ごちゃ混ぜ。でも、ごちゃごちゃしてなくて、ぐちゃぐちゃしている。参加ミュージシャンもぐちゃぐちゃ。このぐちゃぐちゃ感がたまらない。ローランド・カークの本領発揮。アルバムに収められた12曲の関連性は一切なし。「チュニジアの夜」があるのに、「ジス・マスカレード」や「クリスマス・ソング」が飛び出してくる。だが、聴き終わるとカーク・ミュージックが心に焼き付くのだ。
12曲中の3曲は、1975年7月のモントルーでのライブ演奏。観客は明らかにハイになっている。麻薬ジャズと言ってもいいし、ぐいぐいと引っぱられて酔いが回っていく感じで酩酊ジャズと言ってもいい。この感覚について行けない人は、ジャズを辞めるべきと断言したい。タイトルKirkatronを何と訳せばいいのか。Kirk + Patron = Kirkatron = 「カーク後援会」でどうだろうか。
1. Serenade To A Cuckoo
2. This Masquerade
3. Sugar
4. Los Angeles Negro Chorus
5. Steppin' Into Beauty
6. The Christmas Song
7. Bagpipe Medley
8. Mary McLeod Bethune
9. Bright Moments
10. Lyriconon
11. A Night In Tunisia
12. J. Griff's Blues
Roland Kirk - tenor saxophone, manzello, stritch, clarinet, flute
Hilton Ruiz - piano, keyboards (tracks 1-3,5,7,10-12)
Henry Pete Pearson - bass (tracks 1,7,10-12)
Sonny Barkan - drums (tracks 1,7,12) / Todd Barkan - percussion (tracks 1,7,12)
Steve Turre - trombone (tracks 2-3,5,11)
Richard Tee - keyboards (tracks 2,11) / William S. Fischer - synthesizer (tracks 2,11)
Cornell Dupree - guitar (tracks 2,11) / Gordon Edwards - electric bass (tracks 2,11)
James Madison - drums (tracks 2,11) / Ruddley Thibodeaux - percussion (tracks 2,11)
Milton Suggs - bass (tracks 3,5) / Walter Perkins - drums (tracks 3,5)
Tony Waters - percussion (tracks 3,5) / Michael Hill - vocals (tracks 3,5)
William Butler - guitar (track 6,10)
Trudy Pitts - organ (track 6) / Bill Carney - drums (track 6)
Sanford Allen - violin (track 6) / Alfred Brown, Selwart Clarke - viola (track 6)
Kermit Moore - cello (track 6) / William S. Fischer - arranger, conductor (track 6)
Romeo Penque - baritone saxophone, oboe (track 9) / Howard Johnson - tuba (track 9)
Buster Williams - bass (track 9) / Charlie Persip - drums (track 9)
Joe Habao Texidor - percussion, vocals (track 9)
Betty Neals, Maeretha Stewart, Milt Grayson, Arthur Williams, Randy Peyton, Hilda Harris, Adrienne Albert, Francine Caroll - vocals (track 9)
Frank Foster - arranger (track 9)
Jerry Griffin - drums (track 10)
Tracks 1, 7 & 12
Recorded on 18 July 1975 at The Montreux Jazz Festival, Switzerland.
Tracks 2 - 6, 8 - 11
Recorded in 1975 - 1976 at Regent Sound Studios, NYC.
