# Sun Ra



## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

I'm not sure if there's been a Ra thread so I'm starting one. I just ordered a copy of Sleeping Beauty. The last one I bought is College Tour Vol 1. I started out years ago with several of the Saturn re-issues on the Evidence label.

Here's a documentary for the uninitiated.


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## Fredx2098 (Jun 24, 2018)

Do you have any recommendations of albums for a beginner? I've heard a few random tracks, but I've never sat down and listened to his albums intently.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

It depends on your taste. If you prefer more structured material I recommend the early albums from the late 50s. You can't go wrong with Jazz In Silhouette, it's a beautiful record. Also Supersonic Jazz. I'd start with those two.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

Wading through the Sun Ra discography can be a rather daunting task. All I can tell you is that many releases coming out since Ra"s death are unauthorized so you have to do some research concerning quality. But everything on Evidence and Art Yard is legit. And there are some good live albums on ESP Disk label. The thing to keep in mind is that most of the material after 1963 or so is more in the free jazz vein. But their are a few 70s & 80s live albums with some more straight ahead big band material. Sun Ra at Montreux, and Live At Praxis 84.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

Don't worry about the low-fi sound and out of tune pianos. That's part of the charm. These are super low budget independent recordings made 55-60 years ago.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

Some great B&W footage from Helsinki 1971. This was on a short DVD included with the 2 CD set of the same name. I'm not sure if it's still available? The concert itself is pretty wild and out there.


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## Guest (Aug 3, 2018)

I saw him at a jazz festival a good few years ago, somewhere down south west way (UK). It was a blast. I think Decoding Society were on the same day too....but the details are hazy. Sun Ra was like a cross between Ornette Coleman and Hawkwind.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

I was lucky to see the Sun Ra Arkestra practically in my backyard in the mid 80s. I was young and I didn't know who they were but the show was great! The band was incredibly musical and entertaining.


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## Guest (Aug 3, 2018)

Yes, it was my taste of live jazz music, and it certainly left an impression! An incredible mix of styles. (I see Marshall Allen is still with us, at 94.)


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## tortkis (Jul 13, 2013)

There have been a lot of digital reissues of Sun Ra albums on bandcamp recently. Since I don't have any older release (except for Space is the Place), I cannot compare the sound qualities, but a reviewer wrote that the remastered sounds of these digital releases are good.

https://sunramusic.bandcamp.com/music

I like his piano playing, which is quite unique and powerful. I purchased some albums of solo and small groups. Great works.

God Is More Than Love Can Ever Be, trio with Hayes Burnett (bass) and Samarai Celestial (drums)








https://sunramusic.bandcamp.com/album/god-is-more-than-love-can-ever-be-cd-lp-digital

New Steps, quartet with Michael Ray (trumpet), John Gilmore (tenor sax) and Luqman Ali (drums)








https://sunramusic.bandcamp.com/album/new-steps

Aurora Borealis (solo piano)








https://sunramusic.bandcamp.com/album/aurora-borealis


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

I was just listening to the the God Is More... album on YouTube and it sounds great. Love the bass player. Will have to get this.


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## tdc (Jan 17, 2011)

Thanks for posting that documentary, it was very interesting. I admire the man's unique creativity, his thinking outside of the box, and his courage to be completely himself. He clearly had a high level of musical skill and artistry. His music is not really my thing, but he is someone I respect. I felt like I learned some things just from listening to him speak. His use of green language was insightful and impressive.


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## norman bates (Aug 18, 2010)

Personally some of my favorite Sun Ra stuff are those things he did in the "transitional period", when he's not playing super skronk stuff (I like some of that too though) and he cares also for the tune. He definitely had a very peculiar harmonic sound in his music.

Lights on a satellite





Friendly galaxy





Tapestry from an asteroid





The golden lady





Tiny pyramids





Sun song





India





There are other worlds





China gate





Portrait of the living sky





Thoughts under a dark blue light


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## Fredx2098 (Jun 24, 2018)

Does anyone else feel like the track "Space Is the Place" is like very avant-garde Afrobeat?


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

Fredx2098 said:


> Does anyone else feel like the track "Space Is the Place" is like very avant-garde Afrobeat?


I'll have to re-listen. I don't have that album. I did have a great Saturday. I found the two CDs I was going to order right here in town.

God Is More Than Love Can Ever Be, and Cymbals/Symbols


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## norman bates (Aug 18, 2010)

starthrower said:


> I'll have to re-listen. I don't have that album. I did have a great Saturday. I found the two CDs I was going to order right here in town.
> 
> God Is More Than Love Can Ever Be, and Cymbals/Symbols


I don't remember Symbols (I'm not sure I've listened to it actually) but Cymbals is great. Sun Ra playing avant dirty blues. Thoughts under a dark blue light is one of my favorite Sun Ra moments. I've posted it above.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

norman bates said:


> I don't remember Symbols (I'm not sure I've listened to it actually) but Cymbals is great. Sun Ra playing avant dirty blues. Thoughts under a dark blue light is one of my favorite Sun Ra moments. I've posted it above.


