Sun Ra - VPRO Broadcast 1971.11.11 Delft, Netherlands

 

The Arkestra appeared at the Technische Hogeschool, Nieuwe Aula in Delft, on November 11, 1971. The state-run radio station recorded the concert and broadcast it on November 14. According to Campbell and Trent, portions of this concert were also televised on Dutch TV on November 17, but the tape no longer exists in the VPRO archive (p.176). The audio recordings do exist, however, and, fortunately for us fans, the entire three-hour concert was re-broadcast in 2001. The sound quality is exceptionally good and it’s a wonderful performance to boot.

The first set starts off with glistening vibraphone arpeggios over roiling drums, each of the various percussion instruments nicely captured in a wide stereo image. After a brief pause, the Arkestra blasts into an explosive space chord that sets up a long electronic keyboard extravaganza, punctuated by intermittent ensemble freakouts. This is certainly an intense way to begin a concert! After about nine minutes, Ra launches into the bouncy vamping of “Enlightenment.” This is a note-perfect rendition with everyone crystal clear in the mix, including the descending counter-melodies on flutes and trumpet and the multi-voiced chorus that accompanies June Tyson’s melodic crooning. “Love in Outer Space” predictably follows, but this time it’s taken at a more relaxed tempo than usual, settling into a sultry, slinky groove for almost twelve sensuous minutes, relentlessly driven forward by William Morrow’s doubling of Pat Patrick’s electric bass line on vibes. Not much happens musically until Ra enters to state the theme a few times on a wheezy electric organ at the end -- but that’s OK.

Sonny then signals the space-chant, “Space is the Place,” which is full of soulful group vocalizations over the mellow groove. Until, that is, the saxophones enter with some dissonant squealing and the rhythm starts to disintegrate, with the vocalists going crazy with ecstatic wailing about “outer space” etc. Rather than wearing out its welcome, all this nonsense quickly subsides to give way to a series of solos and various ensemble sections including Ra’s “mad-scientist” organ, some saxophone duels, raging horn battles, and pounding kettle drums. Another unknown number in the “Discipline” series emerges from the ashes, where richly orchestrated horn parts wander through a thicket of chords while rubato drums rumble around underneath. A beautiful trumpet solo follows (probably Kwami Hadi) accompanied by some spacey vibraphone, which gets a nice response from the audience. Morrow then takes over with Ra joining in on marimba, while drums beat randomly and ominously. Out of the ether, June Tyson enters with a brief declamation: “Out of every nation they shall rise, with an invitation of the Sun to journey to the outer darkness, to the outer heavens of the intergalactic dawn!” Then the ensemble enters with a reprise or coda to the “Discipline” piece. As the work concludes, Eloe Omoe adds his wild bass clarinet scribbling which prods the ensemble into some full-blown skronky free-jazz, led by John Gilmore’s indomitable tenor saxophone.

June Tyson interrupts the mayhem with the declamatory “We’ll Wait for You” which is ticklingly echoed by the ensemble voices. Another wave of high-energy group improv follows, featuring Art Jenkins's ghostly “space voice” and another long segment of vibes and marimba noodling. Sonny then takes a rare turn on solo acoustic piano, interspersing luscious ballad chords with furious avant-garde attacks, later rhapsodically hinting around the “Theme of the Stargazers,” which is taken up by Tyson and Gilmore in perfect unison. This gives rise to a long, quiet, very spacey improvisation with vocalized horns and gently tapping marimba and percussion. At times, an eerie, “Strange Strings” --like atmosphere arises only to move in other, equally compelling musical territory. Finally, Gilmore steps up with an anguished saxophone cry and takes over with a typically mind-blowing solo, which is greeted with wild applause. Wow.
An early version of “Discipline 27” follows right behind. Campbell and Trent point out that these early performances are “pre-mitotic; [they] combine[] a riff from the later ‘27’ and one from the later ’27-II’ along with a counter-theme for the saxes that was not used in later versions at all” (p.177). Not surprisingly, the ensemble sounds a bit tentative on the interlocking horn parts, and the rhythm section never quite attains the stately grace the work requires. Hadi ventures first with an uncharacteristically modest but tasteful solo while Morrow provides some rather aimless filling on vibes, mostly making for a not quite satisfying performance of this otherwise languid and dreamy composition. As the piece tapers off, the chorus enters with an a cappella rendition of “Outer Spaceways, Incorporated,” ending the set with delirious chanting and clapping while the Arkestra parades off the stage.

(continue reading at NuVoid's Sun Ra Sundays)

 To Nature's God

184. [161]  Sun Ra's Intergalactic Research Arkestra

Sun Ra (2 Mini-Moog syns, org, p, voc); Kwame Hadi (tp, perc); Akh Tal Ebah [Doug E. Williams] (tp, flg, voc, dance); Marshall Allen (as, fl, ob, perc); Danny Davis (as, fl, perc); Larry Northington (as, cga, perc); Istar Sundance (as); John Gilmore (ts, d, perc, voc); Danny Ray Thompson (bars, fl, perc); Pat Patrick (bars, fl, eb, perc); Hakim Rahim (bars, as, fl); Eloe Omoe (bcl, perc); Al Batin Nur [Augustus Browning Jr.] (Eng hn); James Jacson (fl, ob, Inf-d); Clifford Jarvis (d); Lex Humphries (d); Tommy Hunter (d, as); Nimrod Hunt (hand drums, perc); William Morrow (vib); Roger Aralamon Hazoumé (balafon, dance); June Tyson (voc, dance); Malik Ramadin (voc, tymp); Art Jenkins (space voice, voc, cga, perc); Wisteria el Moondew [Judith Holton] (dance); Cheryl Banks (dance); Kevin Massey (dance); Kenneth Alexander (dance); Richard Wilkinson (light show).

Aula van de T.H., Delft Netherlands,
November 11, 1971

Date and personnel from Gezinus Wolters in Jazz Wereld.  Wolters refers to Ra's Rocksichord (shish can be heard o the Paris tape) as an electric piano.  Recorded by the Dutch network VPRO and broadcast on radio on 11/14.  Portions broadcast on Dutch TV on 11/17/71.  (However, the videotape is not in the VPRO archive.)

Chase says that the Arkestra performed in West Germany during this tour; date and places are not known.  The Paris concert was originally intended to be the last date o the tour (Wilkinson). 

from Campbell / Trent  The Earthly Recordings 2nd ed.

 Sun Ra's Intergalactic Research Arkestra
1971.11.11 Delft, Netherlands

1.  Ra Solo / Enlightenment   11:49
2.  Love In Outer Space   11:44
3.  Space is the Place   8:31
4.  The Cosmic-Bypass   13:38
5.  In Some Far Place (we'll wait for you) / The Theme of the Stargazers   14:02
6.  Sun Ra's Intergalactic Research Arkestra, 1971.11.11, Delft-06   7:23
7.  Discipline 27   7:12
8.  Outer Spaceways Incorporated   5:28
9.  They'll Come Back   8:01
10. Discipline ??   18:15
11. Intergalactic Research / Ra Solo   18:42
12. Satellites are Spinning   10:26
13. Watusi   13:54
14. To Nature's God   8:52
15. The Shadow World / Sometimes the Universe Speaks / Ra Solo   27:06
16. Second Stop is Jupiter / Prepare for the Journey to Other Worlds   13:14

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Here is another 1971 performance.  This one was recorded on October 12 in Stockholm and is presented with with Many Thanks to Zyxirion for originally sharing this with us via Solar Flares.

1971.10.12 Stockholm Drameten Oper House FM

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