Sun Ra - Media Dream (1978)

Media Dream is a live recording of the Sun Ra Quartet, from January of 1978 in Italy (all the quartet recordings were done that month). It's a mostly free date, with "Constellation" and "Media Dreams" being the only tunes that seem to have been pre-composed (they are also the longest tracks on the album). The album starts with a keyboard showcase, with Ra supplying some super low tones along with some very queasy sounding organ. Then it's on to "Constellation" which has a great, really cheesy rhythm, courtesy of the Crumar Synthesizer/rhythm box, and excellent soloing from everyone, especially Gilmore. "Media Dreams" starts out really pretty, then gets progressively freakier. The rest of the tracks are basically soloing showcases for all the players.
AMG review by Sean Westergaard

 What is most notable about these live quartet recordings is how they transferred the Horo studio experiments to the stage. While he has been provided with decent pianos at these gigs, Sonny spends the bulk of his time with a variety of electronic keyboards, including a Moog synthesizer and a Crumar Mainmain organ. Media Dream opens up with “Saturn Research,” a three-minute blast of ominous, dissonant organ and synth, accompanied by dramatic drums and percussion—and Sonny is only just getting started. On “Constellation” (confusingly not the same composition found on Other Voices, Other Blues), Ra switches on the Mainman’s crude rhythm box, which plays a slowed-down cha-cha beat supplemented with a simple, synthesized bass line. Now, in anyone else’s hands, this would be unforgivably cheesy—yet Sonny somehow makes it work and the primitive Mainman organ gives these recordings a uniquely retro-futuristic feel. After a scribbly “Yera of the Sun” (whose Morse Code rhythms vaguely recall “Quest”), the Mainman gets another workout on “Media Dreams,” a thirteen minute tour de force. Starting out as a weirdly beautiful ballad form, with twittering organ, legato synth chords and all sorts of electronica effects, Michael Ray takes a long, warm-toned solo on trumpet, ably following Ra’s harmonic twists and turns. Then it devolves into Ra's wild, mad scientist display. At the ten-minute mark, John Gilmore comes in with a folk-like melody on tenor saxophone but just as Ra starts to heat things up again, the track quickly fades out. It sounds to me like this could have gone on forever.

Only the last two tracks on Media Dream... both feature Ra on acoustic piano. The curiously (mis)titled “Twigs at Twilight” is actually “Images,” but brutally edited, picking up about half-way through and beginning with Gilmore’s tenor solo. Although Gilmore takes many liberties with the tune, in retrospect, it is immediately recognizable as “Images.” Anyway, this is definitely another one of the all-time great Gilmore solos, not overly extended but still sublime. After a brief piano excursion and drum break, the track fades out before the return of the head, further obscuring its origins. Finally, “An Unbeknowneth Love” begins with rhapsodic piano and boom-chick trap-drumming from Luqman Ali – but someone (Gilmore?) is playing tympani, adding slippery and dramatic percussion effects: BOING! BOING! Ra gets into an aggressively dissonant, avant-garde mode before the drum solo, which fades out to end the album. Very interesting.

from NuVoid's Sun Ra Sunday review of Art Yard's 2-CD set Media Dreams

Twigs at Twilight

262. [215] Media Dream

Sun Ra (Crumar Mainman, keyb, org, p, voc); Michael Ray (tp, voc), John Gilmore (ts, timb, voc); Luqman Ali (d, voc).

Live in Italy, January 1978

The exact locations of the concerts are not known. 
Saturn LP 1978, Media Dream, was released in 1978.  It also has borne the title Saturn Research and the serial number 19783.  The matrix numbers are CMP 1978 C-A and CMP 1978 D-B.

The piece called "Constellation" here is completely different from the "Constellation" that was included in the previous entry (Other Voices, Other Blues).

from Campbell / Trent  The Earthly Recordings 2nd ed.

Sun Ra and his Arkestra
Media Dream (1978)
Recommended Records

1. Saturn Research   3:07
2. Constellation   13:33
3. Yera of the Sun   4:33
4. Media Dreams   13:36
5. Twigs at Twilight   7:20
6. An Unbeknowneth Love   4:37

Sun Ra - The Mystery of Being (3xLP) (2011)

 There have been several dodgy, grey-market reissues of the Horo records over the years and the latest is a vinyl-only box set, The Mystery of Being, released back in 2011 on the tiny French label, Klimt, which crams the two January 1978 double albums onto three LPs. Sound quality is actually pretty good – certainly better than my crackly needledrops—but at the same time, I suspect these are taken from vinyl sources and then (aggressively) de-noised. Moreover, the sides are excessively long, resulting in diminished dynamic range and susceptibility to noise. Sadly, one side of my copy has a nasty pressing flaw, which causes the stylus to skip—and they are now out-of-print, so it is not so easily replaceable. Bummer.

