Sun Ra in Chronological Order: An Arkestra Listening Thread + Related Solar Sounds

1948

Sonny Blount's apartment, Chicago, July 29, 1948

Darn That Dream (Composed by Jimmy Van Heusen and Eddie DeLange)
Herman “Sonny” Blount (piano, Solovox)

Youtube Link

Uploaded this piece. I have the 14 disc Eternal Myth 1 set so if you're after anything in particular give me a shout and I'll upload. I'll have a listen through and upload highlights over the next while.

1948

Sonny Blount's apartment, Chicago, August 10, 1948

If They Only Knew (written by Herman “Sonny” Blount)

Herman “Sonny” Blount (recitation, piano, Solovox).

Youtube Link

Interesting poem by Sonny.

these are fantastic additions, thanks fionnland! "Darn That Dream", in particular, is very lovely

wow, amazing. thanks fionnland!

1949

Sonny Blount's apartment, Chicago, July 21, 1949

"I've Got Some New Blues" (Herman “Sonny” Blount)

"Smile" (Charlie Chaplin)

"Old Man River" (Jerome Kern, ‎Oscar Hammerstein II)

Herman “Sonny” Blount (vocals, piano)

Youtube Link

"Smile" is particularly nice after accustoming to his voice. Funnily enough I was just reading Groucho Marx's letters re: Chaplin. Love it when it all comes together!

I love the delivery on "Old Man River".

Gotsta love Sonny any day of the week.

Singles has surprises around every corner; especially the doo wop material.

I keep coming back to Sound of Joy from 1956 as my fave from front to back.

(form Wikipedia)
All tracks were written by Sun Ra, except "Two Tones," by Pat Patrick and Charles Davis.
Side A:

"El is a Sound of Joy" - (4.04)
"Overtones of China" - (3.25)
"Two Tones" - (3.41)
"Paradise" - (4.30)
"Planet Earth" - (4.24)
Side B:

"Ankh" - (6.31)
"Saturn" - (4.01)
"Reflections in Blue" - (6.21)
"El Viktor" - (2.33)

Bonus Tracks
"As You Once Were"
"Dreams Come True"

could you possibly upload the "space trio" session from february, 1951? it's on disc 5.

xpost

Sure thing, I'll put it up tomorrow as I'm heading out in a minute.

thanks. great posts btw. it's really nice to have the thread being filled out with some of the more obscure recordings.

agreed, good stuff

1949

Sonny Blount's apartment, Chicago, July 21, 1949

"Song Introduction"

"Somewhere over the Rainbow" (Harold Arlen, Yip Harburg)

"Out of Nowhere" (Johnny Green, Edward Heyman)

Herman “Sonny” Blount (vocals, piano)

Youtube Link

wow, that is great!

1949

Sonny Blount's apartment, Chicago, July 21, 1949

"Song Introduction"

"Somewhere over the Rainbow" (Harold Arlen, Yip Harburg)

"Out of Nowhere" (Johnny Green, Edward Heyman)

Herman “Sonny” Blount (vocals, piano)

Youtube Link

^oops!

1949

Beige Room, Chicago, August 17, 1949 - The Sunny Blount Trio

"You Go to My Head" (J. Fred Coots, Haven Gillespie)

"Blue Chicago Blues" (Herman “Sonny” Blount)

Herman “Sonny” Blount (vocals, piano)

Youtube Link

1951

Chicago, February 6, 1951 - The Sunny Blount Trio

"The Nearness of You" (Hoagy Carmichael, Ned Washington)

"Sunny's Place #1" (Herman "Sonny" Blount)

"The Man I Love" (George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin)

"All Alone" (Herman "Sonny" Blount)

Herman "Sonny" Blount (piano, celeste, Solovox); Leo Blevins (electric guitar); Wilbur Ware (double bass)

Youtube Link

X-Files vibe to that last ditty.

1952

Chicago, June 9, 1952

"Wonderful You" (?)

"A Place in My Heart" (?)

Herman "Sonny" Blount (piano); Laurdine "Pat" Patrick Jr. (baritone sax)

Youtube Link

so, total noob here, but should I be paying attention to key members of the Arkestra at this point, or was the membership pretty dynamic?

