Sun Ra - Some Very Early, Very Rare Recordings

In both anticipation and celebration of the forthcoming Transparency release, The Eternal Myth Revealed, please enjoy this homemade compilation of early, rare Sun Ra recordings.  

This is another gift from our kind reader who prefers to remain anonymous. 

Very Early, Very Rare Sun Ra Singles - A Homemade Compilation

1. possibly Clarence Williams: Chocolate Avenue


2. possibly Clarence Williams: Chocolate Avenue


3. The Dozier Boys and Eugene Wright: Big Time Baby

Gene Wright (b); Hobart Dotson (tp); John Avant (tb); Roy Grant or Frank Robinson (as); Yusef Lateef (ts); Sonny Blount (p);  Robert Henderson (d) The Dozier Boys (voc)
Aristocrat 3002A, 78 RPM, United Broadcasting Studios, Chicago, 12/48

4. The Dozier Boys and Eugene Wright: Music Goes Round and Round

Gene Wright (b); Hobart Dotson (tp); John Avant (tb); Roy Grant or Frank Robinson (as); Yusef Lateef (ts); Sonny Blount (p);  Robert Henderson (d) The Dozier Boys (voc)
Aristocrat 3002B, 78 RPM, United Broadcasting Studios, Chicago, 12/48

5. Eugene Wright and his Dukes of Swing: Pork 'n' Beans

Gene Wright (b); Hobart Dotson (tp); John Avant (tb); Roy Grant or Frank Robinson (as); Yusef Lateef (ts); Sonny Blount (p);  Robert Henderson (d)
Aristocrat 11001A, 78 RPM 1948

6. Eugene Wright and his Dukes of Swing: Dawn Mist

Gene Wright (b); Hobart Dotson (tp); John Avant (tb); Roy Grant or Frank Robinson (as); Yusef Lateef (ts); Sonny Blount (p);  Robert Henderson (d)
Aristocrat 11001A, 78 RPM 1948

7. Jo Jo Adams: Call My Baby

Jo Jo Adams (voc) with Sonny Cohn (tp); Leon Washington (ts); McKinley Easton (bars); unidentified (eg); Earl Washington (p); prob. Jimmy Richardson (b); Red Saunders (d); Sun Ra (arr).
Parrot 788, Relic 7016, Probably Universal Recording, Chicago, 9/53

8. Jo Jo Adams: Rebecca

Jo Jo Adams (voc) with Sonny Cohn (tp); Leon Washington (ts); McKinley Easton (bars); unidentified (eg); Earl Washington (p); prob. Jimmy Richardson (b); Red Saunders (d); Sun Ra (arr).
Parrot 788, Relic 7016, Probably Universal Recording, Chicago, 9/53

9. Billy Brooks/Red Saunders Band: This Is My Prayer

Robert "Billy" Brooks (voc); Red Saunders (d, dir); Sonny Cohn (tp); unidentified (tp); Riley Hampton (as, cl); Leon Washington (ts, cl); McKinley Easton (bars, bcl); Earl Washington (p); Ike Perkins (eg); Jimmy Richardson (b); prob. Sun Ra (arr)
Duke 149, Chicago, 2/18/55

10. Billy Brooks/Red Saunders Band: I Want Your Love Tonight

Robert "Billy" Brooks (voc); Red Saunders (d, dir); Sonny Cohn (tp); unidentified (tp); Riley Hampton (as, cl); Leon Washington (ts, cl); McKinley Easton (bars, bcl); Earl Washington (p); Ike Perkins (eg); Jimmy Richardson (b); prob. Sun Ra (arr)
Duke 149, Chicago, 2/18/55

11. Billie Hawkins accompanied by Sun Ra and his Arkestra: I'm Coming Home
Heartbeat H-3-45, 45 RPM, RCA Studios, Chicago, 1/56



12. Billie Hawkins accompanied by Sun Ra and his Arkestra: Last Call For Love
Heartbeat H-4-45, 45 RPM, RCA Studios, Chicago, 1/56



13. Sun Ra and his Arkestra featuring Pat Patrick on the baritone: A Blue One

Pat Patrick(bars); Sun Ra(p); Ronnie Boykins(b);Tommy Hunter(dr); unidentified clapping
Saturn SRA-999, Early 1962

