Ska Lagos Jew Sun Ra

I honestly don't think there were all that many compared to the average Sun Ra fare. Just felt psychadellic because of a mysterious drop in recording quality. Perhaps it was recording experimentation. It's always been an oddity with Sun Ra where it doesn't seem like the recording gets consistently better, or worse.

However, if you want REALLY psychadellic, just wait. We're getting very close to the Magic City/Heliocentric worlds of Sun Ra Era. That's where the true platinum is.

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Ska Lagos Jew Sun Ra

When Angels Speak Of Love
1966



Tracks

1. Celestial Fantasy
2. Idea Of It All
3. Ecstasy Of Being
4. When Angels Speak Of Love
5. Next Stop Mars

This album is a work of art. An absolute gorgeous adventure from start to finish. What "Angels and Demons At Play" did to move Sun Ra into experimental territories seems like a babystep compared to this album. Essentially, it's shed completely from the Jazz Swing roots of Sun Ra, and apart from the first 20 seconds or so of "When Angels Speak of Love" is 100% avant-discord. Brilliantly composed, recorded, and performed. This album is an absolute masterpiece.

10/10

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starrynight

Today I found the first Sun Ra album that I think I actually like, Supersonic Jazz. It's an early one so some might not consider it as hip as later ones but the musical quality is high and consistent.

Ska Lagos Jew Sun Ra

Try Jazz in Silhouette. It's not really that 'weird'.

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starrynight

I think I heard a bit of that but didn't like it so much. It's not so much whether it might be thought weird or not, just whether I like the musical ideas and how they develop.

Ska Lagos Jew Sun Ra

Other Planes of There
1964 released in 1966



Tracks

1. Other Planes Of There
2. Sound Spectra/Spec Sket
3. Sketch
4. Pleasure
5. Spiral Galaxy

I'd say this is a better Sun Ra album, yet not as good as the last(When Angels Speak of Love). Still, a lot going on here, especially with percussion. quite some of the most intricate, and layered drumming I've ever heard on an album. Best tracks are probably the opening and closing, and fairly consistent quality in between. Sketch I believe either utilized pieces of another song or is another song, but I couldn't pick out which.

8/10

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Ska Lagos Jew Sun Ra

The Heliocentric Worlds of Sun Ra, Volume One
1965



Tracks

1. Heliocentrics
2. Outer Nothingness
3. Other Worlds
4. Cosmos
5. Of Heavenly Things
6. Nebulae
7. Dancing In the Sun

Ok, this is by far one of the most important albums to ever grace Avant-Garde, and Freejazz. An utter amalgamation of the best of Sun Ra's efforts, and one of my personal favorite. From beginning to end, you finally get a streamlined, directioned vision of Sun Ra's very typically unstreamlined eclectic experiments. Recorded, produced, and composed absolutely perfectly. Without fault. Probably THE album that defines the Sun Ra sound. Definitely not the best entry album, but once you get there, it's the one that is worth getting to.

Other Worlds, and Cosmos definite high points. Other Worlds is one of my favorite songs of all time(can't find a link, only to the similarly titled yet also brilliant 'There Are Other Worlds').

10/10

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Ska Lagos Jew Sun Ra

Alright, I'll probably do another one today(and it's Magic City which is another classic). However, I'm thinking of when I'm done with these making a big list of all of them and arranging them by rank. Then putting asterisks by the ones that are good 'entry level' albums.

Think that'd make a pretty comprehensive index for those interested, but now willing to listen to all 100 albums.

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Ska Lagos Jew Sun Ra

The Magic City
1966



Tracks

1. The Magic City
2. The Shadow World
3. Abstract Eye
4. Abstract "I"

The closest in competition to best album to "The Helio Centric Worlds Vol. 1" in Sun Ra's collection. Again, Sun Ra at his best. But, unlike Heliocentric Worlds the songs feel like they were done in somewhat the same span of time, rather than being snippets of different things here, and there. It's not as varied, but takes home the advantage of having more lengthy, subtle, sections. Entirely freely improvised, apparently composed through nothing more than Sun Ra's hand signals. Albeit, it doesn't make a definitive album like Heliocentric Worlds, I personally prefer it between the two. Absolute classic, and a true gem for any Sun Ra fans.

10/10

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RoemerMW

Having never before listened to Sun Ra which album would you suggest starting with? Also, great thread, really ambitious.

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