REPOST: Sun Ra - The Voice of Eternal Tomorrow (Rose Hue Mansions of the Sun) (1980)

This is one of the rare Sun Ra LPs recently featured at Destination Out.  I've recently been playing with Click Repair and last week decided to give it a whirl on this amazing album.  I believe the results make for a very enjoyable listen.  Ra's keyboard pyrotechnics are truly not to be believed on this one.  Here are the new links.   I've left the old links at the bottom of the post for those who may want to compare.

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This is one of a couple Saturn releases recorded at the Squat Theater in New York in 1980. This is a large (20-plus pieces), well-recorded Arkestra with two vibes players, but rather than pulling out a bunch of elaborate charts, this album is really just a series of solo features punctuated by big space chords. "Voice of the Eternal Tomorrow" has Sun Ra going into full sci-fi mode, playing both the eerie soundtrack as well as voicing the battling aliens. "Approach of the Eternal Tomorrow" has more big space chords and some unbelievable high-register horn work. "The Rose Hue Mansions of the Sun" is still more big space chords and scary keyboard work, but Ra actually manages to find something of a tune briefly at the end. All in all, The Rose Hue Mansions of the Sun is somewhat unremarkable in the Ra canon, but is still a fine showcase for the Arkestra soloists.

AMG Review by by Sean Westergaard

Lossless LP rip of this out of print Saturn rarity courtesy of Paul W.
Thanks Paul!

 
327. [257]  Sun Ra and his Arkestra

Voice of the Eternal Tomorrow

Sun Ra (syn, org); poss. Ronnie Brown (tp); Walter Miller (tp); Michael Ray (tp); Craig Harris (tb); Tony Bethel (tb); Vincent Chancey (Fr hn); Marshall Allen (as, ob); Noël Scott (bars, as); James Jacson (bsn, Inf-d); Eloe Omoe (bcl); Kenny Williams (ts, bars); Steve Clarke (eb); Hayes Burnett or Richard "Radu" Williams (b); Damon Choice (vib); Harry Wilson (vib); Luqman Ali (d); Samarai Celestial [Eric Walker] (d).

Squat Theatre, NYC, September 17, 1980

The Saturn LP 91780 is variously known as Voice of the Eternal Tomorrow and The Rose Hue Mansions of the Sun.  It was released in 1980.  Location courtesy of Greg Drusdow. Personnel from Geerken's discography, except that he has Reg McDonald on drums instead of Samarai, and Hutch Jones and Sylvester Baton in the saxophone section instead of Ronnie Brown.  Geerken based his personnel on the assumption, now known to be untrue, that Strange Celestial Road was recorded in 1980.  Samarai Celestial says that he was a regular at the Squat from 1979 to 1982.

From 1978 to 1982 the Arkestra worked regularly at the Squat Theatre in New York City.  During 1980 the Arkestra averaged once a week at the Squat.  A number of these concerts were taped by Saturn, and some material was released, but surely there are concert tapes of other performances …

 Earthly Recordings 2nd ed. - Campbell/Trent

Does anyone have any Squatience recordings to share?

Label pics from The Magic of Juju Blog from their January 2007 post.  More  pics at Discogs incl. white labels.

Ra (syn, org); poss. Ronnie Brown (tp); Walter Miller (tp); Michael Ray (tp); Craig Harris (tb); Tony Bethel (tb); Vincent Chancey (Fr hn); Marshall Allen (as, ob); Noël Scott (bars, as); John Gilmore (ts, timb); Danny Ray Thompson (bars); James Jacson (bsn, Inf-d); Eloe Omoe (bcl); Kenny Williams (ts, bars); Steve Clarke (eb); Hayes Burnett or Richard "Radu" Williams (b); Damon Choice (vib); Harry Wilson (vib); Luqman Ali (d); Samarai Celestial [Eric Walker] (d).

Recorded 9/17/1980, Squat Theater, New York.

[Personnel from Geerken, location from Greg Drusdow] A number of the Saturn albums from 1978 to 1982 were recorded live at the Squat Theater, New York.

 Earthly Recordings 2nd ed. - Campbell/Trent

The Voice of the Eternal Tomorrow
(Rose Hue Mansions of the Sun)
(1980)

1. Voice of the Eternal Tomorrow            8:03

2. Approach of the Eternal Tomorrow   11:27

3. The Rose Hue Mansions of the Sun     21:17

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