{"title":"Sun Ra","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eSun Ra\u003c\/b\u003e, born Herman Blount in Birmingham, Alabama in 1914, was an American Free-Jazz composer, pianist and band leader. He was a pioneer of free improvisation and modal jazz, as well as an early user of electronic keyboards and synthesizers.\u003cb\u003e Sun Ra's\u003c\/b\u003e music innovations and visionary experiences set him apart as a true musical innovator. He formed the \u003cb\u003eSun Ra Arkestra\u003c\/b\u003e in the 1950s and continued to compose and perform until his death in 1993.Born and raised in Alabama, \u003cb\u003eSun Ra\u003c\/b\u003e showed exceptional talent as a pianist from a young age. By the age of 11, he could sight-read and compose music. As a teenager, he performed with local jazz and R\u0026amp;B bands before taking on his first full-time musical job leading the \u003cb\u003eSonny Blount Orchestra\u003c\/b\u003e. In the mid-1930s, \u003cb\u003eSun Ra\u003c\/b\u003e had a transformative experience during deep meditation where he claimed to have been transported to Saturn by beings from outer space who tasked him with spreading peace through music.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"the-solar-myth-approach-vol-1-3","title":"The Solar-Myth Approach, Vol. 1","description":"\u003cp\u003eOccupying a unique place in the history of black music, Sun Ra took the big band aesthetic of his role model Duke Ellington into thrilling new territory. A pianist and keyboard player with an ear for uncommon timbres, a profound interest in a wide range of non-Western cultures as well as the scope of electronics and homemade instruments, Ra led his Solar-Myth Arkestra featuring fine players such as saxophonists John Gilmore, Danny Davis and Marshall Allen, as well as the charismatic singer June Tyson. Together they created a timeless body of work: \u003ci\u003eThe Solar Myth Approach Vol.1\u003c\/i\u003e. This album is a grab-bag of tracks from various undocumented US sessions in the 60s, while some possibly date to the late 50s. It puts a typically subversive slant on composition and arrangement in which texture and atmosphere, often conjuring up ancient ceremony and ritual, are as important as any model of theme and improvisation. Ra’s use of a Moog synthesizer just made his palette all the more enticingly polychromatic. This remastered version, meticulously restored from the original tapes, provides the opportunity to enjoy the finer points of Ra’s music and reveals more layers with every listen. More than half a century after its creation, \u003ci\u003eThe Solar Myth Approach Vol.1\u003c\/i\u003e has become a never-ending story.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BYG","offers":[{"title":"LP - White","offer_id":50384120316235,"sku":"2146364","price":29.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/The_Solar-Myth_Approach_Vol._1_e6ba1130_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726287793"},{"product_id":"batman-and-robin","title":"Batman and Robin","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis novelty album, released in 1966 during the height of the Batman \u0026amp; Robin craze, was initially credited to the \u003cstrong\u003eThe Sensational Guitars of Dan and Dale\u003c\/strong\u003e and featured an album full of tracks based on the popular TV show like \"\u003cem\u003eThe Batman Theme Song\u003c\/em\u003e\", \"\u003cem\u003eThe Penguin Chase\u003c\/em\u003e\", and \"\u003cem\u003eThe Batcave\u003c\/em\u003e\".\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe album is entirely instrumental, except for someone singing \"Batmaaaan!\" in the theme song. But the interesting thing about this album, and what makes it an absolute cult gem, are the musicians who are behind it all: basically a joint collaboration between \u003cstrong\u003eSun Ra's Arkestra\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003eDanny Kalb's Blues Project\u003c\/strong\u003e (one of the first psychedelic rock bands as well as one of the world's first jam bands). \"Dan and Dale\" were actually blues guitarist Danny Kalb and Steve Katz (later of \u003cem\u003eBlood, Sweat \u0026amp; Tears\u003c\/em\u003e) on dueling guitars, while Sun Ra and Al Kooper take over organ duties (a Hammond B-3) and members of Ra's Arkestra play sax.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Dol","offers":[{"title":"LP","offer_id":50388616020299,"sku":"1017348","price":14.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/e2c42e0c-2ce0-428d-b50e-b65e6f379d9b_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726345500"},{"product_id":"sun-ra-arkestra-meets-salah-ragab-in-egypt","title":"Sun Ra Arkestra Meets Salah Ragab In Egypt","description":"\u003cp\u003eStrut present the final instalment in their series of reissues of Sun Ra’s historic recordings in Egypt with The Sun Ra Arkestra meets Salah Ragab in Egypt plus the Cairo Jazz Band, originally released on Greek label Praxis in 1983.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSalah Ragab first encountered the Arkestra at a concert at the house of Goethe Institut ex-pat Hartmut Geerken during the Arkestra’s first visit to Cairo and Heliopolis in December 1971 and, although Ra and Ragab did not meet in person on that occasion, they did meet and bond together when Ra returned to Egypt in 1983, resulting in these recordings. The Arkestra had been touring Europe in March 1983 and made their way to Cairo, playing a number of concerts during April at the Il Capo \/ Il Buco venue before recording the two superb studio versions of Ragab compositions, ‘Egypt Strut’ and ‘Dawn’, at El Nahar Studios in Heliopolis in May, featuring Salah Ragab on congas.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eKostas Yiannoulopoulos, organiser of the Praxis festival in Greece, released the recordings as the A-side of this album, with three tracks by Salah Ragab and the Cairo Jazz Orchestra on Side B. ‘Ramadan’ and ‘Oriental Mood’ were first heard on the Cairo Jazz Orchestra album Egypt Strut released in 1973 while ‘A Farewell Theme’, received its very first release on this record, written following the death of Gamal Abdel Nasser in 1970; the piece was played at the much-loved President’s funeral. This first ever official reissue of the album features previously unseen photos and memorabilia alongside brand new liner notes by Hartmut Geerken and Paul Griffiths. The album is released in its original artwork and is fully remastered by Technology Works.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Strut","offers":[{"title":"Black | LP | x2","offer_id":50390022947147,"sku":"1149271","price":27.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/6111c3cc-04a7-46ac-bd06-ac50e322bb7f_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726379940"},{"product_id":"nuclear-war","title":"Nuclear War","description":"\u003cp\u003eOne of the rarest recordings in Sun Ra's enormous catalog. Recorded in 1982, featuring the groove-infested x-rated warning hit \u003ci\u003eNuclear War\u003c\/i\u003e. The remaining tracks include four originals and three standards, Ellington's \"Drop Me Off in Harlem,\" \"Sometimes I'm Happy,\" and \"Smile.\" A cult album finally repressed on virgin audiophile vinyl. XYZ Records. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"XYZ","offers":[{"title":"Black LP.","offer_id":50390029861195,"sku":"2165826","price":22.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/XYZ01_c4a7a747_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726380219"},{"product_id":"pink-elephants-on-parade-rsd-2024","title":"Pink Elephants On Parade","description":"\u003cp\u003eWhen you wish upon a star- that turns out to be Saturn - Previously unheard Ra culled from the archives and compiled based on their association to that children's flm corporation with the cartoon rodent Manufactured on Earth.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eJazz afcionados and Disney nerds alike will marvel at how seamlessly Sun Ra and his Arkestra put their own unique twist on both well-known and overlooked Disney songs. Pink Elephants on Parade takes nine songs from Disney's storied catalog and recontextualizes them as beautiful, fun, and sometimes terrifying pieces of Afrofuturist jazz. The collection also shows further proof of how Ra was always willing to transcend conventions of jazz. Listen to the full album and you will likely never look at the Disney music catalog the same way ever again. Originally known for accompanying Dumbo and Timothy's colorful alcohol- induced hallucinations, this song is given a whole new life by Ra and the Arkestra in more ways than one. It also feels faithful to the original at the same time, with the cacophony of horns, drums, percussion, and cowbell resembling that of a marching band. However, the demented grandeur of the song is turned up to eleven with zany vocal lines (hence the high-pitched \"What'll I do\" infections) and other performances that somehow sound more evil and gruff here than they did on Oliver Wallace and Ned Washington's version. Though the Sportsmen's vocals from that particular arrangement had a certain creepiness to it, the Arkestra takes a previously innocent sounding song and makes\u003ci\u003e Pink Elephants On Parade\u003c\/i\u003e sound even more terrifying.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Modern Harmonic","offers":[{"title":"Black LP","offer_id":50433279099211,"sku":"2223549","price":28.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Pink LP","offer_id":50390890283339,"sku":"2182117","price":31.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"CD","offer_id":50433279852875,"sku":"2223550","price":12.