Secrets Of The Sun (1962)

Sun & His Solar Arkestra Ra (Artist)

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 31, 2009)
• Original Release Date: October 7, 2008
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: ATAVISTIC
• ASIN: B001EOQUGE
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #21,111 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
A superb re-issue of a mind-numbingly rare Saturn Records document from 1962 with a previously unreleased seventeen-minute track. Presented in a deluxe O-card and 10-panel booklet with liner notes by John Corbett plus rare photos.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun, October 9, 2008

By	Mr. Richard D. Coreno "Mr. C" (Berea, Ohio USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

A rare and essential LP from the 1960s is reissued in a splendor worthy of its significance.

Recorded after Sun Ra relocated to New York, it has a conventional jazz platform, but drenched in the blues and tight rhythms. The lineup consists of Sun Ra (piano and percussion), John Gilmore (bass clarinet and tenor), Marshall Allen (alto sax), Eddie Gale (trumpet), Pat Patrick (flute), Calvin Newborn (guitar) and Art Jenkins ("space voice").

Several of the songs - Friendly Galaxy, Space Aura, Love In Outer Space - became mainstays in live performances, but it's the previously unreleased Flight To Mars, which is 17 minutes of free jazz exploration, that makes the CD simply incredible.

A classic album is given a new launching pad that truly shows the artistic genius of Sun Ra and the musicians which drove his soundscape vision to astonishing heights.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars missing link, October 28, 2008

By	Let S Listen (TN) - See all my reviews

I'll be brief here. Much has been made about Ra's move from Chicago to New York. The music changed from arranged, quirky, large band bebop to something entirely original and sometimes close to "free". Regarding free as another word for inaccessible, this album truly fills the gap. The music is accessible, but at the same time a long way away from the "Chicago" sound. If you're interested in Ra at all, this is a must have. The music's just interesting and intruiging, but doesn't leave you wondering. It makes a clear statement. I have actually come to appreciate transitional periods a lot--look at Miles, they show a lot of where the artist is, but wants to go. Ideas are fresh, and music is played with much conviction. That's what you'll find on this recording. Having already invested considerably in Ra's legacy, this CD is shooting right to the top!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars yet another of le Sonny's treasures finally released, January 21, 2009

By	Heavy Theta (Lorton, Va United States) - See all my reviews

This disc took me a few spins to warm up to. It's not surprising that it lacks the the aural fireworks that would come later in the decade, but the compositions and direction initially seem rather tame, even compared to such pre-cursers to the classic period as When Angels Speak of Love. It is only with ears free of the overt revolution to follow does one hear the boldness and innovation that is being unleashed here. Just as Cezanne was just beginning to fragment structure to allow the cubists who followed, Mr. Mystery is tearing things apart from within, while pushing his musicians to begin thinking about their performance with innovation that is breaking free of tradition. He's giving us a portrait of the House of Usher just before the whole place tumbles. It is this edginess before the storm that gives the recording its understated, but undeniable power. Highly recommended without reservation.