― Karl Malone, Monday, January 8, 2018 11:40 PM (two days ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

tbh i've been pretty lazy in this regard. and i'm not at all an authority on this, but it does seem there was a good deal of personnel fluctuation, with the exception of john gilmore maybe. some of that probably has to do with small combo vs. big(ger) band stuff, but also the well-documented rigors of working with sun ra, the lack of finances, etc. i'll start posting the line ups for 1957 and onwards (and also point out soloists who can be identified) so it will be easier to keep track of that in the thread -- much like fionnland has been doing, greatly to our collective edification.

I haven't listened to these Youtube uploads yet, but thank you in advance fionnland

Just here to say this thread is really special to me, devouring everything and listening my ears off, but it's almost at a too fast a pace! Which isn't to say it should go slower, mind! Just that: so much goodness. Do keep it up you beautiful ppl.

Haha, no problem guys! Inspired thread idea budo jeru..this is going to be a lot of fun!

I'll upload some really choice '53 tracks either late tonight or tomorrow morn (UK time).

And please call me Finn! :)

1953

Chicago, March 9, 1953

"The Many Thoughts of..." (Sun Ra)

"The Inner Being" (Sun Ra)

"The Haunted Melody" (Sun Ra)

"Pennies from Heaven" (Arthur Johnston, Johnny Burke)

"You and the Night and the Music" (Arthur Schwartz, Howard Dietz)

Sun Ra (organ); "Thea Barbara" (vocals); unidentified (vocals)

Youtube Link

1956

RCA Studios, Chicago April or May 1956 - Billie Hawkins, Sun-Ra and His Orchestra

I'm Coming Home (Berryl Orris, Sunny Lane)

Last Call for Love (Tom Seymour)

Billie Hawkins (vocals); Sun Ra (piano, arranger); Art Hoyle (trumpet); Dave Young (trumpet); Julian Priester (trombone); John Gilmore (tenor sax); Pat Patrick (baritone sax); Wilburn Green (electric bass); Robert Barry (drums)

Youtube Link

1956

RCA Studios, Chicago, May 16, 1956 - Le Sun-Ra and his Arkistra

Velvet (take 1, false start)
Velvet (take 2, false start)
Velvet (take 3, false start)
Velvet (take 4, complete)

Sun Ra (Wurlitzer, piano); Art Hoyle (trumpet); Julian Priester (trombone); John Gilmore (tenor sax); Laurdine “Pat” Patrick (baritone sax); Wilburn Green (electric bass); Robert Barry (drums); Jim Herndon (tympani).

Youtube Link

^ Velvet is a Sun Ra composition

now i have my afternoon listening set out, thanks again Finn!

just curious - are these all from the Eternal Myth boxset, and are you uploading all of the early ones or just your faves? (either way is obviously appreciated!)

1956

Chicago, April 23, 1956 - Sun Ra Arkestra

Somebody Else's World (Sun Ra)

Blues in Outer Space (Sun Ra)

Space Aura (Sun Ra)

Sun Ra (piano, Wurlitzer); James Scales (alto sax, bells); Wilburn Green (electric bass)

Youtube Link

xpost

All from the Eternal Myth box set. I've restricted it to my favourites of the ones where Sun-Ra is definitely playing or leading. From the ones where he is playing I think I've only missed some solo piano recordings and some rehearsals with Pat Patrick that seemed a little superfluous. I can however upload or send the other tracks on request.

That's all of the 1956 material I currently intend to upload from the boxset - though there are a couple more recordings from 1958 and 1960 that I will upload when we are there.

awesome, thanks so much. speaking for myself, I think this is plenty, no need to hear him as a sideman really

is that cool version of "It's A Good Day" on that box set?

https://www.discogs.com/Sun-Ra-Its-A-Good-Day/release/10452067

Nope it doesn't but here you go

really loving the "haunted melody" that finn posted (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5KNQ2uwjBA - starts at 5:40), part of 4 songs recorded that on March 9, 1953, somewhere in Chicago. there's so little information on it. the campbell website lists the personnel as:

Sun Ra (org); "Thea Barbara" (female voc -1); unidentified (male voc -2).

Thea never shows up again in the Chicago years, and she only sings on one song from this set (she sings along with the unidentified vocalist on "haunted melody")

i did not mean to embed the youtube in the middle of the sentence there. sorry!

