2nd Chance: WHEN - Homage Series vol. 1: Sun Ra (2009)

I've heard more than a few mixes of Sun Ra's music and this one seems head and shoulders above many.  I don't know anything about 'When' or this release but it's surely a plunderifically joyous listen.

UPDATE!!  Thanks to Lucky for providing some info about When.  It is a project/band of musician, Lars Pedersen, of Norway.  Here is a Wiki page with some additional information.

Lars Pedersen (b. 1961, Oslo Norway) his father, Tore Pedersen, was a Norwegian musical composer. At an early age, the younger Pedersen performed with his four older sisters and old brother; they were often compared to the Jackson 5 and The Partridge Family, popular bands of the time. Being in the spotlight at a young age, Pedersen met Chuck Berry and other stars.

In the late 1970s Pedersen played in Hærverk, one of the first Norwegian punk bands, and later – as the 80's arrived – went on to form the band The Last James. The Last James explored The Beatles/Beach Boys sound, releasing three albums, The Last James, Grape, and Kindergarten. During the 1980s and early 90's, Pedersen was also a member of the experimental/new wave group Holy Toy, together with Andrej D. Nebb.

Spacebound

When
Homage Series Vol. 1: Sun Ra (2009)
Jester Records Norway Trick 044 [CD]

1.  The Angel Speaks   3:47
2.  Spacebound   3:18
3.  Venus   2:03
4.  The Cosmic Ray   2:36
5.  (Talking About) Nuclear War   3:27
6.  Celestial Travels   2:57
7.  Disco 2009   3:59
8.  Black Sky And Cosmic Rays   3:20
9.  China Gate Revisited   4:31
10. In This New Space Age   2:53
11. History Is History   4:40

-FLAC-

RS

HF

or

-320-

RS

HF

Sun Ra's Departure - Black Classical Compilation 2010

In April, 2010, Blackclassical began soliciting contributions towards 'The Sun Ra Project.'  The idea was to collect original recordings, original cover versions, and visual artwork from readers to be stirred into a monumental and fascinating 2-hour mix celebrating Sun Ra and marking the anniversary of his earthly departure.  The result of the collective efforts was originally presented as a webcast on Space Invader Radio on May 30, 2010.  Unfortunately, I miscalculated the difference between local and broadcast times (and missed 1/2 the show) and Blackclassical kindly send me the below.  Many Meni Amens & Thanks to BlackClassical for creating and sharing this Cosmo Alter Ra-recording. 

 MF or RS

The show:

RobD @NorthernComfort: I’ll wait for Sun Ra

BUG: Paradis Afrique (A Tribute To Sun Ra)

Seja Herói and BKCL: Spaceways at 125th & Lenox

I.H.C.: Space Probe

I.H.C.: Twilight at Rome

On Ka’a Davis: Festival of Strange Affinity

We’re Late for Class: Stanley’s Sun Ra Conga Line Experience

Tani Palefski : Along the Tiber

On Ka’a Davis: Return Send

I.H.C.: Lanquidity (Dub)

RAA: Intergalactic Racecar Driver

VDSO: Red Pyramid

UYA: I Let Him In

UYA: Carefree

Jimmy Ghaphery/Will Bryce: Theme of the Stargazers

Ratchet Orchestra: Love on a Faraway Planet

LA BRUHA DESI LA: Cosmic Wave

Joyful Noise Big Band: D.27-II/Life Is Splendid

I.H.C.: Space is the Place

Sun Ra Arrival Day Mix - Black Classical (2010)

Does anyone else remember and miss the amazing blog, Black Classical?  No one created mixtapes with such depth and diversity as these guys.  Of all the blogs that have disappeared over the last couple of years, this is one of a handful that I miss the most.

In May 2010, Black Classical presented this mix by Monohub who deftly blends both rare and familiar snippets of Arkestral performances into a fascinating long form composition.  I hope you enjoy his 2-hour tribute as we remember and celebrate the arrival of one of the world's great thinkers and musicians.

