*** SUN RA Corner***

[Ligeti]

Well, I am very late to the Sun Ra party. I was listening to Jazz for a long time before getting a taster of Ra's music. I stumbled upon a documentary on him, and was interested from the get go. I started by ordering the Artyard in a Box release, and went from there. I bought some of his work for Evidence, but didn't find that so much to my liking - I like my Sun Ra wild. Give me some Outer Spaceways Incorporated, is what I'm saying.

To contradict myself immediately, the one release I constantly go back to though is Lanquidity. It's not too challenging, but it really works on every level. I've still got mountains of Sun Ra to sample, he strikes me as a performer who was all things to all men. He can groove, he can clay it straight, he gets wild. Also his discography is frighteningly large. With no expectation of owning it all, I'll try to funnel my funds and time into the edgier stuff.

[Ligeti]

Well, I reached into my Sun ra section and randomly pulled:

It's a little straight for me, and not adventurous enough. Still, on a cold wet night in the UK, it's better than most! Got to love the madcap cover art though.

[Guy Berger]

My appreciation for Chicago-era Sun Ra grew significantly as I became a more seasoned jazz listener (just describing my own experience). The music's merits were less obvious to me early on than those of, say, ATLANTIS.

Edited November 18, 2014 by Guy

[mracz]

Has anyone checked out these Sun Ra reissues remastered for iTunes? The tapes are apparently supplied by a longtime band member, and the source material is supposedly way better than much of what was released during the digital era. I have no idea if they are planning to issue these as CDs or in any other lossless format. I am no fan of mp3s, but based on a few samples that I've heard, I dunno.

I just downloaded Astro Black from ITunes. It's a masterpiece (THE masterpiece?) of early 70's Ra, and although I've only listened to it on my iPad, the sound is excellent, with lots of detail. I'm not an audiophile, so don't read more into this than you should. The LP version (of which I have an old rip) was quadraphonic, and listening to it in stereo gave a very peculiar mix; the new stereo remaster is a great improvement in this respect as well. Ronnie Boykins is the key player throughout, and his bass is front and centre in the mix. The bass playing on the title track might be his finest hour, and I should really copy this over to the BASS PLAYERS thread... I'm going to try A Fireside Chat with Lucifer next. The long title track is another of my favourite "late" Ra performances, and I look forward to hearing it in improved sound. Let's hope they do Omniverse next, my favourite small group Ra of any period!

[Hot Ptah]

Well, I've acquired quite a few since my first post on page 8 or so. Here is what I have now. Most are CDs; Several are twofer CDs. A few LPs here and there:

Angels & Demons/Nubians

Atlantis

Batman

Calling Planet Earth

Cosmic Tones for Mental Therapy/Art Forms of Dimensions Tomorrow

Crystal Spears

Cymbals

Fate in a Pleasant Mood/When the Sun Comes Out

Futuristic Sounds of

Jazz in Silhouette

Magic City

Monorails and Satellites

My Brother the Wind Vol 2

Outer Spaceways Incorporated (a.k.a Pictures of Infinity)

Outer Space Unemployment Agency (Live 1973)

Planet Earth/Low Ways

Secrets of the Sun

The Singles

Sound of Joy

Sound Sun Pleasure!!

Space is the Place

Space Towers (compilation)

Spaceship Lullaby (The Vocal Groups)

Spaceways (different album from the one directly following)

Spaceways/Bad and Beautiful

Strange Strings

Sun Song

Supersonic Jazz

Most of these I've acquired randomly as I encounter them, but most are from the 50s and 60s. Still haven't got Languidity.

The 50s/early 60s stuff kind of appeals to me because of the exotica influence. There is something really compelling about Sun Ra's oddball world view (galactic view?) when juxtaposed against the more accepted jazz and pop approaches of that period.

I love all of these for different reasons. I have had a hard time getting into Atlantis for some reason, even though I really love the other albums from around the same time. I'm really into the Magic City lately.

My least favorites are the vocal groups and singles collections, although the latter has some gems.

Overall, my 2 (4) favorites are Angels & Demons/Nubians and Fate in a Pleasant Mood/When the Sun Comes Out.

I have well over 100 Sun Ra albums, and Atlantis is one of my very least favorite.

Edited November 18, 2014 by Hot Ptah

[A Lark Ascending]

Atlantis escapes me too.

[mjazzg]

A platonic relationship I find?

[A Lark Ascending]

A platonic relationship I find?

Don't you mean plutonic?

[Hoppy T. Frog]

I see in the Itunes reissue series are the Horo records... Does anyone have a complete list? I count 32 albums just by searching "sun ra 2014".

