Sun Ra - Sunrise in Different Dimensions (1980)

A recent blog discussion revealed that this 1980 LP may be worthy of a Sun Ra Top 10 Greatest Album recognition status but only if it includes all of the tracks originally issued on the Hat Hut LP.  Unfortunately, the CD reissue lacks three tracks that appeared on the original album.  I own the CD and Paul W. graciously offered to supply the missing LP tracks for  us.  Because Side C of the LP traces three songs in their order of performance interrupted only by audience applause, I have included all substituting the LP version of 'Disguised Gods...' in place of the CD version so as not to disturb the flow of the event.  As always,  Many Thanks to Paul W. for the missing LP tracks.  I hope you enjoy this hybrid CD/LP version of this classic album.

 This double LP features a live concert by Sun Ra & the Arkestra in Switzerland. The only fault to the set is that the two drummers (Chris Henderson and Eric Walker) fail to swing and often sound wooden on the vintage standards, which might be due to the lack of a bassist. However, the nonet (which also includes Ra on piano and organ, tenor great John Gilmore, altoist Marshall Allen, baritonist Danny Thompson, the reeds of Kenneth Williams and Noel Scott, and trumpeter Michael Ray), despite its slightly odd instrumentation, is heard throughout in excellent form. In addition to eight diverse and generally adventurous untitled originals by Ra, the ensemble performs ragged and eccentric versions of such 1930s pieces as "'Big John's Special," "Yeah Man," "Queer Notions," "Limehouse Blues," and "King Porter Stomp." For the remainder of his life, Sun Ra would alternate between reinventions of swing tunes and his outer space originals; despite the drummers, this was one of the better examples of his late-period band.

AMG Review by Scott Yanow

318. [251] Sun Ra and his Arkestra
Sunrise in Different Dimensions

Sun Ra (p, org, syn, cond, voc); Michael Ray (tp, flg, voc); Marshall Allen (as, ob, fl, picc, kora, perc); Noël Scott (as, bars, fl, dance, perc); John Gilmore (ts, cl, timb, voc); Danny Ray Thompson (bars, fl, perc); Kenny Williams (ts, bars, fl); Samarai Celestial [Eric Walker] (d); Chris Henderson (d); June Tyson (voc, dance).

Gastof Mohren, Willisau,
Switzerland, February 24, 1980

Hat Hut 2R17, a 2-LP set titled Sunrise in Different Dimensions, was released in 1980.  All titles were reissued in 1986 on the 2-LP set hat Art 2017.  The Ra compositions were left untitled on the original release.  They were presumably given titles by Sun Ra at a later time; some copies of 2R17 include a separate sheet with the complete track titles (Francesco Martinelli).  Complete track titles did not appear on all copies of the reissue LP.

In 1991, all but three Ra compositions ("Provocative Celestials," "Love in Outer Space," and "On Jupiter") were included in hat Art 6099 [CD].  Information from the album jacket; specifics of the location from Stahl's discography.

According to Otto Flückiger and Armin Büttner, nearly everything from both sets of this engagement (except "A Helio-Hello") was recorded on a 150-minute audience tape.  In addition, there is an essentially complete 75-minute tape from the rehearsal earlier that day.

Samarai Celestial says that this was the very first concert of the tour and that the Arkestra's ranks increased as the tour continued.
from The Earthly Recordings 2nd ed.

Sunrise in Different Dimensions

1.  Light From A Hidden Sun   3:51
2.  Pin-Points Of Spiral Prisms   4:41
3.  Silhouettes Of The Shadow World   7:21
4.  Cocktails For Two   3:21
5.  'Round Midnight   6:41
6.  Lady Bird-Half Nelson   8:00
7.  Big John's Special   3:38
8.  Yeah Man!   3:25

9.  Provocative Celestials*   11:05
10. Love in Outer Space*   5:11
11. Disguised Gods in Skullduggery Rendezvous*   9:16
12. Queer Notions   2:43
13. Limehouse Blues   3:44
14. King Porter Stomp   3:32
15. Take The A Train   5:07
16. Lightnin'   2:43
17. On Jupiter*   3:54
18. A Helio-Hello! And Goodbye Too!   3:11

* LP tracks

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