Sun Ra returns to the spotlight with a batch of new archival and tribute releases featuring the Arkestra and its current leader Marshall Allen, plus Laurie Anderson, John Blum and even Walt Disney. We contemplate the career arc of this most eccentric of American mavericks, and contrast his Strange Strings album (peculiar even by Sun Ra standards, and the subject of a new expanded reissue) with Mauricio Kagel’s Exotica (released five years later) as joint manifestations of a primitivist stream in avant-garde music. Also in the spotlight is a new work by Japan’s preeminent living composer, Toshio Hosokawa, which follows a solo violin's symbolic passage from birth to death, with an orchestra as the backdrop. A pair of compositions by Penderecki and Julius Eastman express the intensity of religious fervor in very different ways, while a new improvisational release from Northwesterners James Falzone, Bonnie Whiting and Lisa Cay Miller rounds out the playlist.
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Flotation Device 2024-08-18: Annotated playlist by host Michael Schell
Intro and SET 1: The life and times of Herman Blount (1914–1993) [0:00]
1. [2:08] Sun Ra and his Astro-Infinity Arkestra: World's Approaching (excerpts). From Strange Strings (Saturn, 1967, reissued 2024 by Cosmic Myth as Strange Strings Expanded Edition) with Sun Ra (piano strings, lightning drum, timpani, bandura), Marshall Allen (oboe, alto saxophone, piccolo, strings), John Gilmore (tenor saxophone, strings), Danny Davis (flute, alto saxophone, strings), Pat Patrick (flute, baritone saxophone, strings), Robert Cummings (bass clarinet, strings), Ali Hassan (trombone, strings), Ronnie Boykins (bass, viola, dutar), Carl Nimrod (percussion, strings), Clifford Jarvis (drums, timpani, percussion), James Jacson (log drums, strings), Art Jenkins AKA Thlan Aldridge (space voice, strings). Recorded 1965
2. [5:14] Sun Ra and his Astro-Infinity Arkestra: Strange Strings (excerpts) from Strange Strings (as above) with Sun Ra (piano strings, lightning drum, timpani, bandura), Marshall Allen (strings), John Gilmore (strings), Danny Davis (strings), Pat Patrick (strings), Robert Cummings (strings), Ali Hassan (strings), Ronnie Boykins (dutar), Carl Nimrod (percussion, strings), Clifford Jarvis (percussion), James Jacson (log drums, strings), Art Jenkins AKA Thlan Aldridge (space voice, strings). Recorded 1965
3. [10:17] Sun Ra & His Arkestra: The Antique Blacks Suite (excerpts). From The Antique Blacks (El Saturn, 1974, reissued 2015 by Enterplanetary Koncepts) with Sun Ra (Rocksichord, Mini-Moog, synthesizer, vocal), Marshall Allen (alto sax), John Gilmore (tenor sax, vocal, percussion), Danny Davis (alto sax), James Jacson (bassoon, Infinity-drum), Akh Tal Ebah (trumpet, vocal), Dale Williams (electric guitar), Clifford Jarvis (drums), Atakatune (conga). NOTE: Recorded August 17, 1974 at Temple University, Philadelphia
4. [13:33] Sun Ra and his Astro-Infinity Arkestra: Untitled St. Peter's (excerpt). From Strange Strings Expanded Edition (as above) with Sun Ra (Clavinet, piano strings, lightning drum, timpani, bandura), Marshall Allen (strings), John Gilmore (strings), Danny Davis (strings), Pat Patrick (strings), Robert Cummings (strings), Ali Hassan (strings), Ronnie Boykins (dutar), Carl Nimrod (percussion, strings), Clifford Jarvis (percussion), James Jacson (log drums, strings), Art Jenkins AKA Thlan Aldridge (space voice, strings). NOTE: Recorded live at an unknown location ca. 1967–68, previously unreleased
