character (www.projectcompetition-fez.com). The Open International Project was won by the London based architecture practice Mossessian & Partners.

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Fes

• Official government website of the city
• Fes travel guide from Wikitravel
• Fez Portal at Ville Fes
• Complexe culturel de Fes, Cultural Complex of Fes
• The portal of Fez at Fes-City
• The Fez Festival: Sacred Music From Around The World – audio report by NPR

v t e Fes-Boulman region Capital: Fes Provinces Boulman province · Fes province · Moulay Yacoub Province  · Sefrou Province Cities Ain Cheggag  · Bhalil  · Boulman  · El Menzel  · Fes  · Guigou  · Imouzzer Kandar  · Imouzzer Marmoucha  · Missour  · Moulay Yacoub  · Oulad Tayeb  · Outat El Haj  · Ribat El Kheir  · Sefrou  · Skhinate  · Zaouiat Bougrin

v t e Prefectures and provinces of Morocco Prefectures Agadir-Ida Ou Tanane · Casablanca · Fahs-Anjra · Fès-Dar-Dbibegh · Inezgane-Aït Melloul · Marrakech · Meknès-El Menzeh · Mohammedia · Oujda-Angad · Rabat · Safi  · Salé · Skhirat-Témara · Tangier-Assilah Provinces Al Haouz · Al Hoceïma · Aousserd · Assa-Zag · Azilal · Ben Slimane · Béni-Mellal · Berkane · Boujdour · Boulemane · Chefchaouen · Chichaoua · Chtouka Aït Baha · El Hajeb · El Jadida · El Kelaa des Sraghna · Errachidia · Es Semara · Essaouira · Figuig · Guelmim · Ifrane · Jerada · Kénitra · Khémisset · Khénifra · Khouribg · Laâyoune · Larache · Médiouna · Moulay Yacoub · Nador · Nouaceur · Ouarzazate · Oued Eddahab · Safi · Sefrou · Settat · Sidi Kacem · Tan-Tan · Taounate · Taourirt · Taroudant · Tata · Taza · Tétouan · Tiznit · Zagora

v t e World Heritage Sites in Morocco Northern Medina of Fes el Bali  · Medina of Tétouan (formerly known as Titawin) Archaeological Site of Volubilis · Historic City of Meknes · Central Medina of Essaouira (formerly Mogador) · Medina of Marrakech · Portuguese City of Mazagan (El Jadida) Southern Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou

Carl Barron (born 11 June 1964) is an Australian comedian. His style is based on observational humour. He was born in Longreach, Queensland, the son of a sheep shearer, and formerly worked as an apprentice roof tiler. Barron has released three DVDs, entitled Carl Barron LIVE!, Carl Barron: Whatever Comes Next and Carl Barron: Walking Down The Street. In November 2010 a box set entitled "All The Stuff I've Done So Far" was released, which included the three previous titles, plus a documentary and outtakes.^[1] In 1993 he was voted 'Comic of the Year'^[2] and 'Best Up and Coming Talent' and has since made many TV appearances in commercials and on shows such as Rove and Thank God You're Here. Barron made his first television appearance on the NRL Footy Show on the 17th of April, 1997.^[3]

One of his perpetual jokes is that several people have mistaken him for people such as Australian musician Paul Kelly. He once stated "I reckon if Paul Kelly and Gandhi had a baby, I'd be it!".^[4] He has regularly sold-out shows at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.^[3] Barron has been very successful in Australia with the DVD release of Carl Barron LIVE! going four times platinum, making it the most successful Australian comedy DVD in Australian history.^[5] He has appeared in Good News Week, Out of the Question, Thank God You're Here and several episodes of Rove.

List of DVD's[link]

• Carl Barron LIVE!
• Walking Down the Street
• Whatever Comes Next
• All The Stuff I've Done So Far
  • contains Carl Barron LIVE!, Walking Down the Street, Whatever Comes Next, Wompoo St.

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Carl Barron

• Official Website

This article about an Australian comedian is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v t e

Gary C. Clark (born May 1, 1962) is a former professional American football wide receiver in the National Football League who played for the Washington Redskins (1985–1992), Phoenix Cardinals (1993–1994) and Miami Dolphins (1995).

Early life[link]

Clark attended and played high school football at Pulaski County High School in Dublin, Virginia.