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/test_7eafc89d_thumbnail_4096.webp?v=1726395750"},{"product_id":"singles-10","title":"Singles","description":"\u003cp\u003eStrut present the definitive collection of singles released by Sun Ra across his illustrious career, spanning 1952 to 1991. Released prolifically during the 1950s and more sporadically thereafter, primarily on the Saturn label, the 45s offer one-off meteorites from Ra’s prolific cosmic journey, tracing the development of his forward-thinking Space-Bop and his unique take on jazz and blues traditions. The collection is hugely varied, ranging from Ra’s spoken word recitations and his early work with Chicago vocal groups to the different phases of his Arkestra, small group and duet recordings. The singles are also unpredictable vehicles for Ra’s music, combining different tracks from different sessions and occasionally making available music which was recorded many years beforehand. As with his LPs, most 45s were only pressed in small runs and have since become extremely rare and sought after. Only a small handful of copies of \u003ci\u003eLove In Outer Space\u003c\/i\u003e b\/w \u003ci\u003eMayan Temple\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eThe Blue One\u003c\/i\u003e b\/w \u003ci\u003eOrbitration In Blue\u003c\/i\u003e have ever been seen; some have only been discovered in physical form in recent years; some were planned and pencilled but allegedly never made it to vinyl (including \u003ci\u003eSaturn \u003c\/i\u003eand \u003ci\u003eVelvet\u003c\/i\u003e from the \u003ci\u003eJazz In Silhouette\u003c\/i\u003e LP) and some appeared as limited one-off magazine singles and posthumous releases, including \u003ci\u003eHell #1\u003c\/i\u003e aka \u003ci\u003eOut There A Minute\u003c\/i\u003e. The set is the most comprehensive collection of Ra’s singles to date. Sleeve note writers Francis Gooding and Paul Griffiths brilliantly illustrate the role of the single within Ra’s career and break down each release with detailed track by track notes. Working with Sun Ra LLC and Sun Ra archivist Michael D. Anderson, Strut has also assembled the best possible master sources for each track. \u003ci\u003eSingles\u003c\/i\u003e features fully remastered tracks, rare photos, original 45 artwork, Francis Gooding’s extensive sleeve notes, an interview with Saturn Records founder Alton Abraham by John Corbett and detailed track by track and session notes by Paul Griffiths. First definitive collection of Sun Ra singles, including all Saturn releases, planned singles, posthumous releases and magazine giveaways. Remastered by Technology works including exclusive tape transfers from the Sun Ra archive.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e3CD - Triple Vinyl Set.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e3LP - Triple Vinyl Set.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e10x7\" - 10 x 45 7\" Boxset in Flip Top Box with 32 page bound booklet. 45s box sets include many singles reissued on 45 for the first time since their original release. Presented in their original label artwork. \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Strut","offers":[{"title":"CD | x3","offer_id":50391012114763,"sku":"1001612","price":12.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"LP","offer_id":50391013556555,"sku":"1001613","price":32.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/0d465ecd-dd70-434e-b6cd-0fbb080e17d7_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726396468"},{"product_id":"haverford-college-jan-25-1980","title":"Haverford College, Jan. 25, 1980","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSoothing Sounds for Saturnians! Sun Ra, notorious for his aggressive keyboard attack and seemingly schizophrenic stylings, here offers a unique selection playing the celeste-like Fender Rhodes electric piano, which has a distinct sound (think Doors' \"Riders on the Storm\") and an interesting history. This is Ra sound at his most relaxed and contemplative state.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis Sun Ra 1980 solo set at Haverford College has been kicking around the internet and in the digital libraries of Ra collectors for years, though it has not previously been properly mastered or commercially issued. Like many events in Ra's history, this gig has a story that goes beyond the music. Ra's presence onstage that night came about through an unforeseen chain of events that unfolded up until concert time.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis is a very unique performance. Sun Ra is notorious for his aggressive keyboard attack and seemingly schizophrenic stylings--which can musically rocket from A to Z and back without transitional bridges.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis set offers a marked contrast. Ra's instrument here is the celeste-like Fender Rhodes electric piano, which has a distinct sound (instantly recognizable in the Doors' \"Riders on the Storm\") and an interesting history. There are few pyrotechnics in this performance, and much restraint. Ra sounds relaxed and contemplative. It's Soothing Sounds for Saturnians. - Irwin Chusid\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Modern Harmonic","offers":[{"title":"Black LP","offer_id":50394106134859,"sku":"2052248","price":32.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"CD","offer_id":50394105479499,"sku":"2052238","price":14.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/test_2ffe644c_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726432594"},{"product_id":"a-fireside-chat-with-lucifer-3","title":"A Fireside Chat With Lucifer","description":"\u003cp\u003eAn F-bomb saturated hip-hop call \u0026amp; response club cut - from Sun Ra?! While the most renowned track in this omniversal opus is the atomic expletive-filled repartee \"Nuclear War,\" there is so much more to this dark mysterious journey through the mind of Sun Ra\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Modern Harmonic","offers":[{"title":"Yellow LP.","offer_id":50401905213771,"sku":"2173128","price":32.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/test_4eef10d3_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726525929"},{"product_id":"living-sky","title":"Living Sky","description":"\u003cp\u003eFor more than two decades alto saxophonist Marshall Allen has carried on the legacy and sound of the Sun Ra Arkestra - he turned 98 in 2022 and as evidenced by \u003ci\u003eLiving Sky\u003c\/i\u003e, his influence and leadership remain undiminished.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOn the group's first recording since the pandemic and their Grammy nomination, bandleader Marshall Allen and company give us something we can hold onto, an instrumental album rich in spirituality to guide us through the unknown yet again. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe album includes the first studio recording of Sun Ra's elaboration of Frederic Chopin's \"Prelude in A Major\", first instrumental recording of Ra's \"Somebody Else's Idea\". Features Allen's \"Day of the Living Sky\", a meditative work that is a belated response to Sun Ra's composition \"Night of the Living Sky\" which is also featured in the album.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCover art by Damon Locks. Mixed \u0026amp; mastered by two time Grammy winner Dave Darlington.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Omnisound","offers":[{"title":"Black | LP | x2.","offer_id":50402218934603,"sku":"1167183","price":42.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"Black | LP | x2","offer_id":50402219131211,"sku":"1167177","price":64.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"CD","offer_id":50402219229515,"sku":"1167184","price":19.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/fc2ba5e2-891d-47ef-927e-20f3f2676d90_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726535931"},{"product_id":"the-futuristic-sounds-of-sun-ra","title":"The Futuristic Sounds Of Sun Ra","description":"\u003cp\u003eSun Ra was a true innovator, releasing music that was a bit different to his peers from his earliest output. But what would Sun Ra have made of today’s music scene? If he is looking down from his cosmic realm, he’ll be pleased to know that his music from the past still sounds eerily futuristic.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eRecorded in just one day, on October 10, 1961, \u003ci\u003eThe Futuristic Sounds of Sun Ra\u003c\/i\u003e features 11 tracks. Among the selections is the Latin-influenced opener, “Bassism,” the bluesy “Of Sounds and Something Else,” and the aptly named, “What’s That?,” which breaks into a four-saxophone improvisation, stands out as an example of Ra’s early experimental work.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"No Label","offers":[{"title":"Black | LP","offer_id":50402261139787,"sku":"2046402","price":34.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"CD","offer_id":50402260779339,"sku":"1167048","price":14.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"LP","offer_id":50402261041483,"sku":"374533","price":14.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/The_Futuristic_Sounds_Of_Sun_Ra_aaed9ea0_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726537491"},{"product_id":"on-patrol","title":"On Patrol","description":"\u003cp\u003e'​On Patrol' is a double album in two parts, and the 4th full length album from Sun Araw, following 2009's 'Heavy Deeds'. An album for heavy-steamin' late nights in the city, inter- dimensional back alleys, ghost cabs, and midnight-sweat locker rooms, it creeps and tunes in on a much darker, sparser, and more classically minded channel than its predecessors: dark and deep steam-vent ruminations on Philip Cohran, lenticular objects, and fried Hot 92.3 R\u0026amp;B slow-jams. Eschewing liner notes, Sun Araw has subtitled each track to let the listener know exactly where they are in hopes of recruiting more explorers as would-be enforcers.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Sun Ark","offers":[{"title":"LPx2","offer_id":50402596454731,"sku":"366494","price":27.