More Sun Ra, look, more Sun Ra! In Rome, 1977, whilst 'the world' burned (Punk-fuelled), Rome stood to hear Mister-y tinkle the ivories. Funny (peculiar) set in that it's a trio, but being Ra, like few others you could hear at the time - the piano has been drinking, not Ra, to paraphrase Tom Waits. A joyously off-kilter rendition of I Cover The Waterfront, you know, a stride through the cosmos. Great to hear Love In Outer Space as a trio outing too - and the space organ/piano fusion of Space Is The Place. El Is A Sound Of Joy is a 22min trip, the kind only Ra could/did dare to deliver via synthesised vibrations sent through outer space to Saturn and back. To remind us that along with the Art Ensemble of Chicago he was all about 'great black music - ancient to the future', he plays St Louis Blues more or less 'straight'. If you find Earth boring, you know where to look for relief.
Going to see, hear and experience Marshall Allen's Sun Ra Arkestra on Friday.
ReplyDelete