The career of the late legendary jazz bandleader Sun Ra (born Herman "Sonny" Blount) will live on through a reissue series of five rare releases due Sept. 26 from Evidence Music.
The mystical musical icon's explorations of sound will be found on two seventies-era albums on one disc, "Pathways To Unknown Worlds/Friendly Love" by Sun Ra & His Astro Infinity Arkestra; 1966's "When Angels Speak Of Love" by Sun Ra & His Myth Science Arkestra; and three albums by Sun Ra & His Arkestra -- a collection of songs from 15 studio albums, "Greatest Hits: Easy Listening For Intergalactic Travel"; the two-disc "The Great Lost Sun Ra Albums: Cymbals & Crystal Spears"; and the rare 1978 album "Lanquidity," by Sun Ra & his Arkestra.
Four of the five albums originate with Sun Ra's own El Saturn Records, the most interesting being the "Lost" set, a pair of albums recorded for release via ABC's Impulse Records, but returned to El Saturn upon the demise of a licensing agreement between the labels.
The fifth album, "Landiquidy," was originally released on the Philly Jazz label. Vinyl copies of the original album, a favorite among esoteric DJs, sell for as much as $400.
The reissue series has been four years in the making for Evidence, since the label released the 1996 Sun Ra compilation "The Singles." Each reissued title includes newly penned extensive liner notes, historical documentation, and photos.
Sun Ra, who died May 30, 1993, has been cited as an influence by a diverse group of musicians, including George Clinton, Sonic Youth, and Phish.
The mystical musical icon's explorations of sound will be found on two seventies-era albums on one disc, "Pathways To Unknown Worlds/Friendly Love" by Sun Ra & His Astro Infinity Arkestra; 1966's "When Angels Speak Of Love" by Sun Ra & His Myth Science Arkestra; and three albums by Sun Ra & His Arkestra -- a collection of songs from 15 studio albums, "Greatest Hits: Easy Listening For Intergalactic Travel"; the two-disc "The Great Lost Sun Ra Albums: Cymbals & Crystal Spears"; and the rare 1978 album "Lanquidity," by Sun Ra & his Arkestra.
Four of the five albums originate with Sun Ra's own El Saturn Records, the most interesting being the "Lost" set, a pair of albums recorded for release via ABC's Impulse Records, but returned to El Saturn upon the demise of a licensing agreement between the labels.
The fifth album, "Landiquidy," was originally released on the Philly Jazz label. Vinyl copies of the original album, a favorite among esoteric DJs, sell for as much as $400.
The reissue series has been four years in the making for Evidence, since the label released the 1996 Sun Ra compilation "The Singles." Each reissued title includes newly penned extensive liner notes, historical documentation, and photos.
Sun Ra, who died May 30, 1993, has been cited as an influence by a diverse group of musicians, including George Clinton, Sonic Youth, and Phish.
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