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/138cba5d-cccf-4299-8d77-fa751f26a24a_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726551682"},{"product_id":"omniverse","title":"Omniverse","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eOmniverse\u003c\/i\u003e, recorded in New York in 1979 and released that year on Sun Ra's Saturn label (catalog #91379) is a solid, overlooked set in the vast Ra canon. The tracks aren't so much compositions as excursions, with few memorable themes or recurring motifs. It's pure jazz, somewhat \"inside\" (for Ra), with little of the aggressiveness and confrontation for which the bandleader was renowned. (\"Visitant of the Ninth Ultimate\" is an exception.) \u003ci\u003eOmniverse\u003c\/i\u003e offers lots of reflective piano in trio, quartet, and sextet settings. Instead of a keyboard showcase, Sun Ra engages in dynamic interplay with the rhythm section. The horns are featured largely as soloists; there are few ensemble passages.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTracks: The Place of Five Points \/ West End Side of Magic City [Vita No. 5] \/ Dark Lights in a White Forest \/ Omniverse \/ Visitant of the Ninth Ultimate\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Modern Harmonic","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":50403197124939,"sku":"1155482","price":14.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/e5e1106d-fd08-4752-835a-6f61895ad17e_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726558587"},{"product_id":"super-sonic-jazz-1","title":"Super-Sonic Jazz","description":"\u003cp\u003eRemastered original 1950s album. Original liner notes by Sun Ra. \u003ci\u003eSuper-Sonic Jazz\u003c\/i\u003e, by Sun Ra, was recorded in 1956 at RCA Studios, Chicago. Sun Ra's 1956 effort is on fact one of the finest semi-unknown records in jazz. Sun Ra's relative obscurity among jazz listeners has always been a mystery; portrayals of Ra seem to miss the most important point: he was a musician of the highest order. His big band writing was a hybrid of Ellington-like harmonic lines, Basie-like driving swing, and Mingus-like exuberance. Although he is best known for his free-sounding jazz arrangements in the 1960's, Ra was steeped deeply in the tradition of big band music. This album displays that influence in full tilt, infused by the unique swing of his twelve-man group.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Not Now","offers":[{"title":"Black | LP.","offer_id":50408470675787,"sku":"391209","price":14.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/b0fd14dc-d190-42fb-95b3-bd863a80e67b_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726604593"},{"product_id":"at-the-showcase-live-in-chicago-rsd-2024","title":"At The Showcase \/ Live In Chicago 1976-1977 - RSD 2024","description":"\u003cp\u003e\n                            This product is a Record Store Day exclusive title and is not available to pre-order.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n                            To buy in-store: 8am, 20\/04\/2024 (Record Store Day).\u003cbr\u003e\n                            To buy online: 8pm, 22\/04\/2024. (Subject to availability).\u003cbr\u003e\n                            Don’t forget: Click 'Notify Me' to be the first to know about its availability online. It also helps us to place accurate orders so that we can please as many of you as possible on the day.\u003cbr\u003e\n                            \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis set contains previously unissued live\nrecordings of the legendary intergalactic\ncomposer\/pianist Sun Ra captured live at\nJoe Segal's Jazz Showcase in Chicago, IL\nbetween November 4-10, 1977. This is an\nofficial release on producer Zev Feldman's\nJazz Detective record label, in partnership\nwith Elemental Music, and in cooperation\nwith the Sun Ra Trust. Researched and\ncompiled by longtime Sun Ra archivist\nMichael D. Anderson, and transferred from\nthe original tape reels, this limited-edition\n180-gram 2-LP edition (and deluxe 2-CD\nset) includes an extensive insert with rare\nphotographs; liner notes by Grammy winning\nauthor and historian Ashley Kahn;\nand interviews and statements from a who's who of music icons.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Jazz Detective Records","offers":[{"title":"Black LPx2","offer_id":50408516256075,"sku":"2181415","price":69.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/418467268251_360_e9f9efbf_thumbnail_4096.webp?v=1726605014"},{"product_id":"at-the-showcase-live-in-chicago-1976-1977","title":"At The Showcase \/ Live In Chicago 1976-1977","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis set contains previously unissued live recordings of the legendary intergalactic composer\/pianist Sun Ra captured live at Joe Segal's Jazz Showcase in Chicago, IL between November 4-10, 1977. This is an official release on producer Zev Feldman's Jazz Detective record label, in partnership with Elemental Music, and in cooperation with the Sun Ra Trust. Researched and compiled by longtime Sun Ra archivist Michael D. Anderson, and transferred from the original tape reels, this limited-edition 180-gram 2-LP edition (and deluxe 2-CD set) includes an extensive insert with rare photographs; liner notes by Grammy winning author and historian Ashley Kahn; and interviews and statements from a who's who of music icons.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Jazz Detective Records","offers":[{"title":"CDx2","offer_id":50409762324811,"sku":"2190135","price":32.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/418467268251-800_a155abc8_thumbnail_4096.webp?v=1726626244"},{"product_id":"jazz-by-sun-ra-vol-1","title":"Jazz by Sun Ra Vol 1","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eJazz By Sun Ra\u003c\/i\u003e was the debut album length recording by Sun Ra. The LP originally appeared on the short-lived and pioneering label Transition Records, which was headed by the young Tom Wilson, and released a number of unique jazz albums in this period by the likes of Cecil Taylor and Donald Byrd. Transition releases tended to include elaborate if home made looking packaging more perhaps in tune with today's buyers and artists than those of the 1950s, When originally released, \u003ci\u003eJazz By Sun Ra\u003c\/i\u003e came with an extensive booklet featuring words and photos of Sun Ra and his Arkestra. from which we excerpt Sun Ra's own comments on the album contents. Wilson was to continue in an extensive and successful career as a major label A\u0026amp;R man \/ producer, with a range from Bob Dylan's \u003ci\u003eLike A Rolling Stone\u003c\/i\u003e to the first 2 Velvet Underground albums and way beyond...he was to remain close friends with Sun Ra, re-entering the story on a number of occasions in years to come. The LP features original compositions by Sun Ra along with one by Arkestral bassist Richard Evans. The single non-Arkestral composition is Possession, by Harry Revel, which had been written for Les Baxter's slightly bizarre Exotica album oddity Perfume Set to Music, which shows just how wide ranging Sun's listening and how open his mind was to the unusual even in the 1950s!! Remastered original 1955 recording of Sun Ra's earliest released LP. Features the original Transition Records cover, with excerpts from the original booklet included as liner notes.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Fat Cat","offers":[{"title":"Black | LP","offer_id":50409848865099,"sku":"1009577","price":14.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/3b6c075a-f3a7-4f8b-b505-44e826c60ac8_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726630008"},{"product_id":"janus","title":"Janus","description":"\u003cp\u003eJanus is a compilation of rare material from Sun Ra and his Arkestra, drawing from tapes recorded between 1963 and 1970, taken from both live and studio performances. The space-age jazz shaman conjures up a variety of styles and moods along the way. \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Org Music","offers":[{"title":"Black | LP","offer_id":50412425249099,"sku":"1147306","price":29.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/565afb35-5cbd-4150-a5f3-b957a16ebb9a_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726667605"},{"product_id":"monorails-and-satellites-works-for-solo-piano-viol-12-and-3-deluxe","title":"Monorails and Satellites - Works For Solo Piano Viol, 1,2 and 3 (Deluxe)","description":"\u003cp\u003eConsidering the monumental depth of Sun Ra's recorded oeuvre, there are surprisingly few solo piano albums. \u003ci\u003eMonorails and Satellites Volumes 1 and 2\u003c\/i\u003e were the first commercial LPs of the artist's solo keyboard excursions. Recorded in 1966 and released on his Saturn imprint in 1968, \u003ci\u003eVolume 1\u003c\/i\u003e featured seven idiosyncratic originals and one standard (\u003ci\u003eEasy Street\u003c\/i\u003e) delivered in Sunny's singular manner. \u003ci\u003eVolume 2\u003c\/i\u003e was released the following year, and contains five compositions, all originals. A third volume was prepped but shelved, and this deluxe edition marks it's premiere release. As with all Cosmic Myth releases these volumes are superbly mastered, and are available as a deluxe 2xCD or 3xLP tri-gatefold cover with copious liners notes by renown American jazz pianist Vijay Iyer, and additional overviews by jazz historian Ben Young and producer Irwin Chusid. \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Cosmic Myth Records","offers":[{"title":"CD | x2","offer_id":50412903727435,"sku":"1054858","price":17.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"LP | x3","offer_id":50412906643787,"sku":"1054860","price":42.