Today we celebrate the 100th anniversary of Sun Ra's arrival on the planet Terra... Tomorrow Tabor Space is the place... From the Portland Jazz Composers Ensemble: The PJCE celebrates Sun Ra with new pieces by George Colligan, Ken Ollis and Galen Clark. 6:30 — Meet the Composers, Appetizers and Silent Auction
7:30 — Concert
Tabor Space, 5441 SE Belmont St, Portland, OR 97215
Yesterday was Sun Ra's birthday. 99 years ago he arrived on this minuscule rock in our universe. And with his arrival Jazz was changed forever. Sun Ra oozed creativity, diversity, and change during an era of Jazz that needed all of the above. His discography is deep and eclectic offering a magnitude of atmospheric music for any mood.
I like to think Carl Sagan listened to Sun Ra. [Image Source]
With the advent of his birthday, I am making an excuse to dive into his discog for a few days. I have been listening to Sun Ra for years, and still only feel like I am at the surface of his enormous catalog. But there's one album I continue to return to, Cosmos. A mid 1970s recording issued on the Cobra label; I am reminded of Pharoah Sanders' Impulse cuts from the decade earlier. Perfect ambient tones along with exciting ensemble sections. Solo and ensemble wise, the horn parts are immaculate here. And the warm buzz of the low ends of electric bass amalgamates with Sun Ra's Rocksichord playing. My favorite track is "Moonship Journey." It starts off with a 45 second melodic solo by Mr. Ra before he kicks into a rhythmic groove setting a precident for the Arkestra as they begin chanting, "Prepare for the Moonship journey... Journey on the Moonship." Which is exactly what you need to do for Cosmos. 1976 - Cobra. Sun Ra - Keyboards [Rocksichord]; Danny Davis, Marshall Allen - Alto Saxophone, Flute; Danny Ray Thompson - Baritone Saxophone, Flute; Eloe Omoe - Bass Clarinet, Flute; Jac Jackson - Bassoon, Flute; Larry Bright - Drums; R. Anthony Bunn - Electric Bass; Vincent Chancey - French Horn; John Gilmore - Tenor Saxophone; Craig Harris - Trombone; Ahmed Abdullah - Trumpet. Other This Shape of Jazz posts on Sun Ra here. My friend Devan Cook wrote this feature from the April 2011 issue of Propeller.
"Sun Ra and his band from outer space will entertain you now"
What I am listening to here is Sun Ra's College Tour: The Complete Nothing Is. The original ESP-Disk' LP contained 39 minutes of audio from a live set at St. Lawrence University in Potsdam, NY. This two disc CD version contains the full 70 minute set along with a "partial second set from the same evening." We can thank Sun Ra archivist Michael D. Anderson for all this new material. Overall, the Nothing Is... is a feast to the ears. Total ear candy in the highest Avant-Garde sense. Great arrangements, great sound, great solos, and just plain-great Jazz music.
CD cover left, original LP cover right
Audio engineer David B. Jones captured a wonderful performance here, and this remastered version fills the role using my UltraFocus 8000 headphones. The 8000's drivers provide a sound quality that allows the highs and lows to come through individually without conflicting with one another. Along with the natural sounding mid-range tones, the highs, mids, and lows create a true harmonious listening experience. For example, Ronnie Boykins bass slapping sounds killer on It Is Eternal. There's a lot of room for the audio to breath, yet picking up little noise from the outside world thanks to the noise cancellation; which cleared out the hum from my window A/C and Mac Pro Fans.
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Ok. So listening to 320kbs MP3 files is one thing... But the proper question is, how do these sound with Vinyl?
Keeping with the intergalactic themes, I tethered myself to the receiver with the company of Ornette Coleman's Science Fiction. Particularly to the cuts Civilization Day and Street Woman. The two tracks containing the [original] original Quartet line up.
