In A Mellow Tone
Wednesday October 27th, 2021 with Bruce Walton
Cosmic Tones for Mental Therapy - Sun Ra, part 1
Sun Ra must be one of the most underappreciated artists in all of jazz. Come for the weird intergalactic outfits and afro-futurist themes; stay for his wonderful music. His music is astounding in its originality and diversity of form, Henderson and Ellington tunes from the 1930’s alongside electronic music and various forms of out, much of it groove-y, and of course, "I'm Gonna Unmask The Batman".
Like Duke Ellington, the only jazz artist Sun Ra can be measured by, the band is excellent, with the great John Gilmore on tenor, Marshall Allen on alto, Ronnie Boykins on bass, Robert Barry on drums and vocalist June Tyson among the many players who, again like Duke’s Orchestra, stayed in the Arkestra for long periods. All band members doubled on percussion.
Blues, standards, and other more straight-ahead tracks in the first hour. In the 2nd, Rocket #9 Takes Off for Other Planes Of There to watch Sunrise In Different Dimensions . . . .
| Pleasure Sun Ra & His Solar Arkestra - Other Planes Of There (1964) |
| Enlightenment Sun Ra & His Arkestra - Silhouette In Jazz (1959) |
| Saturn Sun Ra & His Solar Arkestra - Visits Planet Earth (1957-58) |
| Interview: Being Neglected as an Artist Sun Ra & His Solar Arkestra - In The Beginning 1963-1964 (Pharoah Sanders) |
| The Next Stop Mars Sun Ra & His Solar Arkestra - In The Beginning 1963-1964 |
| Blues At Midnight/Back In Your Own Backyard Sun Ra & His Arkestra - Silhouette In Jazz |
| I'm Gonna Unmask The Batman (radio broadcast, Philadelphia, 1964) Sun Ra & His Arkestra - The Singles |
| Take The 'A' Train Sun Ra & His Arkestra - Sunrise In Different Dimensions (live, Willisau, 1982) |
| Medicine For A Nightmare Sun Ra & His Myth Science Arkestra - Angels & Demons At Play (Playing Music From Tomorrow's World) (1956) |
| Dorothy's Dance Sun Ra & His Astro-Infinity Arkestra - Holiday For Soul Dance (1960) |
| Planet Earth Sun Ra & His Solar Arkestra - Visits Planet Earth |
| Queer Notions Sun Ra & His Arkestra - Sunrise In Different Dimensions |
| Hours After (1958) Sun Ra & His Arkestra - The Singles |
| first/second |
| Interview - Meeting John Coltrane Sun Ra & His Solar Arkestra - In The Beginning 1963-1964 |
| The Order Of The Pharoanic Jesters Sun Ra & His Arkestra - Cymbals/Deep Purple (1973) |
| Somebody Else's World Sun Ra & His Arkestra feat. June Tyson - My Brother The Wind (1970) |
| We'll Wait For You Sun Ra & His intergalactic Solar Arkestra - Space Is The Place sdtrk (1972) |
| Pleiades Sun Ra & His Arkestra - Live In Nickelsdorf, March 11, 1984 |
| Thither And Yon Sun Ra & His Myth Science Arkestra - Cosmic Tones For Mental Therapy (rec. 1963, rel. 1967) |
| unidentified piano solo Sun Ra & His Arkestra - Live In Nickelsdorf |
| Rocket Number 9 Takes Off For The Planet Venus Sun Ra & His Solar Arkestra - Interstellar Low Ways (1960) |
| The Perfect Man Sun Ra & His Astro-Galactic Infinity Arkestra - single, 1973 |
| Enlightenment (early '70's) Sun Ra & His Arkestra - The Singles |
| Angels & Demons At Play Sun Ra & His Myth Science Arkestra - Angels & Demons At Play |
| Mayan Temple (1973) Sun Ra & His Arkestra - The Singles |
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Great show, Bruce. Always cool to hear Sun Ra, and his discography is so expansive that one will always hear something new.
10:13 PM, October 27th, 2021