Sun Ra Music

free jazz with form...or something like that. The composer in question is, Sun Ra, one of the most forward looking musical talents of the 20th century. This is one of his first truly 'out there' albums. In the 50's he was an innovator in a sort of big band style that incorporated some of the most strange and beautiful compositions with truly futuristic solos from the likes of John Gilmore (who pioneered the 'sheets of sound' style that John Coltrane would become famous for). 'Cosmic Tones/Art Forms' is something else completely. As other reviewers have said - you cannot define it. It is free - yet so different from what artists like Ornette Coleman were doing at the time. It has an organic almost folk like quality - it sounds almost ancient. It is closer to classical chamber music than to most jazz records. You can't even really compare it to Mingus - this is something else... Just listen and meditate on this one - so strange and beautiful.

"Cosmic Tones for Mental Therapy" tops the list for all-time greatest album title (tied with "Weasels Ripped My Flesh"). The thought of these sonic vibrations from outer space reconfiguring your neural synapses is actually quite appealing. This stuff really does sound like it's from "out there"! The echo and reverb drenched and somewhat low-budget sound actually gives it extra charm.

The music on "Cosmic Tones" is very abstract. It sounds quite bizzare in 2007, so I can only image what it must have sounded to people in 1961 - not even Ornette Coleman or Cecil Taylor we doing stuff this far out in 1961.

"Art Forms of Dimensions Tomorrow" is a transitional work between straight jazz and the free space music of "Cosmic Tones". It's certainly enjoyable music, but for me it's less interesting.

I was lucky to see Sun Ra Live in 1988 and 1990, and actually had a few words with him in 1990. Despite being wheelchair-ridden he still had tremendous presence and a projected a very joyful vibe. This joyfulness comes across in all of his music, which is one of the things that most appeals to me.

This album is as good a place to start as any, if you are interested in exploring Sun Ra's universe.

This CD is really for the completest among avid fans of Sun Ra. If that describes you, then this release is a treat: two of Sun Ra's early albums that were not easy to come by on vinyl even back then, unless you lived in New York City.

The music, however, is of questionable quality, even when considered within the proper context of genre and period. Don't get me wrong: I'm all for the avant garde, but these recordings grated even on my nerves and I'm no stranger to dissonance. My favorite orchestral composers are Penderecki and Carl Stalling, some of my favorite jazz records are by Ornette Coleman, I own several CDs by the likes of Captain Beefheart and Xenakis, my favorite rock record is by Mr. Bungle, I've enjoyed concerts by Rene Lussier and Andre Duchesne...but this purchase was a disappointment to me, regardless of price.

The dissonance in this recording was just not at all musical to my ears. I'm not exactly sure what Sun Ra intended with these pieces but they had no emotional impact on me, nor did they even have any kind of rhythmic or hypnotic effect say like `Fire' by the Third Ear Band from their elements album. The interest here is purely intellectual and not worth repeated listening, in my opinion.

I agree that Sun Ra was a great musician and composer who made an important contribution to the avant guard in general, but these particular recordings are not among his finest achievements.

Cosmic Tones For Mental Therapy and Art Forms Of Dimensions Tomorrow by Sun Ra and his Myth Science Arkestra is quite a formidable title by any measure - and yet - when you actually listen to this astonishing piece of work you will find yourself thoroughly convinced - indeed - it is the only possible name for it.

They say that for an alcoholic, one drink is too many and one thousand aren't enough. I have discovered the same to be true of Sun Ra CDs, which seem to be breeding on my wall. Hearing one is too much because once you've listened it's too late to pretend you haven't heard what you've heard. One thousand aren't enough because each is different, the product of a man who explored constantly, driven by an inspired and fearless abandon.

Sun Ra CDs seem to break down into two categories, the really sharp old school jazz CDs and the intergalactic travel CDs. While I have praised Heliocentric Worlds Volume 1 in the past, I now think this is the indispensable Sun Ra CD - the one you simply MUST own. More than any other I've heard it bridges the gap between the two worlds of Sun Ra, in fact, listening to this CD it's difficult to tell which world you're in. At times it might be Morocco, other times it might be a spaceship rounding Venus, then again, some moments feel like a Cuban nightclub in the 1950's.

Maybe that's the real poetry of Sun Ra, you can never be really sure of anything. I may be back soon to revise my opinion again, after probing deeper into the enchanted world of Sun Ra. I wouldn't be at all surprised if I were again surprised.