14. Sun Ra and his Arkestra featuring Pat Patrick on the baritone: Orbitration In Blue

Pat Patrick(bars); Sun Ra(p); Ronnie Boykins(b);Tommy Hunter(dr); unidentified clapping
Saturn SRA-999, Early 1962

15. Red Saunders and his Orchestra: Hambone

Red Saunders (d, ldr); Fip Ricard (tp); Sonny Cohn (tp); Harlan "Booby" Floyd (tb); John Avant (tb); Riley Hampton (as); Leon Washington (ts); McKinley Easton (bars); Earl Washington (p); unidentified (g -1) Jimmy Richardson (b); Dolores Hawkins (voc, whistling); The Hambone Kids: Delecta "Dee" Clark, Sammy McGrier, Ronny Strong (voc, hamboning); Sonny Blount (arr).
Okeh 6862, Columbia Studios, Chicago, 1/18/52

16. Red Saunders and his Orchestra: Hambone (alt.)

Red Saunders (d, ldr); Fip Ricard (tp); Sonny Cohn (tp); Harlan "Booby" Floyd (tb); John Avant (tb); Riley Hampton (as); Leon Washington (ts); McKinley Easton (bars); Earl Washington (p); unidentified (g -1) Jimmy Richardson (b); Dolores Hawkins (voc, whistling); The Hambone Kids: Delecta "Dee" Clark, Sammy McGrier, Ronny Strong (voc, hamboning); Sonny Blount (arr).
Okeh 7166, Columbia Studios, Chicago, 1/18/52

17. Red Saunders and his Orchestra: Mambo In Trumpet

Red Saunders (d, ldr); Fip Ricard (tp); Sonny Cohn (tp); Harlan "Booby" Floyd (tb); John Avant (tb); Riley Hampton (as); Leon Washington (ts); McKinley Easton (bars, as); Earl Washington (p); Jimmy Richardson (b); Jumpin' Joe Williams (voc); unidentified vocal group (backing voc); Sun Ra (arr).Sun Ra, arranger
Okeh 6953, Columbia Studios, Chicago, 1/21/53

18. Red Saunders and his Orchestra: Probably

Red Saunders (d, ldr); Fip Ricard (tp); Sonny Cohn (tp); Harlan "Booby" Floyd (tb); John Avant (tb); Riley Hampton (as); Leon Washington (ts); McKinley Easton (bars, as); Earl Washington (p); Jimmy Richardson (b); Jumpin' Joe Williams (voc); unidentified vocal group (backing voc); Sun Ra (arr).Sun Ra, arranger
Okeh 6953, Columbia Studios, Chicago, 1/21/53

19. Red Saunders and his Orchestra: Honky Tonk Train Blues

Red Saunders (d, ldr); Fip Ricard (tp); Sonny Cohn (tp); Harlan "Booby" Floyd (tb); John Avant (tb); Riley Hampton cl); Leon Washington (cl); McKinley Easton (cl); Earl Washington (p); Jimmy Richardson (b); Jumpin' Joe Williams (voc); unidentified vocal group (backing voc); Sun Ra (arr).
Columbia/Legacy 64988, Columbia Studios, Chicago, 1/21/53

20.  Billy Brooks/Red Saunders Band: Mambo Is Everywhere

Robert "Billy" Brooks (voc); Red Saunders (d, dir); Sonny Cohn (tp); unidentified (tp); Riley Hampton (as, cl); Leon Washington (ts, cl); McKinley Easton (bars, bcl); Earl Washington (p); Ike Perkins (eg); Jimmy Richardson (b); prob. Sun Ra (arr).
Duke 142, Chicago, 2/18/55

21. Billy Brooks/Red Saunders Band: Donna

Robert "Billy" Brooks (voc); Red Saunders (d, dir); Sonny Cohn (tp); unidentified (tp); Riley Hampton (as, cl); Leon Washington (ts, cl); McKinley Easton (bars, bcl); Earl Washington (p); Ike Perkins (eg); Jimmy Richardson (b); prob. Sun Ra (arr).
Duke 145, Chicago, 2/18/55

Total time: 61:26

FLAC

or

320

New links in Comments


Robert L. Campbell, Chris Trent, and Robert Pruter have published a web page detailing (or at least mentioning) each of the recordings above and many others:

From Sonny Blount to Sun Ra:The Chicago Years