Singles: Sun Ra: Amazon.ca: Music

Disc: 1
1. A Foggy Day - The Nu Sounds
2. Daddy's Gonna Tell You No Lie - The Cosmic Rays
3. Dreaming - The Cosmic Rays
4. Daddy's Gonna Tell You No Lie - The Cosmic Rays
5. Bye Bye - The Cosmic Rays
6. Somebody's In Love - The Cosmic Rays
7. Medicine For A Nightmare - Arkestra
8. Saturn - Arkestra
9. Supersonic Jazz - Arkestra
10. Happy New Year To You - The Qualities
See all 25 tracks on this disc
Disc: 2
1. The Blue Set - Sun Ra
2. Big City Blues - Sun Ra
3. Tell Her To Come On Home - Little Mack
4. I'm Making Believe - Little Mack
5. The Bridge - Sun Ra
6. Rocket # 9 - Sun Ra
7. Blues On Planet Mars - Sun Ra
8. Saturn Moon - Sun Ra
9. The Sky Is Crying - Lacy Gibson
10. She's My Baby - Lacy Gibson
See all 24 tracks on this disc

Product Description

From Amazon.com

Sun Ra maintained a big band from 1955 until his death in 1993, even though he was even further out on the fringe of the music industry than Charles Mingus, who only held onto smaller groups. Sun Ra consistently maintained he came from another planet-and his taste in clothes and harmonies lent some credence to the claim-but he also felt he could connect with a broad terrestrial audience, which is why he continually released singles on his Saturn label. Some of these singles were his trademark space-jazz, but most of them were more down-to-earth-doo-wop, blues, R&B vocals, swing standards, novelty songs and big-band dance numbers. Yet they all had the Sun Ra touch, which made them weird and worldly all at once. --Geoffrey Himes

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Customer Reviews

12 Reviews

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

Average Customer Review

4.1 out of 5 stars (12 customer reviews)

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5.0 out of 5 stars The many faces of Sun Ra, April 12 2010

By

J. Bonder "A Sound Painter" (Toronto) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)

This review is from: Singles (Audio CD)

I believe the enjoyment of this two disc set really depends on what your expectations are going into it, which is why I hope to clarify a few things with this review that have not been fully divulged in the others.

While Sun Ra is often thought of (and thought of himself as) futuristic, this set is more akin to his exploration of African American musical history. All of the music is unmistakably imbued with Ra's quirky futuristic imprints, but he branches out to explore such seemingly divergent styles as doo wop, blues, jazz, soul, rhythm and blues and more.

For those who think of Sun Ra as jazz and jazz only (though I'm sure he'd be the last person to paint himself into that box), this set may be a bit of a let down. Which is not to say this set doesn't include Ra's space-age jazz stylings; there's plenty of that here, including some fascinating interpretations of what could be called Ra "standards". There's just much more besides, which makes for a somewhat eclectic listening experience. But then again, that's really part of the fun of this set: You don't know what style is coming up next, but each song is exciting and unique, and all the tunes somehow remain cohesive thanks to Ra's musical sensibilities.

I came to this set prepared: I am a Sun Ra fan (with 5 or 6 other discs of his), and a fan of many different musical genres. I value originality of vision and execution, and this collection did not disappoint my expectations. It is at times fun, funky, ethereal, kitschy, futuristic, obtuse, catchy, funny, beautiful and chaotic. Not everyone will appreciate such variety within one album, but for those that will there's an embarrassment of riches here.

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4.0 out of 5 stars For confirmed Sun Ra fans, Nov 2 2002

By

bukhtan (Chicago, Illinois, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Singles (Audio CD)

I got a kick out these two CD's but I am:
A) a Sun Ra fan of long standing, and
B) interested in where music really comes from, and not just the high points.
These recordings, some of them anyway, are odd even within Sun Ra's idiosyncratic world. Sun Ra is one of those jazz musicians who usually think in terms of the total composition, integrating a number of soloists into that framework. Jelly Roll Morton, Ellington, and, sometimes, Miles, Mingus & Monk work this way. Some of these "singles" are one-dimensional novelty numbers. Some are cute, like the "doo-wop" songs, e.g. "Dreaming". Valuable if you find this kind of music charming but otherwise wouldn't come in (voluntary) contact with it. Others are just raucous, like the Yochanan pieces, though even these have a kind of urban rustic charm, especially "Hot Skillet Mama". (The liner notes indicate that the fine tenor player John Gilmore called Yochanan, billed as the "space age vocalist" in the day, a "no-talent hanger-on" and swore he'd never recorded with him.)
Other pieces connect more directly with Sun Ra's oeuvre. Some, like "Saturn", are similar to more familiar recorded versions of the era or later. Many of these recordings are rough in comparison to Sun Ra's other work, with a rehearsal or impromptu feel, e.g. "Love in outer space" with June Tyson & John Gilmore singing. The liner notes are very good, placing the guy who said variously that he "came from nowhere here" or "Saturn" very firmly in the grimy contexts of Birmingham, Chicago and Philadelphia. Includes some interesting photos.

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5.0 out of 5 stars An Amazing Achievement!!But DONT Start Here, Aug 19 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Singles (Audio CD)

I am relatively new to the world of Sun Ra (started 7/99). Someone mentioned him to me and I decided to start my Sun Ra collection the way I started my collection with most rock groups and that is with a compilation of hits or singles. I bought this and was immediately put off by what I heard. I later tried "Other Planes of There" after hearing a extraordinary Sun Ra song on a college radio station, and that was the real start of my Sun Ra collection of nearly 70 cds. This singles compilation remains a high point in my collection.
The reason this isnt the place to start is although it is a singles compilation, which I still cannot believe they were able to compile considering how obscure a great deal of them are, but alot of what is on here is Sun Ra in a support role to another act. The other act being a Rhythm and Blues act with performances I have grown to love, even though they are not typical Sun Ra by any stretch of the imagination.
If you are a seasoned veteran of Sun Ra from any period the 50s, 60s,70s, 80s, buy this album and let it grow on you. If you are interested in Sun Ra and wonder where to start I would ask yourself Big Band?? or Free Jazz?? If the answer is just swing and a good time start with "Jazz in Silhouette". But if you want free jazz taken further than John Coltranes deepest dreams. Try "Atlantis" and the peek of the genre "Magic City".

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Most recent customer reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars JOYOUS CELEBRATION
I'm not really a jazz fan, but this wonderful collection of obscure singles is quite an enjoyable listening experience. Read more

Published on Jan 28 2002 by Pieter

2.0 out of 5 stars start somewhere else
As much as I hate to give Sun Ra a bad review, I felt kind of ripped off after I got this. The first CD is all doo wop stuff that really didn't do it for me. Read more

Published on Jun 22 2001 by dylan alford