Sun Ra - Hours After & Reflections In Blue (1986)

By the 1980s, Sun Ra was often revisiting the past in eccentric fashion. He had become interested again in the music of Fletcher Henderson and early Duke Ellington, and was playing occasional standards in concert, although in very much his own way. His 14-piece Arkestra of 1986 on this date not only performs demented renditions of "Say It Isn't So" and "Yesterdays" (hinting at swing while often including borderline outside solos), but originals that sound like crazy swing tunes, most notably the heated "Reflections In Blue" and "Nothin' From Nothin'." Certainly this studio set is not recommended for swing purists who take life too seriously, but the creative and often crazy music should delight many listeners. The follow-up album, Hours After, was recorded during the same two days. 

On this continually interesting program, Sun Ra and his Arkestra perform typically odd versions of a couple of standards ("But Not for Me" and "Beautiful Love"), a swinging original ("Hours After") and two outside pieces ("Dance of the Extra Terrestrains" and "Love on a Far Away Planet"). Almost up to the level of Reflections In Blue (recorded during the same two-day period), this date features one of the stronger versions of Ra's band. The 14-piece orchestra consists of trumpeter Randall Murray, trombonist Tyrone Hill, seven reeds (including the perennials: tenorman John Gilmore, altoist Marshall Allen and Pat Patrick on alto), guitarist Carl LeBlanc and a four-piece rhythm section that includes two drummers. Recommended. 

AMG reviews  by Scott Yanow 

 Black Saint 101, Reflections in Blue, was released in 1987 on LP and CD.  The serial number was later changed to 120 111, Hours After, was released in 1990 in both formats.  All information from the liner notes.  Though not credited, Danny Ray Thompson says he mixed some of the tracks from this session.  Two titles are confusing: "Reflections in Blue" is not Ra's 1956 piece, but another Ra blues with a different theme; "Hours After" is also a Sun Ra blues of recent origin, not the E.J. Turner composition from 1958.

From The Earthly Recordings of Sun Ra 2nd ed.

522 [355] Sun Ra Arkestra

Sun Ra (p, syn, voc); Randall Muray (tp); Tyrone Hill (tb); Pat Patrick (as, cl); Marshall Allen (as, fl, ob, picc, perc); Danny Ray Thompson (as, bars, fl, bgo); John Gilmore (ts, cl, timb); Leroy Taylor [Eloe Omoe] (as, cacl, bcl, perc); James Jacson (bsn, Inf-d); Ronald Wilson (ts); Carl LeBlanc (eg); Tyler Mitchell (b); Tommy "Bugs" Hunter (d); Earl "Buster" Smith (d).

Jingle Machine Studio, Milano,

December 18-19, 1986

FLAC

or

320

***Several scans for each album originally from JazzCrisis (now defunkt)***