New Release Round-up,
Classic Sun Ra Reissues from Strut Records
Eccentric and idiosyncratic, you can seldom mention the music of Sun Ra, already psychedelic and spiritual in itself, without also mentioning his cosmic philosophy, pioneering Afrofuturism and theatrical live presence in the same breath. For much of his musical career, Sun Ra (born Herman Poole Blount) led his eponymous Arkestra, with an ever-changing lineup of musicians that continue his legacy to this date.
With a gargantuan back catalog, some of Sun Ra's music can be hard to come by, and with these four new reissues courtesy of Strut Records, you can enjoy definitive analog remasters of Singles Vol.s 1 & 2 and Discipline 27-II, as well as Marshall Allen Presents: In the Orbit of Ra, a curated collection by the Arkestra's current bandleader celebrating Sun Ra's centennary in 2014.
The first half of this dense singles collection by Sun Ra includes tracks mostly released as 45rpm singles, many of which arrived in the 1950s with releases becoming more and more sporadic until his passing in 1993. Volume 1 features recordings from 1952-1961, many of which were long out-of-print and have only been made available again in physical formats very recently.
Available Format: 3 Vinyl Records
Volume 2 completes the singles set with recordings spanning 1962-1991, featuring his Arkestra in numerous forms with tunes like 'Love In Outer Space', 'Blues on Planet Mars' and even a take on the Batman theme making an appearance.
Available Format: 3 Vinyl Records
Featuring the largest iteration of the Sun Ra Arkestra ever led by the enigmatic bandleader, Discipline 27-II is a gem amongst the group's large discography. The recording sessions - led by Impulse! Records producer Ed Michael - were the basis of two albums, the equally acclaimed Space Is the Place and Discipline 27-II, the more obscure of the two. This reissue is remastered from the original master tapes, and counters the many poor-quality bootlegs amongst the already hard-to-find releases of this album.
Available Format: 2 Vinyl Records
Presented by close collaborator of Sun Ra and leader of the Arkestra since his passing, saxophonist Marshall Allen's curated selection of Arkestra recordings includes works mostly dated between the 1960s and early 1980s, with the reissue itself also including liner notes featuring recollections from Arkestra members like Allen, Michael Ray, Knoel Scott and Danny Ray Thompson.
Available Format: 2 Vinyl Records
Joshua Lee - Jazz Content