College career[link]

Clark played college football at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia, where he caught 155 passes for 2,863 yards and 16 touchdowns. He also had three punt returns for touchdowns, including 89- and 87-yard returns in a game during the 1983 season against the University of Virginia. Clark was at James Madison during the Dukes' first four Division I-AA seasons. He caught 46 passes for James Madison's 8-3 team in 1982 and had 57 receptions in 1983. He was the Virginia offensive player of the year in 1982 and an honorable mention All-American in 1982 and 1983.

Clark became the first person in James Madison history to have his jersey retired.

Professional career[link]

USFL[link]

After college, Clark played for the Jacksonville Bulls of the United States Football League after being picked in the United States Football League draft. He played for the Bulls in 1984 and 1985.

NFL[link]

Clark was selected by the Washington Redskins in the second round of the 1984 NFL Supplemental Draft of USFL and CFL Players.

In 1985, he signed with the Redskins and had a superb rookie season, recording 72 receptions for 926 yards and five touchdowns. Clark quickly established himself as one of the top receivers in the NFL. He followed up his superb rookie season in 1986 with a Pro Bowl year catching 74 passes for 1,265 yards and seven touchdowns. Clark set a Redskin record for receiving yards in a game during a Monday Night Football contest with the New York Giants. He caught 11 passes for 241 yards and a touchdown. The record still stands today as the "most receiving yards in a non-strike game" (Anthony Allen surpassed Clark's tally during the 1987 strike season). The Redskins went on to finish 12-4 and defeated the reigning Super Bowl champion Chicago Bears, 27-13, in a divisional playoff game but lost to the Giants in the NFC Championship game, 17-0.

In 1987, Clark again had a Pro Bowl year, catching 56 passes for 1,066 and seven touchdowns. He achieved these numbers in only 11 games, as a player strike shortened the season by one game and replacements played three games. No Redskin player crossed the picket line and the replacements went 3-0. Clark was only one of four NFL receivers to surpass 1,000 yards. By this time, he had caught the eye of CBS commentator John Madden. Clark's toughness, big-play ability and willingness to block made him a regular on the All Madden Team during his playing career. The Redskins went on to finish 11-4, winning the NFC East crown. In the playoffs, the Redskins defeated the Chicago Bears in the Divisional Playoff game for the second year in a row, 21-17. Clark caught three passes for 57 yards and a touchdown in the NFC Championship game against the Minnesota Vikings. The Redskins won, 17-10, to earn the right to play in Super Bowl XXII. Clark caught three passes for 55 yards and a touchdown, while also rushing for 25 yards in Washington's 42-10 rout of John Elway and the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXII.

Clark's numbers dropped in 1988 as he caught 59 passes for 892 yards and seven touchdowns. The Redskins finished a paltry 7-9 and missed the playoffs. He returned to form in 1989, catching 79 passes (a career high) for 1,229 yards and nine touchdowns. The Redskins finished 10-6 but missed the playoffs again because of a 5-6 start. Clark, along with fellow receivers Art Monk and Ricky Sanders, surpassed the 1,000 yard mark in 1989. This was the first time in NFL History that three receivers from one team all went over the 1,000 yard mark in the same year.

In 1990, Clark had another Pro Bowl year and the Redskins made the playoffs. He caught 75 passes for 1,112 yards and eight touchdowns. The Redskins went on to beat the Philadelphia Eagles, 20-6, in an NFC Wild Card game. Clark caught four passes for 63 yards and a touchdown. The Redskins lost the next week to the San Francisco 49ers, 28-10.

In 1991, Clark and the Redskins tore through the NFL. He caught 70 passes for 1,340 yards and ten touchdowns. His 19.1 yards per catch was second in the NFL. Clark caught four passes for 203 yards and three touchdowns in Washington's 56-17 rout of the Atlanta Falcons in week 11. The Redskins finished 14-2, won the NFC East, and claimed home field advantage throughout the playoffs. Washington beat Atlanta, 24-7, and crushed Detroit, 41-10, to earn a berth in Super Bowl XXVI against the Buffalo Bills. Clark had a big day with seven catches for 114 yards and a touchdown in Washington's 37-24 defeat of the Bills. The Redskins led 24-0 early in the third quarter, but Buffalo cut the lead to 24-10. His 30-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter was instrumental in thwarting a comeback attempt by the Bills.

Clark, Monk and Sanders gave the Redskins one of the best receiving corps in the NFL during the late 1980s and early 1990s. They were known as The Posse. Clark was long known as the most fiery spirit of the bunch, and he was known to run laps around RFK Stadium after touchdowns and during Redskins comebacks. Clark signed with the Phoenix Cardinals as a free agent prior to the 1993 season, and the Redskins have only made the playoffs three times since.

