Late

It's a good album, but Pharoah is fairly reined in. Don't expect too many fireworks.

Here's the text from jostber's link: "January 1978 was a fruitful month for Sun Ra. As well as days spent in the recording studios in Rome, Ra, along with John Gilmore, Michael Ray and Luqman Ali, played several gigs in Italy before flying back to the US. The magic music from one night in the Teatro Cilak, on 23/01/1978 in Milan, is preserved on Disco 3000. In the winter of 1977-8, philosopher, pianist and bandleader Sun Ra was to be found in Italy. He may have made two trips there, or made one extended stay: at this distance from these events it's difficult to be sure. (There's usually a mystery where Sun Ra is concerned.) Sun Ra's musical activity that winter is well attested: a CD from a piano concert in Venice in November 1977, two double albums cut in the studio for the Horo label in January 1978. The Italian tour also resulted in releases on Sun Ra's own Saturn label, although the records have long been out of print and all but impossible to find. With the re-release of DISCO 3000 and MEDIA DREAMS, two of these elusive Saturn albums, and arguably among the most important documents of Sun Ra's long musical career, are now once more available. They represent a real pinnacle of creativity, even for this prolific period of the late 1970s, when his record output hit a peak: 1977-8 saw some twenty Sun Ra albums, plus two video documents. DISCO 3000 and MEDIA DREAMS are pivotal: a unique chance to hear Sun Ra's music expounded in live performance by a quartet, rather than his full Arkestra. Sun Ra was joined in Italy by saxophonist John Gilmore, trumpeter Michael Ray and drummer Luqman Ali. Sun Ra himself played piano and electronic keyboards, including a Crumar Mainman. The sparse instrumentation is based on extraordinary and worthy contrasts. Luqman Ali played drums with Sun Ra around 1960, as Edward Skinner. This 1978 group represents his reappearance after an apparent absence of many years. The saxophone of John Gilmore, a soloist in Sun Ra aggregations since the early 1950s, is paired with the trumpet of relative newcomer Michael Ray. Ray's exposure as a soloist here is considerable - far greater than in his role in the Arkestra. The partnership of Gilmore and Ray, combined with the prominence and nature of Sun Ra's electronics, gives these albums their unique flavour. Sun Ra's keyboard work expands here to supply both bass lines (some pre-programmed) and electronic percussion. From this perspective it is interesting to compare this music to that on an earlier 'electronic' album of Sun Ra's, "My Brother The Wind" - Ra had developed a much wider group role for his electronics by this point." ===== "... arguably among the most important documents of Sun Ra's long musical career ..." That is arguable, but I'll probably be picking these up when they come out. Just for fun, I counted my Sun Ra CD/CDR collection today, and it totalled at a clean 50. I guess the above additions will make 52!

True, Holman's album is on Andex, but VSOP reissued it domestically (U.S.) on compact disc in 1987. That edition is showing its age, and I'm just hoping for an eventual Japanese edition ... Regardless of sound, it's a great album.

Argh!! Still no Bill Holman In a Jazz Orbit! I hope that title can find a way into this new series. I haven't picked any of these up, but I'd assume that they're straight LP playing-order reissues, so, yes, short times (around the half-hour mark for most) for these. Hopefully the remastering is better, though. Some domestic Mode/VSOP discs sound just fine, but others sound pretty boxed in. The Holman, unfortunately, is one of the latter. Has anyone here purchased any of these new Japanese Mode reissues? How's the sound/product?

Cal Tjader Plays Jazz, with Brew Moore, is a nice OJC that doesn't seem to get too much mentioning. It's a good one.

You got an advance copy? Atavistic's site says there are still 62 days until its street date. I have a vinyl rip, and I will say that this is one of my favorite Ra albums. How are the unissued solo tracks from 1964?

I like it too, but I think some people might not because of the fair chunk of doo-wop that's on it. BUT, the track "I'm Gonna Unmask The Batman" saves the day for me every time.

Listening to Jammin' in Hi-Fi with Gene Ammons right now, and I have to say this is one of my favorite Prestige jam sessions. Just look at the line-up: Idrees Sulieman Jackie McLean Gene Ammons Kenny Burrell Mal Waldron Paul Chambers Art Taylor Taylor's livelier on this session than on other similar dates for Prestige, and maybe this accounts for the spark that seems to go around solo-to-solo. Ammons is inspired rather than hiply laid back, and Sulieman rips out some crisply articulated lines for his solos. Only Burrell seems not to get much room to shine. Overall, a big for an enjoyable listening experience. Other fans here of the Ammons jam sessions? Do you have a particular favorite, or do you just "like them all"?

Should be a great Select, though I think I might be even more excited about the Quincy Jones (regular) Mosaic. Mosaic loves Woody Herman. He must really sell. How many Herman sets have they put out? I'm gonna have to wait a while before I pick these sets up — perhaps a year or so. Current buying freeze, and I haven't even opened up some of the discs from the latest Ellington Mosaic.

The On Jupiter session is also seeing reissue on compact disc. I've actually heard that one, and it's a kickin' funky thing, with intermittent space-out moments. Definitely worth picking up for 70's Ra fans.