Finn, thanks again for this material. i'll get around to listening to these recordings in the next couple of days and then post 1957 on sunday.

also thanks for the john corbett link!

So was catching up on 1956 and the Jazz by Sun Ra / Sun Song reissue cover reminded me a bit of the Screamadelica cover.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/73/SunRaSunSongAlbumCover.jpeg

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/d4/Screamadelica_album_cover.jpg

On actual viewing they aren't so similar. However the search found this article with Primal Scream's Bobby Gillespie talking about their 2013 album More Light.

“River of Pain” sticks out as one of those songs where you might have been stretching yourself more than before.
Oh yeah. “River of Pain” and “Tenement Kid.” Structurally and lyrically, we’ve never really done anything like that. It’s like cartoon-future-Sci-Fi-psychedelia. I love the groove on “River of Pain,” it’s this desert blues folk song. Even before the lyrics start, it conjures pictures in your mind. It’s very cinematic. The middle section where it breaks down has the Sun Ra Arkestra. It has this real sense of mystery and beauty.

How did that Sun Ra collaboration come about?
They were stranded because of a volcano eruption in Iceland. All transatlantic flights were cancelled for a week or ten days so they were stuck. They played three nights in London and I went two nights. A couple nights later I went to go see Lou Reed play Metal Machine Music and I started talking to a promoter he mentioned to me that the Sun Ra guys were stranded and he was trying to do a benefit gig for them. I had the idea that we should hire them to come play on their album so the next day I gave the idea to the promoter and he managed to sort it out that Marshall Allen and three of the other guys came up and played on “River of Pain” and “Sideman.”

Obviously this is the Sun Ra Arkestra post Sun Ra but still a funny link to crop up. Link to River of Pain

Back to Jazz by Sun Ra/Sun Song, hot damn that drum and tympani work on A Street Named Hell

1957

http://campber.people.clemson.edu/frontlinemarshalle.jpg
"An unrecorded Arkestra: from left, prob. Lucious Randolph, trumpet; John Gilmore, tenor sax; Marshall Allen, alto sax; unidentified, baritone sax. Budland, 1957 or 1958; from The Cry of Jazz."

(all quotes from the campbell discography unless otherwise noted)

kind of a thin year, but some interesting stuff nonetheless. here's some context:

During the period that concerns us, Saturn was a singles label. The first three Arkestral releases were on 45s (though some reappeared on LP much later). There were just two LPs: Supersonic Jazz, which came out in 1957, after it was clear that there would be no more Transitions, and Jazz in Silhouette, from 1959. An item in the Chicago Defender, from June 1959, announced that Saturn had released 6 singles by then. The bulk of the Arkestra's Chicago recordings would go unreleased until 1965, and some waited a good deal longer.

(...)

As 1957 began, the Arkestra was still at Budland, sometimes restricted to the Monday morning "breakfast dance." Cadillac Bob must have regretted the expense after Dinah Washington did a return engagement over the holidays. In the future, it was Herman Roberts of Roberts Show Lounge who would lay out the fees she demanded. No longer would Budland regularly book big-name singers from out of town. During the first six weeks of the year, gigs at the club were not being advertised and the place was nearly empty. But organ trios were suddenly popular in the Black community and Cadillac Bob decided to put one together in mid-Febuary. By early March, Tom Archia was fronting the trio on tenor sax and customers were returning. For the next six months, the club was able to sustain itself, but its resurgent advertisements kept passing over Sunny's contribution.

Studio time cost money, too. For the next couple of years, Ra and Abraham usually made do with tapes cut at rehearsals or in the clubs. The 1957 Arkestra isn't well documented on records—just a handful of instrumental tracks were ever released, all of them from rehearsals. By the beginning of 1958 there had been major alerations to the lineup. An adventuresome alto saxophonist from Indianapolis named James Spaulding (1938- ) came into the fold in July or August of 1957. Spaulding sounded the same then as he would years later — about halfway between Cannonball Adderley and Ornette Coleman. Alto saxophonist Marshall Allen (born May 25, 1924 in Louisville, Kentucky) had wandered into Chicago in 1952, after a sojourn in Europe. Playing in his spare time while he maintained a day job at the Rivier Camera Company, he sought out Sun Ra after hearing the Transition album. He and Spaulding added their flutes to the Arkestral armamentarium. And then there was bassist extraordinaire Ronnie Boykins (born in 1932), another graduate of DuSable High School who had been playing in R&B bands.

