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Jazz by Sun Ra

1957 studio album by Sun Ra and his Arkestra

Jazz By Sun Ra
Original Transition pressing, 1957
Studio album by Sun Ra and his Arkestra
Released	1957
Recorded	July 12, 1956
Studio	Universal Recording Corp. (Chicago)
Genre	Post-bop, big band
Length	40:14
Label	Transition Delmark
Producer	Tom Wilson
Sun Ra and his Arkestra chronology
Jazz By Sun Ra (1957) Super-Sonic Jazz (1957)
reissue cover
Delmark reissue 1967, retitled Sun Song

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings	[3]
The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide	[2]

Jazz By Sun Ra (later titled Sun Song) is the debut album by Sun Ra.^[4] The record label for the first pressing says "07-12-56", presumably when it was recorded.^[5] The LP originally appeared on Tom Wilson's short-lived Transition Records. In the mid-1960s it was purchased (along with much of the Transition catalog) by Delmark Records owner Bob Koester, finally being reissued in 1967.

When originally released, it came with an extensive booklet featuring words and photos of Sun Ra and his Arkestra. The LP featured original compositions by Sun Ra along with one by Arkestral bassist Richard Evans. Another composition by Arkestra member Julian Priester has been included in reissues from the session, and additional unreleased tracks (all Ra originals) are known to survive. The single non-Arkestral composition was Possession, by Harry Revel, which had been written for Les Baxter's album Perfume Set to Music; Possession was arranged for the Arkestra by the Texan pianist and composer Prince Shell.

Earlier home recordings by Ra, including one dating from 1948 or 1949, were released with tracks from 1973 on the album Deep Purple.

Track listing[edit]

When reissued on Compact Disc in 1991, "Swing a Little Taste" was added. This was originally released on the Transition sampler Jazz in Transition alongside tracks by artists such as Cecil Taylor, Donald Byrd and John Coltrane.

CD version[edit]

1. "Brainville" (Sun Ra) 4:29
2. "Call for all Demons" (Sun Ra) 4:30
3. "Transition" (Sun Ra) 3:40
4. "Possession" (Harry Revel) 5:00
5. "Street Named Hell" (Sun Ra) 3:55
6. "Lullaby for Realville" (Richard Evans) 4:40
7. "Future" (Sun Ra) 3:15
8. "Swing a Little Taste" (Sun Ra) 4:25
9. "New Horizons" (Sun Ra) 3:05
10. "Fall off the Log" (Sun Ra) 4:00
11. "Sun Song" (Sun Ra) 3:40

Musicians[edit]

Source:^[6]

• Sun Ra - Piano, Hammond B-3 organ, Percussion
• Art Hoyle - Trumpet, Percussion
• Dave Young - Trumpet, Percussion
• Julian Priester - Trombone, Percussion
• James Scales - Alto Sax
• John Gilmore - Tenor sax, Percussion
• Pat Patrick - Baritone Sax, Percussion
• Richard Evans - Bass
• Wilburn Green - Electric Bass, Percussion
• Robert Barry - Drums
• Jim Herndon - Tympani

Recorded Universal Recording, Chicago, July 12, 1956

Pressings[edit]

External sources[edit]

• Complete Sun Ra Discography

References[edit]