This is great Sun Ra, but by all means don't start here. Its crazy, surreal, and inaccesible, more so than "Space Is the Place" or "Easy Listening for Intergalatic Travel". However, if you are familiar with Sun Ra, but considor yourself a casual fan than this is an album to buy. It will help you delve into the world of the greatest Jazz artist who ever lived. Back in 8th grade I took a general music class, which was all about learning the history of jazz to attempt to make all the kid's taste in music better (it, for the most part, alienated them ever further). One of the albums our teacher played was this one, and the reaction of the class was pretty much the same. "Is this music?" As my tastes have matured, I grew to appreciate avant-garde music, the deconstruction and often times lack of a central rhythm. The music here isn't catchy, and it may appear to many as unlistenable. However, if you have a taste for weird and unusual music, you will fall in love with this album. This is more for fans of The Shaggs and Captain Beefheart than it is for fans of Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington. Don't get the impression that Sun Ra and his band is merely jamming here however - its all part of a great artistic vision.

The material in this 31-minute live release has an intriguing history; Sun Ra presented the master tape of 1984 live performances to the record label due to not being able to fulfill an obligation to deliver pressings of Saturn Records albums.

Clocking in at 12:09, Fate in a Pleasant Mood has a big-band swing, but the remaining 19 minutes is dominated by Sun Ra's fascinating ruminations on the synthesizer.

Though this a short burst of material, it shows Sun Ra exploring venues and textures in a soundscape of imagination.

This is a stunning late period Ra album. Beautiful space-chants and atonal keyboard freakouts plus a mix of Ellingtonian Ra-jazz as only the Arkestra could do it.

Maybe not the album to _start_ with if you are unfamiliar with Ra's music, but if you are already a fan and haven't heard this, then you need it.

I'd like to be able to say that this is a great record, but it's not. It's some live recordings from 1984-85, most of which veer towards anarchic keyboard-based noise. The one particularly impressive track here is the opener, an updated version of "Fate in a Pleasant Mood" which was first recorded by the Arkestra back in 1960; here's it's long and leisurely. The rest is a bit chaotic and a bit unfocused, to my ears.

Ive seen them live, and i heard the album and i love em

Issued on vinyl on the Cobra and Inner City labels, this is an outstanding CD reissue of a frustratingly tough to hard-bop classic.

There are atmospheric soundscapes within the textural framework, but Sun Ra takes a glance at the history of jazz for inspirational voices. The Mystery of Two is the standout, though Jazz From An Unknown Planet and Interstellar Low Ways are close behind.

The nearly 38 minutes of music will not sound much better; this reissue is 24-bit digitally remastered and is a Japanese limited edition that is contained in an LP-style slipcase. Truly, this is the complete package which honors the achievement of a timeless artist.

COSMOS is quintessential Sun Ra. Originally issued
around 1976, it has shown up on America's Inner City
label as a badly-pressed LP, and has surfaced with
much better CD remastering through France's Spalax
Music in 1999 and, currently, Japan's P-Vine label.
Any copy of this CD you can find will be more than
worth the effort.

Recorded during some of the Arkestra's most extensive
globetrotting of the mid-1970s, this European recording
is Ra at his msot swingingly robust, and polytonally
visionary. The watchword for this recording is smooth.
Listen to "The Mystery Of Two", its stellar drive
propelling a luxurious ride into deeper plains, or
the renowned "Interstellar Low-Ways" exuding its eternal
charm via its network of multiple flutes sighing a most
winsome song. Trombonist Craig Harris -or is it French
horn man Vincent Chancey?- is a knockout on "Two",
matched only by the blistering alto of Marshall
Allen -or Danny Davis?- to flesh out the
significance of the song's title. Some of tenor
titan John Gilmore's most breathtaking work
begins here.

"Neo-Project#2" is a loping walk through some
aural variations on the old cartoon about WACKYLAND,
hinting all manner of playful mischief at hand. It
can definitely happen here! Listen to trumpeter Ahmed
Abdullah weave his bright lyricism through the song's
many paths. Oh and, as you're listening, check out Ra
on the "rocksichord", putting what could be a clavinet
-or a plain ol' electric piano- through some deliciously
baroque changes!
R. Anthony Bunn struts his electric bass around the
bend and back again on "Cosmos". The title piece is a
quick-stepping, finger-popping romp which showcases
Gilmore at his most equestrian; slapping that diamond-
clean sound into center track without losing a moment's
stride, leaping tall in the saddle at solo's peak. What
a ride!