Agnes Martin scoping the UltraFocus 8000 Headphones
There was once a time when young folks wanted the loudest stereos. Now, we keep the music to ourselves thanks to iPods and Smartphones. However, I can't remember the last time I sat with headphones while listening to an actual piece of Wax. For one, I sit and what else is there to do but read the liner notes? I just said to my wife the other day, "people don't read liner notes these days." Which I followed up with, "do people even write liner notes for new music?"
To answer my question, Howard Mandel has work doing so, but I don't know the answer in the "Pop" music sense. However, my original point is that I am thankful these new headphones gave me the chance to read some liner notes oppose to just having music in the background. And boy, does Ornette's Quartet sound good on these puppies. Of course I still hear the snap, crackle, and pop of the LP, but I don't think I have ever heard Billy Higgins sound so good. I mean, I can really differentiate between each drum head and cymbal. And along with Charlie Haden's chromatic use of his finger board on Street Woman, the Quartet appeared more unstoppable than ever before. The Complete Nothing Is... 1966 - ESP-Disk' Sun Ra - piano; John Gilmore - tenor sax; Marshall Allen - alto sax; Pat Patrick - baritone sax; Robert Cummings - baritone clarinet; Teddy Nance - trombone; Ali Hassan - trombone; Clifford Jarvis - drums; Ronnie Boykins - bass, tuba; James Jackson - log drum, flute; Carl Nimrod: sun horn, gong.
Science Fiction, Civilization Day & Street Woman. 1972 - Columbia Ornette Coleman - alto sax; Don Cherry - pocket trumpet; Billy Higgins - drums; Charlie Haden - bass.
Originally released as two separate LPs under Sun Ray’s Saturn label, Fate in a Pleasant Mood (1961)/When Sun Comes Out (1963) really allows the Myth Science Arkestra and the Astro-Infinity Arkestra breath and offers listeners a chance to really hear and understand each musician -- whether they are playing within in their own mode, or if Sun Ra is directing them.
The opening track, The Others in Their World, is a mellow theme to set the course for the album before being followed by Space Mates, offering warm sounds of percussion and bass under a flute arrangement before Sun Ra himself closes the track with a short, yet intrinsic solo. One thing I love about Sun Ra is that his recordings sometimes come off almost like instrumental concept albums, if such things exists. Even though I am unaware of the continuing narrative being conveyed, the songs suggest a visual plot without needed verbal connotations. They contain ups, downs, climaxes, and resolutions. This is especially perceived in the third track Lights of a Satellite.
The climax clearly begins with We Travel the Spaceways (now on the When Sun Comes Out half of the album). It’s a cosmic struggle between each player of the Arkestra; being the core of the aesthetics of the group. It’s almost like the first two thirds of the record were a build up to this culmination. It is brief, and we are left in a state of uncertainty as the loose, unbound stylings continue with Calling Planet Earth. I particularly enjoy the tenor solo over the eruption of bass and drums.Dancing Shadows is a pretty straight ahead post-bop rendering of sorts. The tonality of the bass is spot on. Not over bearing but noticeably enough to complement the drums and generate the environment for the front line to improvise over.
The plot’s struggle still continues with The Rainmaker. This is terrific free playing that deserves multiple plays. The group collectively supports each other while knowing when to aid or stray away at the right moments. Dimensions in Time gives you the needed conclusion to allow this story to rest until another moment in the future. 1961/1963 - Saturn.
Writings about different albums primarily from the 1960s of the avant-garde. However, I may touch on titles pertaining to bop, hard-bop, soul jazz and post bop, as well as contemporary avant-garde releases.
Yesterday was Sun Ra's birthday. 99 years ago he arrived on this minuscule rock in our universe. And with his arrival Jazz was changed forever. Sun Ra oozed creativity, diversity, and change during an era of Jazz that needed all of the above. His discography is deep and eclectic offering a magnitude of atmospheric music for any mood. 
Originally released as two separate LPs under Sun Ray’s Saturn label, Fate in a Pleasant Mood (1961)/When Sun Comes Out (1963) really allows the Myth Science Arkestra and the Astro-Infinity Arkestra breath and offers listeners a chance to really hear and understand each musician -- whether they are playing within in their own mode, or if Sun Ra is directing them.