Edited November 18, 2014 by Hoppy T. Frog

[l p]

^{this is a fairly complete list of the bonus tracks (previously unissued material) on the itunes 2014 reissues.}

^{info is from several sources.}

^{'Explore the Cosmos' compilations. volumes 4, 6, 9:}

^{Vol. 4 - Piano and Organ}

^{April in Paris - CW rehearsal tape (3:56)}

^{Rhythm & Romance - organ tapes (2:45)}

^{Gone with the Wind (4:08)}

^{Piano Interlude (1949) (0:39)}

^{My Dreams Tell Me (Part 1) - organ tapes (3:43)}

^{Vol. 6 - The Blues}

^{Dawn (excerpt) - Strange Strings session tapes (6:19)}

^{Vol. 9 - Vocals}

^{Memories of You (1949) (1:40)}

^{Recollections of There (4:52) w/Theda Bara}

^{The Living Myth (1976) (3:53) w/June Tyson}

^{Reissues with bonus tracks:}

^{Monorails and Satellites:}

^{Soundscapes (Previously Unreleased) 3:25}

^{The Eternal Tomorrow (Previously Unreleased) 5:42}

^{The Changing Wind (Previously Unreleased) 3:51}

^{World Island Festival (Previously Unreleased) 6:17}

^{Don't Blame Me (Previously Unreleased) 4:36}

^{Today Is Not Yesterday (Previously Unreleased) 4:08}

^{Invisible shield:}

^{Islands in the sun 10:23 (extended)}

^{Strange strings:}

^{Thunder of the Gods (Mono, Previously Unreleased) 13:23}

^{Cosmos Miraculous (Mono, Previously Unreleased) 11.10}

^{Moonshots Across the Sky (Mono, Previously Unreleased) 5:41}

^{Universe in Blue:}

^{Blackman (very extended)}

^{Calling Planet Earth--We'll Wait For You (Bonus Track, Stereo) 23:31}

^{Secrets Of The Sun:}

^{Reflects Motion Part 1}

^{Reflects Motion Part 3}

^{Project Black Mass}

^Atlantis:

^{Yucatan (Impulse version extended slightly)
Bimini (extended slightly)}

^{miscellaneous}

^{Black Sky Blue Moon 3.02 (bonus from "Nubians of Plutonia")}

^{Spontaneous Simplicity 3.01 (bonus from "Nubians of Plutonia")}

^{Ankhnaton (4.19) (bonus from "Nubians of Plutonia")}

^{Images in a Mirror (3.42) (bonus from "Nubians of Plutonia")}

^{The Nile part 2 (5:47) (bonus from "When Sun Comes Out")}

^{Street of Dreams (5:49) (bonus from "Bad & Beautiful")}

^{Twilight (2.02) (bonus from "Cosmic Tones")}

^End.

added:

ART FORMS OF DIMENSIONS TOMORROW

Cluster of Galaxies (Complete Version) 3:30 (1m longer)

"Chicago, Southside." new

Edited November 28, 2014 by l p

[jazzbo]

Well, I've acquired quite a few since my first post on page 8 or so. Here is what I have now. Most are CDs; Several are twofer CDs. A few LPs here and there:

Angels & Demons/Nubians

Atlantis

Batman

Calling Planet Earth

Cosmic Tones for Mental Therapy/Art Forms of Dimensions Tomorrow

Crystal Spears

Cymbals

Fate in a Pleasant Mood/When the Sun Comes Out

Futuristic Sounds of

Jazz in Silhouette

Magic City

Monorails and Satellites

My Brother the Wind Vol 2

Outer Spaceways Incorporated (a.k.a Pictures of Infinity)

Outer Space Unemployment Agency (Live 1973)

Planet Earth/Low Ways

Secrets of the Sun

The Singles

Sound of Joy

Sound Sun Pleasure!!

Space is the Place

Space Towers (compilation)

Spaceship Lullaby (The Vocal Groups)

Spaceways (different album from the one directly following)

Spaceways/Bad and Beautiful

Strange Strings

Sun Song

Supersonic Jazz

Most of these I've acquired randomly as I encounter them, but most are from the 50s and 60s. Still haven't got Languidity.

The 50s/early 60s stuff kind of appeals to me because of the exotica influence. There is something really compelling about Sun Ra's oddball world view (galactic view?) when juxtaposed against the more accepted jazz and pop approaches of that period.

I love all of these for different reasons. I have had a hard time getting into Atlantis for some reason, even though I really love the other albums from around the same time. I'm really into the Magic City lately.

My least favorites are the vocal groups and singles collections, although the latter has some gems.