(...)

Despite the sore lack of publicity, the band did get some use out of Budland. One of Sunny's conditions on any club gig was that the Arkestra be allowed to rehearse at the club when it was empty. The next session was recorded at such a rehearsal.

that session being:

1. recordings with hattie randolph on vocals, resulting in four cuts.

Sun Ra (p); Calvin Newborn (eg); Victor Sproles (b); Tito (cga).
Budland, Chicago, August 25, 1957

http://campber.people.clemson.edu/hattie102955p29nocaption.jpg
listen to 's wonderful' on youtube

Hattie Randolph says these tracks were made live at Budland after Art Hoyle left the band. The bassist is not Ronnie Boykins; Victor Sproles was credited on the Saturn LP jacket. Tito is the only conga player that other musicians have recalled working with Ra during the 1950s. The three sides were first released in 1973 on Side A of Saturn LP 485, Deep Purple (some copies titled Dreams Come True). All tracks from Side A were reissued on Evidence 22014 (CD, 1992). Transparency 0316, The Eternal Myth Revealed Vol. 1 is a 14-CD set released in 2011. It includes a second take of "Don't Blame Me" as well as a scrap of conversation between the takes.

2. session with calvin newborn on guitar

Sun Ra (p); Calvin Newborn (eg); Victor Sproles (b); Tito (cga).
Budland, Chicago, August 25, 1957

http://www.ponderosastomp.com/bphotos/calvinnewborn.jpg

the two tracks are available on the "eternal myth" box set.

calvin newborn is an interesting figure and the "last living member of the newborn family jazz dynasty." according to the ponderosa stomp website:

The family band held down the floor at Memphis' Flamingo Room every weekend (where young Calvin often beat Pee Wee Crayton in legendary after-hours 'Battles of the Blues') and even hit the road as Ike Turner's band with 'Rocket 88' - the hit that according to Calvin, started rock 'n roll. Ike taught Calvin how to drive - in return, Calvin taught Ike his first guitar licks. Calvin also taught Elvis Presley how to gyrate, using his own 'Calvin's Boogie' as inspiration for hip-shaking. In '55, Calvin and Phineas Jr. hung up their rock 'n roll shoes and moved to New York, where they opened for Count Basie at Birdland and recorded their jazz debut for Atlantic. Calvin spent the '60s playing with Earl 'Fatha' Hines, Wild Bill Davis, Mingus, Lionel Hampton, Ray Charles, and Sun Ra.

3. sessions with yochanan (the space age vocalist)

Yochanan (voc) with Sun Ra (p); John Gilmore (ts); prob. Victor Sproles (b); prob. Robert Barry (d).
Studio recording, Chicago, probably 1957

http://campber.people.clemson.edu/saturn4236ct.jpg
listen to 'muck muck' on youtube

it looks like most or all of this material is split between the '96 2xCD "singles" release and the norton 'rocket ship rock' CD comp

There is residual uncertainty about the date of the first Yochanan single, but if it was made in 1957 (as seems fairly likely), it was the only studio recording for Saturn that year. We have yet to locate any bills or paperwork, either for the recording session or for the production of the single.

Yochanan (an extra 'n' was later added to his name, perhaps for numerological reasons) was an eccentric R&B performer in Chicago who wore 'sun colors' and open-toed sandals, said he was 'descended from the Sun,' and gave 'wild man' performances in clubs and along Maxwell Street. Although his work with Sun Ra would sometimes take him in other directions, Yochanan is best understood as a fringe blues performer.

(...)

What Yochanan's birth name was remains a mystery. His place of origin is also unclear, though as noted above others on the Chicago blues scene thought he was from Memphis. John Gilmore recalled Yochanan hanging around rehearsals while the band was playing at Budland but after Jazz by Sun Ra. By contrast, Julian Priester (who left the band in the Fall of 1956) does not remember him. Hattie Randolph recalls Yochanan, whose nightclub act at least occasionally included jumping over tables, as well as this single. We have learned from other sources (see Miriam Linna's notes to the Rocket Ship Rock CD) that Yochanan had a longstanding affiliation with Alvenia Fulton, who ran the Fulton Institute of Health and Fasting at West 63rd and Damen Avenue.

