Rahsaan's stritch is going to be played for the first time since his passing....

"We are totally rehabilitating Rahsaan's stritch
and James Carter and Charles McNeal are going to play it! This will be
the first time the stritch has been played since 1977 when Rahsaan
died---and I expect it to be the most emotionally intense moment we've
had since we opened Cafe Stritch."

--from Steve Borkenhagen, owner of Cafe Stritch in San Jose

Guys, I don't even know how I'm going to make it through this night with all the tears I'll be shedding.  I never had the chance to see Rahsaan perform, and I can't believe that I'm going to hear his stritch, played for the first time since his passing, in a few weeks!

Please join us for what's going to be an utterly unforgettable week of celebrating Rahsaan!

Here's the complete press release:

RAHSAANATHON 2015:  Press Release

Contacts:       

Steve Borkenhagen / Mobile 408 813-5984 / Work 408 280-6161

steve@cafestritch.com

Maxwell Borkenhagen / Mobile 408 386-7165 / Work 408 280-6161 maxwell@cafestritch.com   

http://www.cafestritch.com/

https://www.facebook.com/cafestritch

Tickets for all events are available at www.brownpapertickets.com

Cafe Stritch is located at 374 South First Street, San Jose, CA 95113 

408 280-6161

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

The Third Annual Cafe Stritch RAHSAANATHON: A Celebration of the Life and Music of

Rahsaan Roland Kirk

... featuring James Carter and Charles McNeal both playing Rahsaan’s stritch.  This will be the first time Rahsaan’s stritch has been played since his untimely death in 1977 … and where better for the jazz world to hear Rahsaan’s tunes being played on Rahsaan’s stritch than at Cafe Stritch? Carter and McNeal will be accompanying Steve Turre, who was on stage with Rahsaan the last time his stritch was played on December 4, 1977, the night before his death.

RAHSAANATHON 2015 at Cafe Stritch August 4 through August 9, 2015

San Jose, CA – June 23, 2015 – San Jose’s Cafe Stritch is proud to present its Third Annual RAHSAANATHON: A Celebration of the Life and Music of Rahsaan Roland Kirk from Tuesday, August 4 through Sunday, August 9, 2015.

To begin the festivities on August 4 and 5, New York Rahsaan biographer and multi-instrumentalist John Kruth will join New York baritone saxophonist Claire Daly, New York pianist Sonelius Smith (who played with Rahsaan), drummer Howard Wiley, and bassist John Shifflett. This is a musical homage to Rahsaan Roland Kirk in voice and music featuring tunes by RRK, his friends, and other kindred spirits. The concerts will be celebrating Rahsaan, one of the most original jazz artists ever to live.

The RAHSAANATHON’S main event is three nights with trombonist Steve Turre & The Eulipion All Stars, featuring reedman extraordinaire James Carter (tenor / stritch / clarinet / flute).  This ensemble will be reprising their three-night stand from 2014.  The group will be performing Turre’s arrangements of Kirk’s music August 6, August 7 (Rahsaan’s 80^th Birthday), and August 8.  Poet Betty Neals, who co-wrote “Theme for the Eulipions”, the house anthem of Cafe Stritch, will perform the song live. The band includes Charles McNeal (alto / stritch / soprano), Matt Clark (piano), Marcus Shelby (bass), Darrell Green (drums), and Terrie Odabi (vocals).

James Carter and Friends will close out the week on August 9.  The quartet includes the unsurpassed James Carter (tenor / stritch / clarinet / flute) joined by Matt Clark (piano), Marcus Shelby (bass), and Darrell Green (drums).

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