2nd Chance: Sun Ra - Holiday for Soul Dance (rec. 1960, rel. 1970)

This collection is somewhat of an oddity in that there are no original compositions from Sun Ra. That said, cornet player Phil Cohran contributes "Dorothy's Dance." As the album initially surfaced in the early '70s, many presumed the recordings reflected Ra's concurrent combo and sound, which couldn't have been further from the truth. Scholars have since placed 1960 or 1961 as a closer estimation of when these sides were documented, using the rare inclusion of Ricky Murry (vocals) as sonic evidence, coupled with the fact that the effort was cut prior to the band's relocation to New York City from Chicago at the beginning of the decade. The primary (and most notable) Arkestra centered on Ra, Marshall Allen (alto sax), John Gilmore (tenor sax), Phil Cohran (cornet), Ronnie Boykins (bass), and Jon Hardy (drums). The bounty of pop standards and memorable melodies showcase Ra's spectacularly intricate and often underappreciated arrangements. The spry take of George Gershwin's "But Not for Me" is rephrased to spotlight the soloists' remarkable improvisational skills behind tight support from the compact and swinging rhythm section. Boykins and Hardy's brooding introduction to "Day by Day" immediately suggests the uneasy and inquisitive score that has been completely overhauled to express Ra's newly adopted sense of the avant-garde as well as his free jazz leanings. Seemingly disparate tunes and time signatures fuse into a free-wheeling affair that contains all the flair of Sun Ra with much of the same romantic charm of more familiar readings, such as Jo Stafford's (vocals) hit version. "Holiday for Strings" can also be recommended because of the highly stylized rendering. Rather than the mile-a-minute staccato "plinking" that often identifies the piece, Ra gives it a cool post-bop workout that discerns it for those otherwise unfamiliar with the song. "Early Autumn" is interesting from the perspective of the dearth of singers that Ra accompanied. Murry's robust voice proves a bit overwhelming, as if he might break into an operatic vocalization at any moment. Arguably the most memorable selection on Holiday for Soul Dance is the gorgeous take of "I Loves You, Porgy," incorporating a languid swing that gently drives the backbeat, ably supporting the scintillating adaptation.

AMG Review by Lindsay Planer

Dorothy's Dance (Cohran)

72. [61]  Sun Ra and his Myth Science Arkestra

Fate in a Pleasant Mood /
Holiday for Soul Dance /
Angels and Demons at Play /
We Travel the Spaceways /
Rocket Number Nine Take Off for the Planet Venus
(Interstellar Low Ways) /
The Singles

Sun Ra (bells, perc, p -2); Phil Cohran (cnt -4), perc, voc); Nate Pryor (tb, bells -5); John Gilmore (ts -6; perc, voc); Marshall Allen (as -8, fl -9, bells, voc); Ronnie Boykins (b, voc); John Hardy (d, perc, gong).

RCA Studios, Chicago,
around June 17, 1960

But Not for Me (Gershwin) -2, 4, 6, 8
Day by Day (Cahn-Stordahl-Weston) -2, 4, 5, 6, 8
Holiday for Strings (Rose-Gallo) -2, 5
Dorothy's Dance (Cohran) -2, 4, 6, 8
I Loves You Porgy
(Gershwin-Gershwin-Heyward) -2, 4, 6, 9
Body and Soul (Green-Heyman-Sour-Eyton) -2, 6
Keep Your Sunny Side Up (DeSylva-Brown) -2, 4, 6, 8

(Plus MANY MORE not included on Holiday for Soul Dance)

According to Phil Cohran, this session was an all-day marathon at which 30 to 40 tunes were recorded.  All tracks were identified by Cohran as coming from this session or have a similar ambiance to those he identified.  Cohran places this session at Hall Recording Co. (but see below).  Cohran has said that he copyrighted "Dorothy's Dance" "within a week" after the session; "Dorothy's Dance" was registered on June 24, 1960.  Sun Ra followed Cohran to the Library of Congress with a suite (consisting of "Space Loneliness," "Fate in a Pleasant Mood," "Lights on a Satellite," and "State Street") on July 8, and "The Blue Set" on July 21 (James Wolf).

Alton Abraham says that the studio at Hall Recording Co. was too small for the Arkestra and that he normally used it for mastering only.  This was the smallest Arkestra to make a studio recording during the Chicago period; however, Abraham's suggestion that the session was done at RCA Studios does seem more plausible.  The actual recording order is unknown, except that "Velvet" was the last track of the day.  Personnel courtesy of Phil Cohran; the drummer, Jon Hardy, was not mentioned on any of the Saturn record jackets, though his name appears in the 1967 catalog in connection with We Travel the Spaceways.

Further confirmation of the common origin of many of these tracks is provided by a Saturn test pressing found in a Montréal record store by François Lamarche.  The test pressing was made at Sheldon Recording Studios (aka the Chess studios in Chicago) and titled simply, Music of the Future by Sun Ra Arkestra.  Side A contained "Space Mates," "But Not for Me," and "The Others in There [sic] World."  Side B had "Lights on the [sic] Satellite," "Day by Day," "Ankhnaton," and "Holiday for Strings."  The pressing contains Alton Abraham's old address at 4115 South Drexel -- and gives a Montréal address and phone number for Sun Ra.  It was therefore cut in the summer or early fall of 1961.  However, Saturn did not actually issue any LPs from this session until 1965, and when they began to appear, the tracks had been redistributed.