4. two recordings, from late 1957 or early 1958, which ended up on "visits planet earth" (the rest of that LP consisting of the '56 sessions covered above)

-- "planet earth" (ra)

Sun Ra (p, solar p [Wurlitzer ep], Egyptian sun bells), Lucious Randolph (tp); Nate Pryor (tb); James Spaulding (as); Marshall Allen (fl); John Gilmore (ts, solar bells, tambourine); Pat Patrick (bars, Rhodesian bells, solar drum); Ronald Boykins (b); Jim Herndon (timb); Robert Barry (d)
Rehearsal, Chicago, late 1957 or early 1958

-- "overtones of china" (ra)

Sun Ra (ep, p, spiral percussion gong, Chinese solar gong); Lucious Randolph (tp); Marshall Allen (as, fl); James Spaulding (as); John Gilmore (ts, solar drum); Charles Davis (bars); Pat Patrick (space lute); Ronnie Boykins (b); Robert Barry (d); Jim Herndon (tymp, timb).

Rehearsal, Chicago, late 1957 or early 1958

http://campber.people.clemson.edu/ravisitslpa.jpg

These two tracks were released in 1966 on Side A of Saturn LP 9956-11-A/B, Sun Ra Visits Planet Earth. (A third track, "Eve" from Side A of the same LP was formerly listed here, but turns out of have come from the same session on November 1, 1956 that produced side B of the album; see above.) In 1967, it was given the catalog number 207. In 1992, all tracks from this LP were reissued on Evidence 22039 (CD). The extensive solo credits on the Saturn jacket were helpful in establishing the personnel. James Spaulding joined the Arkestra soon after his arrival in Chicago in August 1957; Marshall Allen and Ronald Boykins were in the fold by the beginning of 1958 and may have joined earlier. Julian Vein gives early 1958 as the date for these three items. Lucious Randolph said that the date is approximately correct, and was positive about his appearance on “Planet Earth” (on which he solos) but not completely sure about “Eve” and “Overtones of China.” (And that is just as well, since no trumpet is actually audible on "Eve," which we have now placed with the session of November 1, 1956).

whoops, the hattie randolph personnel should read:

Sun Ra (p); Victor Sproles (b); Tito (cga); Hattie Randolph (voc).
Budland, Chicago, August 25, 1957

I kind of love that nobody knows jack shit about the Yochanan guy

haha yeah

i think the only new additions to the playlist are the tracks from Sun Ra Visits Planet Earth. I arranged them so they're sequenced after Jazz by Sun Ra, with the five 1956 tracks first and the two 1957 tracks afterward.

I'm listening to Visits Planet Earth right now and really enjoying it so far. "Eve" is one of my faves so far

thanks man! gonna check it out now

I also LOVE that brief Calvin Newborn bio above

Back to Jazz by Sun Ra/Sun Song, hot damn that drum and tympani work on A Street Named Hell

― call me by your name..or Finn (fionnland), Monday, January 15, 2018 12:43 PM (yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

no kidding! also check the tympani solo on "reflections in blue" around 5m22s

I will do!

A tiny bit more colour re: Yochanan

one Hattie Randolph remembers catching his shtick in a nightclub in Kokomo, Indiana--"When he started his act and began leaping over the tables, one woman jumped up and shouted, 'He's possessed'! and ran out of the club"

- The Hound

hi gang, sorry i've been neglecting the thread. '58 and '59 tonight!

lol Finn, from the same blog post you linked to:

My buddy Junie Booth played bass with the Sun Ra Arkestra for many years, he told me when they went to Birmingham, Alabama for Sunny to be presented with the key to the city, midway during the ceremony Sunny turned to him and said-"I hate this fuckin' town, that's why I always told people I was from Saturn".

