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SUN RA
The sprawling, suite-like 20-minute title track sustains a lyrical edge in spite of an open framework and textures, which encourage sonorities to surface and emerge from the band as if there was no human intention behind them. In opposition to ‘Nuclear War,’ Ra’s organ playing here was built less on bombast and sonic terror than it is on whispers, stutters, shivers, and swells.
Fireside Chat offers a wide stylistic array, as was the artist’s intent, reflecting his eclectic, seemingly irreconcilable approach to compositional extremes. With Sun Ra you get everything... except predictability.
First ever reissue of this iconic album!
TRACK LISTING
Nuclear War
Retrospect
Makeup
A Fireside Chat With Lucifer
TRACK LISTING
Side A
1. Bassism
2. Of Sounds And Something Else
3. What's That?
4. Where Is Tomorrow?
5. The Beginning
6. China Gates
Side B
1. New Day
2. Tapestry From An Asteroid
3. Jet Flight
4. Looking Outward
5. Space Jazz Reverie
This is Ra sound at his most relaxed and contemplative state.
This Sun Ra 1980 solo set at Haverford College has been kicking around the internet and in the digital libraries of Ra collectors for years, though it has not previously been properly mastered or commercially issued. Like many events in Ra's history, this gig has a story that goes beyond the music. Ra's presence onstage that night came about through an unforeseen chain of events that unfolded up until concert time.
This is a very unique performance. Sun Ra is notorious for his aggressive keyboard attack and seemingly schizophrenic stylings-- which can musically rocket from A to Z and back without transitional bridges.
This set offers a marked contrast. Ra's instrument here is the celeste-like Fender Rhodes electric piano, which has a distinct sound (instantly recognizable in the Doors' "Riders on the Storm") and an interesting history. There are few pyrotechnics in this performance, and much restraint. Ra sounds relaxed and contemplative. It's Soothing Sounds for Saturnians. - Irwin Chusid
TRACK LISTING
LP Tracks:
Love In Outer Space
Haverford Impromptu 1
Rhapsody In Blue
St. Louis Blues
Medley: Intro- Space Is The Place- Over The Rainbow
Haverford Impromptu 2
We Live To Be (previously Unissued)
Take The A Train (previously unissued)
CD Tracks:
Love In Outer Space
Haverford Impromptu 1
Rhapsody In Blue
St. Louis Blues
Medley: Intro-Space Is The Place-Over The Rainbow
Haverford Impromptu 2
We Live To Be (previously Unissued)
Take The A Train (previously unissued)
Haverford Encore Duet (Featuring Walt Dickerson)
This Verve By Request title is pressed on 180-gram vinyl at Third Man in Detroit.
TRACK LISTING
Side A
1. Space Is The Place
2. Images
Side B
3. Discipline 33
4. Sea Of Sound
5. Rocket Number Nine
Remastered with extra tracks - extra disc also includes Sound Sun Pleasure LP. Features the original space nymph cover art, which only appeared in cropped and washed out reproductions on an early 60s version.
The film soundtrack is an entirely different journey than the 1973 Blue Thumb LP it shares its title with. We suggest you take both journeys. These recordings were sourced from the Sun Ra tape vault, then were digitally restored to make an album this special sound the best it possibly could.The BluRay contains the entire glorious film complete with film artifacts, and was sourced from the restoration prepared by Rapid Eye Movies of Germany. The bonus features on the BluRay are composed of Ra and Ra-centric material from the Modern Harmonic archives, including video from the Outer Space Visual Communicator footage.An additional track from these sessions, "The Idea Of The Greater Age" can be found on the CD version of this album or on the album Some Skin: A Modern Harmonic Bongo & Percussion Party.
Includes liner notes by Irwin Chusid, and an expanded essay by Jazz historian Ben Young.
