Sun Ra & His Astro-Infinity Arkestra: Other Strange
Worlds (Roaratorio LP)
Just released from Roaratorio Records is Other Strange Worlds, containing
previously unheard recordings from May 1965 from the Sun Ra Archive.
While only available on limited-edition vinyl, it also contains a coupon
for a free MP3 download—so, whether or not you even have a turntable, every Sun
Ra freak needs to jump on this quick!
According to archivist Michael D. Anderson’s brief liner
notes, the recording was intended as a “second volume” to the wonderfully weird
Strange Strings album but, for whatever reason, never released. Certainly, the
approach is similar, with an arsenal of exotic instruments deployed in what
Sunny called “an exercise in ignorance.” But on Other Strange Worlds, the
Arkestra is substantially reduced, down to a quintet of Sun Ra, John Gilmore,
Marshall Allen, Ali Hasaan and Art Jenkins. Along with the koras, zithers,
kalimbas and fiddles, Gilmore and Jenkins stick mostly to percussion while
Allen takes keening leads on oboe and Hasaan adds warm trombone. Occasionally, Ra
will brighten the texture by tinkling on the celeste; but, most of the time, he is subtly
guiding the improvisations, turning them into challenging and sublime pieces of
space-age chamber music.
Recorded in Sun Ra’s apartment on the Lower East
Side of New York (you can hear the telephone ring several times during the
proceedings), Other Strange Worlds actually sounds quite clear and
clean—especially compared to the noisy and distorted Strange Strings. The
smaller ensemble obviously contributes to the transparent sound quality yet Sun Ra’s mastery of effective lo-fi recording techniques is quite in evidence
here. Thankfully, Roaratorio has done an excellent job with this vinyl pressing: my
copy is flat as pancake, quiet as a ghost and sounds flipping fantastic.
Officially out this Tuesday, run—don’t walk—to your nearest record store and
grab yourself a copy. Or do what I did and order it direct from their website.
Other Strange Worlds is another essential addition to the Sun Ra discography and should not be missed!
2 comments:
Yeah, bugger, I got no turntable, but it may turn up on Cd one day of Yotte will post it for us.
Anyhow Rodger, I have finally got around to putting in some time listening to some of the Complete Detroit Jazz Center Residency 28 CD set and it is quite fantastic, sound quality is well above bootleg quality and with only 13 musicians in the band things are a little less chaotic. Lots and lots of excellent soloing. Compulsory listening. Have you heard it? I highly Recommend it.
So I recently got a turntable and a lovely little valve amp to play it through so this record is on its way. Looking forward to hearing it.
Also ordered your new limited edition record.
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