2nd Chance: Sun Ra - My Brother the Wind Vols. 1 & 2

Should I mention that Volume 1 has never been issued on CD?

The advent of the transistor enabled Robert Moog (1934-2005) to develop the first modular synthesizer in the early nineteen-sixties and by late-1969, a truly portable synthesizer, the now legendary Minimoog, was already in development. Sun Ra was naturally intrigued by the instrument, with its cutting edge technology and ability to make truly otherworldly sounds. But in a 1970 Down Beat interview, Ra emphasized that synthesizers were not just weird noise machines or souped-up organs:

The Moog synthesizer in its potential and application to and for the future is tremendous in scope, particularly for those who are creative naturals. It most certainly is worthy of a place in music. There are many effects on it which at present are not upon any other instrument. On one of my compositions, “My Brother the Wind,” the Moog is a perfect projective voice. Of course, like other electronic keyboard instruments, it will require a different technical approach, touch and otherwise in most efforts of behavior. It is a challenge to the music scene…The main point concerning the synthesizer is the same as in all other instruments, that is, its capacity for the projection of feeling. This will not be determined in a large degree just by the instrument itself, but as always in music, by the musician who plays the instrument (quoted in Szwed, p.277)

Indeed, Ra’s approach to the Moog synthesizer was altogether different than the instrument’s later popularizers. In late 1969, and with the financial support of T.S. Mims, Jr., Ra obtained two prototype models (in order to achieve two-voice polyphony from the monophonic instruments) and booked time at Variety Recording Studio in New York City. He brought along only Gilmore (who mostly plays drums), Marshall Allen, and Danny Davis for the occasion. In addition, pianist/synthesist, Gershon Kingsley, was hired to program the synthesizer according to Ra’s wishes. According to Mims, “It was a duel between Kingsley programming and Sun Ra playing” (quoted in Campbell, 2nd ed., p.152).

The title track consists of two wildly contrasting Moog voices: a breathy whistle in the high register and a thick, reedy interval in the bass with Gilmore supplying some credible free drums. Ra’s two-hand independence and control of the highly differentiated textures is really quite remarkable. “Intergalactic II” pits the boing-boing-ing Moogs against braying horns. Gilmore turns in another typically riveting solo before hopping back on the drums to propel a dual alto sax extravaganza. Hypnotic synthesizer interludes set up some misty textures for the horns at the end. “To Nature’s God” features resonant, bell-like sounds on one Moog while the other rumbles around with a rounded, woody bass tone. Meanwhile, Allen and Davis twirl around on piccolo and flute and Gilmore lays down lurching, asymmetrical funk beats.

(Continue reading at NuVoid's Sun Ra Sundays)

My Brother the Wind is actually more a companion piece to Night of the Purple Moon than its Vol. 2 namesake. My Brother the Wind, Vol. 2 is split between Ra's solo Moog workouts and full Arkestra proceedings, while My Brother the Wind shares the same lineup as Night of the Purple Moon, with Marshall Allen's alto, piccolo, and flute substituting for Stafford James' electric bass. Ra plays two Mini-Moogs instead of Mini-Moog and Rocksichord, with Danny Davis on alto and clarinet and John Gilmore on drums. But while the focus on Night of the Purple Moon was on composed numbers, My Brother the Wind is a much freer session. 

 The title cut is just Ra on his two Mini-Moogs and Gilmore on drums. One Moog has a bass type setting, while the other sounds something like whistling white noise (wind?). "Intergalaxtic II" is a full freakout session, with both altos going crazy in the right channel, Gilmore's drums in the left channel, and the Mini-Moogs in the center. "To Nature's God" is just Ra and Gilmore again. "The Code of Interdependence" has Ra really putting the Moogs through their paces, although Gilmore also gets some tenor space (with Danny Davis moving to the drums, presumably). If you're into the "out" side of Sun Ra, and like his singular and unorthodox Moog playing, try to find a copy of My Brother the Wind.

AMG Review by Sean Westergaard

156. [144]  Sun Ra and his Astro-Solar Arkestra

My Brother The Wind

Sun Ra (two prototype Mini-Moog sins); John Gilmore (d; ts, d -2); Marshall Allen (picc -3; as -2, 4); Danny Davis (as -2; acl -4); Gershon Kingsley (syn programming).

Variety Recording Studios, NYC,
late 1969

My Brother the Wind (Ra) -1
Intergalactic II (Ra) -2
To Nature's God (Ra) -3
The Code of Interdependence (Ra) -4

Saturn LP 521, My Brother the Wind, was released before May 1970 (date from Stephen Ramirez).  It also circulated as Saturn ESR 521 and Saturn ESR 1970.  Date and location from Richard Wilkinson.  Personnel from the Saturn jacket, with minor corrections by rlc, and further refinements by Seth Markow.  T.S. Mims Jr. provided financial backing for the session and was listed as producer.  According to Richard Wilkinson, this session was made before My Brother the Wind II and featured Ra's very first encounter with the synthesizer.  Wilkinson gives 1970 as the date; Mims says 1969.  According to Mims, the synthesizers were  prototypes (predating Sunny's early-model Mini-Moog), and were being programmed by Gershon Kingsley as the session went along:  "It was a duel between Kingsley programming and Sun Ra playing."

According to Jerry Gordon, there is a false start on the master tape from this session, and the first two tracks appear in opposite order from the LP.  In addition, "The Code of Interdependence" was deliberately speeded up when the LP was mastered, and the LP was mastered out of phase on this track. 

from Campbell/Trent The Earthly Recordings 2nd ed.

 

My Brother the Wind (180g reissue LP rip)

1. My Brother The Wind   2:45
2. Intergalactic II   8:50
3. To Nature's God   4:33

4. The Code of Interdependence   16:34

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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)

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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)
Note that the original track order is different from the CD reissue!

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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