The Sun Ra Arkestra Directed By Marshall Allen – SWIRLING
Side One
SATELLITES ARE SPINNING / LIGHTS ON A SATELLITE (8.00)
Written by Sun Ra. Published by Enterplanetary Koncepts (BMI)
SEDUCTIVE FANTASY (11.47)
Written by Sun Ra. Published by Enterplanetary Koncepts (BMI)
Side Two
ANGELS AND DEMONS AT PLAY (7.07)
Written by Sun Ra. Published by Enterplanetary Koncepts (BMI)
SWIRLING (7.48)
Written by Marshall Allen. Published by Arkestral Music (BMI)
SKY IS A SEA OF DARKNESS / DARKNESS (3.44)
Written by Sun Ra. Published by Enterplanetary Koncepts (BMI)
Side Three
ASTRO BLACK (4.52)
Written by Sun Ra. Published by Enterplanetary Koncepts (BMI)
INFINITY / I’LL WAIT FOR YOU (9.52)
Written by Sun Ra. Published by Enterplanetary Koncepts (BMI)
QUEER NOTIONS (5.39)
Written by Thomas Newman. Published by Songs Of SKG (BMI)
Side Four
ROCKET NO. 9 (5.03)
Written by Sun Ra. Published by Enterplanetary Koncepts (BMI)
SUNOLOGY (4.24)
Written by Sun Ra. Published by Enterplanetary Koncepts (BMI)
DOOR OF THE COSMOS / SAY (7.26)
Written by Sun Ra. Published by Enterplanetary Koncepts (BMI)
SUN RA ARKESTRA Under the direction of Marshall Allen.
Marshall Allen: Alto Saxophone, EVI
Knoel Scott: Alto Saxophone
James Stewart: Tenor Saxophone, Flute
Danny Ray Thompson: Baritone Saxophone, Flute
Michael Ray: Trumpet
Cecil Brooks: Trumpet
Vincent Chancey: French Horn
Dave Davis: Trombone, Vocals
Farid Barron: Piano
Dave Hotep: Guitar
Tyler Mitchell: Bass
Wayne Anthony Smith, Jr.: Drums
Elson Nascimento: Surdo Drums, Percussion
Stanley “Atakatune” Morgan: Congas
Tara Middleton: Vocals, Violin
Recorded and Mixed at Rittenhouse Soundworks, Philadelphia.
Recording Engineer: Peter Tramo
Mixed by Michael Richelle with thanks to Michael Ray and Dilip Harris
Production and Mix Supervision: Jim Hamilton
SWIRLING…
If ideas or stories about someone or something SWIRL,
they are often heard but may not be based on fact or may
not always say the same thing….
Cambridge Dictionary.
CD Tracklist :
1 – Satellites Are Spinning / Lights on a Satellite 8:00
2 – Seductive Fantasy 11.49
3 – Swirling 7:41
4 – Angels and Demons at Play 7:05
5 – Sea of Darkness / Darkness 5:15
6 – Rocket No. 9 4:59
7 – Astro Black 4:50
8 – Infinity / I’ll Wait for You 9:17
9 – Unmask the Batman 4:28
10 – Sunology 4:25
11 – Queer Notions 5:39
12 – Space Loneliness 12:06
13 – Door of the Cosmos / Say 7:27
Thus, the album theme ‘Swirling’, composed by 96 years young Arkestra Director Marshall Allen speaks musically and metaphorically to the nature of the Sun Ra Arkestra’s journey into the 21st Century….
Those familiar with the cosmology and music of Sun Ra and, hence, maestro Allen, recognize that the phrase “…is not based on facts or may not always say the same thing…” can readily be applied to Sun Ra’s focus, on MYTH and Marshall’s focus on the SPIRIT of the Day in his approach to directing the Arkestra.
This blend of Sun Ra’s cosmology and Marshall Allen’s concentration on the spirit of the music makes this album a testament to the succession of genius from master to student who in turn becomes master (as in the great schools of martial arts). What better example have we than Marshall’s arrangement of Sun Ra’s classics…
CALLING PLANET EARTH…..
There is no need to cry
No need to be confused or bewildered
Listen to the three of us me, myself and I.
Architectural-equation facts are the order of the day
There is change everywhere
The stars themselves in the solar system must be placed in new places around the sun.
Earth itself must be positioned in a different place than where it is.
Listen carefully to these words
They are not the words that have been or was
They are the words that are, is and am to be.
If you do wrong, you have to pay,
But if you do right, you have to pay too;
Also if you do nothing You have to pay. They have vagrancy laws you know.
You can go to jail for doing wrong.
You can go to jail for doing right.
You can go to jail for doing nothing.
You have never been told this before so now you know.
There is something in the cosmos called Fellowship. Reach for it.
If you want a better way/weigh It is quite more sensible and more profitable to pay in advance to join the cosmos fellowship, Some people call it “dues”.
If you pay dues for something worth infinite value you will get what is due you on an infinite eternal plane of being compensation: so valuable there is no place to measure its worth.
Thus I have spoken and this it is hereforth written in the stars.
Sun Ra, January 1990.
This album is dedicated to Sun Ra, June Tyson, John Gilmore, Pat Patrick, Charles Davis, Eddie Gale, Danny Ray
Thompson and Stanley “Atakatune” Morgan, as well as all of the other Arkestra members who have departed the planet.
Session photography courtesy of Anya Arnold.
Original cover artwork by Lewis Heriz
Graphic design by Matt Thame at Studio Auto
Mastered for vinyl by Peter Beckmann at Technology Works
Vinyl cut by Frank Merritt at The Carvery
Release co-ordination: Quinton Scott, Peter Dennett and Hugo Mendez.
Strut thanks: Marshall Allen, Elson Nascimento, Knoel Scott, Michael Ray, Laranah Ray Phipps, Danny Ray Thompson (RIP), Dave Hotep and all of the Arkestra musicians, Jim Hamilton, Matthew Hamilton, Peter Tramo, Michael Richelle and Susan Deutsch at Rittenhouse Soundworks, Peter Dennett, Greg Drusdow, Irwin Chusid, Adam Calman, Dilip Harris, Jill Saul, Anya Arnold, Duncan Brooker and Meron Wolde, Matt Thame, Gilles Peterson, Jim Johnstone, Manu Figueres, Dominique Tremouille and Damien Besançon, Daniela Siemon, Trevor Seamon, Horst, Tom, Adrian, Zac, Leigh, Karsten, Andrea, Monika, Alice, Sophie, Sina, Yvy, Masha, Karsten, Luc, Stas, Thomas, Tom B, Aitor, Greg, Robin and all at !K7, Juan Vandervoort, Joel Davies, Payal Choudhary, Ananya & Aarav, Corey, Laith, original Strut – Toni, Tinku, Simon, Christine, Sean L, Mousey The Cat
www.strut-records.com Strut is part of the !K7 label group You Can Follow Art Yard on Face Book – FB and listen to some audio previews on – Soundcloud. More from Strut Records: http://www.strut-records.com / https://www.facebook.com/StrutRecords More from The Sun Ra Arkestra: http://www.sunraarkestra.com