Sun Ra - Song of the Stargazers (1979-81)

I know.  You saw this and your heart stopped beating for a second... I'll wait while you catch your breath.

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First, Many MANY THANKS to both Paul W and Marc E for supplying copies of this outstanding and exceptionally rare release.

If anyone can offer scans or pictures of the album it would be greatly appreciated.

Saturn LP 487, Song of the Stargazers, was the last new Saturn release on the Chicago label.  It was issued before 1981, most likely in 1979. Some copies bear the serial number 6161 (NMY).  Mark Webber calls it a "mystery album."  The only known copies of the LP are in Europe; "Maybe Saturn produced it in a very limited edition and they sold it while touring through Europe" (Geerken).  And all known copies are defective; Julian Vein says that the LP may have been mastered on only one stereo channel.

Cosmo Dance (Ra)

Marshall Allen (fl, ob); Robert Cummings (bcl); Pat Patrick (space lute); Ronnie Boykins (b); poss. John Gilmore (perc); unidentified (perc).  Live, 1967 or 68

This is a late 1960s number; the bass clarinetist is not Eloe Omoe!  Personnel identified by rlc and Larry Nai.

The Others In Their World (Ra)
Galactic Synthesis (Ra) -1

Sun Ra (p, syn, org); prob. Michael Ray (tp); unidentified (tp); Craig Harris (tb); Tyrone Hill (tb-1); poss. Vincent Chancey (Fr hn); Marshall Allen (as, fl, ob, picc, perc); Danny Davis (as, perc); John Gilmore (ts, perc); Eloe Omoe (bcl); Danny Ray Thompson (bars, perc); James Jacson (bsn, Inf-d); Damon Choice (vib); prob. Dale Williams (eg); poss. Luqman Ali [Edward Skinner] (d); unidentified (d); unidentified (cga); unidentified (sticks).

These particular items seem to be from the same live concert, and are similar in sound and conception to the free improvisations on the Soundscape sessions from November 1979.

Somewhere Out (Ra)
Sun Ra (p).

This rather unusual solo piano piece could have been recorded anywhere between the mid-1960s and the late 1970s.  No further information is available.

Distant Stars (Ra)
Sun Ra (p); unidentified (eg); unidentified (b); unidentified (perc).

This fragment from a live concert has a mid-1970s feel to it.  There is no connection with the 1960 or 1961 composition called "Distant Stars."

Duo (Ra)
Seven Points (Ra) -1 [ens voc]

poss. Atakatune [Stanley Morgan] (perc, voc); poss. Odun [Russell Branch] (perc, voc); poss. Chiea (perc, voc -1).

Studio Recording, prob. 1970s

These two numbers feature the same percussionists, playing in a manner that is unusual for Arkestra members.  On "Seven Points" they contribute some vocalizing as well.  "Seven Points" as a title is reminiscent of "The Place of Five Points," which was recorded in 1979.  If the percussionists are in fact Atakatune, Odun,  and Chiea, a recording date of 1972 or 1973 is most likely.

The first discographical listing [of Song of the Stargazers] came from Tilman Stahl, who apparently took the misleading title "The Others in Their World" (which is not the 1960 composition) and the serial number 6161 to indicate tht the album was recorded in Chicago in 1961!  Geerken and Hefele place the album in the late '60s and claim a 1970 release date.  The label, however, is a rather tattered El Saturn that was characteristic of the last Chicago pressings in the late 1970s.

All info from The Earthly Recordings of Sun Ra 2nd ed.

135. [229d], 289. [229] Sun Ra and his Arkestra

Song of the Stargazers

1. The others in their world    10:14

2. Somewhere out    4:40

3. Distant stars    1:01

4. Duo    3:04

5. Seven points    4:49

6. Cosmo dance    6:31

7. Galactic synthesis    9:52

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