Clark retired from the NFL after the 1995 season. In his 11 NFL seasons, he caught 699 passes for 10,856 yards and 65 touchdowns, while rushing for 54 yards and gaining 62 yards on nine punt returns. He also had twenty-seven 100-yard games wearing the Redskins uniform. Clark was a four-time Pro Bowl selection in 1986, 1987, 1990, and 1991. He was also a three-time All-Pro selection. He led his team in receiving seven times (1986, 1987, 1989–1992, 1994), and won two Super Bowls, Super Bowl XXII and Super Bowl XXVI, during his NFL career.

Clark was the first receiver in NFL history to catch at least 50 passes in his first ten NFL seasons. As of 2009, the only other players to do so have been Marvin Harrison and Torry Holt.

Notes[link]

Clark was the owner of the now closed South Beach Restaurant and Martini Lounge in Bethesda, Maryland.

He was inducted into the Redskins Ring of Honor on October 7, 2007 and concluded his speech with, "We are going to spank Detroit's butt." The Redskins won the game, 34-3.

In 2007, he was inducted into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame.

External links[link]

• Clark's statistics
• More Career Stats
• Gary Clark Biography
• JMU Athletic Hall of Fame

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (June 2010)

Rahsaan Roland Kirk
Background information
Birth name	Ronald Theodore Kirk
Born	(1935-08-07)August 7, 1935 Columbus, Ohio, United States
Died	December 5, 1977(1977-12-05) (aged 42)
Genres	Jazz Hard-bop[1] Soul jazz[1] Post-bop[1] Avant-garde jazz[1] Mainstream jazz[1]
Occupations	Musician, composer, arranger, bandleader
Instruments	Tenor saxophone, clarinet, stritch, manzello, flute
Years active	1955–1977
Labels	King, Chess, Prestige, Mercury, Limelight, Verve, Atlantic, Warner Bros
Website	http://www.alfanet.hu/kirk/index2.html

Rahsaan Roland Kirk (August 7, 1935^[2] – December 5, 1977) was an American jazz multi-instrumentalist who played tenor saxophone, flute and many other instruments. He was renowned for his onstage vitality, during which virtuoso improvisation was accompanied by comic banter, political ranting, and the ability to play several instruments simultaneously.

Biography[link]

Kirk was born Ronald Theodore Kirk^[2] in Columbus, Ohio, but felt compelled by a dream to transpose two letters in his first name to make Roland. He became blind at an early age as a result of poor medical treatment. In 1970, Kirk added "Rahsaan" to his name after hearing it in a dream.

Preferring to lead his own bands, Kirk rarely performed as a sideman, although he did record with arranger Quincy Jones and drummer Roy Haynes and had notable stints with bassist Charles Mingus. One of his best-known recorded performances is the lead flute and solo on Jones' "Soul Bossa Nova", a 1964 hit song repopularized in the Austin Powers films (Jones 1964; McLeod et al. 1997).

His playing was generally rooted in soul jazz or hard bop, but Kirk's knowledge of jazz history allowed him to draw on many elements of the music's past, from ragtime to swing and free jazz. Kirk also absorbed classical influences, and his artistry reflected elements of pop music by composers such as Smokey Robinson and Burt Bacharach, as well as Duke Ellington, John Coltrane and other jazz musicians. The live album Bright Moments (1973) is an example of one of his shows. His main instrument was the tenor saxophone, supplemented by other saxes, and contrasted with the lighter sound of the flute. At times he would play a number of these horns at once, harmonizing with himself, or sustain a note for lengthy durations by using circular breathing, or play the rare, seldom heard nose flute. A number of his instruments were exotic or homemade, but even while playing two or three saxophones at once, the music was intricate, powerful jazz with a strong feel for the blues.

Kirk was politically outspoken. During his concerts, between songs he often talked about topical issues, including black history and the civil rights movement. His monologues were often laced with satire and absurdist humor.

In 1975, Kirk suffered a major stroke which led to partial paralysis of one side of his body. However, he continued to perform and record, modifying his instruments to enable him to play with one arm. At a live performance at Ronnie Scott's club in London he even managed to play two instruments, and carried on to tour internationally and even appear on television.

He died from a second stroke in 1977 after performing in the Frangipani Room of the Indiana University Student Union in Bloomington, Indiana.