Although there are neither mastering credits nor any liner notes whatsoever, this set purports to present the music in chronological order, providing recording dates on the labels. According to them, the sessions occurred as follows:

Side One: January 2: My Favorite Things, Moon People, Rome at Twilight, When There is No Sun
Side Two: January 7: Sun Steps, Exactly Like You, Friend and Friendship
Side Three: January 8: The Horo, Sun Sky and Wind
Side Four: January 13: Springtime and Summer Idyll, Constellation
Sides Five and Six: January 2, 7, 8, 13: One Day in Rome, Bridge to the Ninth Dimension, Along the Tiber, Rebellion, The Mystery of Being

That makes some sort of sense until you get to the last disc, which could have been recorded on any one of those dates. Huh? This is less than helpful and just another indication of this set’s dubious provenance. I would guess that basic tracks for New Steps were recorded on January 2, with overdubbing taking place on January 7. Similarly, basic tracks for Other Voices, Other Blues likely took place on January 8, with overdubbing happening on January 13. That’s just a guess, but that would mirror the usual progression in a multi-track environment. Then again, such was a highly unusual practice for Sonny, so who knows how it went down? As with so much in the Sun Ra discography, not much can be known with certainty except that the music is fantastic.
(continue reading at NuVoid's Sun Ra Sunday)

And in Counterpoint:

Ra’s discography is so vast and daunting that at this point one needs to wonder how far down the dregs go. The answer can be found on this lifeless monstrosity of a release, a triple album representing his small ensemble recordings made in Italy circa January ’78. Conceptually, the album seems like a no brainer; you have the mythic Ra leading a remarkably small ensemble with right-hand sax master John Gilmore at his side, covering standards like “My Favorite Things” and “Exactly Like You”. The problem is two-fold. First, Ra picks perhaps the least flattering digital pre-80s tone on his keyboard heard thus far, leaving everything sounding just horribly flat and wonky. When it seems like only Gilmore can save the day, he’s mixed so freakishly loud that it’s nothing short of jarring. Many of the tracks are “ballads” and certainly not invoking the mood Gilmore was shooting for. Whoever was at the mixing board shoves him so far in front it almost makes one forget about the jittery failure of Ra’s choice in dynamic for the arrangements. If one seeks Ra and Gilmore tackling standards they do so with remarkable success on the Sun Sound Pleasure LP that can be purchased for less than the cost of a 3-D movie rather than break the bank on this expensive, ugly set, (which features no notes, pictures or information).  A release that only a Frenchman could enjoy, The Mystery of Being is perhaps the least necessary release in Ra’s bloated discography. Steer Clear!
online review from Swingset Magazine

Sun Ra Quartet
The Mystery Of Being
(3-LP Box Set)
Klimt MJJ316 (2011)

1.  My Favorite Things   8:11
2.  Moon People   7:43
3.  Rome At Twilight   5:06
4.  When There Is No Sun   4:37
5.  Sun Steps   11:29
6.  Exactly Like You   6:01
7.  Friend And Friendship   6:48
8.  The Horo   15:23
9.  Sun, Sky, And Wind   7:28
10. Springtime And Summer Idyll   13:25
11. Constellation   9:16
12. One Day In Rome   5:25
13. Bridge On The Ninth Dimension   13:50
14. Along The Tiber   4:03
15. Rebellion   12:18
16. The Mystery Of Being   10:20

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2nd Chance: Sun Ra - Live in Paris at the "Gibus" (1975)

I believe most everyone agrees that this is an absolutely amazing album - stunning performances and great sound.