At least 22 tracks from this date were issued, on two Saturn singles and five different LPs.
Saturn ESR 508, Holiday for Soul Dance, was released in 1970, credited to "Sun Ra and his Intergalactic Arkestra."  The album was reissued on Evidence 22011 [CD] in 1992.

[the above entry in Campbell/Trent's The Earthly Recordings 2nd ed. has been truncated to include only info pertinent to Holiday for Soul Dance - yotte]




74. [63]  Sun Ra and his Intergalactic Arkestra

Holiday for Soul Dance

Sun Ra (p.); Marshall Allen (as, fl); John Gilmore (ts); Ronnie Boykins (b); Jon Hardy (d); Ricky Murray (voc).

Wonder Inn, Chicago,
around July 30, 1960

Early Autumn (Herman-Mercer-Burns)

Ricky Murray does not remember the June studio session and suggests that this track was made at the Wonder Inn (at 75th and Cottage Grove).  A brief item in the Chicago Defender mentions "a special added attraction" at the Wonder Inn for July 30, 1960:  Sun Ra and his "recording band."

This track was initially released in 1970 on Saturn ESR 508, Holiday for Soul Dance, and reissued in 1992 on Evidence 2201 [CD].  Though Murray is listed as the vocalist, the personnel listing on the Saturn jacket is otherwise completely wrong, giving a 14-piece ensemble from around 1969!

from Campbell/Trent  The Earthly Recordings 2nd ed.

Sun Ra and his Astro Infinity Arkestra
Holiday for Soul Dance

(Saturn reissue LP rip)

1. But Not For Me (Gershwin)   4:09
2. Day By Day (Cahn-Sordahl-Weston)   3:39
3. Holiday For Strings (Rose-Gallo)   4:08
4. Dorothy's Dance (Cohran)   3:14

5. Early Autumn (Vocal by R. Murray) (Herman-Mercer-Burns)   4:51
6. I Loves You Porgy (Gershwin-Gershwin-Heyward)   3:34
7. Body And Soul (Green-Heyman-Sour-Eyton)   5:58
8. Keep Your Sunny Side Up (DeSylva-Brown)   2:12

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Holiday for Soul Dance
(Evidence CD rip)

1. But Not For Me   4:11
2. Day By Day   3:40
3. Holiday For Strings   4:09
4. Dorothy's Dance   3:19
5. Early Autumn   4:53
6. I Loves You, Porgy   3:35
7. Body And Soul   6:00
8. Keep Your Sunny Side Up   2:12


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I-) found these scans of an original LP online somewhere.  If you look closely, you'll see that the back cover seems to be decorated with black cut-outs glued to the jacket.  I wonder if it may be the original from which the Saturn Reissue LP cover was made.  Thanks for sharing, I-) !

2nd Chance: Sun Ra w/Symphony Orchestra - Pleiades (1993)

In October 1990, Sun Ra and the Arkestra traveled to France to perform a concert with an orchestral accompaniment.

 The October trip was a short one -- just the Orléans and London concerts.  According to Ahmed Abdullah and Jothan Callins, the Arkestra completed no fewer than seven trips to Europe in 1990 (March, April, May, June, July, August, and October).

From The Earthly Recordings of Sun Ra 2nd ed.

In John Szwed's Sun Ra biography, "Space Is The Place," he describes the events leading up to the Orléans concert:

The Théâtre-Carré Saint-Vincent event in Orléans, France, was billed as a "Jazz Symphonique" concert, and Sun Ra had nineteen classical musicians made available to him to add to the sixteen musicians he was bringing, which already included two violins and a cello.  He threw himself into the project and brought a computer to help him produce the instruments' parts.  But once they reached Paris, Sun Ra confided to Jothan Callins that he didn't have the arrangements ready for the larger ensemble.  And though he didn't ask for help, he seemed distraught, his hands shaking.  So for the next fifty hours Callins worked with Sun Ra on the parts, transcribing and Xeroxing day and night, even adding his own composition, "Alabama," to the list, and then when the night of the performance came, Callins conducted the Arkestra for Sonny.  "When I finished he thanked me for it.  It was the first time I'd ever heard him thank anyone for anything."

Planet Earth Day

About two years before, Sun Ra had bought June Tyson a violin, and she had been teaching herself to play and slowly working herself into performances.  But when she seated herself in the violin section for a rehearsal in Paris, it was obvious to the classical players that she was not a trained musician.  When she began to read another violinist's music, he pulled the music stand away from her, saying it was "his music."  After another violinist did the same thing, she went out and bought a huge pile of music -- standards, transcriptions of Thelonious Monk tunes, some Miles Davis -- and when she returned at the next rehearsal she piled all of it in front of her on a music stand and announced to the string players that this was "her music."

For this performance and the upcoming Hackney Empire engagement in London Sun Ra also added Talvin Singh on tablas.  When Singh went to meet Sun Ra where he was staying (at a private residence outside Paris) to discuss his part, the house was filled with burning frankincense and myrrh.  Asked about rehearsing with the group, Sun Ra told him there was no need for it, just sit close to him and watch.  "He never told me what to play; just actions, hand signals, orchestrating the whole vibe with his aura.  The energy was amazing.  I knew exactly what to play:  I couldn't jam all over the music, and I had thought it was going to be like that."

