Ep:2 Sun Ra - Cosmic Jazz

03/09/22 • 43 min

Sun Ra - the Alpha and Omega of Space Music! Greetings ...I’m Chris Bass a music producer and renowned Spaceologist and in episode two we examine the music of Sun Ra, bandleader, keyboardist, arranger, philosopher, artist and educator.

Hailing from the planet of Saturn, Sun-Ra aka Herman Poole ‘Sunny’ Blount, took keyboard playing into new dimensions and changed music forever. The players in his Arkestra (his big band for over forty years) followed Sun’s lead creating forms of Cosmic Jazz that inspired almost every other creator of Space Music that came afterwards.

The Arkestra's saxophonists John Gilmore and Marshall Allen pushed the sonic boundaries of what was possible with a wind instrument. In fact Gilmore was cited by John Coltrane as his biggest influence...and most folks would agree that Coltrane totally reinvented the modern day concept of the instrument solo.

In this episode we look at

Ra’s beginnings
The ways that the Arkestra evoked Outer Space via acoustic means.
Sun Ra’s Electronic Keyboard Cosmos
Sun’s move into the land of the synthesiser
The Arkestra’s cosmic playing techniques
Cosmic Sound Effects - how Sun travelled further into the galaxy via the studio.
A break down of how I applied these techniques to create Cosmic Jazz

...and the episode finishes with my first release for Sounds of Space the Sun Ra Cosmic Jazz tribute...They Fell From the Skies.

Whether you’re a music lover, space-fanatic, musician or producer or just need a new creative perspective blast off with me on a fantastic journey as we explore the musical universe of artists who sonically evoke Outer Space and Sci-Fi Futurism in popular music with SOUND.

Episode Links

They Fell from the Skies available at https://soundsofspace.bandcamp.com/track/they-fell-from-the-skies

Another Ra tribute - Ra Transmigration - https://soundsofspace.bandcamp.com/track/ra-transmigration-ft-scrambla

Space is the Place by John Szwed - one of the most definitive books on Sun-Ra and the best source of ‘behind-the-scenes’ information - https://www.amazon.com/Space-Place-Lives-Times-Sun/dp/0306808552

The Temple - A fantastic online Discography of the works of Sun Ra - http://www.the-temple.net/sunradisco/list.php

Sun Ra Music - Bandcamp - The Official digital music site of Sun Ra - https://sunramusic.bandcamp.com/

Sun-Ra - Spotify - If you insist on streaming...well...here it is - https://open.spotify.com/artist/0tIODqvzGUoEaK26rK4pvX

A wonderful 53 minute NPR Jazz Profile of Sun-Ra - https://www.npr.org/2007/10/31/15774733/sun-ra-cosmic-swing

In this episode we look at

Ra’s beginnings
The ways that the Arkestra evoked Outer Space via acoustic means.
Sun Ra’s Electronic Keyboard Cosmos
Sun’s move into the land of the synthesiser
The Arkestra’s cosmic playing techniques
Cosmic Sound Effects - how Sun travelled further into the galaxy via the studio.
A break down of how I applied these techniques to create Cosmic Jazz

...and the episode finishes with my first release for Sounds of Space the Sun Ra Cosmic Jazz tribute...They Fell From the Skies.

Episode Links

They Fell from the Skies available at https://soundsofspace.bandcamp.com/track/they-fell-from-the-skies

Another Ra tribute - Ra Transmigration - https://soundsofspace.bandcamp.com/track/ra-transmigration-ft-scrambla

The Temple - A fantastic online Discography of the works of Sun Ra - http://www.the-temple.net/sunradisco/list.php

Sun Ra Music - Bandcamp - The Official digital music site of Sun Ra - https://sunramusic.bandcamp.com/

Sun-Ra - Spotify - If you insist on streaming...well...here it is - https://open.spotify.com/artist/0tIODqvzGUoEaK26rK4pvX

A wonderful 53 minute NPR Jazz Profile of Sun-Ra - https://www.npr.org/2007/10/31/15774733/sun-ra-cosmic-swing

Previous Episode

Ep:1 Juice Records - Techno Rebels

Techno Rebels: 30 Years of Juice Records with Damien Donato.

Hailed the world over and given kudos from such luminaries as Jeff Mills, Richie Hawtin and Mike Banks of Underground Resistance, Juice Records has continually pushed the sonic boundaries of techno.
...and they’ve given me a WORLDWIDE exclusive on a new track called ‘Inifinty’

Greetings Earth people. I’m Chris Bass a music producer and renowned Spaceologist and in this special episode I talk with Techno Artist and Label Chief, DMZ aka Damien Donato.

Whilst Juice Records is renowned for launching the career of international DJ superstar HMC (who later became the Late Nite Tuff Guy),its catalog runs deep and they are still actively releasing new music.

Launched as an underground techno label in the early 90’s, Juice typified the lofty ambitions of the techno generation in both sound and deed, using the vinyl record as its medium.

This is the story of a Techno Rebel who put the sound of his city - the city of Adelaide - on the world stage and in doing so, brought tangible credibility to Australian Techno music.

Damien runs down

Early days of the Techno scene in Adelaide
The influence of the music from the U.S., U.K and Europe
His dealings with Richie Hawtin and Jeff Mills and his love of Detroit techno and Underground Resistance.
Building a team with Thee, Paddee, HMC and DCE
Balancing label business with creative work
Fax machines, DATs and Studio Gear
A blow by blow of the entire Juice vinyl record catalog

Special Thanks to:

The entire Juice artist team: Damez, Thee, Paddee, HMC, John Gray and Antony Coppens - for the great music.
Liz Copeland, Clark Warner of 101.9 Detroit Public Radio, for the Mike Banks clips.
Dave Barnett for sound bites of Mike Banks and Richie Hawtin - check out Frequency Response TV - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtgWKhSA0iCsC3gQT3hyhqg
Stilgherrian - https://stilgherrian.com/
Georgie Knight of Dreaming Daisies - check out a 1992 show upload by code618 - https://soundcloud.com/code618/dreaming-daisies-may-1992
Damien Donato

Extra special thanks to Damien and Antony for the exclusive track.

Underground Resistance: http://undergroundresistance.com/

JUICE020 - Antony Coppens 2021 release: https://juicerecords-australia.bandcamp.com/album/antony-coppens

“ It goes beyond the drum machine and synthesiser sounds the label would be known for and embraces a wider spectrum with use of a Yamaha baby grand, Fender Rhodes, Washburn bass and Yamaha Electone E-75.
It is a clear example of what Adelaide happenings have been missed by the global industry while it plays with a techno formula that goes beyond our underground imaginings.”

Episode Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/17978674807470117/