Space Is the Place

Tuesday, June 20, 2006

Sun Ra - Fate in a Pleasant Mood / The Futuristic Sounds of Sun Ra (1960-1)







Perhaps this post harms those on dialup, but it does help those without a Rapidshare premium account...This post combines two albums spanning late '60 to '61--Fate in a Pleasant Mood with the Myth Science Arkestra and The Futuristic Sounds of Sun Ra with his Arkestra.
Both these CDs are very good. Some of my favorite material comes from these years, and referencing the songs that stand out would really entail listing most the tracks...
Enjoy these CDs.

Sun Ra and his Myth Science Arkestra
Fate in a Pleasant Mood
Editions:
Saturn SR 9956-2/A/B (1965)
Saturn LP 202
Impulse AS 9270 (1974)
Evidence (CD, 1993)

Included Tracks:
Side A:
The Others in their World (Ra)
Ra-p; Phil Cohran-tp; Marshall Allen-as; John Gilmore-ts; Ronnie Boykins-b; Jon Hardy-d.

Space Mates (Ra)
Ra-p, bells, gong; Marshall Allen-fl, bells; Ronnie Boykins-b; Jon Hardy-d, perc, gong. Hall Recording Co., Chicago, late 1960.

Lights of a Satellite (Ra)
Ra-p; Phil Cohran-tp; Nate Pryor-tb, bells; Marshall Allen-as, fl; John Gilmore-ts, cl; Ronnie Boykins-b; Jon Hardy-d.

Side B:
Distant Stars (Ra-Boykins)
Ra-p; George Hudson-tp; John Gilmore-ts; Marshall Allen-as; Ronnie Boykins-b; Jon Hardy-d.

Kingdom of Thunder (Ra-Allen)
Ra-bells, perc, gong; Lucious Randolph-tp; Marshall Allen-fl solo, perc; John Gilmore-cl; Ronnie Boykins-b; Jon Hardy-d.

Fate in a Pleasant Mood (Ra)
Ra-p; Phil Cohran-tp; Marshall Allen-as; John Gilmore-ts; Ronnie Boykins-b; Jon Hardy-d.

Ankhnaton (Ra)
Ra-p; Phil Cohran-tp; Nate Pryor-tb; Marshall Allen-as; John Gilmore- ts; Ronnie Boykins-b; Jon Hardy-d.

Line-up & Recording Date:
See each track individually. Recorded in Chicago, late 1960 and/or early 1961
-----------------
Sun Ra and his Arkestra
The Futuristic Sounds of Sun Ra
(Retitled We are in the Future)
Editions:
Savoy MG12169 (1961)
BYG Actuel num. 13, S-26.063 (1970)
Savoy SJL 1141 (1984)
Savoy (Japanese - CD, mono, 1993)
Savoy (European - CD, 1993)

Included Tracks:
Side A:
Bassism (Ra) (3:57)
Of Sounds and Something Else (Ra) (2:50)
What's That? (Ra) (2:11)
Where is Tomorrow? (Ra) (2:45)
The Beginning (Ra) (6:27)
China Gate

Side B:
New Day (Ra) (4:48)
Tapestry from an Asteroid (Ra) (2:56)
Jet Flight (Ra) (3:12)
Looking Outward (Ra) (2:46)
Space Jazz Reverie (Ra) (4:51)

Line-up & Recording Date:
Ra-p; Bernard McKinney (Kiane Zawadi)-tb, euphonium, Marshall Allen- as, fl, morrow; John Gilmore-ts, bcl; Pat Patrick-bs; Ronnie Boykins- b; Willie Jones-d; Leah Ananda-cga; Ricky Murray-voc (on China Gate). Percussion by the members of the Arkestra.
Medallion Studio, Newark, NJ, October 10th. 1961.
Notes:
Of Sounds and Something Else is misspelled on some covers as Of Wounds and Something Else
http://rapidshare.de/files/26884268/Sun_Ra_-_Fate_in_a_Pleasant_Mood_and_Futuristic_Sounds.rar

Sun Ra and his Intergalactic Arkestra - Holiday for Soul Dance (1960, rel.1970)


Sun Ra from late 1960...Good stuff, on the whole. Those who look close will see that the band listed on the coverart (Astro-Infinity Arkestra) is different than the one compiled by the discographer. I am inclined to go with the Intergalactic Arkestra....

Holiday for Soul Dance
Editions:
Saturn ESR 508 (1970)
Evidence 22011 (CD, 1992)

Included Tracks:
Side A:
But Not for Me (Gershwin)
Day by Day (Cahn-Stordahl-Weston)
Holiday for Strings (Rose-Gallo)
Dorothy's Dance (Cohran)

Side B:
Early Autumn (Herman-Mercer-Burns)
I Loves You Porgy (Gershwin-Gershwin-Heyward)
Body and Soul (Green-Heyman-Sour-Eyton)
Keep Your Sunny Side Up (DeSylva-Brown)

Line-up & Recording Date:
Ra-p; Phil Cohran-cnt; Nate Pryor-tb (on Day by Day); Marshall Allen-as, fl; John Gilmore-ts; Ronnie Boykins-b; Jon Hardy-d; Ricky Murray-voc (on Early Autumn).
Hall Recording Co., Chicago, late 1960, except Early Autumn, recorded at the Wonder Inn around the same time.

http://rapidshare.de/files/26878279/1960_-_Sun_Ra_and_his_Intergalactic_Arkestra_-_Holiday_For_Soul_Dance__1970_.rar

Wednesday, June 07, 2006

Sun Ra and his Arkestra - Music from Tomorrow's World


The note in the album is from the original ripper, who mentions the unfortunate quality on some of these recordings. In my opinion, however, it is just more vintage Sun Ra that I wouldn't dare miss for certain studio recordings. Then again, he spent money that I did not..
The album is divided in two recording sessions. The first, Live at the Wonder Inn, Chicago, is fantastic--China Gate, and one of my favorites--It Ain't Necessarily So.
The Majestic Hall Sessions, making up the second part of the album, has its moments, certainly--Akhnaton and the Majestic series itself.
A nice release of some vintage Sun Ra.