Szwed, Space Is The Place, pp. 371-372

Leo LR-210/211, Pleiades, was released in 1993 on CD.  The poster for this "Jazz Symphonique" concert is reproduced on the tray copy for this CD, but the liners incorrectly give Paris as the location.  Other information from the liner notes.  According to John Szwed, Jothan Callins conducted the chamber orchestra and wrote the arrangements for seven of the pieces (not "Blue Lou" or "Prelude N. 7").  "Planet Earth Day" was used by Sun Ra as another title for "Mythic 1."  Leo mislabeled the track, which was usually titled "Carefree" or "Egyptian Fantasy."  According to Urs Berger, the unissued track can be heard on a cassette tape of this concert circulated by Danny Ray Thompson.  

From The Earthly Recordings of Sun Ra 2nd ed.

(Does anyone have a copy of the above mentioned Danny Ray Thompson cassette to share?!!)

692. [452] Sun Ra and his Arkestra with Symphony Orchestra

Pleiades

Le Sony'r Ra [Sun Ra] (p, syn, voc); Michael Ray (tp, voc); Jothan Callins (tp, cond. arr); Tyrone Hill (tb); Marshall Allen (as, fl, ob, picc); John Gilmore (ts, cl, timb, voc); Noël Scottt (as, cacl); Charles Davis (bars); James Jacson (ob, bsn, Inf-d); India Cooke (vln); Stephen "Kash" Killion (clo); John Ore (b); Clifford Barbaro (d); Eric C. "Buster" Smith (d); Elson Dos Santos Nascimento (surdo grande, perc); Talvin Singh (tabla, voc); June Tyson (voc, vln).  The Symphony Orchestra (players  unidentified); 3 vln; 1 b; 3 fl; 2 as; 1 ts; 1 Eng hn; 1 bsn; 3 tp; 1 tb; 1 Fr hn; 1 tymp; 1 perc.

Théâtre-Carré Saint-Vincent, Orléans, France, October 27, 1990

Pleiades disc 1

1. Pleiades    15:47 

2. Mythic 1    16:35 

3. Friendly Galaxy    17:44 

Pleiades disc 2

1. Sun Procession    13:03 

2. Lights on a Satellite    6:27 

3. Love in Outer Space    6:55 

4. Planet Earth Day    10:00 

5. Mythic 2    7:55 

6. Blue Lou    5:30 

7. Prelude in A Major Op. 28, N. 7    7:50

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2nd Chance: Sun Ra - Hidden Fire 1 & 2 (1988)

The two Hidden Fire albums are the last new Saturn releases (some items from the 70s and 80s were re-pressed by Blast First and were sold at concerts till 1992). These two LPs are extremely confusing. They were initially issued without labels. Labeled copies sometimes have the wrong volume numbers. Labels do not give track titles, either. 

557. [374]  Sun Ra

Hidden Fire 1/2

Sun Ra (syn, org, voc); Michael Ray (tp); Ahmed Abdullah (tp); Tyrone Hill (tb); Marshall Allen (as); John Gilmore (ts, timb); Danny Ray Thompson (bars); Kenny Williams (bars); Eloe Omoe (as, bcl, cacl); James Jacson (bsn, Inf-d); Billy Bang (vln); Owen Brown Jr. (vln); June Tyson (vln, voc); Art Jenkins (voc, space voice); John Ore (b); poss. Luqman Ali (d); Buster Smith (d); poss. Pharaoh Abdullah [Thomas Thaddeus] (perc).

The Knitting Factory, NYC,
January 29, 1988

unidentified improvisation     Saturn Sun Ra 12988II
unidentified blues
unidentified title [AJ voc]     Saturn Sun Ra 12988B
unidentified title AJ voc]

Saturn Sun Ra 13188III/12988II, Hidden Fire 1, was released on LP in 1988, as was Saturn Sun Ra 13088A/12988B, Hidden Fire 2.  Location from Greg Drusdow; personnel rlc and Drusdow.  Some copies are labeled Hidden Fire 3/4, but this is identical to Hidden Fire 1; Side A or "volume 3" has the matrix number 13188III, and Side B or "volume 4" has the matrix number 12988II (thanks to Bob Rusch for this information).

unidentified blues

558. [375]  Sun Ra

Hidden Fire 2/
A Night in East Berlin -- My Brothers the Wind and Sun #9

same personnel

The Knitting Factory, NYC,
January 30, 1988

My Brothers the Wind and Sun #9 [AJ voc]     Saturn Sun Ra 13088A, Leo LR-149 [CD]

Saturn 13088A/12988B, Hidden Fire 2, was released in 1988.  Location and personnel as above.  There were no track titles on the Hidden Fire LPs.  ct believes that this piece opened one of the band's sets at the Knitting Factory that night.

This same track (which took up one side of Hidden Fire 2) resurfaced on a tape sold to Leo Records; there the title was given as "My Brothers the Wind and Sun #9," and the provenance was incorrectly given as a concert in Europe in 1990.  Leo reissued this track in May 1995 as part of the reorganized CD LR 149, A Night in East Berlin.

559. [376]  Sun Ra and his Cosmo/Love Arts Space Arkestra

Hidden Fire 1

Sun Ra (syn, org, voc); Michael Ray (tp, voc); Ahmed Abdullah (tp, voc); Tyrone Hill (tb, voc); Marshall Allen (as, ob, fl, perc); John Gilmore (ts, timb); Eloe Omoe (as, bcl); Kenny Williams (bars); James Jacson (bsn, Inf-d); Bruce Edwards (eg); Owen Brown Jr. (vln); unidentified (vln); John Ore (b); Buster Smith (d); poss. Luqman Ali (d); Art Jenkins (voc, space voice); June Tyson (voc).