Many Thanks to Greg and Monohub of Black Classical for the original broadcast.

HF or RS

DJ Gmos - Sun Ra Mix - Amen Brother

DJ GMOS from Dublin put this mix together for Ra's birthday celebration back in May.  He also contributes at InfiniteStateMachine

Gmos - Sun Ra Mix by Amen Brother

1 Sun Ra - Sleeping Beauty
2 Sun Ra - Twin Stars Of Hence
3 Sun Ra - I'll Wait For You
4 Sun Ra - Where Pathways Meet
5 Sun Ra - On Jupiter
6 Sun Ra - Space Is The Place

Thanks to Ryan C for the reminder!

Doctor Auratheft (-) Sun Ra Mixtapes Part 6 (Bonus!)

 

Message To The Earth Man (From The Sun Man) Volume 10

Download -New Link!!
RS

1  Message (Intro)
2  Astro Black
3  New Day
4  One Day In Rome
5  Skylight
6  Jukin’
7  The Mystery Of Two
8  There Is A Change In The Air
9  Mayan Temple
10 Purple Night Blues
11 I Loves You, Porgy
12 I’m Gonna Unmask The Batman
13 I Am We Are
14 Message (Outro) 

This Mixtape has never been offered online before.  Siebe graciously submitted this for posting at Adventure-Equation; pretty nice, eh?

For a couple of years DJ, Historian and Philosopher, Siebe Thissen, who is currently the Public Art Director at Centre for The Arts Rotterdam and holds his PhD at Erasmus University Rotterdam, hosted a blog that many of you may remember as (-) Dr. Auratheft.  Among his many musical loves, Siebe has a long-time interest (infatuation?) in the music of our favorite Saturnian.  I've enjoyed his Sun Ra mixtures tremendously and with a friend's help was able to collect them all.  I contacted Siebe a couple of months ago and he very generously agreed to comb through his archives and upload 320k upgrades of his original 128k offerings for us to enjoy here at Adventure-Equation.  Incredibly, he even sent an unpublished Ra mixtape for posting here.

Siebe explained that he "started making Ra mixtapes in order to really understand his music as it is not very accessible at first listening. So the tapes are the result of a personal musical-anthropological journey. A lot of people people don't know where to start with Ra. It’s almost impossible to list a ‘best of series’ – you really have got to dig into Ra’s oeuvre.

So I started collecting albums (mainly records borrowed from friends,  CD's and MP3’s found on the web) and started listening carefully to them. Each time I enjoyed a particular track I separated it and stored it in a file. Over the years that file grew (and is still growing) and I started combining selections of tracks into mixtapes. There was an educational aspect: after my discovery of Ra, I wanted to show my circle of friends how amazing and incredible this heritage is and how relevant his music is today.

To update his sound,  I decided not to use the many anarchic-horn-blowing-chaos-tracks. No, I focused on composition instead. And I paid tribute to Ra’s smaller band recordings I like a lot. One of my favorite albums is "God Is More Than Love Ever Can Be" (piano, bass, drums) and I love his piano solo albums. Sun Ra is a mighty composer.

My mixes usually include four ‘Ra styles’: 1) songs, 2) open, slow, free jazz, ‘democratic’ group improvisations, 3) traditionals, 4) piano compositions. So yes, some styles are under represented, like Moog synthesizer improv's and loud group jams. As a fan I think they are interesting and belong to his omniverse, however, as an educator/podcast maker – sharing my love for music with others - I think they contribute less to his greatness."

"There's criticism too. Some people say it's wrong to leave out the noisy, free jazz "chaos parts", since as a listener you need that physical/psychological anxiety to really appreciate the tracks that appear after that noise. Only then you can really appreciate the emerging beauty, crawling out of the chaos and opening up your brain cells. I don't agree. I don't think it is necessary to consider each album a conceptual unity (that's why I never mention in the tracklist from which album a specific track was taken). I do not consider his albums "conceptual unities", however, his total oeuvre forms a unity. I think Ra gives us the freedom to create omniverses ourselves. He shows and sheds light on possible routes – consequently, we have to map our own routes and territories."

