Secrets Of The Sun

Music that sits between Sun Ra's more conventional, composed jazz and the way-out free stuff. Most tracks carry a familiar '60s or late '50s vibe, feeling tuneful and danceable while serving as a vehicle for some freer soloing or strange sounds (as on 2). Tracks 1 and 2 have a black-and-white sci-fi aura to them. It's a 1964 reissue from Sun Ra's "Saturn" label, plus a bonus 17-minute track. Lo-fi. No FCCs.

Note the presence of a young Eddie Gale (San Jose's ambassador of jazz) on track 3. Tracks are otherwise populated by Arkestra regulars: Marshall Allen, John Gilmore, etc.

1- (4:53) Suitably sci-fi theme with a driving beat. Flute and piano solos get a bit out there.
2- (6:28) Midtempo, mellow, with weird, warbling "space bird sounds" and "space voice" and a spacey drum solo.
3- (5:26) Stern march w/free-flying tenor sax. Eddie Gale on trumpet! Settles into a jazzy groove.
4- (4:44) Laid-back, almost loungy vibe... then eerie, softly wailing woodwind solos
5- (9:07) Cool bass/drums, joined by jiggly nervous piano. Angular sax/flute theme. Becomes a cool rolling jam.
6- (2:42) Vague, ratty percussion
7- (17:35) Fairly straight jazz groove, bright, starts abruptly. Oddball piano solo, of course, followed by lots of other solos, including guitar. Lots of drums towards the end.