Sun Ra - My Brother the Wind Volume II (1971)

When Evidence reissued this classic Sun Ra release in 1992, they rearranged the songs and separated the solo Mini-Moog experiments from the 'traditional' band numbers.  Personally, I prefer the original running order because I can hear more connections between the abstract Mini-Moog pieces and the other songs.   You can decide for yourself - today I'm offering a CD rip in addition to a rip of Saturn's 180g LP reissue.   Fans of NuVoid's Sun Ra Sundays can find Rodger Coleman's typically insightful albeit brief review of the album here.

Saturn LP 523, My Brother the Wind Volume II, was released in 1971.  Some copies carry the serial number SRA 2000; some are titled Otherness.  All titles from the original release reissued in 1992 on Evidence 22040 [CD].  Evidence includes the final 2:30 of "Walking on the Moon," which was edited out of all Saturn issues by Richard Wilkinson because of poor sound engineering.  "The engineer didn't get along withSun Ra and messed up some of the tracks," resulting in his being fired, according to Wilkinson.  (The extra verses of "Walkin' on the Moon" were used in live performances during this period.)

"Otherness Blue," "Pleasant Twilight," and "Walking on the Moon" were also reissued on Saturn XI, the Saturn anthology LP titled Just Friends, in 1983.  "Otherness Blue" was also included in a 1997 Sun Ra CD sampler on Japanese Paddle Wheel KICJ 315, Sun Ra Came Down to the Earth.

Most Saturn copies of My Brother the Wind Volume II are hybrids which delete the original Side A (including "Somewhere Else" and "Contrast" from this session) and replace it with Side A of Outer Spaceways Incorporated.  Some of these hybrids carry the serial number 5221 instead of 523.  Still others are identified as Saturn LP 522 (!) on the jacket (thanks to Peter Roberts for a description of this variant, which was on sale briefly in the late 1970s).  Discographies frequently list an Impulse reissue, AS-9289, but this was never released.

Personnel from the Saturn jacket.  "Walking on the Moon" refers to the feats of Neil Armstrong and so must date from July 1969 or later.  Current date and location from Richard Wilkinson, who is firm about 1970 (the first edition of this discography gave late 1969 as the date).  Information about the rejected track from Jerry Gordon.  Gordon says that the LP was for sale in summer 1970.

157. [139]  Sun Ra and his Solar Myth Arkestra

My Brother the Wind Volume II

Sun Ra (intergalactic [Farfisa] org); Kwami Hadi (tp); Akh Tal Ebah (tp, mell); Marshall Allen (as [solo], fl, picc); Danny Davis (as, acl, fl); John Gilmore (ts, perc); Danny Ray Thompson (bars, fl); Pat Patrick (bs [all solos], fl); James Jacson (ob, perc); Alejandro [Alex] Blake (b); Clifford Jarvis (d); Lex Humphries (d); Nimrod Hunt (hand drums); William Brister [Rashid Salim] (perc); Robert Cummings (perc); June Tyson (voc).

Variety Recording Studio,
NYC, early 1970

unidentified title
Somewhere Else (Ra)
Contrast (Ra)
Otherness Blue (Ra)
Somebody Else's World (Ra) [JT, ens voc]
Pleasant Twilight (Ra)
Walking on the Moon (Ra) [JT voc]

158. [140]  Sun Ra

Sun Ra (Mini-Moog syn)

Same session

The Wind Speaks (Ra)
Sun Thoughts (Ra)
Journey to the Stars (Ra)
World of the Myth "I" (Ra)
The Design--Cosmos II (Ra)

According to John Gilmore, Sun Ra's was a custom model and was probably delivered some months before general availability. 

from Campbell/Trent The Earthly Recordings 2nd ed.

My Brother the Wind Volume II (CD rip)

FLAC

or

320

1.  Otherness Blue   4:52
2.  Somebody Else's World   4:04
3.  Pleasant Twilight   3:38
4.  Walking On The Moon   6:18
5.  Somewhere Else   4:35
6.  Contrast   2:56
7.  The Wind Speaks   3:55
8.  Sun Thoughts   2:38
9.  Journey To The Stars   2:58
10. World Of The Myth "I"   1:37
11. The Design-Cosmos II   2:22

My Brother the Wind Volume II (180g reissue LP rip)

FLAC

or

320

1.  Somewhere Else   4:32
2.  Contrast   2:55
3.  The Wind Speaks   3:53
4.  Sun Thoughts   2:38
5.  Journey To The Stars   2:57
6.  World Of The Myth "I"   1:36
7.  The Design-Cosmos II   2:23

8.  Otherness Blue   4:49
9.  Somebody Else's World   4:03
10. Pleasant Twilight   3:37
11. Walking On The Moon   6:13