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/319517aa-b81b-4d3a-97ac-370025536b73_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726669526"},{"product_id":"god-is-more-than-love-can-ever-be","title":"God Is More Than Love Can Ever Be","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eGod Is More Than Love Can Ever Be\u003c\/i\u003e is something of a rarity in the Sun Ra catalogue - a cohesive album with none of the stylistic eclecticism and musical chair shifting many of the artist's self-released LPs were known for. Recorded at Variety Studios one day in 1979, the album's five tracks comprise a solid jazz trio set. \u003ci\u003eGod is More Than Love\u003c\/i\u003e is the only complete piano-bass- drums studio session in the massive Sun Ra catalog. The album offers an intense set of cosmic vagabond moods, reflecting the telepathy that is the essence of small combo jazz. Other than an overdubbed second piano on \u003ci\u003eDays of Happiness\u003c\/i\u003e the five works were spontaneously generated and forever fixed: none of the titles recur in the encyclopedic Ra discography. Originally released on Saturn in several small press runs under the alternate title \u003ci\u003eDays of Happiness\u003c\/i\u003e between 1979 and 1981, fully realized artwork was never established and the album never got much circulation, thus it has remained a largely overlooked session in the Ra omniverse. Nearly 40 years later, the record is long overdue for acclaim on its second time around. Newly remastered edition on CD and LP (with tip-on style jackets\/ RTI vinyl). \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Cosmic Myth Records","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":50412944916811,"sku":"1035564","price":14.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/a646ece2-fb3c-4a5e-a66b-d7d6766d51e2_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726669837"},{"product_id":"thunder-of-the-gods-2","title":"Thunder Of The Gods","description":"\u003cp\u003eAn album of originally unreleased Sun Ra, over 50 years after it was recorded, back in print on lightning yellow vinyl!\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Sun Ra is still trying to get our attention 50 years after dispatching this transmission. Humanity's path since then makes his message even more urgent today. Years after Herman Poole \"LeSony'r Ra\" Blount \"left the planet\" he's still trying to reach us, to wake us up and to change our destiny.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Sun Ra and the Arkestra weren't a traditional studio band, and every star in the vast galaxy of their discography reflects this. The origins of these records can be hard to pinpoint at times, but when it comes to Thunder Of The Gods, it's a bit easier. \"Calling Planet Earth - We'll Wait For You\" was discovered on tapes from Ra's, Universe In Blue, believed to be recorded in '71. The raucous title track and \"Moonshots Across the Sky\" are unearthed from the '66 Strange Strings sessions. Modern Harmonic has once again paired Ra's sonic art with the visual art of \"The Father of Modern Space Art,\" Chesley Bonestell, whose 1952 work \"Formation of the Earth's Continents\" spralls across the front and back covers.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Modern Harmonic","offers":[{"title":"Yellow LP","offer_id":50413309821259,"sku":"2191010","price":29.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/test_fa504089_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726672611"},{"product_id":"continuation-2","title":"Continuation","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eContinuation\u003c\/i\u003e, like a number of early Sun Ra albums, contains mysteries. Who's on it? When and where was it recorded? Expert opinions differ. The Robert Campbell-Christopher Trent discographic atlas, The Earthly Recordings of Sun Ra (2nd edition, 2000), provides some guidance, but the citations contain numerous question marks. Personnel lists on Saturn LP covers have proven notoriously (perhaps willfully) inaccurate. In fact, the recording location printed on the \u003ci\u003eContinuation\u003c\/i\u003e sleeve is \"El Saturn Studios: Minneapolis, Minn.,\" yet no one has alleged any such sessions, much less the existence of a Sun Ra studio in Minnesota. The spelling of track two differs (\"Intergalaxtic Research\" on the LP and in The Earthly Recordings, but \"Intergalactic …\" appears in the BMI title registration). \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe LP side-length \"Continuation to Jupiter Festival\" was reportedly recorded live at a club called The East, in Brooklyn, but there's no indication of an audience, including during quiet passages and after exciting solos; the constrained ambience of the track indicates a studio setting. Danny Ray Thompson, as reported by Campbell-Trent, \"has a recollection ('not 100 percent') of performing this piece at The East.\" Indeed it could have been performed—but perhaps not recorded—there.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Saturn","offers":[{"title":"Black | LP","offer_id":50413832175947,"sku":"394102","price":16.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/81e8ad0c-d604-4f65-92e9-c2035d4da943_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726678035"},{"product_id":"haverford-college-january-25-1980","title":"Haverford College, January 25 1980","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis unique performance from Sun Ra contrasts to his aggressive keyboard attack and signature stylings with a meditative solo outing performed with the celeste-like Fender Rhodes electric piano. There are few pyrotechnics in this performance, and much restraint. Ra sounds relaxed and contemplative and covers Ra's customary approach to solo outings: 1) original Ra crowd pleasers (Space is the Place , Love in Outer Space); 2) standards (St. Louis Blues, Rhapsody in Blue, Over the Rainbow); and 3) untitled improvisations . It's Soothing Sounds for Saturnians, available in the earthly bins for the first time and pressed on coloured vinyl for Record Store Day!\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Modern Harmonic","offers":[{"title":"Black LP","offer_id":50416212574539,"sku":"2012293","price":31.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/A4cQPEQs_d747c902_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726698647"},{"product_id":"secrets-of-the-sun","title":"Secrets Of The Sun","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eSecrets of the Sun\u003c\/i\u003e is one of many Sun Ra albums which originated from sessions at the Choreographer's Workshop, a West 51st Street venue which served as the Arkestra's rehearsal space from roughly 1962 to 1965. The band rehearsed there endlessly, and more often than not an open-reel tape deck was running. These sessions produced tracks which (without organising logic) achieved first commercial release on Saturn LPs throughout the 1960s and '70s. (Many unreleased tracks are first appearing on these post-2014 \"Sun-tennial\" digital remasters.) \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eSecrets of the Sun\u003c\/i\u003e was recorded in 1962, but didn't appear on Saturn vinyl until '65. Per what had long been the bandleader's trademark, many titles point to destinations beyond Earth's stratosphere, while paradoxically echoing rhythms and forms inspired by Africa. And in what was a recurring motif of the Choreographer's milieu, the recordings themselves have a raw quality, replete with warehouse acoustics, distortion, erratic mic proximity, and a limited frequency spectrum. It's garage jazz. As on many of the Workshop sessions, drummer Tommy Hunter served as recording engineer, and his proto-psychedelic reverb saturates a few of these performances. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Saturn","offers":[{"title":"Black LP","offer_id":50417290182987,"sku":"1150508","price":16.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/628a2ad9-fa10-4b4a-800d-a12452e26006_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726724697"},{"product_id":"featuring-pharoah-sanders-and-black-harold","title":"Featuring Pharoah Sanders and Black Harold","description":"\u003cp\u003e“To understand the significance of the word ‘featuring’ on Featuring Pharoah Sanders And Black Harold, consider how infrequently Sun Ra used it and the exact way it had been used. “The October Revolution in Jazz, organized by Bill Dixon in the West Village in 1964, presented a vivid cross section of approaches to the new music, including a sextet led by Ra. For the October Revolution’s continuation, titled Four Days in December, held at nearby Judson Hall on the last days of 1964, the Arkestra performance presented Pharoah Sanders as well as a flautist (who was and remained obscure thereafter) named Harold Murray, nicknamed Black Harold. “It wasn’t until long after Sanders had achieved worldwide acclaim with John Coltrane that Ra and manager Alton Abraham decided to issue the music they’d recorded at Judson Hall. After its first release in plain or hand decorated covers in 1976, Featuring Pharoah Sanders And Black Harold remained an exceptionally rare item in the El Saturn discography, known to a few lucky collectors. “We’re lucky to have this glimpse of what Sanders sounded like in such a different context, galvanizing the large group and in turn being inspired to make his first significant contribution on record.” —John Corbett (excerpt from the liner notes)\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Superior Viaduct","offers":[{"title":"Green LP","offer_id":50421078720843,"sku":"2188868","price":37.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/da122c12-fd31-4840-9ad0-86516cb17961_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726755650"},{"product_id":"inside-the-light-world-sun-ra-meets-the-ovc-3","title":"Inside The Light World: Sun Ra Meets The OVC","description":"\u003cp\u003eIntroducing a musical treasure from the enigmatic Sun Ra's expansive discography, Strut Records proudly presents\u003ci\u003e Inside The Light World\u003c\/i\u003e: \u003ci\u003eSun Ra Meets The OVC\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis extraordinary album unveils previously unreleased recordings from the year 1986 for the very first time, showcasing a unique chapter in the Sun Ra catalogue. Crafted by the forward-thinking technological innovator and rocket scientist, Bill Sebastian, during the mid-1970s, the Outer Space Visual Communicator (OVC) stood as a groundbreaking invention. Instead of producing traditional sound, this keyboard-triggered \"instrument\" harnessed the power of light, casting mesmerising kaleidoscopic, multicoloured patterns onto a screen suspended above performers on stage. Ra first performed with the idiosyncratic fractal light projector in the late ‘70s  and, in 1986, two grainy VHS tapes surfaced featuring Ra performing ‘Calling Planet Earth’ and ‘Sunset On The Nile’, both accompanied by the OVC’s radiant light painting.