 Sun Ra (organ/electric vibraphone/space instruments/synthesizer/vocals) and his Intergalactic Space Research Arkestra are captured live in October of 1973 on this essential disc.  Not only are the sides uniformly inspired, but the track list bears a few interesting diversions, including seminal examples of Ra as both a performer and unequaled arranger. The mid-tempo dreamy and languid opener, "Spontaneous Simplicity," evolves around Ra's sublime organ and electric vibe runs. He places those against an unforced and otherwise limber wash of hand percussion as well as the understated yet solid pulse of Ronnie Boykins' bass. Ra's emphatic electric organ inflections herald the introduction to what is arguably the most haunting and poignant reading of "Lights on a Satellite" readily available. The flute section -- featuring Marshall Allen (alto sax/oboe/flute/piccolo), Danny Davis (alto sax/flute/alto clarinet), Danny Ray Thompson (baritone sax/flute), James Jacson (bassoon/flute/percussion), and Eloe Omoe (bass clarinet/flute) -- reel an edgy and trance-inducing melody into their sinuous lines. The entire affair simmers just below some glistens from Ra and a sax solo by John Gilmore (tenor sax/percussion). "Ombre Monde" (aka "Shadow World") dates back to the mid-'60s and allows Allen a platform for an extended lead that is sonically spurred on by Ra's motivated electric piano. Akh Tal Ebah's trumpet aggressions also make this version stand out. The truly phenomenal cover of Jelly Roll Morton's "King Porter Stomp" is a progressive score that builds on work done by Fletcher Henderson's definitive version. The Arkestra's compact presentation is stunning and Ra's complex score makes this flawless rendering all the more improbable. The bandleader offers up a vocal cosmic greeting on "Salutations From the Universe" which is swirled in an onslaught from the full ensemble. Ra's forceful keyboards are countered by some sharp and incisive contributions from the Arkestra. This segues into the benedictory "Calling Planet Earth" chant that is free jazz madness at its most effective. June Tyson's (vocals) voice can be picked out among the participants before Ra's brief solo conclusion. Although initially only pressed as a hard-to-find French import, Live in Paris at the Gibus was issued on CD in 2003 and is a highly recommended title for inclined parties.
AMG Review by Lindsay Planer

Sun Ra: Live In Paris at the “Gibus” (Atlantic—France/Universe CD)

Unlike the previous European tour (an extended sojourn which ranged widely across the continent, culminating in an impromptu trip to Egypt), the 1973 visit seems to have consisted of barely a handful of gigs in and around Paris. Also unlike the well-documented 1971 excursion, there were no high-profile radio broadcasts and very few amateur recordings survive. The tour likely began with the ill-fated Fête de l’Humanité at the end of September (possibly found on Transparency’s Lost Reel Collection Vol.5) and while Prof. Campbell mentions a 180-minute audience tape from the Nancy Jazz Festival on October 14, that’s about it (p.203) (and I haven't heard this tape). Otherwise, it seems the Arkestra settled into a multi-night stand at the famed Gibus Discotèque in Paris until their return to the states sometime in mid-to-late-October. Fortunately, the French division of Atlantic Records recorded a portion of this gig and released it as Live In Paris at the “Gibus” (Atlantic 40540) in 1975—but only in France (Id.). It remained an obscure collector’s item until 2003, when the Italian Comet label reissued it on CD on their Universe imprint in a deluxe, gatefold mini-LP package with excellent sound quality. Finally! This is one of the essential Sun Ra albums: an impeccable performance, well-recorded, documenting a crucial period in the Arkestra’s development.

It helps that the repertoire and sequencing is particularly inspired, possibly assembled by Sonny himself from several night’s recordings (he was, after all, a master of the razor blade and splicing tape). Who knows?—the liner notes are deliberately vague. The album begins with two of Ra’s most whimsically captivating compositions, both of which had been out of the setlists for a while and are now radically rearranged. “Spontaneous Simplicity” dispenses with the horn statements altogether and becomes a feature for Ra’s chiming organ and the “space-rhumba” groove is a bit looser, with Boykins leaning heavily on the riff. Suddenly, Ra goes into a frenetic double-time feel but the rhythm section keeps right with him to the end. An interesting re-imagining of this piece. The beautiful and tranquil “Lights On a Satellite” which follows is intricately through-composed, from the flute and trumpet harmonizations right down to the arco bass pedals and pitter-pattering percussion figures—and it is taken at a glacially slow tempo. The Arkestra sounds a little restrained but they deliver a note-perfect performance of this chamber-jazz masterpiece, one of my very favorite Sun Ra compositions.

A deft edit (indicative of Sun Ra’s hand) puts us smack in the middle of “The Shadow World” (mysteriously re-titled “Ombre Monde #2”), with Danny Ray Thompson’s baritone sax riffing just tailing off. John Gilmore comes in with another spine-tingling tenor solo, made all the more intense by Sun Ra’s insistently busy organ figuration. Kwami Hadi then solos on trumpet, easily holding his own against the rumbling thunderclouds and lightning flashes of electric organ but Sonny finally takes over with an apocalyptic fury before another surgically precise edit dramatically brings the track to an end. Wow! It would be nice to have the whole thing, but this is a powerfully edited fragment that stands alone as a coherent piece of music. Whether constructed by Ra or unknown French engineers, this is a bravura bit of record making.