1958, pt. 1

(all quotes from the campbell et al. discography)

1. sun ra and his rays of jazz (three tracks)

Sun Ra (p); Marshall Allen (as, fl); John Gilmore (ts); unidentified (eg); unidentified (b); unidentified (d); Clyde Williams (voc).
Live at Budland, Chicago, 1958

These tracks were unearthed by Michael Anderson and issued in 2011 on The Eternal Myth Revealed Volume 1 (Transparency 0316, a 14-CD set). The recording was made live at Budland, with the tape recorded parked on the bandstand. Clyde Williams was featured on all three numbers but is markedly off-mike; the influence of Joe Williams is nonetheless noticeable on "Roll 'em Pete."

listen to the original joe turner track (no sun ra involvement) on youtube

2. le sun ra and his arkestra, "hours after"

Le Sun Ra (p); Everett (E. J.) Turner (tp); Marshall Allen (as); James Spaulding (as); John Gilmore (ts); Pat Patrick (bars); Ronnie Boykins (b); William “Bugs” Cochran (d); Alvin Fielder (d).
Rehearsal, Chicago, mid 1958

Saturn J08W0245/J08W0246 was a 45 rpm single with a gold label, released in October 1958. According to paperwork preserved in the Alton Abraham Collection (Box 16, Folder 6 part 1), Saturn placed its order for this single with RCA Victor on September 26, 1958, and received a shipment of 275 copies on October 2. (Meanwhile, the J prefix duly indicates that the records were pressed by RCA Victor in 1958). “Hours After” was the A side. The only copy of the single yet to be located is in the possession of Leonard J. Bukowski. The track was reissued in September 1996 on The Singles, Evidence 22164 (2 CDs).

a different recording of the same tune appears on "jazz in silhouette" (1959). original is linked below.
listen on youtube

3. the "pershing ballroom all-star jam"

J. J. Johnson (tb); Gene Ammons (ts); Pat Patrick (bars); Sun Ra (p); Ronnie Boykins (b); Robert Barry (d).
Pershing Ballroom, Chicago, August 15, 1958

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4072/4668541360_ab6c27cec7_b.jpg

Thirty-three minutes of music from a genuine all-star jam session are preserved on this tape. Pat Patrick, J. J. Johnson, Gene Ammons, and Sun Ra all solo at length. The sound is pretty good, except that J. J. Johnson is off-mike during the first two numbers. "I Can't Get Started" is a feature for Pat Patrick and "Don't Blame Me" is reserved for J. J. Johnson. Personnel identified by Michael Anderson; members of the audience helpfully call out "J. J." and "Mr. Jughead." All four tracks were released in 2001 on The Eternal Myth Revealed Vol. 1, a 14-CD set compiled by Michael Anderson.

4. le sun ra and his arkestra, "great balls of fire" (B side of "hours after")

Le Sun Ra (Wurlitzer ep); Lucious Randolph (tp); John Gilmore (ts); Pat Patrick (bars); BeBop Sam Thomas (eg); William “Bugs” Cochran (d); Alvin Fielder (d); Jim Herndon (tymp); unidentified (perc).
Rehearsal, Chicago, August or September 1958

http://matsgus.com/discaholic_corner/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/hours2.jpg
listen on youtube

http://campber.people.clemson.edu/bebopsamb.jpg
"BeBop Sam Thomas (second from left) in 1957 or 1958, from The Cry of Jazz."

“Great Balls of Fire” came from a different rehearsal with much better sonics than the session that produced “Hours After.” (Alton Abraham said it was a studio session; if so, Robert Barry would be one of the drummers and not Alvin Fielder.) Personnel identified by rlc and corrected by Alvin Fielder (the first edition of this discography identified Ronald Wilson as the baritonist but Fielder does not recall working with him in the Arkestra). According to Alvin Fielder, Sam Thomas was the only regular guitarist in the Arkestra at this time, though Art Jobs worked with Ra briefly. Fielder also says that when the Arkestra used two drummers, he worked with William Cochran, not Robert Barry. He places the session in “late summer or early autumn 1959.” (This is probably right about the season but definitely wrong about the year). Saturn Records placed an order for J08W0245/0246 on September 26, 1958, and received a shipment of 275 copies on October 2, 1958.

5. sun ra arkestra (four tracks, live)

Sun Ra (p, Solovox); Marshall Allen (as, fl); John Gilmore (ts); Pat Patrick (bars, cl); BeBop Sam Thomas (eg); Ronnie Boykins (b); unidentified (d).
Budland, September 23, 1958

listen to 'tequila' on youtube

6. "star time" rehearsal recording

http://campber.people.clemson.edu/saturn406act.jpg
listen on youtube
listen on bandcamp

In 1959, "Star Time" was being considered for inclusion on a Saturn LP to follow Jazz in Silhouette. The plans were abandoned, but one of two trial versions of an LP side survives as K8OP-2864-2, a custom pressing done for Saturn by RCA Victor, with "Star Time" as the third of five tracks.

