Blue Delight is a great late-period Arkestra recording, notable for several reasons: 1. This is a very large, impeccably recorded Arkestra featuring special guests Tommy Turrentine and Don Cherry AND a number of Arkestra alumni returning for the date. 2. Although synthesizers are present, the majority of Ra's solos are on piano. 3. John Gilmore solos on nearly every cut. 4. The band swings mightily from start to finish. Blue Delight also features a program of a handful of standards mixed with Ra originals that don't head too far into outer space. Although this recording is out of print, it is well-worth seeking out.
AMG Review by Sean Westergaard
AMG Review by Sean Westergaard
597. [398] Sun Ra
Blue Delight / Somewhere Else
Blue Delight / Somewhere Else
Sun Ra (p, syn); Fred Adams (tp); Tommy Turrentine (tp); Ahmed Abdullah (tp); Al Evans (flg, Fr hn); Tyrone Hill (tb); Julian Priester (tb); Marshall Allen (as, fl, ob, cl in A); Noël Scott (as, perc); John Gilmore (ts, cl, timb); Danny Ray Thompson (bars, fl, bgo); Eloe Omoe (bcl, as, cacl, perc); James Jacson (bsn, fl, Inf-d); Bruce Edwards (eg); Carl LeBlanc (eg - all solos); John Ore (b); Billy Higgins (d); Earl "Buster" Smith (d); Elson Nascimento (surdo grande, perc).
Variety Recording Studios, NYC, December 5, 1988
Blue Delight (1989)
1. Blue Delight 11:13
2. Out Of Nowhere 5:29
3. Sunrise 11:51
4. They Dwell On Other Planes 14:45
5. Gone With The Wind 5:53
6. Your Guest Is As Good As Mine 5:56
7. Nashira 4:11
8. Days Of Wine And Roses 6:58
2. Out Of Nowhere 5:29
3. Sunrise 11:51
4. They Dwell On Other Planes 14:45
5. Gone With The Wind 5:53
6. Your Guest Is As Good As Mine 5:56
7. Nashira 4:11
8. Days Of Wine And Roses 6:58
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yes, yotte - definitely worth seeking out. this is probably a good 'intro' album to sun ra, along with it's sibling 'purple night'.
ReplyDeleteI-)
Thank you very much!
ReplyDeleteExcellent intro album for sure - not forbiddingly avant garde. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteHi, killer blog, by the way. This is by far my favorite Sun Ra record. It's so confident and focused. Maybe you can help me - which tracks does Don Cherry play on? It's been bothering me for a long time. The only online reference I can find is AMG, which gives him a credit. They've been wrong before. I wonder because Cherry isn't named in the liner notes. I know for a fact he played on the Purple Night record, but is he really on Blue Delight? I thought I recognized all the other names in the credits, so he's not using an alias. Any ideas are much appreciated to help solve this Mister Ra.... MYSTERY!
ReplyDeleteChris
Hi Chris!
ReplyDeleteI don't believe that Don Cherry plays on this album. According to Campbell/Trent, these were recorded December '88 at Variety Studios and Purple Night (which you are correct, includes Don Cherry) was recorded nearly a year later in November '89 at BMG Studios.
A third record, Somewhere Else, is comprised of songs culled from both of these sessions and includes Don Cherry on some tracks.
I'll see if I can dig up any additional info for you about Cherry playing with the Arkestra.
what also makes the album so 'excellent' is that is it so well recorded and mixed - a pleasure to listen to.
ReplyDeleteI-)
Thanks, yotte. Purple Night is also a solid record, although I don't think it's quite as good as Blue Delight. I wonder where the rumor got started that this record has a guest spot by Don Cherry?
ReplyDeleteChris
New Links!
ReplyDeleteBlue Delight FLAC RS
Blue Delight 320 RS