Sun ra jazz in transition book

The lp originally appeared on tom wilsons shortlived transition records. This is the classic sun ra sound, but whether its the more traditional presentation or the mix of songs, i find this one a bit of a bore, especially when there are some really strong albums next to it again, sounds of joy, visits planet earth, nubians from plutonia. Or, if you prefer a more straightforward approach to your musical biographies, sun ra was born herman p. Ship this item qualifies for free shipping buy online, pick up in store is currently unavailable, but this item may be available for instore purchase. I heard an interview the saxophonist john gilmore gave about sunra. The lp originally appeared on the shortlived 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. Supersonic jazz 1956, sun song 1957, and sound of joy 1957 all late 50s, relatively straightahead, but quirky and lots of fun st. This is noteworthy as one of the rare occasions that sun ra sought to explain not only his influences, but his methods of composition and modes of execution as well. Information offered through wanderer, sound vibration, nikola tesla, also being experimented with for potential. The transition first edition of jazz sun song just squeezes into the top ten most expensive sun ra auctions. This release was remastered and coproduced by michael d. Ra floats about in a rocket ship propelled by his music and does battle with the fbi, nasa, and other supernatural bad guys. The history of the record ra recorded it in 1957 for transition, but they went out of business and it didnt come out until 1968.

Flow, gesture, and spaces in free jazz towards a theory of. If you dont see the contents properly, try to activate javascript. Originally released in 1957 as jazz by sun ra on transition records, sun song. If you didnt get a chance to see sun ra perform, you should seek out space is the place, an early 70s movie starring the jazz master from saturn himself. Sun ra was one of the most unusual musicians in the history of jazz, moving from fletcher henderson swing to free jazz with ease, sometimes in the same song. As referred to above, jazz by sun ra is arguably the most accessible work in the sun ra catalog, as well as one of the most thoroughly and repeatedly listenable.

Sam records and saga launch new artisan record series. I wanted to incorporate all the things that i was missing from the beginning like search capabilities, and also. The lives and times of sun ra 1997, and graham lock, blutopia. Information which confederation sources had offered to your entity, albert einstein, became perverted, and instruments of destruction began to be created, examples of this being the manhattan project and its product. Includes sun ra s original notes and poetry, such as explanation of compositions, the techniques i employ, and instructions to the peoples of earth. Dont sleep on the futuristic sounds of sun ra if you really enjoyed jazz in. As i was getting into jazz, i found that sun ra live at montreux was on a bunch of best jazz albums lists, so i got that not being prepared for completely outside playing i completely hated it and avoided sun ra for a long time i should note that a few of the things at the end that were more melodic did intrigue me, but they also seemed really weird. In the mid1960s it was purchased by delmark records owner bob koester, finally being reissued in 1967. Transition releases tended to include elaborate if home made looking packaging more perhaps in. Disco 3000 is a super fun record thats pretty much all over the place. Anderson of the sun ra music archive and irwin chusid, under the auspices of sun ra llc, the heirs of the late music legend. He caused quite a stir with innovative albums that introduced electronics, special effects and unusual arrangements into a jazz world that sometimes slid into comfortable. Regardless of name, this longplayer contains some of sun ras most complex, yet accessible efforts. Tom wilson, the man of many firsts in the recording industry, started transition records in.

The book runs over eight hundred pages and contains 788 individual entries. Sun ra and clifford jarvis in a 1968 photo by lee santa. From looking around this seems to be the definitive book on sun ra and i. The scientific approach of this book transcends the limits of art literature in that it also develops geometric. Listen to a clip of sun ra and his arkestras saturn. Mar 30, 2012 the first sun ra discography the up to now last and most complete it can never be totally complete as the universe has endless possibilities attempt to write a discography of the recorded works of cosmomusic master sun ra, is still the earthly recordings of sun ra by robert l.

Sun ra was a musical visionary of the first rank, and his record sleeves were nearly always inspirational. Ive listened to some sunra, but to my uneducated ear, it. Portraying himself as a product of outer space, he traveled the spaceways with a colorful troupe of musicians, using a multitude of percussion and unusual instrumentation, from tree drum to celeste. Sun ra, byname of le sonyr ra, original name herman blount,byname sonny, born may 22, 1914, birmingham, ala. Louis blues 1978 solo piano, a really fine studio recording, a little more inside than his more out solo piano dates from the mid 60s. Delmark 411 1967 this album was sun ras first, originally released in 1957 on transition records as jazz by sun ra. So ra had practically no visibility in the consumer market until the late 60s, while making incredible music. David stubbs salutes jazz artist sun ra music the guardian. Beyond even the wildest freeform excesses of john coltrane and eric dolphy, cosmic tones for mental therapy was psychedelic jazz music before the term had entered the media slipstream. Jazz is arguably the most accessible work in the sun ra catalog, as well as one of the most thoroughly and repeatedly listenable. This website uses javascript to show most of the elements. Aug 11, 2014 listen to your favorite songs from jazz by sun ra by sun ra now. Im a layperson without a background in music theory.