I saw Cymbals as part of the Great Lost Sun Ra Albums set, but this new edition was only listed at Dusty Groove for 26 dollars. I'm glad I found it locally for less.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

Love this one!


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

Sun Ra discography http://www.sunraarkestra.com/sunradisco/list.php

A good place to explore the music. https://daily.bandcamp.com/2017/10/13/sun-ra-album-guide/


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## regenmusic (Oct 23, 2014)

Sometime around 1988 they were playing in Seattle and I had no money and was just at the side door where you could see the stage and the musicians. It was next to the stage before the show started. One of the musicians started talking to me a little and he saw my situation so he pulled me in the club! It was a good show at one of the bigger older clubs in Seattle and about 15 years later I played a solo gig at the same club.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

This wild music is going nicely with the violent thunderstorm outside!


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

Still on my Sun Ra binge. Picked up these titles:

Cosmos
Discipline 27-ii
Sleeping Beauty
Disco 3000
Futuristic Sounds


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## tortkis (Jul 13, 2013)

I purchased The Cymbals/Symbols download. These are fascinating sessions in various small settings. The overall mood is intimate and introspective. Compared with the 5 tracks released first, which have very good bluesy feelings, the additional tracks are more experimental, as if they are freely trying out ideas or searching new sounds. Synthesizer percussion duo is particularly interesting.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

2017 concert lead by 93 year old Marshall Allen.


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## philoctetes (Jun 15, 2017)

They were here last summer on same weekend as George Clinton


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

Got a new CD copy of this for only 7 dollars from Wayside Music. Recommended if you're a fan of Languidity. Sleeping Beauty was recorded 1979 in good sound with some electric bass giving it a nice low end.


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## IpadComposer (Aug 12, 2018)

Thanks for posting the video. I wonder if Sun Ra was influenced by Willy the Lion Smith? Not that he is playing stride, just the feeling... Maybe I'm way off base here. Just a feeling.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

IpadComposer said:


> Thanks for posting the video. I wonder if Sun Ra was influenced by Willy the Lion Smith? Not that he is playing stride, just the feeling... Maybe I'm way off base here. Just a feeling.


There is an extensive Wiki entry on Sun Ra. At a young age he was exposed to the music of Duke Ellington, Fats Waller, and Fletcher Henderson. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun_Ra


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

Just picked up this one. Very cool package. A concert from Milan 1978. 
Excellent fidelity, and some trippy keyboard sounds from Le Sun Ra.
It's a quartet featuring Keys, tenor sax, trumpet, and drums.


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## Guest (Aug 17, 2018)

This is my favorite Sun Ra album. Sounds surprisingly like Stockhausen,


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

I've yet to pick up Heliocentric Worlds and I've got about 35 Ra albums. I'll get to it eventually.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

Title track from the latest CD I picked up.


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

I still kick myself that in 1975, I was in Berkeley for a jazz festival, and Sun Ra was playing down the street in a local club, and I chose to see Hubert Laws instead.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

I just got this one but I should've bought it years ago. Superb material well recorded for the Savoy label in 1961. Features the usual suspects John Gilmore, Marshall Allen, Pat Patrick, Ronnie Boykins, etc...


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## millionrainbows (Jun 23, 2012)

Be sure to get the book which collects his street pamphlets and tracts. Very interesting. My first, and still favorite Sun Ra was the one I "imprinted" on; it was on BASF. It turns out that this was only a partial offering of a live concert. The entire concert can be heard on the 2-CD Black Myth/Out in space. Of course, I had to have the original BASF cover art, so I ordered it from Wayside for a reasonable price.








*The Wisdom of Sun Ra: Sun Ra's Polemical Broadsheets and Streetcorner*
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## Casebearer (Jan 19, 2016)

Sun Ra is one I missed out on completely. As I have great trust in Starthrowers taste I'll have to educate my self...


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

Casebearer said:


> Sun Ra is one I missed out on completely. As I have great trust in Starthrowers taste I'll have to educate my self...


You can find dozens of albums on YouTube. A good way to get familiar with the music.


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## ollv (Jun 29, 2018)

I am not sure that investigated all links in this thread. Maybe url below already contains. 
good one:





this is the best )) currently. This is track which was touched me first. 





this track from album:





this also good ))


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## ollv (Jun 29, 2018)

Honestly speaking I listened to many songs, and currently, do not remember all. There are avant-garde albums .. 
Honestly speaking I was listening many songs, and currently, do not remember all.

There are avant-garde albums .. which I will try to find and place here
like of :


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