Sun Ra And His Solar Arkestra - Horizon (1971)

02 Dec, 10:30
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Artist: Sun Ra And His Solar Arkestra
Title: Horizon
Year Of Release: 2008
Label: Art Yard [ARTYARDCD008]
Genre: Jazz, Free Jazz
Quality: FLAC (tracks + .cue,log,scans) | MP3/320 kbps
Total Time: 76:01
Total Size: 466 MB(+3%) | 180 MB(+3%)
WebSite: Album Preview

Tracklist

1 Theme Of The Star Gazers 1:22
2 Discipline #2 5:28
3 The Shadow World 16:42
4 Enlightenment 2:37
5 Love In Outer Space 7:13
6 Third Planet 6:44
7 Space Is The Place 6:10
8 Horizon 5:31
9 Discipline #8 11:22
10 We'll Wait For You 1:38
11 The Satellites Are Spinning 11:14

Sun Ra And His Solar Arkestra - Horizon (1971)

personnel :

Sun Ra - tiger organ, moog synthesizer, upright piano, vocals
John Gilmore - tenor saxophone, percussion, drums, vocals
Marshall Allen - alto saxophone, flute, oboe, percussion, vocals
Danny Thompson - baritone saxophone, flute, vocals
Kwame Hadi - trumpet, congas, vocals
Danny Davis - alto saxophone, flute, vocals
Pat Patrick - electric bass, vocals
Eloe Omoe - bass clarinet, vocals
Hakim Rahim - alto saxophone, flute, vocals
Larry Northington - alto saxophone, congas
Tommy Hunter - drums, vocals
Clifford Jarvis - drums, vocals
Lex Humphries - drums, vocals
June Tyson - vocals, dance
Verta Grosvenor - vocals, dance
Gloristeena Knight - vocals, dance
Richard Wilkinson - light show

This rare platter contains material documented during Sun Ra and his Arkestra's first Egyptian visit, and as such is exceedingly important in Ra's voluminous canon, as much of his personal and historical mythology is centered there. The selections on Horizon (1974) were recorded at the Ballon Theater in Cairo on December 17, 1971, and was sponsored by the Egyptian Ministry of Culture. While even more of the tour exists in private tape collections, this is one of the only discs to have been issued -- though in very limited numbers -- making it a real treat for free jazz aficionados. The opening, " Starwatchers/Theme of the Stargazers" medley begins with a choral chant and solo from John Gilmore (tenor sax/percussion) before the entire Arkestra dive headlong into a languid free jazz jam that evolves slowly into an intense flute and alto sax run with Danny Davis (flute), Hakim Rahim (flute), and Larry Northington (alto sax). Ra's mini-Moog is atonal and schizophrenic as his sharp staccato inflections pierce the soundscape overtop of the Arkestra. The recording is far from perfect, as the musicians move in and out of microphone range, however, there is suitable fidelity when discerning the band as they ebb and swell around Ra's ferocious performance. Both "Discipline 2" as well as "Discipline 8" are variations of the Arkestra standard, and each is unequivocally unique. Albeit brief, another highlight is the "Space Is the Place" chant and free jazz processional, allowing the combo to interact at their most melodic -- on this disc, anyway. Students and enthusiasts of avant-garde jazz -- especially of Sun Ra -- should actively seek copies of this LP for a thoroughly enjoyable sonic excursion that rises to the auspicious occasion.~Lindsay Planer

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