After the warming chant of the friendly "Moonship Journey",
spin into the astral musings of "Journey Among The Stars",
and don't be surprised if its gentle sweep places you some
galaxies or dreamscapes away. Dig the minuet imagery that
Ra conjures into your inner ear!
If you aren't enchanted by this time, "Jazz From An
Unknown Planet" strolls the spell straight home. One of
the deadliest vamps ever conceived, COSMOS' climax may
stir images of Oliver Nelson's acclaimed "Stolen Moments"
even as the Arkestra makes its own stake on the theme of
cultural reclamation, and aesthetic assertion. Abdullah
paints a beautiful tapestry of color and rhapsody, doing
Woody Shaw proud while forming a deep perspective all
his own. Gilmore soars in and testifies, sound
pronouncements a solid baptismal for all which you
have never been told of.

Anyone who thinks that Ra's tighter orchestrations ended by
1960, when the Arkestra left Chicago, listen to COSMOS and
-once you've picked your jaw up from the floor!- be
enlightened.

Know your myth. Shape your reality.

This is a very special 2-CD set that is part of the Lost Reel Collection, which is an ongoing series of releases from a variety of sources.

Disc one is a 1971 concert in a San Francisco warehouse and includes three untitled selections, Discipline, Satellites are Spinning and Enlightenment. As a sign of the (bootlegging) times, the tape runs out during Enlightenment, but that snafu does not take away from the intriguing performance that is chronicled.

The second disc is a real gem, as it is a lecture by Sun Ra entitled, The Black Man in the Cosmos, while he was in residency at UC Berkeley. Sun Ra took a holistic approach to his classes by utilizing lectures, reading materials and musical performances.

This is a fantastic collection of truly rare performances on a variety of stages, but they aptly show the artistic genius of Sun Ra.

The Sun Ra catalog is so vast - during his lifetime and posthumously - that it is oftentimes difficult to locate a starting point or the path in which to continue the journey.

This December 2007 release is part of the Lost Reel Collection, which is recordings from a variety of sources that chronicle aspects of Sun Ra's career which amazingly may not have been previously available.

Taken from sessions in December 1974 in San Francisco, this is Sun Ra and a number of musicians trying out new material or tweaking numbers which may be familiar with fans. Sometimes I'm Happy features Sun Ra on vocal, while Watusi is a slow "alternate" take. Sophisticated Lady has a wonderful elegance.

The eight numbers show musicians capturing a full range of emotions, with Sun Ra directing the performance. It has a feeling of a live show and focuses on an important aspect of Sun Ra which needs to be heard to be appreciated.

Released in 1992, this is Sun Ra in the latter stage of his remarkable career and still showing amazing energy in concert, though health problems had begun to mount.

The 10 numbers - clocking nearly 56 minutes - are mostly mainstays from playlists, though the focus is on the groove more than improvisation. The 10-member His Omniverse Arkestra features Marshall Allen (vocals, alto sax), Michael Ray (trumpet), Ahmed Abdullah (trumpet, vocals) and Tyrone Hill (trombone), with Sun Ra on synthesizer and piano.

Sun Ra seemingly fed off the crowd's vibe to focus on his performance, while casting aside any medical problems and remaining the leader of his band. The genius of Sun Ra is bright and the warm rays was great therapy, but not only for his soul.

LOVING THE STANDARDS given here...but could totally have done away with the over done lyrics. I am just getting used to mrs. Tyson, and here we have men doing renditions of what she once did, much more eloquently, I might add. Prelude to a Kiss, for example, is a terrible version done by a man. geez.

but, again, the standard style stuff is wonderful indeed.

overall worth the buy. but arent ALL Ra's work worth it in one form or another? yep.

Very accessable for Sun Ra neophytes, this is a typical effort from the later stages of Sun Ra's career. There is an exhuberent version of Intersteller Lo Ways...the happiest version of this song I've heard. It sounds like everyone was having fun on this one.

sunra puts togehter another strange but powerful album filled with explosive moments

Sun Ra recorded this live album near the end of his life. Almost anyone else would have retired at this point. His illness had clearly taken a toll on his playing, although the rest of the Arkestra are in fine form here, playing familiar Sun Ra material with great skill and singing with energy. It sounds like they're having fun. However, the great tenor sax player John Gilmore is missing from this performance. Another negative is that at this point there was very little if any new material from Sun Ra. Everything here is a standard. So, this isn't an essential recording, and hearing it makes me feel a little sad that Sun Ra's so-called life on this planet has ended. We'll never replace him.