The Knitting Factory, NYC,
January 31, 1988

Lecture (Ra)     audience tape

unidentified title (Ra) [syn riff and ens; van solos and duet; AJ voc; freak out ens; ob, syn, bcl, bowed b, AJ voc; syn, ens riffs; sax theme statement; Ray, tp; sax theme; falsetto ts; syn, AJ voc]

Retrospect (Ra) /
This World is Not My Home (Ra) [SR voc]     Saturn Sun Ra 13188III
Easy to Love (Porter)     audience tape
Days of Wine and Roses (Mancini)
Chloe (Moret-Kahn)
Sunset on the Nile (Ra) [SR, ens voc]
Face the Music (Ra) /
Do Not Stand in My Way (Ra) [SR declamation, ens voc]

The entire afternoon lecture (35 min.) and concert (85 min.) are preserved on an audience tape, according to Charles Blass.  The long piece that opens the musical portion is otherwise unknown from Ra recordings; it may be "The Cosmic Coordinator," a composition of legendary difficulty that John Gilmore referred to in interviews.

Saturn 13188III/12988II, Hidden Fire 1 (or Hidden Fire 3/4) was released in 1988.  Titles ct and rlc; personnel Blass and ct.  The violin solo on "Days of Wine and Roses" sounds like Billy Bang, but Blass (who was at the concert) is positive that Bang was not present.

The two Hidden Fires are the last new Saturn releases (some items from the '70s and '80s were repressed by Blast First in 1989 and were sold at concerts without labels.  Labeled copies sometimes have the wrong volume numbers, and the labels do not give track titles.  Copies were sold by the band's roadies under misleading titles as well.

from Campbell/Trent  The Earthly Recordings 2nd ed.

Hidden Fire 1

1. Track No. 01 - Retrospect - This World Is Not My Home    14:58 

2. Track No. 02 - Untitled Improvisation    9:29 

3. Track No. 03 - Untitled Blues    7:46

Hidden Fire 2

4. Track No. 01 - unknown title    18:11 

5. Track No. 02 - unknown title    9:42 

6. Track No. 03 - unknown title    14:01

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LP Rip & Scans courtesy of Paul W.

Inspired by Sun Ra: 'To Sun Ra' a poem by Mark Kerstetter

To Sun Ra

You were born Herman,
as in “Herman Munster”
but they called you Sonny.
You called yourself Sun.
The stars fell on a bipolar Alabama
and you learned to read them
across the black and white keys.
Some of the greatest musicians, you said, pass
into oblivion.
Traveling you would stop to enjoy
a small town marching band.
The story I love most is how
you’d play any radio station.
What kind of music inspires you? they asked.
All of it, you answered.
No, really.
Everything, you repeated.
You meant it,
and you were the only one.
I wish I could hear with your ears,
see with your eyes.

Please stop by and tell Mark what his poem means to you.
via The Mockingbird Sings

2nd Chance: Sun Ra - Outer Reach Intensity-Energy (Stars That Shine Darkly Vol. 2)

Third of the list of hybrid versions of Stars That Shine Darkly, Outer Reach Intensity-Energy is a mysterious and remarkable album.  Side A contains Ra compositions unheard (or at least rarely heard) elsewhere, from live performances of the late 1970s and early 1980s; Side B is comprised of the amazing Sun Ra All-Stars performance "Stars That Shine Darkly vol. 2" of late 1983. 

415. [309]  Sun Ra

Stars That Shine Darkly Volume 2

Sun Ra (org); Ahmed Abdullah (tp -1); Michael Ray (tp); unidentified (tp); Marshall Allen (as); poss. Danny Davis (as); John Gilmore (ts); Eloe Omoe (as, bcl, cacl); James Jacson (bsn, Inf-d); Danny Ray Thompson (libf -2; bars); unidentified (d); unidentified (d).

Live performances, 1976-1984

          Outer Reach Intensity-Energy (Ra)
          Cosmos Rendezvous (Ra) -1
          Barbizon (Ra)
          The Double That… (Ra)
          The Ever Is… (Ra) -2

Saturn Gemini 9-1213-85, titled Stars That Shine Darkly Volume 2 or Outer Reach Intensity-Energy, was released in 1985 (mastered on September 13, 1985, according to the Variety Recording Studio log).  The tracks on Side A appear to have been recorded at several live performances in 1984.  The lineup does not correspond with any of the European tours, and in the United States, Ahmed Abdullah would have played only in the New York area.  It is not clear when Michael Ray would have worked with the Arkestra either (John Gilmore stated in an interview on October 13, 1984, that Ray had not worked with the Arkestra since early 1983; see Sun Ra Research #7).  Personnel identified by rlc with help from ct.

Chris Trent now suggests that these tracks were cut at various concerts in the late 1970s.  If "Outer Reach" includes Danny Davis on alto sax, as ct suggests, that would argue strongly in favor of 1978 or earlier.  the material with Abdullah could also come from 1975-1978.  Further research needed …

Cosmic Rendezvous

400. [297]  Sun Ra All Stars

Stars that Shine Darkly /
Stars that Shine Darkly Volume 2

Sun Ra (p, syn, voc); Don Cherry (pocket tp); Lester Bowie (tp); Marshall Allen (as, EVI, fl, ob); John Gilmore (ts, voc); Eloe Omoe (cacl); Archie Shepp (ss); Richard Davis (b); Clifford Jarvis (d); Philly Joe Jones (d); Famoudou Don Moye (d, Sun Percussion).

