Sun Ra Albums (104)
What The Critics Say
Continuation is an interesting late-'60s date with a nice mixture of styles. "Biosphere Blues" is a great slow blues with room for a number of solos, but anchored by the phenomenal playing of Ronnie Boykins. "Intergalaxtic Research" has some creepy space voice over a plodding beat which is joined by creepy organ, and "New Primitive Earth" is a weird flute/bells/koto experiment. "New Planet" is very cool space-exotica with Bugs Hunter (presumably) adding enormous washes of reverb and echo at various points in the tune. "Continuation To" starts with a crazed circus fanfare and then features Sun Ra on speed piano before calming down for a trumpet solo over an eight-beat bass ostinato. "Jupiter Festival" is a cacophonous romp with the saxophones' swooping squeals matched by Boykins' squealing arco. Continuation features several interesting instruments, like the Jupiterian Flute and Neptunian Libflecto and the space voice of Art Jenkins, and is one of several albums that demonstrate what a great player Ronnie Boykins was. ~ Sean Westergaard, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
This rare platter contains material documented during Sun Ra and his Arkestra's first Egyptian visit, and as such is exceedingly important in Ra's voluminous canon, as much of his personal and historical mythology is centered there. The selections on Horizon (1974) were recorded at the Ballon Theater in Cairo on December 17, 1971, and was sponsored by the Egyptian Ministry of Culture. While even more of the tour exists in private tape collections, this is one of the only discs to have been issued -- though in very limited numbers -- making it a real treat for free jazz aficionados. The opening, " Starwatchers/Theme of the Stargazers" medley begins with a choral chant and solo from John Gilmore (tenor sax/percussion) before the entire Arkestra dive headlong into a languid free jazz jam that evolves slowly into an intense flute and alto sax run with Danny Davis (flute), Hakim Rahim (flute), and Larry Northington (alto sax). Ra's mini-Moog is atonal and schizophrenic as his sharp staccato inflections pierce the soundscape overtop of the Arkestra. The recording is far from perfect, as the musicians move in and out of microphone range, however, there is suitable fidelity when discerning the band as they ebb and swell around Ra's ferocious performance. Both "Discipline 2" as well as "Discipline 8" are variations of the Arkestra standard, and each is unequivocally unique. Albeit brief, another highlight is the "Space Is the Place" chant and free jazz processional, allowing the combo to interact at their most melodic -- on this disc, anyway. Students and enthusiasts of avant-garde jazz -- especially of Sun Ra -- should actively seek copies of this LP for a thoroughly enjoyable sonic excursion that rises to the auspicious occasion. ~ Lindsay Planer, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Secrets of the Sun consists of sessions recorded by drummer Tommy "Bugs" Hunter in 1962 at the Choreographer's Workshop in New York City, the Arkestra's regular rehearsal studio. Since they had only recently moved to New York (some decided to stay in Chicago), these are small-group Arkestra recordings. This is an interesting transitional album because you can still hear echoes of the Chicago sound in some of the pieces, but the sound is growing beyond merely "exotic," with percussion playing an increasingly larger role and the pieces starting to sound more amorphous. "The Friendly Galaxy" has the same sort of mysterious vibe as "Ancient Aetheopia," with nice trumpet and piano work as well as John Gilmore on bass clarinet (which he plays on a couple cuts). "Solar Differentials" has a similar but weirder feel because the horns change to "Space Bird Sounds" and Art Jenkins adds some of his distinctive "Space Voice." "Space Aura" is built on a great horn riff, while both Gilmore (again on bass clarinet) and Sun Ra both shine on a stripped-down version of "Love in Outer Space." Things head a bit more out for the last couple tracks, where percussion and reverb start to dominate the sound, as they would on several of the Choreographer Workshop recordings. This is an interesting album for Ra fans because it's such a small band and shows how new ideas were taking hold in the music, not to mention Gilmore's use of bass clarinet, which he stopped playing completely sometime in the '60s. [In 2008, Secrets of the Sun was reissued by Atavistic with an unreleased 17 minute bonus track.] ~ Sean Westergaard, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
On Jupiter is a great album recorded in 1979, about a year after Lanquidity. After easing in with the fairly brief title cut, a fairly mellow affair featuring June Tyson on vocals, listeners are treated to the all-out disco-funk of "U.F.O." Anchored by a monster bassline courtesy of Steve Clarke, this tune has fun ensemble vocals and great solos on guitar and tenor sax. This is as funky as Sun Ra ever got and really must be heard to be believed. Side two consists of "Seductive Fantasy," a lovely piece composed on top of a three-note bass ostinato that features lots of great piano from Ra and some interesting guitar sounds from either Skeeter McFarland or Taylor Richardson. John Gilmore gets plenty of room on this track as well and Luqman Ali's drumming is superb. This album is well worth picking up, but being one of those Saturn rarities makes it pretty difficult to do so. ~ Sean Westergaard, All Music Guide
'The Night of the Purple Moon'
Release Date 8/21/2007
Tracks 11
Label Atavistic
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What The Critics Say
This one is quirky, even in the Sun Ra catalog. Ra fronts a quartet playing nothing but miniMoog and Rocksichord, along with Stafford James on electric bass, Danny Davis on alto, clarinet, flute, and bongos, and John Gilmore on drums! Gilmore has a skittering approach to the drums, which are curiously mic'ed with the hi-hat being especially prominent. Ra's playing doesn't get too far out, although the tones of the Rocksichord and miniMoog are rather humorous, and most of the tunes are quite playful. Davis provides some fine alto, clarinet, and a number of freak-outs, with James anchoring the proceedings. Davis and Gilmore switch roles for "Impromptu Festival" for a taste of Gilmore's tenor while "Dance of the Living Image" has Gilmore on drums and Davis on bongos. The best point of reference for this album is "The Perfect Man" off the Singles compilation, except "The Perfect Man" uses miniMoog exclusively, and Gilmore is a more solid drummer than Danny Davis. Lots of fun and slightly goofy, Night of the Purple Moon is an entertaining curiosity within a singularly unique discography. ~ Sean Westergaard, All Music Guide
'What Planet Is This?'
Release Date 5/16/2006
Tracks 10
Label Golden Years of New
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'Live at Myron's Ballroom'
Release Date 5/3/2006
Tracks 16
Label Transparency
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'Live at Club Lingerie'
Release Date 5/3/2006
Tracks 13
Label Transparency
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What The Critics Say
The second of two Improvising Artists Sun Ra solo piano sets from 1977 reissued on CD (they should have been combined on a single CD) finds the normally forbidding keyboardist digging not only into four fairly accessible originals, but "St. Louis Blues," "Three Little Words" and "Honeysuckle Rose." By this time, Ra was starting to reinvestigate his roots in Fletcher Henderson's music and in swing, but these occasionally traditional interpretations remain full of surprises. There is definitely a charm to Sun Ra's solo piano sets. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide
'Music for the 21st Century'
Release Date 1/1/2004
Tracks 11
Label El Ra
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