• Sun Ra Angels And Demons At Play

From Wikipedia

Angels and Demons at Play is a jazz album by the American musician Sun Ra and his Myth Science Arkestra.

Sun Ra – Angels And Demons At Play. Sun Ra – Angels And Demons At Play. Categories: Jazz, New LPs. Angels And Demons At Play Bass – Ronnie Boykins Bells, Percussion, Gong – Sun Ra Drums, Percussion, Gong – Jon Hardy (5) Flute – Marshall Allen Written-By – Ronnie Boykins Zither – Phil Cohran: 2:54: B1: Urnack.

Side one was recorded in 1960, including two tracks taken from the mammoth session either at Hall Recording Company or at the RCA Studios (both in Chicago), around 17 June 1960 ^[1] whilst the tracks on side two were recorded at the RCA studios, Chicago, around February 1956. At least three of the songs (Medicine for a Nightmare b/w Urnack, and A Call For All Demons, the B-side of an early version of Saturn (the song)) had been issued on early Saturn (the record label) 7' singles ^[1].

According to the musicologist R Campbell, the latter single was probably the very first Saturn release ^[1]. It was a relatively common theme of Saturn releases to feature different sessions, from different eras with different personnel, on different sides of a record. Other examples include The Invisible Shield (1962/1970) and Deep Purple (1948-57/1973).

The distinctive sleeve was designed by Sun Ra, and uses the same design on both sides, leaving no room for sleeve notes.

Track listing

12' Vinyl

All titles were written by Sun Ra, except where noted.
Side A:

1. 'Tiny Pyramids' (Ronnie Boykins) – 3:38
2. 'Between Two Worlds' – 1:56
3. 'Music from the World Tomorrow' – 2:20
4. 'Angels and Demons at Play' (Boykins) – 2:51

Side B:

1. 'Urnack' (Julian Priester) – 3:46
2. 'Medicine for a Nightmare' – 2:16
3. 'A Call for All Demons' – 4:12
4. 'Demon's Lullaby' – 2:35

The 1993 compact disc release appends the album The Nubians of Plutonia in its entirety.

Musicians ^[1]

On Urnack, Medicine for a Nightmare, A Call For Demons & Demon's Lullaby, recorded RCA Studios, Chicago, around February 1956 ^[1];

• Sun Ra - Piano, Electric Piano
• Art Hoyle - Trumpet,
• Julian Priester - Trombone
• John Gilmore - Tenor Sax
• Pat Patrick - Baritone Sax
• Wilburn Green - Electric Bass
• Robert Barry - Drums
• Jim Herndon - Tympani

On Tiny Pyramids and Angels And Demons At Play, RCA Studios Chicago, around June 17 1960^[1];

• Sun Ra - Percussion, Bells, Gong and Piano
• Phil Cohran - Cornet
• Nate Pryor - Trombone and Bells
• John Gilmore - Tenor Sax and Clarinet, percussion
• Marshall Allen - Flute
• Ronnie Boykins - Bass
• Jon Hardy - Drums, Percussion

On Between Two Worlds recorded during rehearsals at the same time ^[1];

• Sun Ra - Piano
• possibly Bo Bailey - Trombone
• John Gilmore - Tenor Sax
• Marshall Allen - Alto Sax
• Ronnie Boykins - Bass
• possibly Robert Barry - Drums

On Music From The World Tomorrow, also recorded during rehearsals in Chicago, 1960 ^[1];

• Sun Ra - 'Cosmic tone organ
• Ronnie Boykins - Bass
• Phil Cohran - Violin-uke
• Jon Hardy - Drums

Release history

References

1. ↑ ^{1.01.11.21.31.41.51.61.71.8}From Sunny Blount to Sun Ra; R Campbell
2. ↑ ^2.02.12.2Campbell, Robert; Joe Moudry. 'Sun Ra Discography Items 1-25' (HTML). Saturn Web. Birmingham, AL: Joe Moudry. http://www.dpo.uab.edu/~moudry/disc_a.htm#4.. Retrieved 2008-11-19.
3. ↑ Paired with The Nubians of Plutonia on a single CD.

External links

In October Sun Ra Arkestra, under the direction of the 96 year old Marshall Allen, are releasing their first studio album in over twenty years, Swirling. It was recorded at Rittenhouse Soundworks in Philadelphia, with a big band line-up featuring long-standing Arkestra members including Danny Ray Thompson (RIP), Michael Ray, Vincent Chancey, Knoel Scott, Cecil Brooks, Atakatune (RIP), Elson Nascimento and Tyler Mitchell. The great Sun Ra passed in 1993, though the Arkestra has continued since, even making it to Tasmania’s Mona Foma Festival the year we were there. You can read our review here.

Tracks on Swirling include brand new arrangements of Arkestra staples ‘Angels And Demons At Play’ which you can hear above, ‘Satellites Are Spinning’, ‘Door Of The Cosmos’ and ‘Rocket No. 9’ alongside lesser known tracks like ‘Darkness’, which is recorded here for the first time, resurrected from the Ra archives by Marshall Allen. Other highlights include a version of ‘Seductive Fantasy’ (first recorded on Ra’s On Jupiter LP in 1979), ‘Infinity / I’ll Wait For You’ and a first ever recording of the Marshall Allen swing composition, ‘Swirling’.

This is what Marshall Allen has to say about it:

“This new release is the Arkestra’s love offering to the world. Beta music for a better world.”

Sun Ra Angels And Demons At Play

Swirling is released via Strut on the 9th of October. You can pre order here.