When Sun Ra left this planet in 1993 the world lost a true original. As a bandleader, his Arkestra fearlessly dove into jazz, Disney tunes and intergalactic ballets with equal rigor. And to consider that he recorded, pressed and distributed his own records and published his manifestos and taught classes positions Sun Ra as a granddaddy of all things DYI.
Today saxophonist and consigliere Marshall Allen continues to lead the Arkestra (including a stop at this year’s Chicago Jazz Festival in August) and has overseen this 20-track release. Several unreleased cuts may be the crackerjacks for hardcore collectors (Sun Ra is credited as releasing more than 100 albums and singles) but your best bet is just to let this wash over your ears, from the relaxed vibe of “Spontaneous Simplicity” to the manic “Rocket Number Nine Take Off for Planet Venus” to June Tyson’s ethereal vocal on “Somebody Else’s World.” If it seems eclectic, there is a universal pulse-like vibe running though all the tunes.
With selections spanning decades, the album only hints at the mother lode awaiting anyone lucky enough to dig in.