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“I was curious about the performances,” explains Irwin Chusid, administrator of the Sun Ra catalogue. “I couldn't locate these terrific versions and wondered from where they originated. I discovered that not only was Bill Sebastian alive but he was still in Boston developing advanced iterations of the OVC, which by then incorporated Virtual Reality (VR) technology.” Sebastian and Chusid embarked on the intricate task of assembling the session tapes sourced from Sebastian's archives. These recordings, which took place on August 25, 1986, at Mission Control studios in Westford, Massachusetts, were originally spontaneous and never intended for a formal album release. Although the tape transfers yielded remarkable material, the recordings remained in an unmixed state, prompting Chusid to collaborate with engineer Joe Lizzi. Together, they embarked on the journey of reconstructing each track with painstaking precision.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe end result is nothing short of a revelation, featuring exceptional performances by the Arkestra. This release unveils previously unheard renditions of Sun Ra classics such as 'Love In Outer Space,' 'El Is A Sound Of Joy,' and 'Calling Planet Earth.' Additionally, it offers a complete performance of 'Discipline 27-II,' making it a musical gem for fans and collectors alike.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe package features stills from the original OVC videos, extensive liner notes and a full interview with Bill Sebastian. The album is fully remastered from the original reel to reel tapes by Joe Lizzi and Peter Beckmann.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Strut","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":50423571513675,"sku":"2196948","price":17.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/CS1004230-01A-BIG_89c71290_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726769668"},{"product_id":"the-sky-is-a-sea-of-darkness-when-there-is-no-sun-to-light-the-way","title":"The Sky Is A Sea Of Darkness When There Is No Sun To Light The Way","description":"\u003cp\u003eAbsolutely Stellar jazz from Sun Ra alongside John Gilmore, Luqman Ali \u0026amp; Michael Ray. This quartet version of the title song appeared on 1978's \u003ci\u003eNew Steps\u003c\/i\u003e LP. Over on the flip is the \u003ci\u003eAlien vocal version\u003c\/i\u003e of Somewhere In Space, recorded in 1957.\u003cbr\u003eTwo expertly plucked out (fully licensed) Sun Ra essentials, presented on a heavyweight (70gram) Art Yard styled 7\". Don't be sleeping..!\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Art Yard","offers":[{"title":"Black | LP","offer_id":50424177983819,"sku":"1127371","price":16.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/a79e4e12-faf0-4c2c-a1df-70dd81a1698a_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726774545"},{"product_id":"excelsior-mill-2","title":"Excelsior Mill","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe outsized sounds emerging from the Excelsior Mill organ captured here constitute a unique chapter in the Sun Ra story, a dizzying phantasmagoria that offers a whole new view on what Ra could do\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Modern Harmonic","offers":[{"title":"Purple LP","offer_id":50424673829195,"sku":"2197155","price":29.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"CD","offer_id":50424673468747,"sku":"2197148","price":14.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/test_868713a5_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726781318"},{"product_id":"singles-the-definitive-45s-collection-vol-2-1962-1991","title":"Singles - The Definitive 45s Collection - Vol 2 : 1962 - 1991","description":"\u003cp\u003eFollowing 2016’s definitive collection of singles released by Sun Ra from across his illustrious career, Strut present the second volume of the vinyl edition on 3LP format which focus on Ra’s later 1962-1991 period. Released sporadically during the three decades and primarily on the Saturn label, the 45s offer one-off missives from Ra’s prolific cosmic journey, tracing the development of his forward-thinking “Space-Bop” and his unique take on jazz and blues traditions which remains unlike anything else from the period. As with the first volume vinyl editions, the collection is hugely varied, ranging from Ra’s spoken word recitations and some of his R\u0026amp;B recordings to alternative versions of Arkestra staples like \u003ci\u003eLove In Outer Space, Enlightenment and Rocket No. 9\u003c\/i\u003e. The singles are also unpredictable vehicles for Ra’s music, combining different tracks from different sessions and occasionally making available music which was recorded many years beforehand. As Francis Gooding describes them, “they are answers to questions that albums won’t answer, and questions that can’t be asked or answered elsewhere.” As with Ra’s LPs, most 45s were only pressed in small runs and have since become extremely rare and sought after. On the volume 2 vinyl editions, it features tracks that have only ever been seen via a small handful of copies including \u003ci\u003eLove In Outer Space b\/w Mayan Temple \u003c\/i\u003eand \u003ci\u003eThe Blue One b\/w Orbitration In Blue\u003c\/i\u003e; some were planned and pencilled but allegedly never made it to vinyl and some appeared as limited one-off magazine singles including Ra’s very last single release, the reflective \u003ci\u003eI Am The Instrument\u003c\/i\u003e. Sleeve note writers Chris Trent and Paul Griffiths brilliantly illustrate the role of the single within Ra’s career and break down each release with detailed track by track notes. Working with Sun Ra LLC and Sun Ra archivist Michael D. Anderson, Strut has also assembled the best possible master sources for each track. \u003ci\u003eSingles Vol. 2\u003c\/i\u003e features fully remastered tracks, rare photos, original 45 artwork, Chris Trent sleeve notes and detailed track by track and session notes by Paul Griffiths.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e3LP - Triple LP Set.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e10x7\" - 10 x 45 7\" Boxset in Flip Top Box with 32 page bound booklet. 45s box sets include many singles reissued on 45 for the first time since their original release. Presented in their original label artwork.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Strut","offers":[{"title":"LPx3","offer_id":50425061671243,"sku":"1008959","price":32.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/57078365-cdbe-4ae2-ac59-bdddfdf44bbf_thumbnail_4096.png?v=1726786252"},{"product_id":"jazz-in-silhouette-4","title":"Jazz In Silhouette","description":"\u003cp\u003eOne of the great enigmatic figures of jazz, \u003cstrong\u003eSun Ra's\u003c\/strong\u003e persona as philosopher, showman and space enthusiast often overshadowed his purely musical accomplishments as one of the most prolific and creative composers and big band leaders in the business.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eJazz In Silhouette\u003c\/em\u003e is one of \u003cstrong\u003eSun Ra's\u003c\/strong\u003e most exceptional and highly regarded albums of the 1950s.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"20th Century Masterworks","offers":[{"title":"Blue LP","offer_id":50426504446283,"sku":"2217865","price":22.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/test_f4160070_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726811453"},{"product_id":"angels-and-demons-at-play","title":"Angels And Demons At Play","description":"\u003cp\u003eSun Ra; piano, organ, percussion. With: Phil Cohran zither; Nate Pryor trombone; John Gilmore tenor sax, clarinet; Marshall Allen alto sax, flute; Ronnie Boykins bass; Jon Hardy drums; Bo Bailey trombone; Art Hoyle trumpet; Julian Priester trombone; (tb), Pat Patrick baritone sax; Wilburn Green electric bass; Robert Barry drums. Recording session Chicago, June 17, 1960.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Waxtime","offers":[{"title":"Red | LP","offer_id":50427545780555,"sku":"1024223","price":24.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"LP","offer_id":50427546992971,"sku":"363994","price":10.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/2abf042f-1287-445f-8434-f36219f10547_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726825869"},{"product_id":"inside-the-light-world-sun-ra-meets-the-ovc-rsd-2024","title":"Inside The Light World: Sun Ra Meets The OVC - RSD 2024","description":"\u003cp\u003e\n                            This product is a Record Store Day exclusive title and is not available to pre-order.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n                            To buy in-store: 8am, 20\/04\/2024 (Record Store Day).\u003cbr\u003e\n                            To buy online: 8pm, 22\/04\/2024. (Subject to availability).\u003cbr\u003e\n                            Don’t forget: Click 'Notify Me' to be the first to know about its availability online. It also helps us to place accurate orders so that we can please as many of you as possible on the day.\u003cbr\u003e\n                            \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDouble vinyl LP pressed on black vinyl, housed in a deluxe sleeve featuring stills from the original OVC videos, extensive liner notes and full interview with Bill Sebastian. \/ Introducing the inaugural release of \"lost\" sessions from 1986, where Sun Ra encountered the OVC. These remarkable recordings were, until now, confined to two tracks exclusively available on VHS videos.\n These recordings have undergone a meticulous process of full remastering, executed by Joe Lizzi and Peter Beckmann, directly from the original reel-to-reel tapes. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFeatures remarkable, previously unheard versions of Ra classics ‘Calling Planet Earth’, ‘Sunset On The Nile’ and ‘Theme From The Stargazers’. Featuring captivating images sourced from Sun Ra and Bill Sebastia's videos. Additionally, the RSD release includes comprehensive sleeve notes and an in-depth interview with Bill Sebastian, providing valuable insights intothis extraordinary moment in time.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Strut","offers":[{"title":"Black LPx2","offer_id":50441455010123,"sku":"2181416","price":37.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/SUN_RA_-_INSIDE_THE_LIGHT_WORLD_SUN_RA_MEETS_THE_OVC_-__665d8cb6_thumbnail_4.jpg?v=1726980156"},{"product_id":"horizon-reissue","title":"Horizon (Reissue)","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis release comprises recordings made by Arkestra member Thomas “Bugs” Hunter made in December 1971 in the streets around the Mena House Hotel, Giza, from a concert held at the house of Goethe Institute ex-pat Hartmut Geerken in Heliopolis, from a live Cairo TV channel broadcast and a concert at the Ballon Theatre in Cairo.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe impact and significance of these few weeks upon Sun Ra can be measured by the growth and development of his output over the next few years; the immediate post-Egypt period included new studio and live recordings on the Saturn, Blue Thumb, Atlantic and Impulse labels and the \u003ci\u003eSpace Is The Place\u003c\/i\u003e movie. Ra also edited the three LPs of the \u003ci\u003eLive In Egypt\u003c\/i\u003e series which were subsequently released on his Saturn record label and its affiliated twin, Thoth Intergalactic: \u003ci\u003eDark Myth Equation Visitation, Nidhamu\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eHorizon\u003c\/i\u003e. These three albums are now reissued as single LP editions in their original artwork.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Strut","offers":[{"title":"Black LP","offer_id":50445693256011,"sku":"1103666","price":19.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/ed29d0b1-8e2b-4cef-a6ba-3199a97e06e3_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727043451"},{"product_id":"schauburg-bremen-germany-june-24-1986","title":"Schauburg, Bremen, Germany June 24, 1986","description":"\u003cp\u003eRecorded live on tour in Germany in 1986, here we have \"Mystery Mr. Ra\" leading a quite rare tentet version of the Arkestra featuring the historical reed section of John Gilmore, Marshal Allen, Eloe Omoe, Danny Ray Thomson and James Jackson, plus trombonist Tyron Hill and an electric rhythms section featuring Marvin \"Boogaloo\" Smith on drums. This is a beautiful document from an era when Ra, in addition to his usual sound explorations and space hymns, began to introduce a good number of jazz standards (Fletcher Henderson, Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn...) along with some exquisite jump-blues originals. \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"WHP","offers":[{"title":"Black LPx2","offer_id":50445833896267,"sku":"2010726","price":27.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/0-4_c7f9701a_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727047147"},{"product_id":"timeless-classic-albums-19","title":"Timeless Classic Albums","description":"\u003cp\u003eAmazing value collection of 5 full classic albums:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.Medicine For A Nightmare- 2.Jazz In Silhouette- 3.Angels And Demons At Play- 4.The Nubians Of Plutonia- 5.Batman And Robin\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Dol","offers":[{"title":"CD | x5","offer_id":50449321099595,"sku":"1049495","price":9.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/c8a515ff-f6c4-46a7-9a39-946b9e946a3a_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727101502"},{"product_id":"planets-of-life-or-death-amiens-72","title":"Planets of Life or Death - Amiens 72","description":"\u003cp\u003eFollowing 2014's landmark compilation presented by Marshall Allen, 'In the Orbit Of Ra', Strut and Art Yard join forces for the first release anywhere of Sun Ra's 'Planets Of Life Or Death'. Within their 1973 European tour, Ra and his Arkestra had completed a residency at the Gibus in Paris before travelling North to Amiens to play a visceral, intense Sunday afternoon concert. Tracks include the theatrical 'Enlightenment' as vocalist June Tyson invites the audience to \"be of our space world\" and a rare instrumental version of 'Love In Outer Space', transforming the Arkestra classic into a percussive, ritualistic workout. John Gilmore's sax features on the glistening 'Lights On A Satellite' and the album closes with the epic, chaotic 'Discipline 27-II \/ What Planet Is This': \"If this is a planet of life, why do people die here?\" Recorded direct from the sound board and mastered from first generation reel to reel tape. The release features rare photos from Sun Ra's 1973 European tour by photographer Jan Persson with sleeve notes by the Arkestra's Knoel Scott.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Strut","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":50451526975819,"sku":"388946","price":5.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/c14d4d04-a04b-4d40-9dad-2f968816ac91_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727128376"},{"product_id":"outer-spaceways-incorporated","title":"Outer Spaceways Incorporated","description":"\u003cp\u003eSun Ra’s Arkestra was at its most radical during this period, alternating simple chants with very outside playing and dense ensembles. Although no precise date is given, these five cuts are thought to have been documented circa 1967-1968 by Sun Ra (piano) and his Arkestra in New York City, where the band was in residence at the time.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Org Music","offers":[{"title":"LP","offer_id":50453099839819,"sku":"1147305","price":29.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/297b3028-54c3-4e75-be06-ebdd7856b30f_thumbnail_4096.png?v=1727167907"},{"product_id":"lanquidity-strut-25th-anniversary-edition","title":"Lanquidity (Strut 25th Anniversary Edition)","description":"\u003cp\u003eStrut proudly presents a special edition, deluxe repress of Sun Ra’s classic \u003ci\u003eLanquidity\u003c\/i\u003e, for the 25th anniversary of the label. Originally released in 1978 on Philly Jazz, \u003ci\u003eLanquidity \u003c\/i\u003ewas recorded overnight at Bob Bank’s Blank Tapes studio on 17th July 1978 following a performance on Saturday Night Live. “Most critics felt that it was more of a fusion-inspired record,” explains Michael Ray. “As the name suggests, the album is liquid and languid.” Bob Blank adds, “Musically, it was very ad hoc and freeform. There were horn charts but most tracks came out of improvised jams. Sun Ra just did his thing.” \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe album \u003ci\u003eLanquidity\u003c\/i\u003e consists of five smooth tracks from the Sun Ra discography. It begins gently with 'Lanquidity,' a spontaneous composition by Sun Ra described by Danny Ray Thompson as reminiscent of an Ancient Egyptian Stargazing Ceremony, plotting the stars and planets. 'Where Pathways Meet' follows, featuring Sun Ra's funky interpretation of an Egyptian march, evoking the image of Pharaoh rallying his troops. 'That’s How I Feel' maintains a relaxed groove, featuring reflective trumpet lines from Eddie Gale and solos by John Gilmore and Marshall Allen, with Allen's oboe described as reminiscent of snake-charming. 'Twin Stars Of Thence' dances around Richard Williams' celebrated elastic bassline, while the haunting closer, 'There Are Other Worlds (They Have Not Told You Of),' epitomizes \"space music,\" described by poet Mama Nzinga as 'The essence of light. Spirit takes a ride inside the deep dark space of just being.' Start to finish, Lanquidity remains an effortless, psychedelic pleasure and one of the strongest in the Ra 70's discography.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis new deluxe LP edition of ‘Lanquidity’ features the widely distributed version of the album originally released on Philly Jazz and reflects the album’s original packaging with a metallic foil \/ magenta sleeve, housed in a tip-on sleeve with OBI strip and featuring both liner notes and a limited edition poster, to celebrate 25 years of Strut records.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Strut","offers":[{"title":"Black LP","offer_id":50453211447627,"sku":"2215918","price":32.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/STRUT237LPC_-_WITH_OBI_artwork_34fb4ffc_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727169640"},{"product_id":"super-sonic-jazz-destination-moon-edition","title":"Super-Sonic Jazz - Destination Moon Edition","description":"\u003cp\u003eCosmic traveller Herman ‘Sonny’ Blount became Sun Ra after an alien abduction, proclaiming that he came from Saturn and using music to point to human failure on earth, offering space as ethereal alternative. Supersonic Jazz was released in 1957 on Ra’s Saturn label and regularly reissued, even making it onto Impulse in 1974, its blend of bop, avant-garde and galactic well ahead of its time. More melodic and cohesive than many subsequent titles, ‘Advice To Medics’ is a troubling Ra piano diversion, and ‘Super Blonde’ a big-band stomp; ‘Soft Talk,’ by trombonist Julian Priester, is one of the vehicles for John Gilmore’s tenor sax and ‘Kingdom Of Not’ has uncommon swing. A must for all Sun Ra scholars!\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Destination Moon","offers":[{"title":"Clear | LP","offer_id":50457175097675,"sku":"1125490","price":19.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/398ca6e4-a674-467f-a79b-fec70233e80b_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727203624"},{"product_id":"the-magic-city","title":"The Magic City","description":"\u003cp\u003eAccording to many enthusiasts and scholars, this album is among Sun Ra's most definitive studio recordings. The Magic Citycontains just four tracks, with the title- theme taking up the whole of the A side at a little over 27 minutes. Then on the B side comes The Shadow World, followed by Abstract Eye and Abstract I, which are two variants of the same composition. These pieces are essentially ensemble improvisations recorded live.