Sun Ra discography
The Sun Ra discography is one of the largest in music history.[1][2] The American jazz keyboardist, bandleader and composer recorded dozens of singles and over one hundred full-length albums, comprising well over 1000 songs, and making him one of the most prolific recording artists of the 20th century.[3]
Contents |
[edit] History
His own El Saturn Records were usually printed in editions of 75 copies per album, and were sold primarily at live performances. Many of Sun Ra's early albums were recorded at home by Ra himself on wire or early tape recorders, and are decidedly lo-fi. Despite the technological limitations, Ra used some innovative recording techniques, and these recordings provided an unprecedented level of documentation, and were inspirational in showing how artists could take control of the means of production and distribution of their works.
Prior to the 1970s, most of these albums were produced in Chicago through the El Saturn Records Research enterprise established by Ra and his colleague Alton Abraham, while later El Saturn Records were produced in Philadelphia. A batch of the most significant recordings were licensed to Impulse! Records in the mid-1970s. They were not as successful as hoped, and were deleted from the Impulse catolog, becoming available around the world as inexpensive "cut-outs" and making the music more widely available.
Most El Saturn Records were hand-decorated by Arkestra members, and these LP records sometimes sell for high prices among collectors. These El Saturn Records releases, dating from the 1950s to at least the late 1980s, typically had little or no information as to performers or recording dates, and sometimes didn't even list the songs on the album, often pressing one LP side from one era with another from a different decade, leading to some confusion among completists and fans.
After Sun Ra's death, many of his recordings were released on compact disc for the first time by Evidence Records, Ihnfinity Music, ESP Disk / ZYX Music, or Impulse!. As is the case with an artist whose output is so extensive, there is quite a bit of debate regarding his "best" albums. Of all these recordings, many critics and enthusiasts feel that the 1959 big band album Jazz In Silhouette is the best entry-point into his work.[4]
[edit] Albums
[edit] Studio
| Recorded | Album | Credited artist | Original Label(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1956 | Jazz by Sun Ra (aka Sun Song) | Sun Ra and his Arkestra | Transition |
| 1956 | Super-Sonic Jazz | Le Sun Ra and his Arkestra | Saturn |
| 1956 | Sound of Joy | Sun Ra and the Arkestra | Delmark |
| 1956-58 | Visits Planet Earth | Sun Ra and his Solar Arkestra | Saturn |
| 1958-59 | The Nubians of Plutonia (aka The Lady with the Golden Stockings) | Sun Ra and his Myth Science Arkestra | Saturn |
| 1959 | Jazz in Silhouette | Sun Ra and his Arkestra | Saturn |
| 1959 | Sound Sun Pleasure!! | Sun Ra and his Astro Infinity Arkestra | Saturn |
| 1959-60 | Interstellar Low Ways (aka Rocket Number Nine) | Sun Ra and his Myth Science Arkestra | Saturn |
| 1960 | Fate In A Pleasant Mood | Sun Ra and his Myth Science Arkestra | Saturn |
| 1960 | Holiday For Soul Dance | Sun Ra and his Intergalactic Arkestra | Saturn |
| 1956-60 | Angels and Demons at Play | Sun Ra and his Myth Science Arkestra | Saturn |
| 1956-61 | We Travel The Space Ways | Sun Ra and his Myth Science Arkestra | Saturn |
| 1961 | The Futuristic Sounds of Sun Ra (aka We are in the Future) | Sun Ra and his Arkestra | Savoy Records |
| 1961 | Bad and Beautiful | Sun Ra and his Myth Science Arkestra | Saturn |
| 1962 | Art Forms of Dimensions Tomorrow | Sun Ra and his Solar Arkestra | Saturn |
| 1962 | Secrets of the Sun | Sun Ra and his Solar Arkestra | Saturn |
| 1962 | What's New? | Sun Ra | Saturn |
| 1963 | When Sun Comes Out | Sun Ra and his Astro-Infinty Arkestra | Saturn |
| 1963 | Cosmic Tones for Mental Therapy | Sun Ra and his Myth Science Arkestra | Saturn |
| 1963 | When Angels Speak of Love | Sun Ra and his Myth Science Arkestra | Saturn |