(Continue reading at NuVoid: Sun Ra Sunday Album Review)

211. [185]  Sun Ra and his Intergalactic Research Arkestra

Live at the Gibus

Sun Ra (p, org, e-vib, space instruments, Mini-Moog syn, voc); Akh Tal Ebah (tp, flg); Kwame Hadi (tp, flg); Marshall Allen (as, fl, ob, picc, perc); Danny Davis (as, fl, acl); John Gilmore (ts, d); Danny Ray Thompson (bars, fl, perc); James Jacson (bsn, fl, Inf-d); Eloe Omoe (bcl, fl, perc); Ronnie Boykins (b); Alzo Wright (clo, vla, perc); Thomas Hunter (d); Odun [Russell Branch] (perc, cga); Roger Aralamon Hazoumé (perc, balafon, dance); Shahib (perc, cga); Math Samba (perc, dance); June Tyson (voc, dance); Space Ethnic Voices: Judith Holton, Cheryl Banks, Ruth Wright (voc, dance).

The Gibus, Paris, October 1973

Spontaneous Simplicity (RA)
Lights on a Satellite (Ra)
Ombre Monde #2 [The Shadow World] (Ra)
King Porter Stomp (Morton)
Salutation from the Universe (Ra) [Mini-Moog only]
Calling Planet Earth (Ra) [ens voc]

All tracks on Atlantic 40540, Live at the Gibus, which was released in 1975 in France only (release date from Geerken and Hefele).  Information from the jacket.
from Campbell / Trent  The Earthly Recordings 2nd ed.

Sun Ra L'Intergalactic Research Arkestra
Live in Paris at the "Gibus"
Universe UV 079 (1975) LP

1. A1 Spontaneous Simplicity   4:02

2. A2 Lights on a Satellite   5:30

3. A3 Ombre Monde #2   12:13

4. B1 King Porter Stomp   2:53

5. B2 Salutations from the Universe   14:50

6. B3 Calling Planet Earth   1:30

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Sun Ra L'Intergalactic Research Arkestra

Live in Paris at the "Gibus"

(Atlantic—France/Universe CD)

 

 1. Spontaneous Simplicity     4:05 

2. Lights On A Satellite     5:32 

3. Ombre Monde #2     12:18 

4. King Porter Stomp     2:53 

5. Salutations From The Universe     14:55 

6. Calling Planet Earth     1:29

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2nd Chance: Sun Ra - Out Beyond the Kingdom Of (1974)

By 1974, the Impulse! deal was starting to bear fruit, with almost a dozen LPs coming out during the course of the year, including several reissues from the old Saturn catalog. In addition, the Saturn label had been resurrected and new releases were being pressed in tiny editions for sale at gigs and at select record stores. Given the fact that all this product was suddenly flooding the marketplace, it is not surprising very few new recordings were made during the year. Much like 1973, 1974 is rather sparsely documented (relatively speaking), but most of what’s there is worth a listen.

In Feburary, shortly before Sonny’s sixtieth birthday, the Arkestra travelled to Mexico for an extended tour at the invitation of the Ministry of Culture—an invitation which dated back to the Fête de l’Humanité fiasco in September 1973, where Sun Ra’s music quelled a near riot and allowed for a triumphant performance of Ballet Folklórico de Mexico. While the musicians were given “plush accommodations,” by the grateful Mexican government, the musician’s union protested and prohibited them from performing—as musicians. The Actors Union interceded and the shows went on as “Sun Ra and His Cosmo Drama.” Szwed writes: “Sun Ra told the band that an earthquake would even the score, and later it was said that the Union’s office building had been leveled [in 1985]” (p.338). The Arkestra stayed in Mexico two or three months, playing two concerts at the Pallacio de Bellas Artes, a two-week stand at the Teatro Hidalgo, as well as concerts at Chapultepec Park (“where they played on a little island while people rowed around them in boats”) (Id.), the University of Mexico, and in front of the Pyramid of the Sun at Teotihuacán. The Arkestra also appeared on TV in Mexico City on Siempre en Domingo, “a variety show rather like Ed Sullivan’s” (Campbell & Trent, p.206). According to Francisco “Ali” Mora, a Mexican drummer who joined the band during the tour, concert tapes probably exist (Id.) but no recordings have surfaced to date.

On June 16, the Arkestra performed at Hunter College in New York City and the concert was recorded, possibly by the college itself (the sound quality is remarkably good). Portions were compiled by Ra for release as Out Beyond The Kingdom Of (Saturn 61674) later in the year (although some copies are titled Discipline 99) (Id.). The first thing you notice is the school has provided Sonny with a decent grand piano, and he relishes in the opportunity to tickle the ivories. “Discipline 99” is given a stately, confident reading by the band and features a long piano solo, alternating pretty harmonies with flurries of dissonant tone clusters. The following medley of old standards (an impossibly romantic ballad, “How Am I To Know?” and the up-tempo, “(Keep Your) Sunnyside Up”) allows Ra to show off his inimitable, inside/outside comping skills behind John Gilmore’s big-hearted, languorously swinging tenor solos. “How Am I To Know?” is a thing of rare beauty and the presence of Ronnie Boykins on bass and Clifford Jarvis on trap drums gives new life and humor to the old-fashioned rhythms of “(Keep Your) Sunnyside Up.” Good stuff!—and a harbinger of things to come: a mini-set of jazz standards would increasingly become a fixture of the Arkestra’s live sets as the ‘70s rolled on.