Art yard present a reissue of sun ras the antique blacks, originally released in 1974. His intervals, his knowledge of intervals and harmony are very highly advanced. By now sun ra s music was entering realms of new discovery that few jazz aficionados could comfortably take on board. Dont sleep on the futuristic sounds of sun ra if you really enjoyed jazz in silhouette. Campbell and christopher trent published the second edition of a discography, the earthly recordings of sun ra. Brainfeeder beats head and leader of the afrikan space program, ras gs 2011 and 20 lps space base is the place and back on the planet channel ras extraplanetary rhetoric and are peppered with oblique and explicit references to his music and poetry. Sun ra and his myth science arkestra angels and demons at play the nubians of plutonia 1993 compilation 1960 original releases on saturn research. Sun ras second album was a delmark release, although it was originally intended for the transition label, which did not survive long enough to release it. April 9, 2001 jazz critic kevin whitehead begins a new sixpart series we call avantgarde made easy, highlighting some of the important modern jazz. Ra had been an active performer since the late 1940s, recording with his various combos or arkestras as ra dubbed them. Jazz by sun ra was the debut album length recording by sun ra.

When originally released, it came with an extensive booklet featuring words and photos of sun ra and his arkestra. Sun ra casts special light on jazz the new york times. By handprinting the covers, they could avoid printing costs altogether. Includes sun ras original notes and poetry, such as explanation of compositions, the techniques i employ, and instructions to the peoples of earth. Sep 20, 2009 sun ra all stars and the sun ra arkestra with archie shepp berlin 10291983 duration.

Excerpts from sun ra spreekt by bert vuijsje, which appeared in jazz. Jazz in transition transition trlp 30a 12inch lp 1. While here, he became probably the single most recorded jazz musician of all time. To put anderson, chusid, and sun ra llcs task in perspective, in 2000, researchers robert l. For a man who claimed citizenship on the planet saturn, sun ra traveled galaxies away from his alabama roots where he was born herman sonny blount. Sun ra, john coltrane, horace silver, donald byrd, etc.

Tonight on echoes, well delve into the more contemplative side of sun ra, on his centenary. Dec 25, 2014 the most valuable sun ra record, according to popsike, is the saturn doo wop 45 single. In 1957, transition records released sun ras first album, entitled jazz by sun ra, vol. Sun ra was born on the planet saturn, ages ago, and spent some time on earth using the power of music to demonstrate the virtues of discipline and harmony to members of this planet. Producer tom wilson was the first to release a sun ra album, through his independent label transition records in 1957, entitled jazz by sun ra. In 1961 sun ra left chicago for montreal with members of the arkestra including marshall allen and john gilmore. This isnt to say that jazz in silhouette is a bad albumfar from it. Jazz by sun ra later titled sun song is the debut album by sun ra.

Sun ras second album was a delmark release, although it was originally intended for the transition label, which did. Where the cry of jazz operates most straightforwardly as a documentary, it captures the eras extant styles of jazz whether you consider them living or, as alex insists, dead as performed by the composerbandleader sun ra and his arkestra just a few years before his total selftransformation into a. Le sonyr ra born 5221914, died 5301993, known better under the name sun ra born herman poole blount, was an prolific american jazz composer, synthesizer and piano player. The lp originally appeared on the shortlived and pioneering label transition. The record label for the first pressing says 071256, presumably when it was recorded. Some of the arkestras earliest studio recordings were released as jazz by sun ra 1956 on transition records, and super sonic jazz 1957 on saturn records. Het avant garde impro jazzorkest speelt op zondag 3 mei in paradox. Gallery sounds from tomorrows world the university of chicago. Be that it may, sun song is one of the ras earliest and most accessible albums. Visions of the future and revisions of the past in the work of sun ra, duke ellington, and anthony braxton 1999. Sunra and his myth science arkestra angels and demons at play the nubians of plutonia 1993 compilation 1960 original releases on saturn research. Sun ra was born this day, may 22, 1914, a date which wasnt known until the mid1990s when author john szwed dug it up for his excellent book, space is the place. Guide to the alton abraham collection of sun ra 18222008.

Recorded in the mid1950s and consisting mostly of ra originals, sun features. Transition did release a ra album in 1956, sun song, before they went under. A solar flare of cosmic sounds heralded the rising star sun ra when the pianist, composer and band leader first shone over the musical landscape in the 1950s and 1960s. The lives and times of sun ra main by szwed, john isbn. Since this was the first widely distributed platter that the artist cut, it is often. This essential title is also available under the moniker of sun song 1956. Heres a bunch i can recommend highly grouped into sets that are similar both chronologically and stylistically. The lp featured original compositions by sun ra along with one by arkes. Just a little more than 97 years ago, sun ra arrived on our planet. Sun ras jazz by sun ra is undeniably a classic jazz. In john f szweds book space is the place the life and times of sun ra, this appears. Stream adfree with amazon music unlimited on mobile, desktop, and tablet. Few musicians working today can claim to be more directly influenced by the afrofuturist teaching of sun ra than ras g.

Sep 19, 2016 the late pianistbandleadercomposer sun ra was one of the earliest musicians to embrace the jazz avantgarde, and some credit him as being a point of origin for it. The sun and his myth science arkestra paved the way of the black arts movement in harlem in the 1960s and carried thousands of international followers. Sunras harmonies and intervals for the layperson music. Jazz by sun ra sun song shows a wellseasoned artist who was already an accomplished band leader and although his full alien potentials hadnt quite drifted to the esoteric and space induced levels of the 60s, there is a lot that emerged askew from the normal status quo of late 50s bop and big band jazz. Timeline of events mentioned in the law of onera material. Leader artists such as john coltrane, pharoah sanders, cecil taylor, sun ra, the art ensemble of chicago. When originally released, jazz by sun ra came with an extensive booklet. This is the classic sun ra sound, but whether its the more traditional presentation or the mix of songs, i find this one a bit of a bore, especially when there are some really strong albums next to it again, sounds of. Fantastic post about one of americas most important artists.