Legendary multi-instrumentalist Rahsaan Roland Kirk was known for his complete freedom of expression and innovative approaches to music from 1955 until his untimely passing in 1977. Rahsaan Roland Kirk was born in 1935 in Columbus, Ohio. He became blind at two years old, and studied at the Ohio School for the Blind on the city’s north side. Roland Kirk began playing music as a young man, and became well-known, even then, for his ability to play multiple instruments at once and his circular breathing technique. While he was well-acquainted with many kinds of music, his biggest impact was in the jazz and blues genres. Prior to his death in 1977, Rahsaan suffered a stroke that impacted his mobility, but did not prevent him from continuing to play with one arm. As a composer and improviser, his music maintained an authentic connection to Black American traditions while advancing an artistic aesthetic that often challenged the status quo, both musically and politically.