Jazz Articles about Sun Ra

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Sun Ra: Music from Tomorrow's World

by Matthew Wuethrich
January 12, 2003

Historical document or musical revelation? Music from Tomorrow’s World, the latest release in Atavistic’s Unheard Music Series, again poses this seemingly eternal, yet pertinent, question. Should live recordings be made available to the listening public, even if the sound quality distorts and obscures the musical content? Many would say no, but in the case of Sun Ra the parameters of the debate change, and for this album the musical content comes across as vivid and exciting--with a little patient listening, ...

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Sun Ra and his Arkestra: Music From Tomorrow's World

by Mark Corroto
November 1, 2002

1960 was one of many turning points in the career of Sun Ra. That year he moved from Chicago’s South Side to New York City. Behind, he left the idea that became the AACM, plus many inspired musicians who would create the Chicago avant- sound.

Unheard Music producer John Corbett has unearthed two never heard and presumed lost dates from Ra’s last days in Chicago. The first seven tracks were from a live date from a tavern called ...

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Sun Ra and His Outer Space Arkestra: Nuclear War

by AAJ Staff
August 1, 2001

For all the talk about his extraterrestrial origins and cosmic philosophy, Sun Ra was often a very well- grounded human being. His 1982 disc Nuclear War has an easy-groovin' feeling throughout. Ra's big hope for major label recognition ended up released on the underground Y Records instead--but Atavistic just seized the opportunity to get Nuclear War back in print in the digital format.

The undeniable “hit" on this accessible recording is the title track opener, where Ra raps on the ...

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Sun Ra: Nuclear War

by Derek Taylor
August 1, 2001

Apocalyptic in title, but surprisingly upbeat in sound this 1980s Arkestral artifact makes a welcome return to circulation through John Corbett's Unheard Music Series. The album is actually yet another off mark entry in Ra's occasional bid for major label backing. He shopped the session to Columbia, but met with the usual blank stares from the record execs and eventually sold the session to British independent label Y. Quickly dropping out of sight and circulation the vinyl edition has since ...

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Sun Ra: Nuclear War

by Mark Corroto
August 1, 2001

Creative music fans always somehow end up at Sun Ra’s musical doorstep. Either they follow the rock scene and are tipped off to him by Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth and the Beastie Boys or they are established jazz fans and his name crops up in discussions of jazz music from the 1950s through the early 1990s. Somehow Sonny Blount has effected the last fifty years of music, but his recordings were (seemingly from the beginning) collectors items. His self-produced ...

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The Sun Ra Arkestra Meets Salah Ragab: In Egypt

by Robert Spencer
November 1, 1999

Sun Ra enthusiasts take note: there are 36 minutes of the Man from Saturn and his Arkestra on this disc - the length of a good LP in the old days. Plus, how can any Saturnian resist the lure of a Ra disc recorded in the shadow of the Sphinx herself, right in Cairo? Top it off with 33 more minutes of Salah Ragab and the Cairo Jazz Band, and you've got a real treat.

This is Ra in 1983 ...