For this exclusive new collection, Strut join forces with Art Yard to gain access to the inner sanctum of the Arkestra. In addition to the track selection, the release features recollections and contributions from some of the core Arkestra line?up including Marshall Allen, Michael Ray, Knoel Scott and Danny Ray Thompson. For the music, Allen’s selection takes us through the huge variety and intricacy of the Arkestra’s work covering the ‘60s to early ‘80s, from the celestial blues of ‘Spontaneous Simplicity’ and ‘Plutonian Nights’ to the urgent jazz of ‘Rocket Number Nine Take Off For Planet Venus’ and ‘Dance Of The Cosmo Aliens’. The album features an exclusive previously unreleased Sun Ra track from the Art Yard archives, the acoustic ‘Trying To Put The Blame On Me’ recorded live in Rome in 1977, along with a previously unreleased Part 1 of ‘Reflects Motion’ from 1962 and an unheard extended version of ‘Island In The Sun’ from the late ‘60s.
‘In The Orbit Of Ra’ is released on 2CD and 2LP. Physical formats feature full interview with Marshall Allen along with rare and previously unpublished photos by Val Wilmer.
TRACK LISTING
LP 1
1. Sun Ra And His Myth Science Arkestra – Somewhere In Space
2. Sun Ra & His Solar‐Myth Arkestra – The Lady With The Golden Stockings
3. Sun Ra And His Afro Infinity Arkestra – Somebody Else’s World
4. Sun Ra – Spontaneous Simplicity
5. Sun Ra & His Solar‐Myth Arkestra – Plutonian Nights
6. The Sun Ra Arkestra – Angels And Demons At Play
7. Sun Ra – Island In The Sun
8. Sun Ra – Rocket Number Nine Take Off For Planet Venus
9. Sun Ra – Solar Differentials
LP2
1. Sun Ra And His Arkestra ‐ Afro Black
2. Sun Ra And His Intergalactic Infinity Arkestra - Have You Heard The Latest News From Neptune
3. Sun Ra – Dance Of The Cosmo Aliens
4. Sun Ra – Trying To Put The Blame On Me
5. Sun Ra And His Solar Arkestra – Planet Earth
6. Sun Ra And His Myth Science Arkestra – The Nile
7. Sun Ra And His Solar Arkestra – Reflects Motion
8. Sun Ra And His Solar Arkestra – Reflects Motion (part 2)
9. Sun Ra – Ancient Ethiopia 10. Sun Ra And His Arkestra – Interplanetary Music
11. Sun Ra And His Myth Science Arkestra – We Travel The Spaceways
TRACK LISTING
A1: Pan-Afro
A2: Discipline
A3: Neptune
B1: Discipline 27-II
As with his LPs, most 45s were only pressed in small runs and have since become extremely rare and sought after. Only a small handful of copies of ‘Love In Outer Space’ b/w ‘Mayan Temple’ and ‘The Blue One’ b/w ‘Orbitration In Blue’ have ever been seen; some have only been discovered in physical form in recent years; some were planned and pencilled but allegedly never made it to vinyl (including ‘Saturn’ and ‘Velvet’ from the Jazz In Silhouette LP) and some appeared as limited one-off magazine singles and posthumous releases, including ‘Hell #1’ aka ‘Out There A Minute’.
All formats feature fully remastered tracks, rare photos, original 45 artwork, Francis Gooding’s extensive sleeve notes, an interview with Saturn Records founder Alton Abraham by John Corbett and detailed track by track and session notes by Paul Griffiths.
The set is the most comprehensive collection of Ra’s singles to date. Sleeve note writers Francis Gooding and Paul Griffiths brilliantly illustrate the role of the single within Ra’s career and break down each release with detailed track by track notes. Working with Sun Ra LLC and Sun Ra archivist Michael D. Anderson, Strut has also assembled the best possible master sources for each track.