There are other folks who think you are not allowed to squeeze Ra into a "Greatest Hits" format. I agree. I never did. That's why I made 10 mixtapes!!! And they are not greatest hits, they are "new albums” – personal interpretations of Ra.  Anyway, no one made Sun Ra mixes before, so why shouldn't I give it try? Or better: I had to. The most beautiful thing is, this music is much more than an oeuvre, the guy represents the music of the 20th century. I consider him a genius."
 

Doctor Auratheft (-) Sun Ra Mixtapes Part 5

The Neverness Paradigm (Volume 8)

 

The Pharaonic Order Of Things (Volume 9)

download - New Link!!
RS

This is the fifth of five posts, each featuring two of  Dr. Auratheft's Sun Ra mixtapes.  Each mix is offered as 128k web stream and is downloadable at Siebe's AAC 320k upgrades (when available).  Clicking the title above each player will link to the appropriate page on Dr. Auratheft's blog.  Enjoy!

For a couple of years DJ, Historian and Philosopher, Siebe Thissen, who is currently the Public Art Director at Centre for The Arts Rotterdam and holds his PhD at Erasmus University Rotterdam, hosted a blog that many of you may remember as (-) Dr. Auratheft.  Among his many musical loves, Siebe has a long-time interest (infatuation?) in the music of our favorite Saturnian.  I've enjoyed his Sun Ra mixtures tremendously and with a friend's help was able to collect them all.  I contacted Siebe a couple of months ago and he very generously agreed to comb through his archives and upload 320k upgrades of his original 128k offerings for us to enjoy here at Adventure-Equation.  Incredibly, he even sent an unpublished Ra mixtape for posting here.

Siebe explained that he "started making Ra mixtapes in order to really understand his music as it is not very accessible at first listening. So the tapes are the result of a personal musical-anthropological journey. A lot of people people don't know where to start with Ra. It’s almost impossible to list a ‘best of series’ – you really have got to dig into Ra’s oeuvre.

So I started collecting albums (mainly records borrowed from friends,  CD's and MP3’s found on the web) and started listening carefully to them. Each time I enjoyed a particular track I separated it and stored it in a file. Over the years that file grew (and is still growing) and I started combining selections of tracks into mixtapes. There was an educational aspect: after my discovery of Ra, I wanted to show my circle of friends how amazing and incredible this heritage is and how relevant his music is today.

To update his sound,  I decided not to use the many anarchic-horn-blowing-chaos-tracks. No, I focused on composition instead. And I paid tribute to Ra’s smaller band recordings I like a lot. One of my favorite albums is "God Is More Than Love Ever Can Be" (piano, bass, drums) and I love his piano solo albums. Sun Ra is a mighty composer.

My mixes usually include four ‘Ra styles’: 1) songs, 2) open, slow, free jazz, ‘democratic’ group improvisations, 3) traditionals, 4) piano compositions. So yes, some styles are under represented, like Moog synthesizer improv's and loud group jams. As a fan I think they are interesting and belong to his omniverse, however, as an educator/podcast maker – sharing my love for music with others - I think they contribute less to his greatness."

"There's criticism too. Some people say it's wrong to leave out the noisy, free jazz "chaos parts", since as a listener you need that physical/psychological anxiety to really appreciate the tracks that appear after that noise. Only then you can really appreciate the emerging beauty, crawling out of the chaos and opening up your brain cells. I don't agree. I don't think it is necessary to consider each album a conceptual unity (that's why I never mention in the tracklist from which album a specific track was taken). I do not consider his albums "conceptual unities", however, his total oeuvre forms a unity. I think Ra gives us the freedom to create omniverses ourselves. He shows and sheds light on possible routes – consequently, we have to map our own routes and territories."