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Jazz Wax","offers":[{"title":"Black LP","offer_id":50457319440715,"sku":"2224204","price":24.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/test_15a7889a_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727204612"},{"product_id":"babylon-rsd-2022","title":"Babylon (RSD 2022)","description":"\u003cp\u003eOriginally recorded to celebrate the 100th Birthday of cult jazz bandleader Sun Ra and the 90th Birthday of leader Marshall Allen, this is the first time \u003ci\u003eBabylon \u003c\/i\u003ehas been available on vinyl. It includes 2 bonus tracks not on the CD. Each copy is signed by the legendary 97 year old maestro Marshall Allen.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"In and Out Records","offers":[{"title":"LP","offer_id":50457977553227,"sku":"1145913","price":39.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/d6c9197f-8be5-40ec-93ef-afced26dfbf7_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727209475"},{"product_id":"interstellar-low-ways","title":"Interstellar Low Ways","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eInterstellar Low Ways\u003c\/i\u003e is an album recorded by the American Jazz musician Sun Ra and his Myth Science Arkestra, mostly recorded in Chicago, 1960, and probably released in 1966 on his own Saturn label. Originally titled 'Rocket Number Nine', the album had acquired its present name, and the red-on-white sleeve by Claude Dangerfield, by 1969. The album is known particularly for the two songs featuring space chants - 'Interplanetary Music' and 'Rocket Number Nine Take off for the Planet Venus' - that would stay in the Arkestra's repertoire for many years.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Saturn","offers":[{"title":"Black | LP","offer_id":50458144735563,"sku":"364254","price":16.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/82d65cad-1ebf-4f1d-95ee-05b6d3caf650_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727210143"},{"product_id":"jazz-in-silhouette","title":"Jazz in Silhouette","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eJazz in Silhouette \u003c\/em\u003eis the third studio album by the pianist and composer Sun Ra. Critics have described the album as one of Ra's best from his early career. An overlooked masterpiece around which many of jazz's major developments have orbited. Sun Ra and his Arkestra established themselves as formidable traders of a new strain or sub-genre of jazz. Having evolved from elaborate reworkings of familiar standards, \u003cem\u003eJazz in Silhouette\u003c\/em\u003e presents a collection of originals, building upon Ra's abilities as a consummate multi-tasker - writing, arranging, scoring parts for his band, in addition to performing. The result is a captivating set of music that not only firmly establishes Ra in the jazz tradition, but puts him on its leading edge, pointing the direction forward. Indeed, this album is also a prime example of Ra and company in a transitional phase, prior to their developed explorations into the avant-garde.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Endless Happiness","offers":[{"title":"Black | LP","offer_id":50464161857867,"sku":"1147075","price":14.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"Blue | LP","offer_id":50464162349387,"sku":"1154395","price":22.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"LP - Black","offer_id":52591687467339,"sku":"R6486-6747","price":27.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/b086b54c-53a2-46af-9ab3-57aa229afe85_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727271252"},{"product_id":"ra-to-the-rescue","title":"Ra To The Rescue","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eRa to the Rescue\u003c\/i\u003e was initially pressed in limited quantities in 1983, but several of its tracks subsequently were reissued with incongruous tracks on the albums (commonly referred to as) \u003ci\u003eWhen Spaceships Appear\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eCosmo-Party Blues\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eSomewhere There\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eChildren of the Sun\u003c\/i\u003e. Those album \"titles\" are in many cases simply the names of the first track on a particular side (these were scribbled in pen on otherwise blank labels). To complicate matters, some tracks were retitled for reasons that shall forever remain inscrutable.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe tracks on \u003ci\u003eRa to the Rescue\u003c\/i\u003e were recorded at several locations over several years. Some were taped at New York's legendary (and now long-gone) avant-garde arts enclave, the Squat Theater. Squat was founded by Hungarian political dissidents and based in a cramped storefront at 256 West 23rd Street. Besides music, Squat was known for dramatic productions (from Chekhov to conceptual absurdism), which were staged in the theater's window overlooking the Manhattan sidewalk. From 1979 to 1982 the Arkestra appeared regularly at Squat; an unknown number of performances were recorded, a few released commercially. The Squat archives (at SquatTheatre.com) claim that Ra debuted there in August 1979 and performed on the premises 47 times, \"to become our most frequent guest.\" The chronicle explains that \"the fit between the Arkestra and the Squat Theatre was a natural one, as both were in essence creative communes.\" (Other recordings from Squat can be heard on the equally rare Saturn release \u003ci\u003eVoice of the Eternal Tomorrow\u003c\/i\u003e.)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe origins of the remaining tracks on \u003ci\u003eRa to the Rescue\u003c\/i\u003e are speculative. \u003ci\u003eThe Earthling Recordings of Sun Ra\u003c\/i\u003e (2nd ed.) calls them \"odds and ends from various [1984 or 1985] concerts taped by Arkestra members.\" Michael D. Anderson of the Sun Ra Music Archive says they were recorded in 1984 by director Frank Cassenti for his documentary \u003ci\u003eMystery, Mr. Ra\u003c\/i\u003e, at two Paris concerts: one at the Paris Jazz Festival, the other at the New Morning club. Many tracks in the documentary are fragments. The two titles included on this album which are heard in the film are different recordings. Anderson says \"Mystery, Mr. Ra\" was recorded at the festival and intended for release by Sun Ra, but was shelved.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Modern Harmonic","offers":[{"title":"Green | LP","offer_id":50471249477963,"sku":"1153337","price":27.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"CD","offer_id":50471249740107,"sku":"1155490","price":14.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/5362c752-9089-4ec2-8e70-60147507e2a3_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727397121"},{"product_id":"it-s-after-the-end-of-the-world","title":"It's After The End Of The World","description":"\u003cp\u003e“I play space music. When one day humans on far away planets hear the sounds of cosmic beings, the music will seem familiar, for while they were on Earth they had heard Sun Ra.” So Herman Poole Blount proclaimed well over 50 years ago. The ex-Fletcher Henderson pianist changed his name to Sun Ra and formed an “Intergalactic Research Arkestra”. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe avant-garde big band, which also incorporated elements of Duke Ellington and Count Basie, divided the jazz world. It wasn’t just the music that caused the uproar: Sun Ra’s musical commune drew in dancers and fire-eaters, and the band performed in outlandish costumes. Quite a few critics considered the man who had taken on the name of the Egyptian sun god to be a charlatan. However, the German jazz authority Joachim-Ernst Berendt recognized “old blues and gospel songs, African highlife dances and Egyptian marches, negro minstrel shows and voodoo rituals” in his music. Sun Ra could thank the benediction of Germany’s jazz high-priest for the black jazz guru’s invitations to the 1970 Donaueschinger Jazz Days as well as the Berlin Jazz Festival. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis MPS Album was produced from the recordings of these concerts. They are certainly a documentation of jazz history; with an unusual instrumentation, the 21 piece band creates noises and percussive sounds that are out of this world. Sun Ra died in 1993.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"MPS","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":50476289163595,"sku":"1143325","price":14.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/ef0415f8-1e48-4117-87c1-9c64ff37dd0c_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727457135"},{"product_id":"universe-in-blue-2","title":"Universe in Blue","description":"\u003cp\u003eA collection of torrid live club performances at the legendary NYC venue \u003cem\u003eSlugs\u003c\/em\u003e. Originally released in 1972, these recordings provide an intriguing glimpse of the Arkestra's repertoire and virtuosity towards the end of their first decade in New York.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eUniverse in Blue\u003c\/em\u003e is a rarity. After-hours music, showcasing \u003cstrong\u003eSun Ra's\u003c\/strong\u003e twisted take on the Blues, these recordings brought him to the greater attention of New York jazz writers and helped cement his reputation for audacious showmanship.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRa\u003c\/strong\u003e and his band performed at the famed East Village Slug's almost every Monday night for several years through the late sixties, and took the stage sporadically for several years thereafter. This collection of undated performances from 1970-71 was issued in small-run pressings with two different LP covers on \u003cstrong\u003eSun Ra's\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003eSaturn\u003c\/em\u003e label around 1972, but has largely escaped further notice.