TRACK LISTING
1. Sun Ra – I Am An Instrument
2. Sun Ra – I Am Strange
3. The Nu Sounds With Sun Ra – Chicago Usa
4. The Nu Sounds With Sun Ra – Spaceship Lullaby
5. The Cosmic Rays With Sun Ra And Arkestra – Daddy’S Gonna Tell You No Lie
6. The Nu Sounds With Sun Ra And Arkestra – A Foggy Day
7. Billie Hawkins With Sun-Ra And His Orchestra – I’M Coming Home
8. Billie Hawkins With Sun-Ra And His Orchestra – Last Call For Love
9. Sun-Ra And His Arkistra – Soft Talk
10. Sun-Ra And His Arkistra – Super Blonde
11. Le Sun-Ra And His Arkistra – Saturn
12. Le Sun-Ra And His Arkistra – Call For All Demons
13. Le Sun-Ra And His Arkistra – Demon’S Lullaby
14. Le Sun-Ra And His Arkistra – Super-Sonic Jazz
15. Le Sun-Ra & His Arkistra – Medicine For A Nightmare
16. Le Sun-Ra & His Arkistra – Urnack
17. The Qualities – It’S Christmas Time
18. The Qualities – Happy New Year To You!
19. Yochanan (The Space Age Vocalist) – M Uck M Uck (Matt Matt)
20. Yochanan (The Space Age Vocalist) – Hot Skillet Momma
21. The Cosmic Rays With Le Sun Ra And Arkestra – Bye Bye
22. The Cosmic Rays With Le Sun Ra And Arkestra – Somebody’S In Love
23. Le Sun Ra And His Arkestra – Hours After
24. Le Sun Ra And His Arkestra – Great Balls Of Fire
25. Sun Ra And His Astro Infinity Arkestra – October
26. Sun Ra And His Astro Infinity Arkestra – Adventur In Space
27. The Cosmic Rays With Sun Ra And Arkestra – Dreaming
28. The Cosmic Rays With Sun Ra And Arkestra – Daddy’S Gonna Tell You No Lie
29. Hattie Randolph With Sun Ra And His Astro Infinity Arkestra – Round Midnight
30. Hattie Randolph With Sun Ra And His Astro Infinity Arkestra – Back In Your Own Back Yard
31. Le Sun Ra And His Arkestra – Saturn
32. Le Sun Ra And His Arkestra – Velvet
33. Yochanan “A Space Age Vocalist” With Sun Ra And His Arkestra – The Sun One
34. Yochanan “A Space Age Vocalist” With Sun Ra And His Arkestra – Message To Earthman
35. Yochanan With Sun Ra And His Arkestra – The Sun Man Speaks
36. Sun Ra And His Arkestra – Space Loneliness
On the group's first recording since the pandemic and their Grammy nomination, bandleader Marshall Allen and company give us something we can hold onto, an instrumental album rich in spirituality to guide us through the unknown yet again. The album includes the first studio recording of Sun Ra's elaboration of Frederic Chopin's "Prelude in A Major", first instrumental recording of Ra's "Somebody Else's Idea". Features Allen's "Day of the Living Sky", a meditative work that is a belated response to Sun Ra's composition "Night of the Living Sky" which is also featured in the album.
Cover art by Damon Locks.
Mixed & mastered by two time Grammy winner Dave Darlington.
TRACK LISTING
Chopin (Frédéric Chopin)
Somebody Else’s Idea (Sun Ra)
Day Of the Living Sky (Marshall Allen)
Marshall's Groove (Marshall Allen)
Night Of The Living Sky (Sun Ra)
Firefly (Marshall Allen)
Wish Upon A Star (Leigh Harline)
TRACK LISTING
A1. Lanquidity
A2. Where Pathways Meet
A3. That’s How I Feel
B1. Twin Stars Of Thence
B2. There Are Other World (They Have Not Told You Of)
Recorded overnight at Bob Bank’s Blank Tapes on 17th July 1978 after the Arkestra had appeared on Saturday Night Live, the album is unique in the Ra catalogue. “Most critics felt that it was more of a fusion-inspired record,” explains Michael Ray. “As the name suggests, the album is liquid and languid.” Bob Blank continues, “Musically, it was very ad hoc and freeform. There were horn charts but most tracks came out of improvised jams. Sun Ra just did his thing.”