There are other folks who think you are not allowed to squeeze Ra into a "Greatest Hits" format. I agree. I never did. That's why I made 10 mixtapes!!! And they are not greatest hits, they are "new albums” – personal interpretations of Ra.  Anyway, no one made Sun Ra mixes before, so why shouldn't I give it try? Or better: I had to. The most beautiful thing is, this music is much more than an oeuvre, the guy represents the music of the 20th century. I consider him a genius."

Doctor Auratheft (-) Sun Ra Mixtapes Part 4

Bassism in Different Dimensions (Volume 6)

 

Discipline, Dreams and Dimes (Volume 7)

download - New Link!!
RS

 

This is the fourth of five posts, each featuring two of  Dr. Auratheft's Sun Ra mixtapes.  Each mix is offered as 128k web stream and is downloadable at Siebe's AAC 320k upgrades (when available).  Clicking the title above each player will link to the appropriate page on Dr. Auratheft's blog.  Enjoy!

For a couple of years DJ, Historian and Philosopher, Siebe Thissen, who is currently the Public Art Director at Centre for The Arts Rotterdam and holds his PhD at Erasmus University Rotterdam, hosted a blog that many of you may remember as (-) Dr. Auratheft.  Among his many musical loves, Siebe has a long-time interest (infatuation?) in the music of our favorite Saturnian.  I've enjoyed his Sun Ra mixtures tremendously and with a friend's help was able to collect them all.  I contacted Siebe a couple of months ago and he very generously agreed to comb through his archives and upload 320k upgrades of his original 128k offerings for us to enjoy here at Adventure-Equation.  Incredibly, he even sent an unpublished Ra mixtape for posting here.

Siebe explained that he "started making Ra mixtapes in order to really understand his music as it is not very accessible at first listening. So the tapes are the result of a personal musical-anthropological journey. A lot of people people don't know where to start with Ra. It’s almost impossible to list a ‘best of series’ – you really have got to dig into Ra’s oeuvre.

So I started collecting albums (mainly records borrowed from friends,  CD's and MP3’s found on the web) and started listening carefully to them. Each time I enjoyed a particular track I separated it and stored it in a file. Over the years that file grew (and is still growing) and I started combining selections of tracks into mixtapes. There was an educational aspect: after my discovery of Ra, I wanted to show my circle of friends how amazing and incredible this heritage is and how relevant his music is today.

To update his sound,  I decided not to use the many anarchic-horn-blowing-chaos-tracks. No, I focused on composition instead. And I paid tribute to Ra’s smaller band recordings I like a lot. One of my favorite albums is "God Is More Than Love Ever Can Be" (piano, bass, drums) and I love his piano solo albums. Sun Ra is a mighty composer.

My mixes usually include four ‘Ra styles’: 1) songs, 2) open, slow, free jazz, ‘democratic’ group improvisations, 3) traditionals, 4) piano compositions. So yes, some styles are under represented, like Moog synthesizer improv's and loud group jams. As a fan I think they are interesting and belong to his omniverse, however, as an educator/podcast maker – sharing my love for music with others - I think they contribute less to his greatness."

"There's criticism too. Some people say it's wrong to leave out the noisy, free jazz "chaos parts", since as a listener you need that physical/psychological anxiety to really appreciate the tracks that appear after that noise. Only then you can really appreciate the emerging beauty, crawling out of the chaos and opening up your brain cells. I don't agree. I don't think it is necessary to consider each album a conceptual unity (that's why I never mention in the tracklist from which album a specific track was taken). I do not consider his albums "conceptual unities", however, his total oeuvre forms a unity. I think Ra gives us the freedom to create omniverses ourselves. He shows and sheds light on possible routes – consequently, we have to map our own routes and territories."