Overall, my 2 (4) favorites are Angels & Demons/Nubians and Fate in a Pleasant Mood/When the Sun Comes Out.

I have well over 100 Sun Ra albums, and Atlantis is one of my very least favorite.

Me too.

[Teasing the Korean]

I have well over 100 Sun Ra albums, and Atlantis is one of my very least favorite.

Me too.

So I'm not crazy.

[jazzbo]

Absolutely not, though I know that there's reasons that others love the Sun Ra that I don't. There's room for all of us on the Ark.

[jeffcrom]

I love Atlantis; I love the early Chicago stuff; I love the composed stuff; I love the improvised stuff. One of the the things I love about Sun Ra is that no two albums sound alike. The only Ra albums that have left me cold are some bootlegs that are extremely poorly recorded or a few very late albums where Ra and/or the band just sounded tired.

My first Ra album was the Impulse reissue of The Magic City, purchased back in the day. I was becoming familiar with free jazz, but I immediately knew that this was another kettle of fish. It seemed to be based on an esthetic different from anything I had previously encountered. It was a beautiful mystery to me, and to some extent it still is.

[Hoppy T. Frog]

^{this is a fairly complete list of the bonus tracks (previously unissued material) on the itunes 2014 reissues.}

^{info is from several sources.}

^{'Explore the Cosmos' compilations. volumes 4, 6, 9:}

^{Vol. 4 - Piano and Organ}

^{April in Paris - CW rehearsal tape (3:56)}

^{Rhythm & Romance - organ tapes (2:45)}

^{Gone with the Wind (4:08)}

^{Piano Interlude (1949) (0:39)}

^{My Dreams Tell Me (Part 1) - organ tapes (3:43)}

^{Vol. 6 - The Blues}

^{Dawn (excerpt) - Strange Strings session tapes (6:19)}

^{Vol. 9 - Vocals}

^{Memories of You (1949) (1:40)}

^{Recollections of There (4:52) w/Theda Bara}

^{The Living Myth (1976) (3:53) w/June Tyson}

^{Reissues with bonus tracks:}

^{Monorails and Satellites:}

^{Soundscapes (Previously Unreleased) 3:25}

^{The Eternal Tomorrow (Previously Unreleased) 5:42}

^{The Changing Wind (Previously Unreleased) 3:51}

^{World Island Festival (Previously Unreleased) 6:17}

^{Don't Blame Me (Previously Unreleased) 4:36}

^{Today Is Not Yesterday (Previously Unreleased) 4:08}

^{Invisible shield:}

^{Islands in the sun 10:23 (extended)}

^{Strange strings:}

^{Thunder of the Gods (Mono, Previously Unreleased) 13:23}

^{Cosmos Miraculous (Mono, Previously Unreleased) 11.10}

^{Moonshots Across the Sky (Mono, Previously Unreleased) 5:41}

^{Universe in Blue:}

^{Blackman (very extended)}

^{Calling Planet Earth--We'll Wait For You (Bonus Track, Stereo) 23:31}

^{Secrets Of The Sun:}

^{Reflects Motion Part 1}

^{Reflects Motion Part 3}

^{Project Black Mass}

^Atlantis:

^{Yucatan (Impulse version extended slightly)}

Bimini (extended slightly)

^{miscellaneous}

^{Black Sky Blue Moon 3.02 (bonus from "Nubians of Plutonia")}

^{Spontaneous Simplicity 3.01 (bonus from "Nubians of Plutonia")}

^{Ankhnaton (4.19) (bonus from "Nubians of Plutonia")}

^{Images in a Mirror (3.42) (bonus from "Nubians of Plutonia")}

^{The Nile part 2 (5:47) (bonus from "When Sun Comes Out")}

^{Street of Dreams (5:49) (bonus from "Bad & Beautiful")}

^{Twilight (2.02) (bonus from "Cosmic Tones")}

^End.

Thanks! I love Monorails, so It's great to see so many bonus tracks!

***End Communication*** (beaming back to Saturn)

[Ligeti]

My appreciation for Chicago-era Sun Ra grew significantly as I became a more seasoned jazz listener (just describing my own experience). The music's merits were less obvious to me early on than those of, say, ATLANTIS.

It's fair enough. I don't listen to much straight-ahead Jazz, my main interest is avant garde, late Coltrane, Brotzmann, Time Berne, Marilyn Crispell, Anthony Braxton etc.

[Chuck Nessa]

My appreciation for Chicago-era Sun Ra grew significantly as I became a more seasoned jazz listener (just describing my own experience). The music's merits were less obvious to me early on than those of, say, ATLANTIS.