| 1964 | Other Planes of There | Sun Ra and his Solar Arkestra | Saturn |
| 1965 | The Heliocentric Worlds of Sun Ra, Volume One | Sun Ra | ESP-Disk |
| 1965 | The Magic City | Sun Ra and his Solar Arkestra | Saturn |
| 1965 | The Heliocentric Worlds of Sun Ra, Volume Two | Sun Ra | ESP-Disk |
| 1966 | Strange Strings | Sun Ra and his Astro- Infinty Arkestra | Saturn |
| 1966 | Monorails and Satellites, Vol 1 & Vol 2 | Sun Ra | Saturn |
| 1968 | Continuation | Sun Ra and his Astro-Infinity Arkestra | Saturn |
| 1967-69 | Atlantis | Sun Ra and his Astro-Infinity Arkestra | Saturn |
| 1961-70 | Out There A Minute | Sun Ra and his Arkestra | Blast First |
| 1962-70 | The Invisible Shield (aka Janus, A Tonal View of Times Tomorrow, Vol. 2, Satellites are Outerspace) | Sun Ra and his Intergalactic Research Arkestra | |
| 1970 | My Brother the Wind | Sun Ra and his Astro-Solar Infinity Arkestra | Saturn |
| 1970[5] | The Night of the Purple Moon | Sun Ra | Saturn |
| 1970 | My Brother the Wind Volume II (Otherness) | Sun Ra and his Solar Myth Arkestra | Saturn |
| 1971[6][7] | Solar Myth Approach Vols 1+2 | BYG Actuel | |
| 1972 | Astro Black | Sun Ra | Impulse! |
| 1972 | Discipline 27 | Sun Ra and his Astro Intergalactic Infinity Arkestra | Saturn |
| 1972 | Space is the Place | Sun Ra | Blue Thumb |
| 1972 | Space Is the Place (soundtrack) | Sun Ra and His Intergalactic Solar Arkestra | |
| 1972 | Crystal Spears | Sun Ra | |
| 1972 | Cymbals | Sun Ra | |
| 1953-73 | Deep Purple | Sun Ra and his Arkestra featuring Stuff Smith on violin | Saturn |
| 1973 | Outer Space Employment Agency | Sun Ra and his Intergalactic Arkestra | |
| 1973 | Pathways to Unknown Worlds | Sun Ra and his Astro Infinity Arkestra | Impulse! |
| 1973 | Friendly Love | Sun Ra and his Astro Infinity Arkestra | Evidence Music, Inc. |
| 1976 | Cosmos | Sun Ra | Cobra |
| 1977 | Unity | Horo Records | |
| 1977 | Solo Piano Volume 1 | Sun Ra | Improvising Artists Inc |
| 1978 | New Steps | Sun Ra Quartet | Horo |
| 1978 | Other Voices Other Blues | Sun Ra Quartet | Horo |
| 1978 | Visions | Sun Ra and Walt Dickerson | SteepleChase Records |
| 1978 | Lanquidity | Sun Ra | Philly Jazz |
| 1978 | Disco 3000 | Sun Ra and his Arkestra | Saturn |
| 1978 | The Other Side of the Sun | ||
| 1979 | Of Mythic Worlds | Sun Ra | Philly Jazz[8] |
| 1979 | On Jupiter | Sun Ra and his Arkestra | |
| 1979 | Strange Celestial Road | Sun Ra Arkestra | Rounder Records |
| 1979 | I, Pharaoh | Sun Ra and his Arkestra | |
| 1979 | Sleeping Beauty | Sun Ra and his Arkestra | Saturn |
| 1979 | God Is More than Love Can Ever Be | Sun Ra and his Arkestra | |
| 1980 | Aurora Borealis | Sun Ra | |
| 1982 | A Fireside Chat with Lucifer | Sun Ra and his Outer Space Arkestra | |
| 1982 | Celestial Love | Sun Ra and his Outer Space Arkestra | |
| 1982 | Nuclear War | Sun Ra | |
| 1986 | Reflections in Blue | Sun Ra Arkestra | Black Saint |
| 1986 | Hours After | Sun Ra Arkestra | Black Saint |
| 1988-89 | Somewhere Else | Sun Ra | Rounder |
| 1989 | Blue Delight | Sun Ra | A&M |
| 1990 | Purple Night | Sun Ra | A&M |
| 1990 | Mayan Temples | Sun Ra Arkestra | Black Saint |
[edit] Live
| Recorded | Album | Credited artist | Original Label(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 | Music from Tomorrow's World: Chicago 1960 | Sun Ra and His Arkestra | Atavistic |
| 1964 | Featuring Pharoah Sanders & Black Harold | ESP-Disk | |
| 1966 | Nothing Is | Sun Ra | ESP-Disk |
| 1966-68 | Outer Spaceways Incorporated | Sun Ra and his Arkestra | Black Lion Records |
| 1968 | Pictures Of Infinity | Sun Ra | Black Lion |
| 1970 | It's After the End of the World | Sun Ra and his Intergalactic Research Arkestra | MPS Records |
| 1970 | Historical Masters - Fondation Maeght Nights, Volume 1 | Sun Ra Arkestra | JazzView / FONAC |
| 1970 | Historical Masters - Fondation Maeght Nights, Volume 2 | Sun Ra Arkestra | JazzView / FONAC |
| 1971 | Nidhamu | Sun Ra and his Astro Intergalactic Infinity Arkestra | |
| 1971 | Live in Egypt 1 | Sun Ra and his Astro Intergalactic Infinity Arkestra | |