Side two shifts gears, with an emphasis on space chants and ensemble freak-outs and is, frankly, a lot less interesting to my jaded ears. But to be fair, this record must be considered in context, as a historical artifact. An obsessive collector in the year 2011 will have heard these routines many times before, but in 1974, live recordings were scarce. Sonny was shrewdly filling the gap, documenting the Arkestra’s current show for eager fans. Considered in that light, Out Beyond The Kingdom Of was exactly what it needed to be: a souvenir you could take home with you from the Cosmo Drama. As such, side two is fun, with June Tyson and Ankh Tal Ebah at their soulful, hortatory best and Boykins and Jarvis keep things grooving nicely. The highlight is “Cosmos Synthesis,” a wild group improvisation for horns and free-bashing rhythm section which stays heavy longer than usual. But Sun Ra himself is inaudible for most of the side until the very end of “Journey To Saturn,” when some spooky organ chords fade up and fade down.

(continue reading at NuVoid's Sun Ra Sunday)

215. [188]  Sun Ra and his Outer Space Arkestra

Out Beyond the Kingdom Of

Sun Ra (p, org, Mini-Moog syn, recitation); Akh Tal Ebah (tp, flg, mell, voc); Kwame Hadi (tp, perc); Marshall Allen (as, fl, picc, ob, perc); Dany Davis (as, fl, acl, perc); John Gilmore (ts, perc, voc); Danny Ray Thompson (brs, fl, libf, perc); Pat Patrick (bars, eb); James Jacson (bsn, Inf-d, voc); Ronnie Boykins (b); Clifford Jarvis (d); unidentified (d); June Tyson (voc, dance).

Hunter College, NYC, June 16, 1974

1st set:
unidentified improvisation [freakout ens; d]    audience tape 1
Outer Space (Is Such a Pleasant Place) (Ra)
[JT voc]
Astro Black (Ra) [JT voc]
Tapestry from an Asteroid (Ra) [JT voc]
untitled improvisation [freakout ens; Allen, as]
Discipline 27 (Ra)
untitled improvisation [syn; ens]
Enlightenment (Dotson-Ra) [JG, JT voc]
Love in Outer Space (Ra)
The Satellites Are Spinning (Ra) [JT, ATE, ens voc]
The Shadow World (Ra) [inc]

2nd set:
Solar Ship (Ra)                   
unidentified title [Gilmore, ts,
with p accompaniment; inc]
What Planet Is This? (Ra) [SR, ATE, ens voc]
Discipline 27-II (Ra) [dirge tempo] /
I Roam the Cosmos (Ra) [SR, JT, ens voc]
If You're the Truth, You're a Bad Truth (Ra) /
Right Road, Wrong Direction (Ra) /
Take Me to Your Leader (Ra) /
This Is Not Life (Ra) /
I Use Planets for Stepping Stones (Ra) /
Where'd You Come From? (Ra) /
Immeasurable (Ra) [SR, JT, ens voc] /
Out Beyond the Kingdom Of (Ra)
[SR, JT, ATE declamation;
incl. You've Lost Your Right and
It's After the End of the World]
Cosmos Synthesis (Ra) /
Outer Space Employment Agency (Ra)
[SR, JT, ATE voc] /
Why Go to the Moon? (Ra) [SR, ATE, JT voc] /
Neptune (Ra) [JT, ens voc; inc]
Journey to Saturn (Ra) [JT, ens voc]
Rocket Number Nine (Ra) [ens voc] /
Second Stop is Jupiter (Ra) [ens voc]
Angels and Demons at Play (Boykins-Allen)
[inc]
How Am I to Know? (King-Parker)
(Keep Your) Sunnyside Up (DeSylva-Brown)
unidentified title (Ra)
[bars riff; p; ts; Hadi, tp]
Sun Ra and his Band from Outer Space (Ra)
[ens voc]
closing announcement       

Saturn LP 61674, Out Beyond the Kingdom Of, was released on the Philadelphia label in 1974.  Some copies are titled Discipline 99.  Location courtesy of Glenn Jones.

