SUN RA — Out There a Minute (review)

SUN RA — Out There a Minute album cover Album · 1989 · Avant-Garde Jazz Buy this album from MMA partners
4/5 ·
js
"Out There a Minute" is a unique one in the Sun Ra discography in that it does not come from one concert or one studio session, but instead it is, as explained on the back cover of the album, "Sun Ra's personal selection of rare Arkestra recordings from the late 60s". This makes the album one of the closest things to a 'best of' collection that you will find with Sun Ra's name on it. Unique also in that most of his albums will portray a more or less unified musical vision for that album, "Out There", on the other hand, is a very eclectic album that covers a broad range of Sun Ra styles.

As we move from track to track, we may encounter cacophonous free jazz, exotic lounge fantasies, more or less straight ahead jazz that gets a little weird around the edges, or sometimes a lot weird around the edges, African flavored ensemble percussion or some sparse pieces that sound like Eurocentric avant-garde 60s concert hall music of the Stockhausen/Cage variety. Most of the tracks are really good making this one a must have for a Sun Ra fan.

If you know your Sun Ra history then you will recognize many familiar elements, such as the soloing of Marshall Allen and John Gilmore, which shows up on many tracks. "Somewhere in Space" features that bizarre singer who was with the band for a while and sang through a backwards megaphone, he had a made up stage name that is not listed on the album, but he does appear on at least one other Ra album. "Song of Tree and Forest" features echoed flutes and piano that were made possible when Sonny's sound man came up with a way to turn a reel to reel recorder into an echo device.
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