FEATURE

Case of the Three Sided Dream, The

Blind from infancy, and paralyzed by a stroke at adulthood, jazz legend Rahsaan Roland Kirk's reality was underpinned by an understanding of the world around him, which was rooted primarily in sound. Through communicating sonically with his surroundings, Kirk developed a unique ability to see in music, as everyday items were re-imagined as instruments and each seemingly insignificant noise revealed its own rhythm and cadence. It was in dreams that Rahsaan Roland Kirk's most brilliant visions such as playing multiple horns at once would often be granted.