At least three different Saturn labels were used on Out Beyond the Kingdom Of.  There is a Purplish Chicago Saturn label with a 1974 copyright date; these were sold in a generic "Acropolis" cover (Peter Roberts).  There is a  photocopied Chicago label (black on white) with typed-in titles; on this label, "Outer Space Employment Agency" has been truncated to "Outer Space Em."  These recycled Chicago labels are probably of Philadelphia origin!  In later years the prevailing label was a yellow Philadelphia with titles typed in a script typeface (see Geerken and Hefele's book for photos of the second and third labels).

There is a 95-minute audience tape that includes most of the first set, then (as we now realize) jumps to the end of the second set.  This is referred to as "tape 1" above.  A second audience tape ("tape 2"; this one is 105 minutes long and was obviously taped by a different person) was brought to our attention by Roy Morris after the first edition was published.  It reveals that "Angels and Demons at Play" through "Sun Ra and his Band from Outer Space" come from the end of the second set, not the first set.

"Solar Ship" was the introduction to the second set (it includes the emcee announcing the band's reappearance), but, as it appears only on the Saturn release, our placement of the untitled number and "Discipline 99" immediately after it, at the beginning of the second set, is somewhat conjectural.  They could have been from the end of the first set.  By contrast, the long sequence that begins with "What Planet Is This?" and "Discipline 27-II" is material that was almost always used at the beginning of a set.

Tape 2 shows that "Cosmos Synthesis" was edited on the Saturn release.  Both tapes reveal that "(Keep Your) Sunnyside Up" was faded at the end of John Gilmore's solo (solos by Kwame Hadi, Pat Patrick, Ra on piano, and Ronnie Boykins, plus the final ensemble, were cut, probably because Hadi was off-mike during his solo).  We previously identified the baritone sax soloist on this number as Charles Davis, but the electric bass line on "Angels and Demons" would indicate Pat Patrick.  A long, bowed bass solo on "Discipline 27" is the work of Ronnie Boykins, and Danny Thompson can be heard on the Neptunian libflecto during "The Shadow World."  A second trap drummer is audible on "Angels and Demons."  All unissued titles identified by rlc and ct; personnel rlc and ct.

"Angels and Demons at Play" (an arrangement called "Pre-Egyptian March" at several other points in the first edition) was incorrectly identified in the first edition as "Watusi."  Thanks to Ahmed Abdullah for correcting us.

from Campbell / Trent  The Earthly Recordings 2nd ed.

Sun Ra and his Outer Space Arkestra
Out Beyond the Kingdom Of
(Discipline 99)
Saturn 61674 (1974)

1. Discipline 99   12:12
2. How Am I to Know? - Sunnyside Up   9:35
3. Solar Ship   1:50
4. Out Beyond the Kingdom Of ...   4:32
5. Cosmos Synthesis   5:40
6. Outer Space Employment Agency   4:27
7. Journey to Saturn   10:26

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Many Thanks to Paul W for sharing his rip of this rare album.

2nd Chance: Sun Ra - Song of the Stargazers (1979?)

Song of the Stargazers (Saturn 487 or sometimes 6161) was released in 1979 and is mostly a hodgepodge of various live recordings from the nineteen-seventies. But one track was obviously recorded much earlier, probably in 1967 or 1968, according to Prof. Campbell. Performed in a large, reverberant space in front of a sizable and enthusiastic audience, “Cosmo Dance” is an interesting quasi-modal composition featuring some evocative flute and oboe. Clacking wooden sticks set up a simple, repetitious rhythm with Boykins's bass and Pat Patrick’s “space lute” plucking out a droning three-note groove. Low horns and bowed bass enter with convulsively heaving whole-note fourths while flute and oboe and bass clarinet dance a medieval round. Flute and then oboe embark on expansive, Middle-Eastern sounding solos over the clacking sticks and throbbing bass/space lute, the audience bursting into spirited applause after each. Finally, the low horn/bowed bass whole-note fourths return, repeating several times before ending to more justifiably hearty ovation. Ra himself is not heard playing on this track, but the murky sound quality makes it hard to clearly make out who is doing what. Campbell says Marshall Allen is playing both flute and oboe, but that is impossible since both instruments are heard simultaneously during the ensemble section. So, is it Danny Davis on flute? It certainly sounds like him. There is also some talking barely audible throughout – is that Sun Ra lecturing the crowd or just random audience noise? In any event, this is a beautiful, prototypical Sun Ra composition of the period, perfectly realized by his Arkestra.
from NuVoid's Sun Ra Sunday (July 26, 2009)


135. [229d]  Sun Ra and his Arkestra

Song of the Stargazers

Marshall Allen (fl, ob); Robert Cummings (bcl); Pat Patrick (space lute); Ronnie Boykins (b); poss. John Gilmore (perc); unidentified (perc).