Montreux, Switzerland
between November 2 and 5, 1883

          Stars That Shine Darkly…
          (Ra) (part 1)
          Stars That Shine Darkly…
          (Ra) (part 2)

"Stars that Shine Darkly part 1" was first released in 1985 on Side A of the Saturn LP 10-11-85, Stars That Shine Darkly Volume 1.  This album has also been titled Hiroshima.  "Stars that Shine Darkly parrot 2" was first released in 1985 on Side B of the Saturn Gemini LP 9-1213-85, Stars that Shine Darkly Volume 2, also titled Outer Reach Intensity-Energy.  Mark Webber points out that there is also a hybrid Stars That Shine Darkly album with part 1 on Side A and part 2 on Side B.  Date and location from Ted Panken on a WKCR-FM broadcast.  Presence of Omoe noted by ct; Danny Ray Thompson confirms that Ra "augmented" the All-Stars on a couple of occasions.

from Campbell / Trent  The Earthly Recordings 2nd ed.

 Outer Reach Intensity-Energy (Stars That Shine Darkly Vol. 2)

1. Outer Reach Intensity-Energy   4:07
2. Cosmos Rendezvous   4:31
3. Barbizon   4:01
4. The Double That...   5:02
5. The Ever Is...   4:05

6. Stars That Shine Darkly   23:27


Many thanks to Zyxirion for sharing his FLAC rip with us.

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And Otherness:

Hiroshima (Stars That Shine Darkly)

&

Stars That Shine Darkly (hybrid)

2nd Chance: Sun Ra - Stars That Shine Darkly (1985)

In 1983 Ra came to Europe with a pretty impressive ensemble - from the Arkestra he brought Marshall Allen, John Gilmore, Richard Davis and Clifford Jarvis, then adding all-star guests Lester Bowie, Archie Shepp, Don Moye and Philly Joe Jones. The sound is generally good and there is a lot of variety in the material across the shows. More importantly, these concerts are different in character and style from regular Arkestra performances - in a very interesting way. It's a smallish ensemble and every detail counts, the two extra drummers Philly Joe Jones and Don Moye drive a lot of the material in their own way, and this very classy ensemble mutates to the accommodation of different languages with great success. The Arkestra alumni also flourish in this changed environment.
from an rermegacorp blurb

This ensemble was first heard on record on Sun Ra's LP Hiroshima (also released under the title Stars That Shine Darkly volume 1).  Two hybrid versions were also released shortly after. Stars That Shine Darkly is a hybrid featuring the two compositions featuring this same title.  Outer Reach Intensity-Energy is the 2nd hybrid release which includes Stars that Shine Darkly volume 2 as Side B and a collection of live material recorded during the 1970's and early 1980s making up Side A. 

Many thanks to Paul W for sharing his rip of this rare hybrid.

400. [297] Sun Ra All Stars

Stars that Shine Darkly /
Stars that Shine Darkly Volume 2

Sun Ra (p, syn, voc); Don Cherry (pocket tp); Eloe Omoe (cacl); Lester Bowie (tp); Marshall Allen (as, fl, ob, EVI); John Gilmore (ts, voc); Archie Shepp (ss); Richard Davis (b); Clifford Jarvis (d); Philly Joe Jones (d); Famoudou Don Moye (d, Sun Percussion).

Montreux, Switzerland,
between November 2 and 5, 1983

"Stars that Shine Darkly part 1" was first released in 1985 on Side A of the Saturn LP 10-11-85, Stars That Shine Darkly Volume 1.  This album has also been titled Hiroshima.  "Stars that Shine Darkly part 2" was first released in 1985 on Side B of the Saturn Gemini LP 9-1213-85, Stars that Shine Darkly Volume 2, also titled Outer Reach Intensity-Energy.  Mark Webber points out that there is also a hybrid Stars That Shine Darkly album with part 1 on Side A and part 2 on Side B.  Date and location from Ted Panken on a WKCR-FM broadcast.  Presence of Omoe noted by ct; Danny Ray Thompson confirms that Ra "augmented" the All-Stars on a couple of occasions.
from Campbell / Trent  The Earthly Recordings 2nd ed.

Stars that Shine Darkly volume 2

Sun Ra All Stars

Stars That Shine Darkly

(hybrid)

1. Stars that Shine Darkly   14:23
2. Stars that Shine Darkly volume 2   23:05

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Radioactivity and the Outskirts of the Universe

 

WKCR Sun Ra Festival Poster 1987

Philadelphia 1984

This is likely the Halloween show.  Via Sugarmegs.  Thanks to Ritzbird for the heads up!

Many THANKS to Marc E.  If anyone would like to share any recordings from these performances, I would love to hear them.

2nd Chance: Sun Ra - Hiroshima (1985)

Performed almost solo by Sun Ra (save the occasional selected percussion effects and bird calls) on an Atlanta theatre pipe organ, the haunting title track is every bit as dark, reflective and epic a lament as its title suggests. While Hiroshima very much feels like a standalone piece, Stars That Shine Darkly is equally fascinating, but for very different reasons. Recorded live in Montreux in November 1983 and featuring the Sun Ra All Stars who, besides Arkestra mainstays John Gilmore and Marshall Allen, also include the interstellar talents of Archie Shepp, Don Cherry and Lester Bowie, Stars That Shine Darkly catches the ensemble in heavyweight improvisatory mood.