5. [18:09] Laurie Anderson: Phenomenon. From Outer Spaceways Incorporated: Kronos Quartet & Friends Meet Sun Ra (Red Hot Org, 2024) with Laurie Anderson (violin, vocals, electronics), Marshall Allen (EVI), Tony Scherr (bass), Eric Bogacz (recording engineer, Spice House)
6. [20:29] John Blum Quartet: Electromagnetism. From Deep Space (Astral Spirits, 2024) with Marshall Allen (alto sax), Elliot Levin (flute), John Blum (piano), Chad Taylor (drums)
7. [25:29] Outro with Mauricio Kagel: Exotica
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SET 2: Black elephants on parade
1. [29:11] John Blum Quartet: Deep Space. From Deep Space (as above) with Marshall Allen (EVI), Elliot Levin (tenor sax), John Blum (piano), Chad Taylor (drums)
2. [32:39] Sun Ra & His Arkestra: Would I For All That Were. From The Antique Blacks (credits as above)
3. [37:09] Sun Ra & His Arkestra: New Dawn. From Of Abstract Dreams (Strut, 2018) with Sun Ra (piano), Marshall Allen (alto sax), John Gilmore (tenor sax), Danny Ray Thompson (baritone sax, percussion), James Jacson (oboe), Eloe Omoe (bass clarinet), Eddie Thomas (drums), Atakatune (congas). NOTE: Probably recorded 1974–75 at WXPN-FM, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
4. [47:38] Frank Churchill, Larry Morey: Whistle While You Work. From Pink Elephants on Parade (Modern Harmonic, 2024). With Sun Ra & His Arkestra. NOTE: Recorded live 1989 at 9:30 Club, Washington DC
5. [53:23] Outro with Sun Ra: Marching Pink Elephants (from Stay Awake)
6. [58:01] Lisa Cay Miller, Bonnie Whiting, James Falzone: Third Artifact, Forth Artifact (excerpts). From Six Artifacts (Allos Documents, 2024) with Lisa Cay Miller (prepared and unprepared piano), Bonnie Whiting (percussion), James Falzone (clarinet, penny whistles, shruti box), Steve Peters (recording engineer)
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SET 3: Religious music you won't hear at church [1:05:00]
1. [1:06:07] Julius Eastman: Prelude to the Holy Presence of Joan d'Arc. From Julius Eastman Vol. 4: The Holy Presence (New Amsterdam, 2024) with Davóne Tines (voice). NOTE: Composed 1981
2. [1:16:14] Krzysztof Penderecki: Magnificat - Passacaglia (Deposuit potentes), Sicut locutus est. From Magnificat (EMI, 1975) with Soloists and Boys' Chorus from the Kraków Philharmonic Chorus, Polish Radio Chorus of Kraków, Polish Radio National Symphony Orchestra, Krzysztof Penderecki (conductor), Wolfgang Gülich (recording engineer). NOTE: Composed 1973–74, premiered August 17, 1974 in Salzburg, Austria
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SET 4: Beginnings and vortices [1:28:41]
1. [1:32:24] Toshio Hosokawa: Violin Concerto "Genesis". From Orchestral Works, Vol. 4 (Naxos, 2024) with Paul Huang (violin), Residentie Orkest The Hague, Jun Märkl (conductor), Deborah Spanton (recording engineer). NOTE: Composed 2020, premiere recording
2. [1:53:07] Outro with Toshio Hosokawa: Uzu
Photo credits: John Blum by Peter Gannushkin, Sun Ra in Space Is the Place, Bonnie Whiting and James Falzone via the artists, Mauricio Kagel by Zoltan Nagy, Laurie Anderson by Ebru Yıldız, Marshall Allen/Noel Scott/Sun Ra in Robert Mugge: A Joyful Noise, Toshio Hosokawa by Kaz Ishikawa, Krzysztof Penderecki by Romina Santarelli, Julius Eastman by Donald Burkhardt