Live, 1967 or 1968

Cosmo Dance (Ra)

This is a late 1960s number; the bass clarinetist is not Eloe Omoe!  Personnel identified by rlc and Larry Nai.

Saturn LP 487, Song of the Stargazers, was the last new Saturn release on the Chicago label.  It was issued before 1981, most likely in 1979.  Some copies bear the serial number 6161 (NMY).  Mark Webber calls it a "mystery album."

289. [229]  Sun R and his Arkestra

Song of the Stargazers

Sun Ra (p, syn, org); prob. Michael Ray (tp); unidentified (tp); Craig Harris (tb); Tyrone Hill (tb -1); poss Vincent Chancey (Fr hn); Marshall Allen (as, fl, ob, picc, perc); Danny Davis (as, perc); John Gilmore (ts, perc); Eloe Omoe (bcl); Danny Ray Thompson (bars, perc); James Jacson (bsn, Inf-d); Damon Choice (vib); prob. Dale Williams (eg); poss. Luqman Ali [Edward Skinner] (d); unidentified (d); unidentified (cga); unidentified (sticks).

Live, 1979

The Others in Their World (Ra)
Galactic Synthesis (Ra) -1

…The only known copies of the LP are in Europe: "Maybe Saturn produced it in a very limited edition and they sold it while touring through Europe" (Geerken).  And all known copies are defective; Julien Vein says that the LP may have been mastered on only one stereo channel.

These particular items seem to be from the same live concert, and are similar in sound and conception to the free improvisations on the Soundscape sessions from November 1979.

The first discographical listing came from Tilman Stahl, who apparently took the misleading title "The Others in Their World" (which is not the 1960 composition) and the serial number 6161 to indicate that the album was recorded in Chicago in 1961!  Geerken and Hefele place the album in the late '60s and claim a 1970 release date.  The label, however, is a rather tattered El Saturn that was characteristic of the last Chicago pressings in the late 1970s.

290. [229a]  Sun Ra and his Arkestra

Song of the Star Gazers

Sun Ra (p.)

Studio recording, unknown date

Somewhere Out (Ra)

This rather unusual solo piano piece could have been recorded anywhere between the mid-1960s and the late 1970s.  No further information is available.

291. [229b]  Sun Ra and his Arkestra

Song of the Stargazers

Sun Ra (p.); unidentified (eg); unidentified (b); unidentified (perc).

Live, mid-1970s

Distant Stars (Ra)

This fragment from a live concert has a mid-1970s feel to it.  There is no connection with the 1960 or 1961 composition called "Distant Stars."

292. [229c]  Sun Ra and his Arkestra

Song of the Stargazers

poss. Atakatune [Stanley Morgan] (perc, voc); poss. Odun [Russell Branch] (perc, voc); poss. Chiea (perc, voc -1).

Studio recording, prob. 1970s

Duo (Ra)
Seven Points (Ra) -1 [ens voc]

These two numbers feature the same percussionists, playing in a manner that is unusual for Arkestra members.  On "Seven Points" they contribute some vocalizing as well.  "Seven Points" as a title is reminiscent of "The Place of Five Points," which was recorded in 1979.  If the percussionists are in fact Atakatune, Odun, and Chiea, a recording date in 1972 or 1973 is most likely.
from Campbell / Trent  The Earthly Recordings 2nd ed.

Duo

Sun Ra and his Arkestra
Song of the Stargazers
Saturn 487 or 6161 (unknown year, poss. 1979 - 1980)

1. The Others In Their World   10:14
2. Somewhere Out   4:40
3. Distant Stars   1:01
4. Duo   3:04
5. Seven Points   4:49
6. Cosmo Dance   6:31
7. Galactic Synthesis   9:52

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2nd Chance: Sun Ra - Strange Strings (1967)

  
Recorded NYC 1966-1967 

Strange Strings is one of the most obscure and downright weird recordings in all of Sun Ra’s immense (and weird) discography. By 1966, Ra had acquired a selection of odd stringed instruments – ukuleles, kotos, zithers, etc. – to be played exclusively here by members of the Arkestra. That the musicians did not how to play them was the whole point, it was, according to Ra, “a study in ignorance.” Structurally, the music builds on the kind of conducted-improvisation found on The Magic City (1965) (Evidence CD), but the unfamiliar instruments create a truly otherworldly din. Homemade metallic instruments clatter and thrum while strings are plucked, bowed, struck and scraped; sometimes drums and tympani pound ominously. Thick reverb saturates or, at other times, dries up the acoustic, creating shifting and distorted sonic perspectives. Sounding more like Iannis Xenakis than Fletcher Henderson, this stuff is definitely not for the faint of heart! The bonus track, “Door Squeak” features Sun Ra on, yes, a loudly squeaking door (which actually sounds very much like the MiniMoog, which he would take up years later) while more strange strings chatter in the background. Detailed liner notes by Hal Rammel and super deluxe packaging make this CD a must have for the connoisseur of Sun Ra’s furthest interplanetary journeys.

