2nd Chance: Sun Ra - Voice of the Eternal Tomorrow

This is one of a couple Saturn releases recorded at the Squat Theater in New York in 1980. This is a large (20-plus pieces), well-recorded Arkestra with two vibes players, but rather than pulling out a bunch of elaborate charts, this album is really just a series of solo features punctuated by big space chords. "Voice of the Eternal Tomorrow" has Sun Ra going into full sci-fi mode, playing both the eerie soundtrack as well as voicing the battling aliens. "Approach of the Eternal Tomorrow" has more big space chords and some unbelievable high-register horn work. "The Rose Hue Mansions of the Sun" is still more big space chords and scary keyboard work, but Ra actually manages to find something of a tune briefly at the end. All in all, The Rose Hue Mansions of the Sun is somewhat unremarkable in the Ra canon, but is still a fine showcase for the Arkestra soloists.

AMG Review by by Sean Westergaard

Lossless LP rip of this out of print Saturn rarity courtesy of Paul W.
Thanks Paul!

 

Label pics from The (now sadly defunct) Magic of Juju Blog from their January 2007 post.  More  pics at Discogs incl. white labels.

Voice of the Eternal Tomorrow

327. [257]  Sun Ra and his Arkestra

Voice of the Eternal Tomorrow

Sun Ra (syn, org); poss. Ronnie Brown (tp); Walter Miller (tp); Michael Ray (tp); Craig Harris (tb); Tony Bethel (tb); Vincent Chancey (Fr hn); Marshall Allen (as, ob); Noël Scott (bars, as); James Jacson (bsn, Inf-d); Eloe Omoe (bcl); Kenny Williams (ts, bars); Steve Clarke (eb); Hayes Burnett or Richard "Radu" Williams (b); Damon Choice (vib); Harry Wilson (vib); Luqman Ali (d); Samarai Celestial [Eric Walker] (d).

Squat Theatre, NYC, September 17, 1980

The Saturn LP 91780 is variously known as Voice of the Eternal Tomorrow and The Rose Hue Mansions of the Sun.  It was released in 1980.  Location courtesy of Greg Drusdow. Personnel from Geerken's discography, except that he has Reg McDonald on drums instead of Samarai, and Hutch Jones and Sylvester Baton in the saxophone section instead of Ronnie Brown.  Geerken based his personnel on the assumption, now known to be untrue, that Strange Celestial Road was recorded in 1980.  Samarai Celestial says that he was a regular at the Squat from 1979 to 1982.

From 1978 to 1982 the Arkestra worked regularly at the Squat Theatre in New York City.  During 1980 the Arkestra averaged once a week at the Squat.  A number of these concerts were taped by Saturn, and some material was released, but surely there are concert tapes of other performances 
From Campbell/Trent  Earthly Recordings 2nd ed.

Does anyone have any performance recordings from the Squat to share?

  

Voice of the Eternal Tomorrow
(The Rose Hue Mansions of the Sun)

1. Voice of the Eternal Tomorrow            8:03

2. Approach of the Eternal Tomorrow   11:27

3. The Rose Hue Mansion of the Sun     21:17

-FLAC-
RS
HF

or

-320-
RS
HF