Sun Ra's purple night is not only a great album, it is one of Sun Ra's Best, right up there with Heliocentric worlds, Space is the Place, and A Night in East Berlin. It is composed and it isn't. A track like track 3, Love in Outer Space is done as a straight song, but those harmonic touches only Sun Ra could add make it enchanting. A track like track 2 (Friendly Galaxy), on the other hand, is only based off a single bass line: A2, D2,C2,F2, played over and over as eighths (to give you an idea), and what the "arkestra" does with it, how it increases tension or not, and their self-interaction, it makes it a perfect and classic free jazz track. Everything you could ever want in an avant-garde jazz album, Purple Night is as good as it gets.
Amazon reader review
Friendly Galaxy
The album was recorded in one marathon session at BMG Studios in New York City, using a 22-piece group that included several Arkestra members or veterans, including three drummers and two bass players (one on upright bass and another on electric bass), plus fellow free jazz musician Don Cherry, who contributed his trademark pocket trumpet work. During the session, Cherry sat at the right of Ra and his piano.
Seven tracks were used for the Purple Night album; the remainder of the master multi-track tapes were given to Sun Ra and his manager Alton Abraham for future release on their own after the A&M deal concluded; much of these recordings were released three years later by Rounder Records on the album Somewhere Else, released shortly before Sun Ra's death. Currently the Purple Night album is out of print and the copyright on the original album is still believed to be held by A&M's current owner, Universal Music.
Wikipedia
At its best, Sun Ra's orchestra on this CD uses a simple repetitive riff as a basis for lengthy performances that vary dynamics and build up gradually in intensity. At its worst (the 19-minute "Of Invisible Theme"), the ensemble rambles on aimlessly, almost as if were creating a sound effects record. Unfortunately their versions of "Love in Outer Space" and "Stars Fell On Alabama" are quite silly with the former featuring a "glee club" vocal while the latter displays Ra's lack of a singing voice. Another minus is the sudden mood change during an otherwise lyrical piano-bass duet on "Journey Towards the Stars" caused by a surprise entrance from Marshall Allen's out-of-tune alto. Cornetist Don Cherry (always muted), James Spaulding on flute and alto, John Gilmore on tenor and trombonist Julian Priester get some solo space but most impressive is John Ore's busy and versatile bass playing and Ra's frequently Monk-ish piano. However the minuses easily outweigh the good points on this disc.
AMG Review by Scott Yanow
Mr. Yanow was certainly NOT in tune with the cosmos when he wrote this review, was he?!
639. [421] Sun Ra
Purple Night /
Somewhere Else
Sun Ra (p, syn, voc); Don Cherry (pocket tp); Fred Adams (tp); Michael Ray (tp, voc); Ahmed Abdullah (tp, voc); Jothan Callins (tp); Al Evans (tp, flg); Tyrone Hill (tb); Julian Priester (tb); James Spaulding (as, fl); Marshall Allen (as, fl, perc); John Gilmore (ts, timb, voc); Reynold Scott (bars, fl); James Jacson (bsn, Inf-d); Rollo Radford (eb); John Ore (b); Earl C. "Buster" Smith (d); Samarai Celestial (d); Thomas "Bugs" Hunter (d); Elson Nascimento (surdo grande, perc); Jorge Silva (repinique, perc); June Tyson (voc, vln).
Purple Night /
Somewhere Else
Sun Ra (p, syn, voc); Don Cherry (pocket tp); Fred Adams (tp); Michael Ray (tp, voc); Ahmed Abdullah (tp, voc); Jothan Callins (tp); Al Evans (tp, flg); Tyrone Hill (tb); Julian Priester (tb); James Spaulding (as, fl); Marshall Allen (as, fl, perc); John Gilmore (ts, timb, voc); Reynold Scott (bars, fl); James Jacson (bsn, Inf-d); Rollo Radford (eb); John Ore (b); Earl C. "Buster" Smith (d); Samarai Celestial (d); Thomas "Bugs" Hunter (d); Elson Nascimento (surdo grande, perc); Jorge Silva (repinique, perc); June Tyson (voc, vln).
BMG Studios, NYC, mid-November 1989
A&M 75021 5324, titled Purple Night, was released on CD in 1990. Rounder 3036 [CD], Somewhere Else, was released in 1993; there is also a German release on Zensor 136 [CD]. All information from the CD liner notes; Thomas Hunter is misrendered "Thomas Henderson" on both, and Callins' name is misspelled Collins. The Rounder CD consists of outtakes from the two A&M sessions.
from The Earthly Recordings 2nd ed. Campbell / Trent
Purple Night (1990)
1. Journey Towards Stars 3:48
2. Friendly Galaxy 7:48
3. Love In Outer Space 7:18
4. Stars Fell On Alabama 10:33
5. Of Invisible Them 19:14
6. Neverness 13:19
7. Purple Night Blues 4:04
2. Friendly Galaxy 7:48
3. Love In Outer Space 7:18
4. Stars Fell On Alabama 10:33
5. Of Invisible Them 19:14
6. Neverness 13:19
7. Purple Night Blues 4:04
or
SY’s comments are the kind that were often used by critics regarding Arkestra recordings and are typical of the withering contempt much of the “established” jazz community felt towards Sun Ra, in spite of the fact he was more knowledgeable about the genre than they were! While I like this one a lot, I admit it’s not one of my favorites. However, it certainly was light years above most of the bland retro jazz-lite material by the ‘suits’ the hip, jazzbo snobs were drooling over at the time! Sorry to jump on my soapbox, but this sort of thing always pissed me off a bit.
ReplyDeleteDon't stop now... PREACH ON, Reverend!
ReplyDeleteIn my best southern white man, “I tell you one thing…” but I’ll resist the temptation – save to say that reviewers only tell THEIR story. It’s always best to check these things out for yourself. Listening to Nothing Is at the moment – another ‘sound effects record’ that no doubt many in the jazz elite think little of as well! Fine.
ReplyDelete