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Cosmic Myth Records","offers":[{"title":"Black LP","offer_id":50477361824075,"sku":"2004844","price":32.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"CD","offer_id":50477362151755,"sku":"2004846","price":14.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/unnamed_741e5196_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727470628"},{"product_id":"lanquidity-deluxe-edition","title":"Lanquidity (Deluxe Edition)","description":"\u003cp\u003eStrut present the definitive edition of Sun Ra’s classic \u003ci\u003eLanquidity\u003c\/i\u003e album from 1978 with brand new 4LP box set and 2CD editions. Recorded overnight at Bob Bank’s Blank Tapes on 17th July 1978 after the Arkestra had appeared on Saturday Night Live, the album is unique in the Ra catalogue. “Most critics felt that it was more of a fusion-inspired record,” explains Michael Ray. “As the name suggests, the album is liquid and languid.” Bob Blank continues, “Musically, it was very ad hoc and freeform. There were horn charts but most tracks came out of improvised jams. Sun Ra just did his thing.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eComprising five effortlessly fluid pieces, the album eases in with Lanquidity. Danny Ray Thompson remembers, “This was one of Sun Ra’s on-the-spot compositions. It is almost like an Ancient Egyptian Stargazing Ceremony, mapping out the stars and the planets.” Where Pathways Meet is “Sun Ra’s funky version of an Egyptian march. Pharaoh is sending his troops off to fight and this is his pep-talk!” continues Thompson. “The music seems to take different pathways but still converges.” The loping groove of That’s How I Feel, features the reflective trumpet lines of Eddie Gale with solos by John Gilmore and Marshall Allen: “Marshall comes in with that snake charming oboe.” Says Thompson. The funky Twin Stars Of Thence weaves around Richard Williams celebrated elastic bassline while the haunting closer, There Are Other Worlds (They Have Not Told You Of), is pure “space music.” The poet Mama Nzinga described it as ‘The essence of light. Spirit takes a ride inside the deep dark space of just being.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe new box set edition of ‘Lanquidity’ features the widely distributed version of the album alongside alternative mixes by Bob Blank originally released in limited quantities for a 1978 Arkestra gig at Georgia Tech. Both versions of the album are cut loud at 45 rpm over 2LPs each.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e4LP - Housed in a silver foil box, both LP sets reflect the original Phlly Jazz artwork. The first comes in a foil \/ magenta sleeve while the second features 2 x yellow A4 sheets pasted onto a white sleeve. Also included is a 12-page over-sized booklet featuring unseen photos by Veryl Oakland and liner notes by Tom Buchler (Philly Jazz), Michael Ray and Danny Ray Thompson (Sun Ra Arkestra) and Bob Blank.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e2CD - Housed in a foil digipak.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Strut","offers":[{"title":"Black | LP | x4","offer_id":50477808550219,"sku":"1116144","price":54.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"CD | x2","offer_id":50477809533259,"sku":"1116143","price":19.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/68c97ff0-bc63-4c7f-bc0c-36b9a212ed2c_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727478115"},{"product_id":"swirling","title":"Swirling","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe planets align this October as the mighty Sun Ra Arkestra, under the direction of the maestro Marshall Allen, release their first studio album in over twenty years, \u003ci\u003eSwirling.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eRecorded at Rittenhouse Soundworks in Philadelphia, the new recording represents the continuation of a heartfelt rebirth of the Arkestra under Allen’s guidance since Sun Ra left the planet in 1993, gaining new generations of followers from their regular touring across the globe. With a big band line-up featuring long-standing Arkestra members including Danny Ray Thompson (RIP), Michael Ray, Vincent Chancey, Knoel Scott, Cecil Brooks, Atakatune (RIP), Elson Nascimento and Tyler Mitchell, the album is a full-blooded celebration of Sun Ra’s legacy.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTracks include brand new arrangements of Arkestra staples \u003ci\u003eAngels And Demons At Play,\u003c\/i\u003e \u003ci\u003eSatellites Are Spinning, Door Of The Cosmos\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eRocket No. 9\u003c\/i\u003e alongside lesser known gems; the rousing blues \u003ci\u003eDarkness\u003c\/i\u003e is recorded here for the first time, resurrected from the Ra archives by Marshall Allen. Other highlights include an epic version of \u003ci\u003eSeductive Fantasy\u003c\/i\u003e (first recorded on Ra’s \u003ci\u003eOn Jupiter\u003c\/i\u003e LP in 1979), the freeform sonic blast of \u003ci\u003eInfinity \/ I’ll Wait For You\u003c\/i\u003e and a first ever recording of the Marshall Allen swing composition, \u003ci\u003eSwirling\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Strut","offers":[{"title":"Orange | LP | x2","offer_id":50478810431819,"sku":"1098479","price":17.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"CD","offer_id":50478810693963,"sku":"1097633","price":11.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"LP","offer_id":50478810988875,"sku":"1097634","price":27.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/c508e551-3277-4aef-87b5-3477962c2ec7_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727494018"},{"product_id":"space-is-the-place-5","title":"Space Is The Place","description":"\u003cp\u003eA celestial journey is just what Sun Ra and his Arkestra have created with \u003ci\u003eSpace is the Place\u003c\/i\u003e - Sun Ra's opus is at its simplest, a trip through outer bound melodies! Planetary bodies, eras in time, crystals, space caravans.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAllow yourself to envision or feel a world away with this deluxe package of 3LPs, a BluRay Disc and DVD or 2CD Bluray \u0026amp; DVD Discs of the film, and lots more! The audio portion contains the original music composed for the film, which was eventually released as a soundtrack in 1993. It also features \u003ci\u003eThe Mathematics Of The Altered Destiny \u003c\/i\u003ea third previously unissued LP recorded in the same soundtrack sessions but is finally being released half a century after it was recorded. This newly discovered LP is heavy on the prose of Sun Ra, as he and June Tyson bestow countless bits of information and inspiration onto the listener. The film soundtrack is an entirely different journey than the 1973 Blue Thumb LP it shares its title with. We suggest you take both journeys. These recordings were sourced from the Sun Ra tape vault, then were digitally restored to make an album this special sound the best it possibly could.The BluRay contains the entire glorious film complete with film artifacts, and was sourced from the restoration prepared by Rapid Eye Movies of Germany. The bonus features on the BluRay are composed of Ra and Ra-centric material from the Modern Harmonic archives, including video from the Outer Space Visual Communicator footage.An additional track from these sessions, \"The Idea Of The Greater Age\" can be found on the CD version of this album or on the album Some Skin: A Modern Harmonic Bongo and Percussion Party.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Modern Harmonic","offers":[{"title":"Silver LP","offer_id":50483542819147,"sku":"2014963","price":137.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"CD","offer_id":50483543900491,"sku":"2014964","price":54.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/0090771826718_9aabdc10_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727569236"},{"product_id":"space-is-the-place","title":"Space is the Place","description":"\u003cp\u003eScience fiction, blaxploitation, cosmic free-jazz and radical race politics combine when Sun Ra returns to earth in his music-powered space ship to battle for the future of the black race and offer an 'alter-destiny' to those who would join him. Intentionally created as an homage to the low-budget science fiction films of the 50's and 60's, \u003ci\u003eSpace Is The Place\u003c\/i\u003e became a visual embodiment of Sun Ra's Afro-Egyptian myth of salvation in outer space. The special effects, outrageous plot line and apocalyptic message harmonize with the otherworldly score and a climactic live performance by one of the most innovative and profound groups in jazz history.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Impulse!","offers":[{"title":"Blue | LP","offer_id":50485035467083,"sku":"398105","price":29.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"CD","offer_id":50485035106635,"sku":"364857","price":7.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/b7ea2c3c-dcce-4edc-b632-9334acbe492d_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727594464"},{"product_id":"other-planes-of-there","title":"Other Planes Of There","description":"\u003cp\u003eRecorded in 1964, this album shows Sun Ra's brilliance as a composer. His 22 minute suite, Other Planes of There', features the Arkestra at its improvisational best, yet never veering outside ra's solid compositional structure.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Saturn","offers":[{"title":"Black LP","offer_id":50486898491723,"sku":"351959","price":15.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/81f95cfd-8acf-4ac3-bbf7-e7eaad9cba2e_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727617141"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/collections\/test_bd6ca146_thumbnail_4096_da6ffddb-281b-4a37-a4bc-034f063490e4.jpg?v=1726287768","url":"https:\/\/shop.roughtrade.com\/de\/collections\/sun-ra.oembed","provider":"Rough Trade","version":"1.0","type":"link"}