Kirk was a fan of stride piano, early jazz and pop. He was also a classical music aficionado and always thought jazz to be just as intricate, high-brow and learned as its Western counterpart. Indeed, he preferred the term “black classical music” to jazz. 

Here we see him in full flow, right in the middle of his best years (1964 – the same year he featured as flute soloist on Quincy Jones’ famous “Soul Bossa Nova”), with a variety of horns hanging round his neck. He is supported by a stellar cast and reels off interpretations of Miles Davis as well as original pieces.