Part revelatory listening experience, part hair-raising journey to the outer limits of the known jazz universe, the album feels much longer than its 29- minute playing time, thanks to the sheer diversity and scope of the ideas so dazzlingly compressed into its two wildly contrasting tracks.
reviewed by Grahame Bent

Hiroshima (Sun Ra)

400. [297] Sun Ra All Stars

Stars that Shine Darkly /
Stars that Shine Darkly Volume 2

Sun Ra (p, syn, voc); Don Cherry (pocket tp); Eloe Omoe (cacl); Lester Bowie (tp); Marshall Allen (as, fl, ob, EVI); John Gilmore (ts, voc); Archie Shepp (ss); Richard Davis (b); Clifford Jarvis (d); Philly Joe Jones (d); Famoudou Don Moye (d, Sun Percussion).

Montreux, Switzerland,
between November 2 and 5, 1983

"Stars that Shine Darkly part 1" was first released in 1985 on Side A of the Saturn LP 10-11-85, Stars That Shine Darkly Volume 1.  This album has also been titled Hiroshima.  "Stars that Shine Darkly part 2" was first released in 1985 on Side B of the Saturn Gemini LP 9-1213-85, Stars that Shine Darkly Volume 2, also titled Outer Reach Intensity-Energy.  Mark Webber points out that there is also a hybrid Stars That Shine Darkly album with part 1 on Side A and part 2 on Side B.  Date and location from Ted Panken on a WKCR-FM broadcast.  Presence of Omoe noted by ct; Danny Ray Thompson confirms that Ra "augmented" the All-Stars on a couple of occasions.

Stars that Shine Darkly (Sun Ra All-Stars)

416. [298]  Sun Ra

Stars That Shine Darkly

Sum Ra (pipe org).

Atlanta, GA, 1984 or 1985

Hiroshima (Ra)
unidentified titles (unissued)

Saturn 10-11-85, Stars That Shine Darkly, was released in 1985.  It is sometimes titled Hiroshima.  "Hiroshima" appeared on Side B.  In the first edition of this discography [Earthly Recordings vol. 1], this piece was said to have been recorded on the same European tour as the All Stars material.  However, in a conversation with Peter Hinds on Feb. 14, 1986, Sun Ra alluded to the existence of additional material from this performance, as well as an unissued video by Danny Ray Thompson.  Peter Hinds refers to "the thing in Atlanta, Ga, with the organ."  According to John and Peter Hinds, the organ was located in a large theater in Atlanta.  The exact date is not known, but the Arkestra was in Atlanta on October 26, 1984 and again on January 1, 1985.

From The Earthly Recordings of Sun Ra 2nd ed.

 

 

Hiroshima
Art Yard Stereo LP 2007

1. Hiroshima   14:33
2. Stars that Shine Darkly   14:15

Files include a rip I received through the Sun Ra Trading Group
of Saturn 10-11-85 (1985)

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original post

2nd Chance: Sun Ra - Lanquidity (Acetate, LP, & CD) (1978)

Original LP Artwork (sold at Arkestra concerts)

For years Lanquidity (1978) was practically a myth - a thing of legends that Sun Ra collectors could only dream of one day hearing.  This changed when Evidence issued their HDCD-Remastered edition in 2000.  Since that time it has become recognized as one of Ra's most accessible and unique albums in a catalog of music that is seldom easily accessible but always unique.  This amazing album has found its way around the www more than a few times so to bring something special to you, I decided to offer 3 rips from three unique sources:  The Lanquidity Acetate, an LP rip from the 180g reissue, and the CD.  I hope you enjoy the opportunity to compare and contrast the sonic delights that each offers.

277. [223]  Sun Ra

Sun Ra (ARP, Fender Rhodes ep, Yamaha org, Hammond B3 org, Mini-Moog syn, p, orchestral bells, Crumar Mainman, voc); Eddie Gale (tp); Michael Ray (tp, flg); Marshall Allen (as, ob, fl); Danny Davis (as, fl); John Gilmore (ts); Danny Ray Thompson (bars, fl); Julian Pressley (bars); James Jacson (bsn, fl, ob, ethnic voice); Eloe Omoe (bcl, fl); Dale Williams (eg); Disco Kid (eg); Richard Williams (b, eb); Luqman Ali (d, perc); Atakatune (cga, tymp); Michael Anderson (perc); June Tyson (ethnic voice); Edde Tahmahs [Eddie Thomas] (ethnic voice).

Blank Tapes, NYC, July 17, 1978

Philly Jazz PJ 666, Lanquidity, was released in 1978.  All information from the album jacket.  Much overdubbing was used on this album.  According to Rick Barry of Philly Jazz, Ra requested that Omoe's name be listed as "Ego Omoe" on the jacket.  Dale Williams says that Disco Kid's first name was Greg; Disco Kid was responsible for the "straight" guitar playing, while Williams handled the wa-wa and other effects.

A test pressing for this LP was recently discovered by Gilbert Hsiao.  The matrix numbers are PJ1006A/B, and the date incised in the vinyl is 9/14/78.  Two tracks are somewhat different on the test pressing.   "Twin Stars of Thence" has another 10 seconds of guitar introduction with horns.  "That's How I Feel" contains another four minutes of music beyond the issued version, which fades after Ra's solo -- there is a baritone sax solo, perhaps by Danny Ray Thompson, and a return of the head.