There are other folks who think you are not allowed to squeeze Ra into a "Greatest Hits" format. I agree. I never did. That's why I made 10 mixtapes!!! And they are not greatest hits, they are "new albums” – personal interpretations of Ra.  Anyway, no one made Sun Ra mixes before, so why shouldn't I give it try? Or better: I had to. The most beautiful thing is, this music is much more than an oeuvre, the guy represents the music of the 20th century. I consider him a genius."

Doctor Auratheft (-) Sun Ra Mixtapes Part 3

Otherness (Heliocentric Style) (Volume 4)

 

Spiral Prism Rendez-vous (Volume 5)

download - New Link!!
RS

 

This is the third of five posts, each featuring two of  Dr. Auratheft's Sun Ra mixtapes.  Each mix is offered as 128k web stream and is downloadable at Siebe's AAC 320k upgrades (when available).  Clicking the title above each player will link to the appropriate page on Dr. Auratheft's blog.  Enjoy!

For a couple of years DJ, Historian and Philosopher, Siebe Thissen, who is currently the Public Art Director at Centre for The Arts Rotterdam and holds his PhD at Erasmus University Rotterdam, hosted a blog that many of you may remember as (-) Dr. Auratheft.  Among his many musical loves, Siebe has a long-time interest (infatuation?) in the music of our favorite Saturnian.  I've enjoyed his Sun Ra mixtures tremendously and with a friend's help was able to collect them all.  I contacted Siebe a couple of months ago and he very generously agreed to comb through his archives and upload 320k upgrades of his original 128k offerings for us to enjoy here at Adventure-Equation.  Incredibly, he even sent an unpublished Ra mixtape for posting here.

Siebe explained that he "started making Ra mixtapes in order to really understand his music as it is not very accessible at first listening. So the tapes are the result of a personal musical-anthropological journey. A lot of people people don't know where to start with Ra. It’s almost impossible to list a ‘best of series’ – you really have got to dig into Ra’s oeuvre.

So I started collecting albums (mainly records borrowed from friends,  CD's and MP3’s found on the web) and started listening carefully to them. Each time I enjoyed a particular track I separated it and stored it in a file. Over the years that file grew (and is still growing) and I started combining selections of tracks into mixtapes. There was an educational aspect: after my discovery of Ra, I wanted to show my circle of friends how amazing and incredible this heritage is and how relevant his music is today.

To update his sound,  I decided not to use the many anarchic-horn-blowing-chaos-tracks. No, I focused on composition instead. And I paid tribute to Ra’s smaller band recordings I like a lot. One of my favorite albums is "God Is More Than Love Ever Can Be" (piano, bass, drums) and I love his piano solo albums. Sun Ra is a mighty composer.

My mixes usually include four ‘Ra styles’: 1) songs, 2) open, slow, free jazz, ‘democratic’ group improvisations, 3) traditionals, 4) piano compositions. So yes, some styles are under represented, like Moog synthesizer improv's and loud group jams. As a fan I think they are interesting and belong to his omniverse, however, as an educator/podcast maker – sharing my love for music with others - I think they contribute less to his greatness."

"There's criticism too. Some people say it's wrong to leave out the noisy, free jazz "chaos parts", since as a listener you need that physical/psychological anxiety to really appreciate the tracks that appear after that noise. Only then you can really appreciate the emerging beauty, crawling out of the chaos and opening up your brain cells. I don't agree. I don't think it is necessary to consider each album a conceptual unity (that's why I never mention in the tracklist from which album a specific track was taken). I do not consider his albums "conceptual unities", however, his total oeuvre forms a unity. I think Ra gives us the freedom to create omniverses ourselves. He shows and sheds light on possible routes – consequently, we have to map our own routes and territories."

