Marshall Allen presents Sun Ra and His Arkestra: In the Orbit of Ra

by Sun Ra

Marshall Allen presents Sun Ra and His Arkestra: In the Orbit of Ra cover art
  • Type: Compilation
  • Released: 22 September 2014
  • Label: Strut
  • Country: United States
  • Length: 2:01:53
  • Community rating: 4.15/5 from 3 ratings

Artists on this release: Alton Abraham, Aye Aton, Judith Holton, Marshall Allen, Harry Richards, Tommy Hunter, William Brister, James Spaulding, Phil Cohran, Lucious Randolph, Lex Humphries, James Jacson, Ben Henderson, idiophone, William Cochran, Ihnfinity Inc., Pat Patrick, Robert Barry, John Gilmore, Clifford Jarvis, Danny Ray Thompson, Cheryl Banks, Robert Underwood, Ruth Wright, Alzo Wright, Lamont McClamb, June Tyson, Larry Northington, Ronnie Boykins, George Hudson, Charles Stephens, C. Scoby Stroman, Jon Hardy, Charles Davis, Akh Tal Ebah, Kwame Hadi, Robert Cummings, Eloe Omoe, Danny Davis, Alex Blake

Album Notes & Community Reviews

Expertly curated by Marshall Allen, the long-time alto saxophonist and current director of the legendary avant-garde ensemble, this anthology spans the group's impossibly vast discography. Remastered directly from the original tapes, the collection highlights their evolution from Chicago hard bop into sprawling, Afro-futurist cosmic free jazz. The release functions as one of the most accessible, expertly sequenced introductions to the enigmatic jazz pioneer.

Genres

Descriptors: improvisation, avant-garde

Tracklist

  1. Somewhere In Space (3:02)
  2. The Lady With The Golden Stockings (a.k.a. The Golden Lady) (7:43)
  3. Somebody Else's World (4:03)
  4. Spontaneous Simplicity (7:59)
  5. Plutonian Nights (4:24)
  6. Angels And Demons At Play (2:55)
  7. Island In The Sun - Extended Version (10:22)
  8. Rocket Number Nine Take Off For The Planet Venus (6:22)
  9. Solar Differentials (6:24)
  10. Astro Black (10:55)
  11. Have You Heard The Latest News From Neptune (5:53)
  12. Dance Of The Cosmo-Aliens - Live In Milan, 1978 (11:07)
  13. Trying To Put The Blame On Me - Live In Rome, 1977 (3:45)
  14. Planet Earth (4:58)
  15. The Nile (4:56)
  16. Reflects Motion - Part One (3:23)
  17. Reflects Motion - Part Two (8:11)
  18. Ancient Aiethiopia (9:17)
  19. Interplanetary Music (2:42)
  20. We Travel The Spaceways (3:21)

Credits

  • Marshall Allen - primary artist, presenter, alto saxophone, flute, alto saxophone, percussion, written-by, alto saxophone, flute, percussion, alto saxophone, oboe, alto saxophone, bells, performer [flying saucer], vocals, instruments [alto saxophone mouthpiece], flute, compiler
  • The Sun Ra Arkestra - primary artist, vocals [ensemble vocal]
  • Peter Dennett - sleeve notes, interviewer [artist interviews]
  • Pat Patrick - alto saxophone, bells, claves, baritone saxophone, percussion, alto saxophone, bells, claves, percussion, clarinet [mistro-clarinet], tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone, flute, electric bass, vocals [vocal (space voices)]
  • Ronnie Boykins - bass, written-by, bass, percussion, vocals, bass, vocals [vocal]
  • Phil Cohran - cornet, percussion, vocals
  • Jon Hardy - drums, drums, percussion, gong
  • Sun Ra - piano, chimes, gong, written-by, arranged by, piano, electric piano [wurlitzer electric piano], composed by, arranged by, organ [intergalactic], gong, harp [space harp], piano, chimes, gong, electric piano [wurlitzer electric piano], synthesizer [moog], organ [space organ], vibraphone [electro-vibraphone], piano, organ [farfisa], synthesizer [mini moog], keyboards [rocksichord], vocals [vocal (space voices)], piano, gong

More from Sun Ra: full discography