from NuVoid's Sun Ra Sunday blog

Door Squeak

Strange Strings is a somewhat legendary album from the mid-'60s. "Worlds Approaching" is a great tune, anchored by a bass ostinato and timpani and featuring several fantastic solos, including Marshall Allen on oboe, Robert Cummings on bass clarinet, John Gilmore on tenor, and Sun Ra on electric piano. Off and on throughout the tune, Bugs Hunter applies near-lethal doses of reverb, giving the piece a very odd but interesting sound. "Strange Strings" is one of those songs that is likely to inspire some sort of "you call that music?" comment from your grandmother, or even from open-minded friends. It sounds like they raided the local pawnshop for anything with strings on it, then passed them out to the bandmembers. It's difficult to tell if some of these instruments have been prepared in some way, or if they're simply being played by untutored hands. There are also lots of drums and some viola playing from Ronnie Boykins that is also treated heavily with reverb. Despite the cacophony, there is a definite ebb and flow to the piece and what seem like different movements or themes. Whatever you think of the music contained, there's no denying that it produced some of the most remarkable sounds of the mid-'60s. If you don't like "out," stay clear of this one. [Atavistic reissued the album in 2009.]

AMG Review by Sean Westergaard

Click to enlarge

123. [109] Sun Ra and his Astro-Infinity Arkestra

Sun Ra (Wurlitzer ep, perc); Ali Hassan (tb); Marshall Allen (as, ob); Danny Davis (as, fl); John Gilmore (ts); Pat Patrick (bars, fl); Robert Cummings (bcl); Ronnie Boykins (b); Clifford Jarvis (d, tymp); James Jacson (log drum, perc).

Rehearsal, New York City, around 1966

Worlds Approaching (Ra)

Poor recording quality indicates a different session from the rest of the Strange Strings album.  This session could have been made a year or two earlier than the rest of the album.

Worlds Approaching

124. [110] Marshall Allen (strings); Danny Davis (strings); John Gilmore (strings); Pat Patrick (strings); Robert Cummings (strings); Ali Hassan (strings); Carl Nimrod (strings, perc); Ronnie Boykins (b, vla, dutar); Sun Ra (lightning drum, tymp); James Jacson (log drums); Clifford Jarvis (tymp, perc); Art Jenkins [Thlan Aldridge] (strings, space voice).

Rehearsal, New York City, late 1966

Strange Strings (Ra)
Strange Strings (Ra) (cont.)

Thoth Intergalactic KH-5472, Strange Strings, was issued in 1967 (it is described by Tam Fiori in the January 1968 issue of Jazz and Pop).  It also circulated under the catalog number 502.  "Strange Strings" begins as the second track on Side A ("featuring vocal by Arthur Jenkins"), and the continuation ("featuring lightning drum") fills all of Side B.  Some previous discographies give 1964 as the recording date, but John Gilmore places it after Nothing Is.

What were the strings?  Gilmore described his as "a little Japanese instrument"; in a Melody Maker article, Fiofori refers to "Chinese lutes, moon-guitars, mandolin, bass, koto."  In 1966 photos of a rehearsal in the Sun Studios (by Val Wilmer, in Omniverse Sun Ra), Boykins is shown playing a dutar, a bowed lute used in Tajikistan and Uzbekistan (thanks to Ralph Pleshar for background on the dutar), as well as a more Oriental instrument.  Hartmut Geerken points out that none of the strings were actually electric, though they were closely miked and in some cases subjected to reverb (Carl Nimrod was incorrectly credited with "electric strings").  Geerken identifies one of Ra's "sun harps" as a Ukrainian bandura (it is shown on the cover of Holiday for Soul Dance); it is possible that one of the other Arkestra members played the bandura on this date.

On the jacket Jenkins is billed as "Thlan Aldridge," but according to articles in Jazz Wereld, August and October 1968, he and Aldridge are one and the same.  Indeed, the Carnegie Hall program for April 12-13, 1968, lists "Art Jenkins (= Thlan Aldridge)."

from The Earthly Recordings 2nd ed

 Sun Ra and his Astro-Infinity Arkestra

Strange Strings

1.  Worlds Approaching   10:17

2.  Strange Strings   12:48

3.  Strange Strange   20:24

4.  Door Squeak   10:29

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Strange Strings (180g LP Reissue)

1. Worlds Approaching   10:10
2. Strings Strange   12:27

3. Strange Strange   19:58

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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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