Hugh Ragin Collective - Back to Saturn (Dedicated to the Memory of Sun Ra) (2000)

Although this CD is dedicated to Sun Ra, only the closing "Back to Saturn" is reminiscent of Ra's outer-space music. However, trumpeter Hugh Ragin's CD does progress logically from the boppish "Blue Honda a la Truck," the grooving "Fanfare and Fiesta," and "Bud-Like" to increasingly freer music before the spacy closer. Ragin, an underrated trumpeter with a wide range, is usually the lead voice on this set, being joined by vibraphonist Greg Carroll, pianist Marc Sabatella, bassist Erik Turkman, and drummer Scott Gordan. Virtually every Hugh Ragin recording is well-worth exploring, and this one is no exception.