According to Armin Büttner and Peter Roberts, "When Pathways Meet" was re-released in 1994 on Swiss Luv'n'Haight LH-010, a 12" 33-rpm maxi single.  A track by Viva Brazil is on the other side.  The same Ra track also appeared on a sampler LP/CD on the same label titled Brotherhood, LHLP/LHCD-018.

from The Earthly Recordings 2nd ed.

Unfortunately, I have virtually no other info whatsoever on the Acetate (the 'test pressing').  Our generous Anonymous reader offered this to me and of course I jumped at the chance to hear and share it.  He believes this rip is a generation or two removed from the original.  Perhaps it is actually the 'test pressing' mentioned above?  "Where Pathways Meet" was released on a 2010 compilation titled The Blank Generation: Blank Tapes NYC 1975-1987.

When Pathways Meet (Acetate Mix) from

The Blank Generation

Original Foil Cover

While one can't quite call it the Sun Ra dance album, this 1978 recording, made for a tiny Philadelphia record label, finds the Sun Ra Arkestra's rhythm section settling into a steady groove on each of the lengthy tracks, while horns, reeds, guitars, and Sun Ra's keyboards solo in overlapping patterns on top. The title number recalls Charles Mingus' "Goodbye Porkpie Hat" in its slow pace and elegiac tone, while the middle three tracks have livelier beats with playing that often answers to the style of fusion played by many jazz groups in the late '70s. "There Are Other Worlds (They Have Not Told You Of)," the nearly 11-minute concluding tune, is the closest to more familiar 1960s and early-'70s Sun Ra, with its less cohesive lead work and the "ethnic voices" that speak, sing, and whisper about outer space. Lanquidity was extremely rare in its original vinyl pressing. It was reissued by Evidence Music on September 26, 2000, with liner notes in which John Dilberto discussed Sun Ra's 25-year residence in Philadelphia and Tom Buchler, who organized the recording session, discussed the making of the album.

AMG review by William Ruhlmann

This 1978 session, coming relatively late in Sun Ra's creative history, is another extraordinary venture into uncharted musical terrain. As the name suggests, it's a liquid and languid musical state, from the lounge area of Ra's cosmos, but it can also be resiliently funky and subtly dissonant in ways unheard outside the orchestra's precincts. The rhythm section of electric bass, two guitars, and three drummers creates deep pulsing grooves for Sun Ra's assortment of ethereal organs and synthesizers and a horn complement of two trumpets and five reeds that are used sparingly for maximal effect. There are some elements of commercial crossover funk and even Miles Davis's electric period, but this is highly original music, an acid jazz prototype in which groove and electronica intersect with muted brass and a heady assortment of reeds and percussion. Sudden squiggles of funk guitar mix with strong improvisation from Sun Ra and his regular soloists, like saxophonists John Gilmore and Marshall Allen, who are always ready to bend the music into some new pitch zone. The lyrical title track bears a resemblance to Mingus's "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat," and "There Are Other Worlds" is supplemented by overdubbed "Ethnic Voices" and additional percussion and electronics, creating an eerily engaging tapestry. Recorded in a New York studio with the sound further improved by Evidence, this is unusually well recorded for Sun Ra music of the period, a warm bath in music both lush and exotic. Amazon Review by --Stuart Broomer

1978’s Lanquidity (now re-issued by Evidence) features a silver and purple cover image of Ra that begs the question: Has Sun Ra made a fusion album? This thought at first seems merely ridiculous, then after further consideration becomes a bit surreal, and then upon hearing becomes downright disturbing. As with any Ra project, a simple description such as “Ra does fusion” serves no justice in truly describing the actual music. Ra was a master at twisting known musical idioms into his idiosyncratic vision, and Lanquidity proves to be a stirring, mesmerizing example of this vision.

All of the tunes generally follow the same basic structure: the Arkestra riffs on dark, bluesy motifs; the bass and percussion create an interlocking, unchanging groove; and behind it all Ra, on piano and synthesizers, and the two guitarists (a rarely used instrument in Ra’s music), fill in the space with ethereal chords and disembodied riffs.

On the title track the Arkestra pieces together a creeping, mournful melody with shifting combinations of the two-trumpet and five-reed horn section. Against this, Ra plays wistful fragments on his Rhodes, while Richard Williams provides the glue with a sparse electric bass line. This funk-stuck-in-slow-motion points to an uncomfortable dread waiting below the surface.

The rhythm section opens “Twin Stars of Thence”, setting up a hypnotic, dragging pulse. Acoustic bass, guitar, traps and tympani lock in while Ra muses methodically on organ. The horns materialize out of nothingness and Gilmore weaves abstract blues lines into the mixture. A guitar solo, then the baritone saxophone takes a spare turn that lags behind the beat, while behind Ra incorporates lines from the guitarist’s solo into the background. Combined, these elements disorient and displace the listener. You feel as if this music should go down easy, but the candy coating turns out to be a sticky, unescapable molasses.

The Arkestra finally drags you where they want you on “There Are Other Worlds (they have not told you of)” A sleepy, barely noticeable hi-hat beats perpetually, soon joined by a low-register chorus of humming. Ra’s synthesizer and piano textures threaten to overtake the other instruments, pushing the piece toward disintegration. Towards the end the atmosphere ge s downright spooky, with breathy, whispering voices materializing, chanting the title over and over again. All the while flutes, then synthesizer, then dissonant piano chords, then saxophone swirl about, until they all dissipate like some phantom, leaving you wondering if what you just heard was really there at all.

