Sun Ra

Recorded live sometime in January 1978, the album is really most distinguished by Ra’s inimitable use of the Crumar Mainman keyboard, which was then - and still is - a rare model of “string synthesiser” that was only manufactured between the 60s and ’84. It captivatingly lights up the whole LP, from the super dark and grungy blasts that open with ‘Saturn Research’ thru its application as bubbling groove box underlining Ra’s hieroglyphic riffs and Michael Ray’s sharp trumpet in ‘Constellation’, to the wigged out blatz in ‘Year of the Sun’, before spiralling out into gobsmacking double helixes of synth and trumpet and collapsing into alien squabble on the title tune.

PERSONNEL:

• Sun Ra - piano, organ, moog synth, rhythm machine, vocals
• John Gilmore - tenor sax, drums, vocals
• Luqman Ali - drums, vocals
• Michael Ray - trumpet, vocals

TRACKS:

• SIDE A
• 01. Saturn Research
• 02. Constellation
• 03. Yera Of The Sun

• SIDE B
• 04. Media Dreams
• 05. Twigs At Twilight
• 06. An Unbeknowneth Love