Instruments and technique[link]

Kirk played and collected a number of musical instruments, mainly various saxophones, clarinets and flutes. His main instruments were tenor saxophone and two obscure saxophones: the stritch (a straight alto sax lacking the instrument's characteristic upturned bell) and a manzello (a modified saxello soprano sax, with a larger, upturned bell). Kirk modified these instruments himself to accommodate his simultaneous playing technique.

He typically appeared on stage with all three horns hanging around his neck, as well as a variety of other instruments, including flutes and whistles, and often kept a gong within reach. Kirk also played clarinet, harmonica, English horn, and recorders, and was a competent trumpeter. He often had unique approaches, using a saxophone mouthpiece on a trumpet or playing nose flute. He additionally used many non-musical devices, such as alarm clocks, sirens, or a section of common garden hose (dubbed "the black mystery pipes"). His studio recordings also used tape-manipulated musique concrète, and primitive electronic sounds (before such things became commonplace).

Listen to this audio clip · (info)

Rahsaan simultaneously playing flute and singing, punctuated with a siren whistle. (audio help)

Listen to this audio clip · (info)

Rahsaan playing black mystery pipes. (audio help)

Listen to this audio clip · (info)

Rahsaan simultaneously playing multiple saxophones. (audio help)

Kirk was also an influential flautist, employing several techniques that he developed himself. One technique was to sing or hum into the flute at the same time as playing. Another was to play the standard transverse flute at the same time as a nose flute.

Some observers thought that Kirk's bizarre onstage appearance and simultaneous multi-instrumentalism were just gimmicks, especially when coming from a blind man, but these opinions usually vanished when Kirk began to play. He used the multiple horns to play true chords, essentially functioning as a one-man saxophone section. Kirk insisted that he was only trying to emulate the sounds he heard in his head.

Kirk was a major exponent of circular breathing. Using this technique, Kirk was not only able to sustain a single note for an extended period; he could also play sixteenth-note runs of almost unlimited length, and at high speeds. His circular breathing ability enabled him to record "Concerto For Saxophone" on the Prepare Thyself to Deal With a Miracle LP in one continuous take of about 20 minutes' playing with no discernible "break" for inhaling. His long-time producer at Atlantic Jazz, Joel Dorn, believed he should have received credit in The Guinness Book of World Records for such feats (he was capable of playing continuously "without taking a breath" for far longer than exhibited on that LP), but this never happened.

The Case of the 3 Sided Dream in Audio Color was a unique album in jazz and popular music recorded annals. It was a two-LP set, with Side 4 apparently "blank," the label not indicating any content. However, once word of "the secret message" got around among Rahsaan's fans, one would find that about 12 minutes into Side 4 appeared the first of two telephone answering machine messages recorded by Kirk, the second following soon thereafter (but separated by more blank grooves). The surprise impact of these segments appearing on "blank" Side 4 was lost on the CD reissue of this album. These spoken-word segments reflected the tenor of the times, so to speak, with the rather pessimistic theme that humanity had "blown" its chance to live in a world of peace and harmony. But this was entirely in keeping with the fact that, despite his loss at an early age of his sight, Rahsaan was very much on top of societal developments, racial and economic injustice and disparity. Indeed, he had participated many years previously in protests against the failure of TV show hosts like Merv Griffin to hire any non-white musicians.

He gleaned information on what was happening in the world via audio media like radio and the sounds coming from TV sets. His later recordings often incorporated his spoken commentaries on current events, including Richard Nixon's involvement in the Watergate scandal. The 3-Sided Dream album was a 'concept album', somewhat akin to the Beatles' 'psychedelic' phase in the incorporation of "found" or environmental sounds and tape loops, tapes being played backwards, etc. Snippets of Billie Holiday singing are also heard briefly. The album even confronts the rise of influence of computers in society, as Rahsaan threatens to pull the plug on the machine trying to tell him what to do.

