Episode
Rahsaan Roland Kirk's The Inflated Tear with Bill Shoemaker
- Podcast
- Vinyl Record Matters
- Published
- Jul 25, 2025
- Duration seconds
- 2448
- Processing state
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Summary
In this episode we sit down with Bill Shoemaker to talk about one of the most powerful jazz albums ever recorded- Rahsaan Roland Kirk’s The Inflated Tear . Released in 1968, this record isn't just music—it's an outpouring of pain, joy, and resilience. Kirk, a blind multi-instrumentalist known for playing three saxophones at once, was a force of nature. But on The Inflated Tear , he stripped away the spectacle and gave us something deeply personal. The title itself references a traumatic experience in his childhood—and you feel every ounce of that memory in his playing. So grab your headphones, close your eyes, and let’s journey through a record that wails, whispers, and shouts with everything jazz can be." Listen to the full album 1. The Black and Crazy Blues 2. A Laugh For Rory 3. Many Blessings 4. Fingers In The Wind 5. The Inflated Tear - Live Version 6. The Creole Love Call 7. A Handful of Fives 8. Fly By Night 9. Lovellevelliloqui 10. I'm Glad There Is You