undoubtedly one of the most fascinating and bizarre chapters in the history of american music, sun ra's sound is a cosmic distillation of music, fantasy and myth. his peak period is represented in these four documents recorded for esp-disk' during the free jazz revolution, yet his music transcends the realm of jazz and indeed defies definition. includes: the heliocentric worlds of sun ra vol. 1&2 (esp1014 & esp1017), considered to be among ra's quintessential mid '60s recordings; the astounding nothing is (esp1045), recorded during his 1966 tour of ny state colleges; and 1973's concert for the comet kohoutek (esp3033), featuring ra on synthesizer while his group chants in astral worship, as if demanding the comet to take them back to their alternate universe.
tracks: cd1 (the heliocentric world of sun ra vol.1 - esp1014): 1. heliocentric 2. outer nothingness 3. other worlds 4. the cosmos 5. of heavenly things 6. nebulae 7. dancing in the sun cd2 (the heliocentric world of sun ra vol.2 - esp1017): 1. the sun myth 2. a house of beauty 3. cosmic chaos cd3 (nothing is... - esp1045): 1. dancing shadows 2. imagination 3. exotic forest 4. sun ra and his band from outer space 5. shadow world 6. theme of the stargazers 7. outer spaceways incorporated 8. next stop mars cd4 (concert for the comet kohoutek - esp3033): 1. kohoutek intro 2. astro black 3. variations of kohoutek themes 4. journey through the outer darkness 5. enlightement 6. unknown kohoutek 7. discipline 8. outer space e.m. 9. space is the place
