Recorded in 1961, this 7-inch single has been released in conjunction with the recent exhibit, Sun Ra, The Substitute Words: Poetry, 1957-72 at Corbett vs. Dempsey art gallery in Chicago. The previously unreleased tracks offer a glimpse of Sun Ra and a stripped down Arkestra backing vocalist Ricky Murray.
The Newark, New Jersey recordings come from a session Ra was recording for the Savoy label. On “I Struck a Match on the Moon,” Murray’s balladeering gets urged on by a strident walking bass and Ra’s saloon piano. The band swings oh-so fine. The flip, “Dreamsville,” showcases the crooner backed by the Arkestra providing a late-night, small combo sound featuring a twilight saxophone solo.
