Rip, Rig and Panic (album)

Rip, Rig and Panic is a 1965 jazz album by saxophonist Roland Kirk. It was recorded at Rudy Van Gelder's studio by a quartet that sees Kirk accompanied by Elvin Jones (drums), Jaki Byard (piano), and Richard Davis (bass), who have been described as "the most awesome rhythm section he ever recorded with". The group works through a set made up primarily of original Kirk compositions. Kirk made a lot of references to pioneers of jazz. "No Tonic Pres" is a reference to Lester Young, "From Bechet, Byas, and Fats" is a homage to Sidney Bechet, Don Byas, and Fats Waller, and "Once in a While" was inspired by Clifford Brown. Kirk also mentioned the work of Edgar Varese, the compositions Poeme electronique and Ionisation, as inspiration for the album.

The title of the album was explained by Kirk in the liner notes as follows: “Rip means Rip Van Winkle (or Rest in Peace?); it's the way people, even musicians are. They're asleep. Rig means like rigor mortis. That's where a lot of peoples mind are. When they hear me doing things they didn't think I could do they panic in their minds,”

The LP's title later provided the name for 1980s English funk group Rip Rig + Panic (with Neneh Cherry).

The album was well received by the jazz critics. Richard Cook and Brian Morton rated the Emarcy-edition of the album with the second highest grade in their Penguin Guide to Jazz; Allmusic rated the album with five stars.

Track listing

 * All compositions by Roland Kirk except where indicated.


 * 1) "No Tonic Pres" – 4:34
 * 2) "Once in a While" (Michael Edwards, Bud Green) – 4:02
 * 3) "From Bechet, Byas, and Fats" – 6:31
 * 4) "Mystical Dream" – 2:39
 * 5) "Rip, Rig & Panic" – 7:00
 * 6) "Black Diamond" (Milt Sealey) – 5:23
 * 7) "Slippery, Hippery, Flippery" – 4:56
 * Recorded at Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ on January 13, 1965

Personnel

 * Roland Kirk: tenor saxophone, stritch, manzello, flute, siren, oboe, castanets
 * Jaki Byard: piano
 * Richard Davis: bass
 * Elvin Jones: drums