Legacy and influence[link]

• Virtuoso guitarist Jimi Hendrix "idolized" Kirk, and even hoped to one day collaborate with him.^[3]
• Trombonist Steve Turre was strongly influenced by Kirk's music (and by his use of a conch shell as a second instrument).^{[citation needed]}
• Kirk's technique of humming while playing the flute was adopted later by many other players, including Dave Valentín, Jeremy Steig, Thijs van Leer and Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull (who covered the Kirk tune "Serenade to a Cuckoo" on Jethro Tull's first album This Was in 1968).
• David Jackson, of Van der Graaf Generator, was also highly influenced by the style and technique of Kirk, and he plays multiple saxophones simultaneously since at least 1969.^[4]
• Eric Burdon and War's debut 1970 release Eric Burdon Declares War has a track on it entitled "Roll On Kirk", which is a tribute to Kirk.
• British reed player Dick Heckstall-Smith also emulated Kirk in playing multiple saxophones simultaneously.
• Courtney Pine, a saxophonist from the UK, also uses circular breathing and plays two saxophones at once in live performance.^{[citation needed]}
• Jeff Coffin, solo artist and member of Bela Fleck and the Flecktones (from 1988 on), plays multiple saxophones simultaneously.
• Thurston Moore wore a Rahsaan Roland Kirk t-shirt for a promo shoot for Sonic Youth's album Goo (1990).^[5]
• Hope Clayburn, one-time lead singer and multi-instrumentalist for funky band Deep Banana Blackout, was frequently known to hum and play flute and to sing while playing multiple saxophones at the same time, teasing common themes and soul standards.^{[citation needed]}
• Jonny Greenwood, the guitarist and multi-instrumentalist of Radiohead, acknowledged his respect and love for Kirk's music on the band's blog.^{[citation needed]}
• Drummer Ramon Lopez paid tribute to Rahsaan Roland Kirk in his 2002 album Duets 2 Rahsaan Roland Kirk, inviting nine differents artists (Joëlle Léandre, Thierry Madiot, Harry Beckett, Majid Bekkas, Beñat Achiary...) for nine duets on nine compositions of Kirk's.
• Guitarist Michael Angelo Batio mentioned in an interview with Ultimate Guitar Archive that Kirk's playing of two saxophones at once inspired him to create his "double guitar".^[6]
• T.J. Kirk was a San Francisco-based band named after the three artists it tributed: Thelonious Monk, James Brown, and Rahsaan Roland Kirk. Formed by eight-string guitarist Charlie Hunter as a side group to his own self-titled and San Francisco-based band, other members include Scott Amendola, Will Bernard and John Schott.^[7]
• Paul Weller cited the Kirk album I Talk with the Spirits (1964) as one of his 'Most Influential Albums' in an interview with The Times.^[8]
• Rahsaan Roland Kirk is the namesake of jazz artists Roland and Rahsaan Barber, brothers who play trombone and saxophone respectively.

Discography[link]

As leader[link]

King Records

• 1956 - Triple Threat

Argo/Cadet/Chess Records

• 1960 - Introducing Roland Kirk

Prestige Records

• 1961 - Kirk's Work - with Jack McDuff on organ

Mercury Records

• 1961 - We Free Kings - with Richard Wyands on piano
• 1962 - Domino
• 1963 - Reeds & Deeds
• 1964 - The Roland Kirk Quartet Meets the Benny Golson Orchestra
• 1964 - Kirk in Copenhagen
• 1964 - Gifts & Messages

Limelight Records

• 1964 - I Talk with the Spirits - album of Kirk playing the flute
• 1965 - Slightly Latin
• 1965 - Rip, Rig and Panic - fast bop with Jaki Byard on piano, Richard Davis on bass, and drummer Elvin Jones

Verve Records

• 1967 - Now Please Don't You Cry, Beautiful Edith

Atlantic Records

• 1965 - Here Comes the Whistleman (Live) - including all Kirk's banter between tracks
• 1967 - The Inflated Tear
• 1968 - Left & Right
• 1969 - Volunteered Slavery - a meltdown of pop tunes, hard bop, African chanting
• 1970 - Rahsaan Rahsaan
• 1971 - Natural Black Inventions: Root Strata - mostly Kirk alone, on many instruments
• 1971 - Blacknuss
• 1972 - A Meeting of the Times w ex-Duke Ellington singer Al Hibbler
• 1973 - Prepare Thyself to Deal With a Miracle
• 1973 - Bright Moments - live at Keystone Korner, San Francisco
• 1975 - The Case of the 3 Sided Dream in Audio Color
• 1976 - Other Folks' Music

Warner Bros. Records

• 1976 - The Return of the 5000 Lb. Man
• 1977 - Kirkatron
• 1977 - Boogie-Woogie String Along for Real

Posthumous releases of new material

• I, Eye, Aye: Live at the Montreux Jazz Festival, 1972 (Rhino)
• The Man Who Cried Fire (Night)
• Dog Years in the Fourth Ring (32 Jazz)
• Compliments of the Mysterious Phantom (Hyena)
• Brotherman in the Fatherland - Recorded "Live" in Germany 1972 (Hyena)

