Label: Black Rooster
Herman Poole Blount, better known to the world as Sun Ra, lived more musical lives in his 79 years on this planet (and others) than seems possible. In the 30s he was the most rigorous bandleader in Birmingham, heading the Sonny Blount Orchestra and filling every waking moment with music or philosophical discussions, by the 40s he had moved to Chicago and performed with luminaries such as Wynonie Harris, Fletcher Henderson, and Coleman Hawkins. By the 50s he had changed his name to Sun Ra and began performing with longtime Arkestra bandmates John Gilmore and Marshall Allen. Ra started his own label, El Saturn (or Saturn), to release his own recordings as well as those featuring the Arkestra backing local R&B and doo-wop groups. Though the genres showcased here are more pop than the world has come to expect from Sun Ra, the vibe and feel is purely cosmic, producing some of the wildest, strangest R&B ever created on this side of the sun. This collection compiles Saturn singles and rare hard to find early Sun Ra in different forms/group settings including the Cosmic Rays, the Qualities, Sun Ra and his Myth-Science Arkestra, and more from 1955-1962. A must have for all true Sun Ra collectors, this is a comprehensive retrospective on the early days of this legendary music guru packed into a monstrous double LP.
Track Listing:
Side A:
- A1 The Nu Sounds - A Foggy Day
- A2 The Cosmic Rays - Daddy's Gonna Tell You No Lie
- A3 The Cosmic Rays - Dreaming
- A4 The Cosmic Rays - Daddy's Gonna Tell You No Lie (Alternate Version)
- A5 The Cosmic Rays / Le Sun Ra And His Arkestra - Bye Bye
- A6 The Cosmic Rays / Le Sun Ra And His Arkestra - Somebody's In Love
- A7 Le Sun Ra And His Arkestra - Medicine For A Nightmare
- A8 Le Sun Ra And His Arkestra - Saturn
- A9 Le Sun Ra And His Arkestra - Supersonic Jazz
Side B:
- B1 The Qualities - Happy New Year To You!
- B2 The Qualities - It's Christmas Time
- B3 Yochanan - Muck Muck (Matt Matt)
- B4 Yochanan - Hot Skillet Mama
- B5 Le Sun Ra And His Arkestra - Great Balls Of Fire
- B6 Le Sun Ra And His Arkestra - Hours After
- B7 Juanita Rogers / Lynn Hollings - Teenager's Letter Of Promises (featuring Mr. V's Five Joys)
Side C:
- C1 Juanita Rogers - I'm So Glad You Love Me (featuring Mr. V's Five Joys)
- C2 Yochanan / Sun Ra And The Arkestra - The Sun One
- C3 Yochanan / Sun Ra And The Arkestra - The Sun Man Speaks
- C4 Yochanan / Sun Ra And The Arkestra - The Sun Man Speaks (Alternate Version)
- C5 Sun Ra And His Astro Infinity Arkestra - October
- C6 Sun Ra And His Astro Infinity Arkestra - Adventure In Space
Side D:
- D1 Yochanan / Sun Ra And The Arkestra - Message To Earthman
- D2 Yochanan / Sun Ra And The Arkestra - Message To Earthman (Alternate Version)
- D3 Sun Ra And The Arkestra - State Street
- D4 Sun Ra & His Myth Science Arkestra - The Blue Set
- D5 Sun Ra & His Myth Science Arkestra - Big City Blues
- D6 Little Mack - Tell Her To Come On Home
- D7 Little Mack - I'm Making Believe