The track did not see release for several years. It finally appeared on an LP first issued (in a generic Tonal View of Times Tomorrow cover) by Saturn in 1966 as SR 9956-11E/F, Lady with the Golden Stockings. In 1967, this album was given the catalog number 406; by the end of 1967 (according to Vein) it was retitled The Nubians of Plutonia and by 1969 given a new cover by Richard Pedreguera. Subsequent reissues (on Impulse AS-9242 in 1974 and Evidence 22066 CD in 1993) have used the later title. We obtained titles and personnel from the 1969 Saturn and Impulse issues.

7. six cuts w/ the cosmic rays

The Cosmic Rays: Calvin Barron (voc); Matt Swift (voc); Lonnie Tolbert (voc); unidentified (voc); with Sun Ra (Wurlitzer ep); E. J. Turner (tp); Marshall Allen (fl); James Spaulding (as); John Gilmore (ts); Charles Davis (bars); Ronnie Boykins (b); Robert Barry (d); Jim Herndon (tymp); Pat Patrick (space lute).
Rehearsals, Chicago, 1958

https://img.discogs.com/uiwiZNg8ES9JQ2qWFwl58K9BOBA=/fit-in/600x591/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(90)/discogs-images/R-6450215-1419537495-9291.jpeg.jpg
listen to 'bye bye' on youtube

really swell guitar solo on "great balls of fire" imo

okay, looks like i messed up #7. the date and personnel there are not the same as the single for which i've provided a photo and link. that was a different (rehearsal) session, unreleased until the 2003 atavistic CD comp. i'll get to the single version in '58 part 2

1958, pt. 2

http://campber.people.clemson.edu/herndonb.jpg
"Jim Herndon in 1958. From The Cry of Jazz."

(all quotes from the campbell et al. discography unless otherwise noted)

1. the cosmic rays, "daddy's gonna tell you no lie" (rehearsal take)

The Cosmic Rays: Calvin Barron (voc); Matt Swift (voc); Lonnie Tolbert (voc); unidentified (voc); Sun Ra (dir).
Rehearsal, Chicago, 1958 or 1959

not released until 1983, as a 45 on saturn with "foggy notion" by the nu sounds as the flip side (rec. 1955, see upthread)

http://artyardrecords.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Daddys-Gonna-Tell-You-No-Lie-400x400.jpg
listen to the demo version on youtube

2. the cosmic rays, "bye bye" b/w "somebody's in love" (first track linked to and pictured upthread). the correct session info:

The Cosmic Rays: Calvin Barron (voc); Matt Swift (voc); Lonnie Tolbert (voc); unidentified (voc); Le Sun Ra (p -1, dir); unidentified (eg); prob. Ronnie Boykins (b); Robert Barry (d); Jim Herndon (timbales -2).
RCA Studios, Chicago, c. August 1958

listen to 'somebody's in love' on youtube

3. three rehearsal tracks with a vocal group called the crystals

The Crystals: four unidentified male vocalists; Sun Ra (p).
Rehearsal, Chicago, November 21, 1958

After Alton Abraham's death in 1999, a rehearsal tape with a previously unknown vocal group called The Crystals gained legendary status. The surviving tracks were released in 2009 on Norton CED-352, Sun Ra: Interplanetary Melodies, and Norton CED-353, Sun Ra: The Second Stop Is Jupiter.

"Little Sally Walker," unlike nearly everything else that Sunny did with vocal groups, is a rock and roll performance. (A member of the group can be heard at the end of track, complaining about spending 3 hours on "Little Sally Walker," but listeners today might think the results are worth it.) Little Sally Walker rides, of course, on a (flying) saucer. "Honey in the Bee Box" sticks closer to the original children's song, and at times the singers have some trouble taking it seriously.