Unfortunately, Universal owns very few (if any) of these. True. Concord owns some, and whoever owns Arista/Freedom owns some. And the Taylor? Who knows who owns that. Great record, though. I guess the records that were ever only on Fontana (neither licensed nor licensed out) would (still?) be under the Universal umbrella. The main idea is — wouldn't this make a great box set? There are about three titles (from the list in that link) that I've yet to hear: • The Dollar Brand — there's a Black Lion CD with the same title, but the tracks are quite a bit different than what the Fontana LP lists. • Consequences — I don't know if the same titles are on the Storyville Archie Shepp, but, if so, I have some of the tracks. • Blood. Haven't heard a note of it. My favorites are Jazz Realities and Juba Lee. The latter should really be in-print; it feels that important.

I still haven't picked up the Archeophone set, but there's a thread somewhere here raving about it. Nice pics, Chris!

This series has been mentioned before here, but I thought I'd create a dedicated topic for us to discuss the various records that Ms. Marte Röling's artwork graced. Check out this site, with text written by our own Clifford Allen, and with a nod to Guy Kopelowicz as well. If Universal had the foresight, they'd package these as some kind of set.

That is a great record. Unfortunately, the Black Lion CD suffers from a pretty bad transfer. The music holds up though, and I'd still say buy it, especially if you can find it used somewhere.

That's a nice core collection you have. As far as recommendations, I'd say filling out the rest of the Saturn/Evidence titles is a "must." Eventually, you'll want them all. The one that I'd say is "desert island" is Angels and Demons at Play / The Nubians of Plutonia. Additionally, the 2-CD package of The Great Lost Sun Ra Albums on Evidence is very fine — some of the most distorted and intense Gilmore on record. All of the Heliocentric records are worth owning too.

Did the track "Disco 3000" originally appear on compact disc on "The Singles" compilation that Evidence put out a few years ago? Or is this version on Art Yard different? These two 1978 sessions (Disco 3000 and Media Dream) I'm guessing were made in close proximity to the Horo dates. The condensed band at that time — John Gilmore, Michael Ray, Sun Ra, and Luqman Ali — were playing some hot chit. The "expanded" 2-CD reissue of both dates hold a lot of promise, and will be hard to pass up.

Well, if you do iTunes, that's one way to hear this session. I know it's not the same as having a hard copy, but the transfer actually sounds pretty good, which isn't always the norm for iTunes. You'll also want to keep your eyes peeled for Bley's Savoy session (Footloose), and the quartet session with John Gilmore. Both are on par with the titles you already have.

I believe so, yes. I've never seen a copy anywhere.

Not entirely true. I don't about Caiman itself, but Caiman-Tower does have an 800 number (1-800-ASK-TOWER) where you can talk to a real person. I just called them on Friday to request a refund for a "special order" that I was billed for but that never shipped. The guy explained that when Tower was shifted over to Caiman, all existing/pending orders were closed — meaning billed, whether they'd shipped or not. I'd agree that that's a little dubious, but I'd followed my order (one of two titles had shipped), and he said it was no problem to refund the billed title. I gave him my order number, and then received an e-mail confirmation a few minutes later. When I get my credit card statement, I can post here if/when I receive a credit. I'm not wanting to "defend" Caiman here, I just think that Caiman-Tower, per se, might be a little different than "regular" Caiman — who I've never purchased from (via Amazon) because of such low ratings. It's understandable that people would have their doubts, but so far I haven't had a "bad" experience with Caiman-Tower. Last week I received six EMI classical titles (in one shipment) for under $23 shipped. Not too shabby.

Anyone else read that — about the paper in the bell of the horn for "Shadow Waltz"?

Sonny digs deep on this one. The way he sculpts a line — he can bring fairly mundane standards alive, as if much was at stake. I guess that's one of the reasons he's so great.

I always thought this album had never been reissued on compact disc. On a whim, I did some searching and found that, lo and behold, it was reissued on compact disc — in 1990. What? Then I discover it's been sitting on iTunes for a while. What? Listening to it right now for the first time, and really enjoying it. Not only is it the recording debut of Charlie Haden, but also Dave Pike. I have to admit that I've never been a big Pike fan, but, man, he's really swinging on this session. And beautifully recorded? Yup. Some great unison heads (composed by Carla Borg nee Bley), and Lennie McBrowne is tight on this one. Whew. It's great to discover hidden gems like this one. If you're a Bley fan, you owe it to yourself to check this one out.

Porcy — are you talking vinyl or CD? (I'm assuming CD.) Which Japanese pressing do you have? I have the VICJ pressing, and it's acceptable but not great. I wish this session were reissued in total. Every reissue has always left off the duo track (Pettiford-Roach) that was recorded before Rollins showed up to the studio. Have also read that, a la Stan Getz, Rollins put something (staff sheets?) in the bell of his horn to record the track "Shadow Waltz." Can't remember where I read that now.

One of the great Rollins records, though the recording seems not to be as great, at least on compact disc. I had a friend in high school, however, who had an original mono copy of this LP, and it sounded pretty good (if I can remember that far back). What edition sounds best to you?