Compilations

• Rahsaan: The Complete Mercury Recordings Of Roland Kirk
• Does Your House Have Lions: The Rahsaan Roland Kirk Anthology
• Simmer, Reduce, Garnish & Serve - compilation from his last three albums
• Talkin' Verve: Roots of Acid Jazz
• The Art of Rahsaan Roland Kirk
• Third Dimension and Beyond combines Triple Threat and Introducing Roland Kirk
• Left Hook, Right Cross combines Volunteered Slavery and Blacknuss
• Aces Back to Back combines Left & Right, Rahsaan Rahsaan, Prepare Thyself to Deal With a Miracle, and Other Folks' Music
• A Standing Eight combines The Return of the 5000 Lb. Man, Kirkatron and Boogie-Woogie String Along for Real
• Only The Best Of Rahsaan Roland Kirk Volume 1 combines Blacknuss, The Case of the 3 Sided Dream in Audio Color, The Inflated Tear/Natural Black Inventions: Roots Strata, Kirkatron, Boogie-Woogie String Along for Real, and Other Folks' Music (7CD)

As sideman[link]

With Charles Mingus

• Oh Yeah (1962)
• Tonight at Noon (1965)
• Mingus at Carnegie Hall (1974)

With Roy Haynes

• Out of the Afternoon (1962)

With Tubby Hayes

• Tubby's Back in Town (1962)

With Quincy Jones

• Big Band Bossa Nova (1962)
• Explores Music of Henry Mancini (1964)
• Walking in Space (1969)

With Tommy Peltier

• The Jazz Corps Under the Direction of Tommy Peltier

With Jaki Byard

• The Jaki Byard Experience (1968)

With Les McCann

• Les McCann Live at Montreux (1972)

Bibliography[link]

• Jones, Quincy (Composer). (1964). Big band bossa nova [Phonograph]. Mercury. (Reissued on compact disc by Verve in 1998, 2005)
• Kruth, John: Bright Moments. The Life and Legacy of Rahsaan Roland Kirk. Welcome Rain Publishers, New York 2000 ISBN 1-56649-105-3
• McLeod, Eric (Producer), & Roach, Jay (Director). (1997). Austin Powers: International man of mystery [DVD]. New Line Home Video

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Roland Kirk

• the Rahsaan Roland Kirk website
• Stopping the white wash - Rahsaan Roland Kirk on TV
• Roland Kirk Discography (Jazz Discography Project)
• Sound?? film of Kirk with John Cage at UbuWeb
• Video: Rahsaan Roland Kirk (1975)
• Video: Rahsaan Roland Kirk and The Vibration Society (1972)

Hannibal Buress (born February 4, 1983) is an American stand-up comedian and television writer currently living in New York City.^[1]

Buress was featured in The Awkward Comedy Show special on Comedy Central, alongside comics Baron Vaughn, Eric André, Marina Franklin, and Victor Varnado, and on the FX sitcom Louie. He currently co-stars with Eric Andre on The Eric Andre Show on Adult Swim.^[2] In July 2010, Buress made Variety magazine's "Ten Comics to Watch in 2010" list.

His first stand-up comedy album "My Name is Hannibal" was released on July 27, 2010.

Buress was a writer on Saturday Night Live from 2009-2010. In September 2010, he began writing for the fifth season of the NBC comedy series 30 Rock. He has appeared within the show as "homeless guy" or "bum" five times.

His stand-up comedy has been featured on Comedy Central programs such as Live at Gotham and John Oliver's New York Stand Up Show. He has also performed on several late night talkshows such as The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, Lopez Tonight, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, The Late Show with David Letterman, Jimmy Kimmel Live and Conan. Additionally, he performed a set at the 2012 Secret Policeman's Ball in New York City.

He also hosts a free weekly stand-up comedy show at The Knitting Factory in Brooklyn, NY on Sunday evenings.^[3]

Discography[link]

• 2010: My Name is Hannibal
• 2012: Animal Furnace

References[link]

1. ^ http://hannibalhannibal.tumblr.com/post/367720615/bio
2. ^ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2244495/
3. ^ http://comedyattheknittingfactory.tumblr.com/

External links[link]

• Official Site
• Hannibal Buress on Twitter
• The Awkward Comedy Show
• Hannibal Buress performs and is interviewed on Radio Happy Hour
• Hannibal Buress at the Internet Movie Database