Sun Ra - On Jupiter (1979)

On Jupiter is a great album recorded in 1979, about a year after Lanquidity. After easing in with the fairly brief title cut, a fairly mellow affair featuring June Tyson on vocals, listeners are treated to the all-out disco-funk of "U.F.O." Anchored by a monster bassline courtesy of Steve Clarke, this tune has fun ensemble vocals and great solos on guitar and tenor sax. This is as funky as Sun Ra ever got and really must be heard to be believed. Side two consists of "Seductive Fantasy," a lovely piece composed on top of a three-note bass ostinato that features lots of great piano from Ra and some interesting guitar sounds from either Skeeter McFarland or Taylor Richardson. John Gilmore gets plenty of room on this track as well and Luqman Ali's drumming is superb. This album is well worth picking up, but being one of those Saturn rarities makes it pretty difficult to do so.

AMG Review by Sean Westergaard

300. [243]  Sun Ra and his Arkestra

Sun Ra (keyb, voc); Eddie Gale (tp, voc); Michael Ray (tp, voc); Marshall Allen (as, perc, voc); John Gilmore (ts, perc, voc); poss. Julian Pressley (bars); Danny Ray Thompson (bars, voc); James Jacson (Inf-d, voc); Skeeter McFarland (eg); Taylor Richardson (eg); Steve Clarke (eb); Atakatune (cga, perc); Reg McDonald (d); June Tyson (voc).

Variety Recording Studio, NYC,
mid-to late May 1979

UFO (Ra-Clarke-Richardson) [ens voc]

El Saturn 101679, On Jupiter, was issued in 1979.  Some copies are known by the title Seductive Fantasy.  Samarai Celestial pointed out that this recording session predated "Seductive Fantasy" and "On Jupiter."  Personnel from Geerken's discography with corrections by Samarai and rlc.  Sun Ra told a member of the audience that he had "prepared a practice piece" for the May 5 concert in New Orleans (this can be heard on the tape).  The only previously unperformed piece on that tape was "UFO," and the vocal on that version was somewhat different from the vocal on this studio recording and subsequent concert performances.

 

312. [243a]  Sun Ra and his Arkestra

Sun Ra (p, org, keyb, voc); Eddie Gale (tp); Michael Ray (tp); Marshall Allen (as, fl, ob); John Gilmore (ts); poss. Julian Pressley (bars); Danny Ray Thompson (bars, fl); James Jacson (bsn, fl, Inf-d); Skeeter McFarland (eg); Taylor Richardson (eg); Richard Williams (b); Atakatune (cga, perc); Samarai Celestial [Eric Walker] (d); June Tyson (voc).

Variety Recording Studio, NYC,
October 16, 1979

On Jupiter (Ra) [ens voc]
Seductive Fantasy (Ra)

Samarai Celestial pointed out that "UFO" was recorded before he joined the band in July 1979, whereas these two items came from a later session.  Personnel from Geerken's discography with corrections by Samarai and rlc.

from Campbell/Trent  The Earthly Recordings 2nd ed.

On Jupiter

1. On Jupiter   3:59
2. UFO   8:36

3. Seductive Fantasy   12:45

FLAC

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I-) found these additional scans.  Many Thanks!!