It's fair enough. I don't listen to much straight-ahead Jazz, my main interest is avant garde, late Coltrane, Brotzmann, Time Berne, Marilyn Crispell, Anthony Braxton etc.

I think it would be worth your time to explore the past a bit. Great Shit happened earlier too. And when you understand that stuff, you can enjoy new stuff in context. :-)

Edited November 23, 2014 by Chuck Nessa

[jlhoots]

Magic City is still one of my favorites.

What I remember most re: Languidity is that I sold the vinyl for what seemed to me like huge money back in the day.

[Larry Kart]

Magic City is still one of my favorites.

Still remember what it felt like to hear that for the first time. Talk about your "new music"!

With apologies to Geoff Dyer:

"And what rough beast, its hour come round at last..."

[mracz]

^{this is a fairly complete list of the bonus tracks (previously unissued material) on the itunes 2014 reissues.}

^{info is from several sources.}

^{'Explore the Cosmos' compilations. volumes 4, 6, 9:}

^{Vol. 4 - Piano and Organ}

^{April in Paris - CW rehearsal tape (3:56)}

^{Rhythm & Romance - organ tapes (2:45)}

^{Gone with the Wind (4:08)}

^{Piano Interlude (1949) (0:39)}

^{My Dreams Tell Me (Part 1) - organ tapes (3:43)}

^{Vol. 6 - The Blues}

^{Dawn (excerpt) - Strange Strings session tapes (6:19)}

^{Vol. 9 - Vocals}

^{Memories of You (1949) (1:40)}

^{Recollections of There (4:52) w/Theda Bara}

^{The Living Myth (1976) (3:53) w/June Tyson}

^{Reissues with bonus tracks:}

^{Monorails and Satellites:}

^{Soundscapes (Previously Unreleased) 3:25}

^{The Eternal Tomorrow (Previously Unreleased) 5:42}

^{The Changing Wind (Previously Unreleased) 3:51}

^{World Island Festival (Previously Unreleased) 6:17}

^{Don't Blame Me (Previously Unreleased) 4:36}

^{Today Is Not Yesterday (Previously Unreleased) 4:08}

^{Invisible shield:}

^{Islands in the sun 10:23 (extended)}

^{Strange strings:}

^{Thunder of the Gods (Mono, Previously Unreleased) 13:23}

^{Cosmos Miraculous (Mono, Previously Unreleased) 11.10}

^{Moonshots Across the Sky (Mono, Previously Unreleased) 5:41}

^{Universe in Blue:}

^{Blackman (very extended)}

^{Calling Planet Earth--We'll Wait For You (Bonus Track, Stereo) 23:31}

^{Secrets Of The Sun:}

^{Reflects Motion Part 1}

^{Reflects Motion Part 3}

^{Project Black Mass}

^Atlantis:

^{Yucatan (Impulse version extended slightly)}

Bimini (extended slightly)

^{miscellaneous}

^{Black Sky Blue Moon 3.02 (bonus from "Nubians of Plutonia")}

^{Spontaneous Simplicity 3.01 (bonus from "Nubians of Plutonia")}

^{Ankhnaton (4.19) (bonus from "Nubians of Plutonia")}

^{Images in a Mirror (3.42) (bonus from "Nubians of Plutonia")}

^{The Nile part 2 (5:47) (bonus from "When Sun Comes Out")}

^{Street of Dreams (5:49) (bonus from "Bad & Beautiful")}

^{Twilight (2.02) (bonus from "Cosmic Tones")}

^End.

Thanks for the all the detail: it's really helpful. The shorter tracks are available seperately, which is useful. BTW I have now downloaded "A Fireside Chat..." and the improvement in sound quality is startling. The lenghty title track is impresses even more now that you can get Vincent Chaney's opening horn solo in rich, full sound, and Ra's organ freak-outs sound fantastic as well. I think it's "Rose-Hued Mansions of the Sun" to sample next: another great, late conducted improv....

[jazzbo]

Well, I hope these come out on disc in the future, I could enjoy the sonic upgrade, but I'm not a downloader.

[Homefromtheforest]

"Fireside chat..." and "celestial love" are some of the best sounding Saturns already in my opinion. I have the originals of both and they sound superb...helps that they were studio recordings and not those murky/distant/one microphone live recordings that appear on so many 70s saturns!

[l p]

Well, I hope these come out on disc in the future, I could enjoy the sonic upgrade, but I'm not a downloader.

newer info: someone from the saturn list said that there was mention of releasing these remastered versions on disc.

[jazzbo]

Good news! Thanks Len.

[uli]

http://www.philly.com/philly/entertainment/music/20141123_Remembering_out-of-this-world_jazz_man_Sun_Ra_with_Marshall_Allen.html