There are other folks who think you are not allowed to squeeze Ra into a "Greatest Hits" format. I agree. I never did. That's why I made 10 mixtapes!!! And they are not greatest hits, they are "new albums” – personal interpretations of Ra.  Anyway, no one made Sun Ra mixes before, so why shouldn't I give it try? Or better: I had to. The most beautiful thing is, this music is much more than an oeuvre, the guy represents the music of the 20th century. I consider him a genius."

Doctor Auratheft (-) Sun Ra Mixtapes Part 2

Friendly Galaxies (Volume 2)

Spontaneous Simplicity (Volume 3)

download - New Link!!
RS

 

This is the second of five posts, each featuring two of  Dr. Auratheft's Sun Ra mixtapes.  Each mix is offered as 128k web stream and is downloadable at Siebe's AAC 320k upgrades (when available).  Clicking the title above each player will link to the appropriate page on Dr. Auratheft's blog.  Enjoy!

For a couple of years DJ, Historian and Philosopher, Siebe Thissen, who is currently the Public Art Director at Centre for The Arts Rotterdam and holds his PhD at Erasmus University Rotterdam, hosted a blog that many of you may remember as (-) Dr. Auratheft.  Among his many musical loves, Siebe has a long-time interest (infatuation?) in the music of our favorite Saturnian.  I've enjoyed his Sun Ra mixtures tremendously and with a friend's help was able to collect them all.  I contacted Siebe a couple of months ago and he very generously agreed to comb through his archives and upload 320k upgrades of his original 128k offerings for us to enjoy here at Adventure-Equation.  Incredibly, he even sent an unpublished Ra mixtape for posting here.

Siebe explained that he "started making Ra mixtapes in order to really understand his music as it is not very accessible at first listening. So the tapes are the result of a personal musical-anthropological journey. A lot of people people don't know where to start with Ra. It’s almost impossible to list a ‘best of series’ – you really have got to dig into Ra’s oeuvre.

So I started collecting albums (mainly records borrowed from friends,  CD's and MP3’s found on the web) and started listening carefully to them. Each time I enjoyed a particular track I separated it and stored it in a file. Over the years that file grew (and is still growing) and I started combining selections of tracks into mixtapes. There was an educational aspect: after my discovery of Ra, I wanted to show my circle of friends how amazing and incredible this heritage is and how relevant his music is today.

To update his sound,  I decided not to use the many anarchic-horn-blowing-chaos-tracks. No, I focused on composition instead. And I paid tribute to Ra’s smaller band recordings I like a lot. One of my favorite albums is "God Is More Than Love Ever Can Be" (piano, bass, drums) and I love his piano solo albums. Sun Ra is a mighty composer.

My mixes usually include four ‘Ra styles’: 1) songs, 2) open, slow, free jazz, ‘democratic’ group improvisations, 3) traditionals, 4) piano compositions. So yes, some styles are under represented, like Moog synthesizer improv's and loud group jams. As a fan I think they are interesting and belong to his omniverse, however, as an educator/podcast maker – sharing my love for music with others - I think they contribute less to his greatness."

"There's criticism too. Some people say it's wrong to leave out the noisy, free jazz "chaos parts", since as a listener you need that physical/psychological anxiety to really appreciate the tracks that appear after that noise. Only then you can really appreciate the emerging beauty, crawling out of the chaos and opening up your brain cells. I don't agree. I don't think it is necessary to consider each album a conceptual unity (that's why I never mention in the tracklist from which album a specific track was taken). I do not consider his albums "conceptual unities", however, his total oeuvre forms a unity. I think Ra gives us the freedom to create omniverses ourselves. He shows and sheds light on possible routes – consequently, we have to map our own routes and territories."

There are other folks who think you are not allowed to squeeze Ra into a "Greatest Hits" format. I agree. I never did. That's why I made 10 mixtapes!!! And they are not greatest hits, they are "new albums” – personal interpretations of Ra.  Anyway, no one made Sun Ra mixes before, so why shouldn't I give it try? Or better: I had to. The most beautiful thing is, this music is much more than an oeuvre, the guy represents the music of the 20th century. I consider him a genius."