Comprising five effortlessly fluid pieces, the album eases in with Lanquidity. Danny Ray Thompson remembers, “This was one of Sun Ra’s on-the-spot compositions. It is almost like an Ancient Egyptian Stargazing Ceremony, mapping out the stars and the planets.” Where Pathways Meet is “Sun Ra’s funky version of an Egyptian march. Pharaoh is sending his troops off to fight and this is his pep-talk!” continues Thompson. “The music seems to take different pathways but still converges.” The loping groove of That’s How I Feel, features the reflective trumpet lines of Eddie Gale with solos by John Gilmore and Marshall Allen: “Marshall comes in with that snake charming oboe.” Says Thompson. The funky Twin Stars Of Thence weaves around Richard Williams celebrated elastic bassline while the haunting closer, There Are Other Worlds (They Have Not Told You Of), is pure “space music.” The poet Mama Nzinga described it as ‘The essence of light. Spirit takes a ride inside the deep dark space of just being.”
The new box set edition of ‘Lanquidity’ features the widely distributed version of the album alongside alternative mixes by Bob Blank originally released in limited quantities for a 1978 Arkestra gig at Georgia Tech. Both versions of the album are cut loud at 45 rpm over 2LPs each.
Housed in a silver foil box, both LP sets reflect the original Phlly Jazz artwork. The first comes in a foil / magenta sleeve while the second features 2 x yellow A4 sheets pasted onto a white sleeve. Also included is a 12-page over-sized booklet featuring unseen photos by Veryl Oakland and liner notes by Tom Buchler (Philly Jazz), Michael Ray and Danny Ray Thompson (Sun Ra Arkestra) and Bob Blank.
The 2CD version is housed in a foil digipak.
TRACK LISTING
4LP TRACKLISTING:
A1. Lanquidity
B1. Where Pathways Meet
B2. That’s How I Feel
C1. Twin Stars Of Thence
D1. There Are Other Worlds (They Have Not Told You Of)
E1. Lanquidity (Alternate Version)
E2. Where Pathways Meet (Alternate Version)
F1. That’s How I Feel (Alternate Version)
G1. Twin Stars Of Thence (Alternate Version)
H1. There Are Other Worlds (They Have Not Told You Of) (Alternate Version)
2CD TRACKLISTING:
CD 1
1. Lanquidity
2. Where Pathways Meet
3. That’s How I Feel
4. Twin Stars Of Thence
5. There Are Other Worlds (They Have Not Told You Of)
CD 2
1. Lanquidity (Alternate Version)
2. Where Pathways Meet (Alternate Version)
3. That’s How I Feel (Alternate Version)
4. Twin Stars Of Thence (Alternate Version)
5. There Are Other Worlds (They Have Not Told You Of) (Alternate Version)
This release comprises recordings made by Arkestra member Thomas “Bugs” Hunter made in December 1971 in the streets around the Mena House Hotel, Giza, from a concert held at the house of Goethe Institute ex-pat Hartmut Geerken in Heliopolis, from a live Cairo TV channel broadcast and a concert at the Ballon Theatre in Cairo.
The impact and significance of these few weeks upon Sun Ra can be measured by the growth and development of his output over the next few years; the immediate post-Egypt period included new studio and live recordings on the Saturn, Blue Thumb, Atlantic and Impulse labels and the ‘Space Is The Place’ movie. Ra also edited the three LPs of the ‘Live In Egypt’ series which were subsequently released on his Saturn record label and its affiliated twin, Thoth Intergalactic: ‘Dark Myth Equation Visitation’, ‘Nidhamu’ and ‘Horizon’.
TRACK LISTING
A1. Space Loneliness No. 2
A2. Discipline No. 11
A3. Discipline No. 15
B1. Nidhamu
IF THERE ARE ANY REMAINING COPIES THEY WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE ONLINE FROM SATURDAY APRIL 26th.
On vinyl for the first time in over three decades, this limited edition Record Store Day release will feature a white and purple psychedelic color LP and exclusive cover art.
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TRACK LISTING
Somewhere There
Outer Spaceways Incorporated
Saturn
Song Of The Sparer
Spontaneous Simplicity