The rehearsal date was provided by Michael Anderson. Ra's tapes also included "Eddie C Rock," a live tape from around this time of the Crystals (and possibly of members of the Arkestra) backing bluesman and occasional rock and roller Eddie Clearwater. This was so poorly recorded as to preclude reissue.

to which i say: JUST PUT IT OUT ANYWAY YOU DORKS

listen to 'little sally walker' on youtube

4. the cosmic rays, "dreaming" b/w "daddy's gonna tell you no lie"

The Cosmic Rays: Calvin Barron (voc); Matt Swift (voc); Lonnie Tolbert (voc); unidentified (voc); with Sun Ra (p); Ronnie Boykins (b); Robert Barry (d); Tito (cga).
prob. Sheldon (Chess) Studios, Chicago, poss. August 1959

http://campber.people.clemson.edu/saturnsr401soltzsmall.jpg
listen to 'dreaming' on youtube
listen to the 'daddy's gonna tell you no lie' on youtube

5. juanita rogers / lynn hollings recordings (two cuts, released 1960)

Juanita Rogers (lead voc); Lynn Hollings (narration); 4 unidentified males (voc); Mr. V [Sun Ra] (p, dir); unidentified (ts); unidentified (eg); unidentified (d).
Somebody's living room, Chicago, 1958 or 1959

Thanks to Michael Arlt for alerting us to this release; he describes the sonics accurately by saying it was “made in somebody's living room.” James Jacson confirmed Sunny's involvement and says that the release derived from an “old, old paper tape” in Sun Ra's private collection. Sun Ra recorded paper tapes on his Sound Mirror from 1948 until at least 1954 (when he reportedly recorded some very early solos by John Gilmore on a paper tape—nothing more is known about these items, unfortunately). However, Robert Pruter dates these sides from 1958 or 1959, based on the vocal style. It is not known whether the Five Joys are the same as the “Five Jays” (male lead, female lead, three male backup singers) whose publicity photo is in Robert Pruter's collection. However that may be, Sun Ra told Arkestra members that he wrote the arrangements for this date. On “Teenager's Letter of Promises,” the episodes with Hollings as the (heavily reverbed) narrator have obviously been spliced in by an amateur.

https://img.discogs.com/RA-9kJaTXbh0kKCEXrTHalXmRT8=/fit-in/429x500/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(90)/discogs-images/R-9657745-1484326343-5856.jpeg.jpg
listen to 'teenager's letter of promises' on youtube

6. multiple sessions, with multiple personnel changes, for the "lady with the golden stockings" AKA "nubians of plutonia" LP. all are rehearsals, chicago, 1958 or 1959. along with the "star time" rehearsal, all of the material for the LP was recorded in either 1958 or 1959

http://campber.people.clemson.edu/saturn406frontct.jpg
listen to 'plutonian nights' on youtube
listen to the full album on bandcamp

a. plutionian nights (ra)
b. lady with the golden stockings (ra)
c. nubia (ra)
d. africa (ra)
e. watusa (pitts-sherrill; arr. ra)
f. aiethopia (ra)

szwed on "the nubians of plutonia" (p. 171):

With this record Sonny showed his response to the burst of interest in Latin rhythms set off by the mambo in the mid-1950s and the calypso craze of 1957-58. And like many big bands, the Arkestra's take on these rhythms was less specifically Latin than a North American impression of these rhythms within dance-band conventions. The Arkestra was in effect reinventing these rhythms. Where Cuban musicians might layer a few discrete rhythms together to interlock and form an emergent new rhythm, North American musicians often heaped a number of percussion instruments together, all playing the same rhythm. Despite the comparative complexity of many of these pieces there is a tendency for them to simplify when the solos begin -- to turn into the blues or a rhythm jam with no chordal accompaniment. (...)

The implication of these recordings is that a piece of music could be built out of the simplest of elements: a continuing string of drum rhythms and a series of melodies based on a chord or even a single note. Or nothing. On one hand it was a primitivist gesture, but it was also a stripping away of the previous generation's obsession with harmonic complexity.

sun ra bandcamp:

Research herewith on vocal ensembles for tracks 5 and 11, variously identified by historians as The Nu Sounds or The Cosmic Rays: These groups are not the same ensembles, nor do they have overlapping members. The actual vocalists on these tracks might not be either group (the original Saturn LP back cover says "Arkestra" on "Africa"). Lacking session logs, any identification of vocalists on these tracks is speculative. The vocalists on "Black Sky" are unknown and could have been overdubbed at a date later than the original recording.

https://sunramusic.bandcamp.com/album/the-nubians-of-plutonia

"track 11" referring to a bonus track on the bandcamp page