| 1971 | Horizon | Sun Ra and his Arkestra | |
| 1973 | What Planet Is This? | Sun Ra and His Space Arkestra | Leo |
| 1973 | Concert for the Comet Kohoutek | Sun Ra | ESP-Disk |
| 1973 | Live in Paris at the "Gibus" | ||
| 1974 | Out Beyond the Kingdom Of | Sun Ra and His Outer Space Arkestra | |
| 1974 | The Antique Blacks | Sun Ra and his Arkestra | Saturn |
| 1976 | Live at Montreux | Inner City Records | |
| 1976 | A Quiet Place in the Universe | Leo | |
| 1977 | St. Louis Blues (solo piano) | Sun Ra | Improvising Artists |
| 1977 | Some Blues But Not The Kind Thats Blue | Sun Ra and his Arkestra | Saturn |
| 1977 | Solo Piano Recital Teatro La Fenice | Leo | |
| 1978 | Springtime in Chicago | Leo | |
| 1979 | Omniverse | ||
| 1979[9] | Live from Soundscape | Sun Ra and his Arkestra | DIW Records |
| 1980 | Sunrise in Different Dimensions | the Sun Ra Arkestra | Hathut Records |
| 1980 | The Complete Detroit Jazz Center Residency | Transparency | |
| 1983 | Sun Ra Meets Salah Ragab (Recorded in Egypt) | Leo | |
| 1983 | Love in Outer Space | Leo | |
| 1984 | Cosmo Sun Connection | Sun Ra and his Arkestra | |
| 1984 | Live at Praxis '84 | Leo | |
| 1985 | Live at Club Lingerie | Transparency | |
| 1985 | Live at Myron's Ballroom | Transparency | |
| 1986 | A Night in East Berlin | Sun Ra and his Cosmo Discipline Arkestra | Leo |
| 1988[10] | Live at Pitt-In, Tokyo | Sun Ra Arkestra | DIW |
| 1989 | Second Star to the Right (Salute to Walt Disney) | Sun Ra & his Intergalactic Arkestra | Leo |
| 1989 | Stardust from Tomorrow | Leo | |
| 1990 | Live in London 1990 | Sun Ra and His Year 2000 Myth Science Arkestra | Blast First |
| 1990 | Live at the Hackney Empire | Leo | |
| 1991 | At the Village Vanguard | Sun Ra Sextet | |
| 1991 | Friendly Galaxy | Sun Ra Arkestra | Leo |
| 1992 | Destination Unknown | Sun Ra & his Omniverse Arkestra | Enja Records |
[edit] Compilations
| Released | Album | Credited artist | Original Label(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Greatest Hits: Easy Listening For Intergalactic Travel | Sun Ra And His Arkestra | |
| 2001 | Out in Space | Sun Ra and his Intergalactic Research Arkestra | |
| 2007 | The Creator of the Universe (Lost Reel: Volume 1) | Transparency | |
| 2007 | Intergalactic Research (Lost Reel: Volume 2) | Transparency | |
| 2007 | The Shadows Took Shape (Lost Reel: Volume 3) | Transparency | |
| 2007 | Dance of the Living Image (Lost Reel: Volume 4) | Transparency | |
| 2009 | Interplanetary Melodies | Norton Records | |
| 2009 | The Second Stop Is Jupiter | Norton Records | |
| 2009 | Rocket Ship Rock | Norton Records |
[edit] Related
| Recorded | Album | Credited artist | Original Label(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1954-60 | Spaceship Lullaby: Chicago 1954-60 | Sun Ra/the Vocal Groups featuring Nu Sounds, the Unitels & the Cosmic Rays | Atavistic |
| 1966 | Impressions of a Patch of Blue | Walt Dickerson Quartet with Sun Ra on harpsichord | MGM |
| 1966 | Batman and Robin - The Sensational Guitars of Dan and Dale | Uncredited, but featuring Sun Ra & members of the Arkestra and the Blues Project | |
| 1968 | A Black Mass | Imamu Amiri Baraka with Sun Ra and his Myth Science Arkestra | |
| 1992 | A Tribute to Stuff Smith | Billy Bang with Sun Ra, John Ore and Andrew Cyrille | Soul Note |
[edit] References
- ^ Sun Ra discography at Allmusic
- ^ Campbell, Robert L., & Trent, Christopher. The Earthly Recordings of Run Ra (2nd edition). Redwood, NY: Cadence Jazz Books, 2000. ISBN 978-1881993353
- ^ Szwed, John F. Space Is the Place: The Lives and Times of Sun Ra New York: Pantheon, 1997. ISBN 978-0679435891; p. xvii
- ^ Planer, Lindsay. Jazz In Silhouette review from Allmusic.com; URL accessed February 15, 2007
- ^ www.allaboutjazz.com
- ^ Allmusic review Volume 1
- ^ Allmusic review Volume 2
- ^ Allmusic review
- ^ Allmusic Live from Soundscape review
- ^ Allmusic Live at Pitt-In, Tokyo review
[edit] External links
- Sun Ra discography at Allmusic
- Sun Ra's Discography
- Robert Campbell's Old Discography
- John Szwed's guide to Ra's best recordings