Doctor Auratheft (-) Sun Ra Mixtapes Part 1

For a couple of years DJ, Historian and Philosopher Siebe Thissen, who is currently the Public Art Director at Centre for The Arts Rotterdam and holds his PhD at Erasmus University Rotterdam, hosted a blog that many of you may remember as (-) Dr. Auratheft.  Among his many musical loves, Siebe has a long-time interest (infatuation?) in the music of our favorite Saturnian.  I've enjoyed his Sun Ra mixtures tremendously and with a friend's help was able to collect them all.  I contacted Siebe a couple of months ago and he very generously agreed to comb through his archives and upload 320k upgrades of his original 128k offerings for us to enjoy here at Adventure-Equation.  Incredibly, he even sent an unpublished Ra mixtape for posting here.

Siebe explained that he "started making Ra mixtapes in order to really understand his music as it is not very accessible at first listening. So the tapes are the result of a personal musical-anthropological journey. A lot of people people don't know where to start with Ra. It’s almost impossible to list a ‘best of series’ – you really have got to dig into Ra’s oeuvre.

So I started collecting albums (mainly records borrowed from friends,  CD's and MP3’s found on the web) and started listening carefully to them. Each time I enjoyed a particular track I separated it and stored it in a file. Over the years that file grew (and is still growing) and I started combining selections of tracks into mixtapes. There was an educational aspect: after my discovery of Ra, I wanted to show my circle of friends how amazing and incredible this heritage is and how relevant his music is today.

To update his sound,  I decided not to use the many anarchic-horn-blowing-chaos-tracks. No, I focused on composition instead. And I paid tribute to Ra’s smaller band recordings I like a lot. One of my favorite albums is "God Is More Than Love Ever Can Be" (piano, bass, drums) and I love his piano solo albums. Sun Ra is a mighty composer.

My mixes usually include four ‘Ra styles’: 1) songs, 2) open, slow, free jazz, ‘democratic’ group improvisations, 3) traditionals, 4) piano compositions. So yes, some styles are under represented, like Moog synthesizer improv's and loud group jams. As a fan I think they are interesting and belong to his omniverse, however, as an educator/podcast maker – sharing my love for music with others - I think they contribute less to his greatness."

"There's criticism too. Some people say it's wrong to leave out the noisy, free jazz "chaos parts", since as a listener you need that physical/psychological anxiety to really appreciate the tracks that appear after that noise. Only then you can really appreciate the emerging beauty, crawling out of the chaos and opening up your brain cells. I don't agree. I don't think it is necessary to consider each album a conceptual unity (that's why I never mention in the tracklist from which album a specific track was taken). I do not consider his albums "conceptual unities", however, his total oeuvre forms a unity. I think Ra gives us the freedom to create omniverses ourselves. He shows and sheds light on possible routes – consequently, we have to map our own routes and territories."

There are other folks who think you are not allowed to squeeze Ra into a "Greatest Hits" format. I agree. I never did. That's why I made 10 mixtapes!!! And they are not greatest hits, they are "new albums” – personal interpretations of Ra.  Anyway, no one made Sun Ra mixes before, so why shouldn't I give it try? Or better: I had to. The most beautiful thing is, this music is much more than an oeuvre, the guy represents the music of the 20th century. I consider him a genius."

This is the first of five posts, each featuring two of  Dr. Auratheft's Sun Ra mixtapes.  I plan on offering web streaming for each at 128k and downloads at Siebe's AAC 320k upgrades (if available).  Clicking the title above each player will link to the appropriate page on Dr. Auratheft's blog.  We will begin with Dr. Auratheft's mix of Sun Ra covers performed by a variety of artists, followed by Mixtape #1 titled "The Saturn Myth-Science Conspiracy."

Infected. Sun Ra Covers and Inspirations

The Saturn Myth-Science Conspiracy

download - New Link!!
RS