On Lanquidity Ra turns the idea of disco and funk on its head: the repetitive beats, which usually make one feel like they know where the next step will land, instead leave one warily hanging on every moment. The music leads us in an unsettling direction, to a secret world where the lumbering grooves at first seduce with their simplicity, then intoxicate with their richness, until finally the darker sound textures overtake you and drop you in a place you had not imagined before.

 All About Jazz review by Matthew Wuethrich

Another foil cover

Sun Ra is one of the most challenging and innovative composers of the 20th century. He has a stupefyingly enormous discography, he espoused an enigmatic philosophy of cosmic proportions, and his music is often full of dense and unconventional sounds. Knowing where to start can be difficult, digesting his more experimental recordings even more so. For these reasons, and because of its once rare status, 1978's Lanquidity has long been among the most coveted Sun Ra records. It blends the Arkestra's characteristically obtuse performances and noisy tendencies with strong melodies, fat bass lines, and relatively straightforward rhythms. It's an excellent record for beginners and maybe the most accessible Sun Ra album ever recorded.

Because of previous encounters with Sun Ra's music, I was surprised by what I heard in the opening moments of Lanquidity. The title song features a plodding rhythm beat out by percussionist Michael Anderson, horn solos cool enough for an early Miles Davis record, and space enough to identify the many fractured tones that materialize around Richard Williams' weighty bass line. It is impressive that, with more than 14 Arkestra members on board, nearly every one of them gets the chance to speak up before the first song is out. Keyboards, synthesizer noise, oboe, flute, bassoon, and various horns (one of them played by Eddie Gale) take turns chattering or singing over the foundation of Anderson and Williams' somnambulistic rhythm section. The Arkestra's ingenious blending of simple rhythms and melodies with angular bursts of noise and interwoven phrases makes concentrating on the music's many complexities easier. The sometimes jarring juxtapositions of sax honking and squealing woodwinds are transformed into colorful, ecstatic, and pleasing expressions, like fireworks exploding over a familiar scene. And the often vibrant, strongly melodic solos are made that much more attractive by the atonal harmonies and contrasting elements that swirl throughout the song. Each musician plays off the other musician in such an effortless and easy-sounding way that I'm tempted to think Sun Ra notated each and every last note of the song, right down to the most nuanced dynamics. "Lanquidity" is a masterwork of arrangement and performance, and one of the best opening songs to an album that I've ever heard.

But things only get better from there. "Where Pathways Meet" is brisk and far more upbeat, almost danceable. Williams' bass, Sun Ra's piano, and a baritone sax combine to form a basic melodic pattern with a boastful, heavy swagger while a trio saxophones bluster a melody over it that swings so hard it rocks. Michael Anderson and second percussionist Artaukatune slam out a sample-worthy backbeat that is met by more blaring horns, a pair of dueling electric guitars, and a from-the-gut trumpet solo so emotive it outshines everything the Arkestra and both guitarists can pump out together. On each of the following songs, the same basic idea is employed: Sun Ra combines attractive and catchy melodies and rhythms with spaced out, often impressionistic instrumental voices that are more painterly than they are musical. It is astonishing that the Arkestra keeps this same basic formula compelling throughout the entire album. The rhythms, melodies, solos, and tapestry-like arrangements on each song are all memorable, layered, and exciting, and they've yet to get old, though I've played this record countless times in the last couple of months. Whether or not anyone could dance to this stuff, the music commands the body just as well as it commands the imagination, and I think that is one of the reasons it is so enduring.

"There Are Other Worlds (They Have Not Told You Of)" concludes the album in a more abstract and disjointed way. A constant rhythm section still leads the song, at least at first. But, Sun Ra adds more synthesizer, wandering piano, and atonality to the proceedings. Eventually, whispering voices are added to the mix, which speak of space, music, secret knowledge, and mysterious worlds beyond our own. From start to finish, the music becomes increasingly fractured, until it is broken down into primal piano and synthesizer utterances, like a radio communication received from afar. These final moments lead naturally into Sun Ra's more abstract and difficult music, as if the album were made to prepare listeners for what comes next, whether it be a record like Interstellar Low Ways or Heliocentric Worlds Vol. 2. My natural inclination once the album has finished is to put more Ra on and follow him further into the outer reaches of music.

For those curious about the man's music Lanquidity is an excellent place to begin. More than that, it's a stupendous album that marries Sun Ra's more adventurous ideas with a soulful and catchy sound anyone can appreciate.

Brainwashed.com review

Lanquidity (Acetate)

01 - Lanquidity   8:25
02 - Where Pathways Meet   6:36
03 - That's How I Feel   12:22
04 - Twin Stars of Thence   10:01
05 - There Are Other Worlds (They Have Not Told You Of)   9:29

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Lanquidity LP

01 - Lanquidity   8:19
02 - Where Pathways Meet   6:31
03 - That's How I Feel   8:01
04 - Twin Stars of Thence   9:32
05 - There Are Other Worlds (They Have Not Told You Of)   10:40

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Lanquidity CD

01 - Lanquidity   8:22
02 - Where Pathways Meet   6:33
03 - That's How I Feel   8:06
04 - Twin Stars of Thence   9:34
05 - There Are Other Worlds (They Have Not Told You Of)   10:57

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