Variable bitrate MP3s, ~112kbps (and worth every second)
Sun Ra and his Arkestra
Music from Tomorrow's World

Editions:
Atavistic, UMS-ALP237CD, 2002

Included Tracks:
1 - Angels & Demons at Play (Ra)
2- Spontaneus Simplicity (Ra)
3- Space Aura (Ra)
4- S'Wonderful (Gershwin)
5- It Ain't Necessary (Gershwin)
6- How High the Moon (Lewis)
7- China Gate (Young / Adamson)
8- Majestic 1 (Dotson)
9- Ankhnaton (Ra)
10- Possession (Revel)
11- Tapestry from an Asteroid (Ra)
12- Majestic 2 (Ra)
13- Majestic 3 (Ra)
14- Majestic 4 (Ra)
15- Velvet (Ra)
16- A Call for All Demons (Ra)
17- Interstellar Low Ways (Ra)
Line-up & Recording Date:
Tracks 1 to 7: Ra-piano, electric piano and percussion; John Gilmore-tenor sax; Marshall Allen-alto sax, flute; George Hudson-trumpet; Ricky Murray-voice; Ronnie Boykins-bass; John L. Hardy, drums. Recorded live at Wonder Inn, Chicago, 1960.

Tracks 8 to 17: Ra-piano; John Gilmore-tenor sax; Marshall Allen-alto sax, flute; Gene Easton, alto sax; Ronald Wilson, baritone sax; Phil Cohran, cornet; Ronnie Boykins-bass; Robert Barry-drums. Recorded during a studio session at Majestic Hall, Chicago, a day of 1960.

http://rapidshare.de/files/26811981/1960_-_Sun_Ra_and_his_Arkestra_-_Music_from_Tomorrow_s_World.rar

Sunday, June 04, 2006

Films/Interviews--or just music?

In the upcoming decades, there will be some Sun Ra films I could post--Space is the Place (if I learn how to rip my DVD) and another documentary. Also a BBC Radio documentary.

To post or not to post, this is for the masses to answer...

Sun Ra and his Myth Science Arkestra - Lady with the Golden Stockings (1958-9)



Okay, everyone is in luck. This album, also known as The Nubians of Plutonia, is one of my 5 favorite Ra albums. It was later coupled with Angels and Demons at Play, and in this compilation-form, it is easily within the bounds of my favorite works by the man.
Sun Ra will certainly get crazier. And every version of Watusi is good, not just this one. But wow! Imagine being in a Chicago club in '58, and hearing this...
Sun Ra is Alive.

Sun Ra and his Myth Science Arkestra
Lady with the Golden Stockings

(retitled The Nubians of Plutonia)
Editions:
Saturn SR 9956-11E/F (around 1966)
Saturn LP 406
Impulse AS-9242 (1974)
Evidence (CD, 1993)

Side A:
Plutonian Nights (Ra) (4:20)
Ra-p, Wurlitzer ep; Lucious Randolph-tp; Marshall Allen-as; John Gilmore-ts; Pat Patrick- bs; Ronnie Boykins-b; Robert Barry-d.

The Lady with the Golden Stockings (The Golden Lady) (Ra) (7:44)
Ra-Wurlitzer ep; Lucious Randolph-tp; Marshall Allen-fl; James Spaulding-as; John Gilmore-ts; Ronnie Boykins-b; Robert Barry-perc; Jim Herndon-perc; other members of the band- perc.

Star Time (Ra) (4:17)
Ra-p; Lucious Randolph-tp; Nate Pryor-tb; James Spaulding-as solo; Marshall Allen-as; John Gilmore-ts; Pat Patrick-bs solo; Charles Davis-bs; Ronnie Boykins-b; Robert Barry-d; Jim Herndon-tympani, perc.

Side B:
Nubia (Ra) (8:12)
Ra-Wurlitzer ep, bells; Ronnie Boykins-b; Robert Barry-d; Jim Herndon- cga, tympani, timbales, perc; John Gilmore- nigerian bells.

Africa (Ra) (5:06)
Ra-Wurlitzer ep; Nate Pryor-tb; Marshall Allen-fl; John Gilmore-ts; Pat Patrick-bs, space lute; Ronnie Boykins-b; Robert Barry-d, perc; Jim Herndon-tympani, perc. They all sing.

Watusa (Ra) (2:33)
Ra-p; Bill Fielder-tp; Marshall Allen-as; John Gilmore-ts; Ronnie Boykins-b; Robert Barry-d, perc. Other percussions surely played by Jim Herndon.

Aiethopia (Ra) (7:13)
Ra-p; Lucious Randolph-tp; Nate Pryor-tb; Marshall Allen-as, fl; John Gilmore-ts, bells; Pat Patrick-bs, bells; Robert Barry-d; Jim Herndon- tympani, perc; other members of the band play percussions.

Line-up & Recording Date:
See each track individually for line-up. All tracks recorded at several clubs and rehearsals, Chicago, 1958-1959.
Notes:
The album was originally calledLady with the Golden Stockings. The last title appears for the first time in a saturn catalogue on 1969.

http://rapidshare.de/files/26805164/1958-59_-_Sun_Ra_and_his_Myth_Science_Orchestra_-_Lady_with_the_Golden_Stockings.rar