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anticipation · 06-10-2009, 01:11 PM

As this is my first foray into this forum, I intend to use this journal as a record of my musical journey through such genres as funk, soul, jazz, rhythm and blues, and rap. I'll be tracking down obscure albums from all over the world and giving them a full listen, as well as some consideration and analyzation before I report them on mb.

Every album that I report will be brand new to me, so bear with me as I explore something completely new.

First off:

"Sun Song" by Sun Ra

Track listing:

Brainville
Call for all Demons
Transition
Possession
Street Named Hell
Lullaby for Realville
Future
New Horizons
Fall off the Log
Sun Song

I've recently come accross the entire Sun Ra discography, so get ready for a lot of jazz reviews. This is Ra's first album and was recorded in 1956 in Chicago. It was originally released as "Jazz by Sun Ra", but was later retitled as "Sun Song" and re-released in 1967. My first impression is; wow, this **** is really good. I thought all Sun Ra's stuff was spacey and hard to get into, but this is pretty standard jazz fare. The horns are great, they play much more of a central role on this album than I thought they would, and Ra's piano work is pretty good on "New Horizons" and "Call For All Demons".

The standout track on this album has got to be "Possession", which has impressed me so greatly that it might be one of my favorite jazz tracks ever. It's got great drum work, and a real passionate feel to it that makes for an incredible listen. Ra's subtle sound on the keys doesn't diminish from the horns, which again lead the song. The melody swings and gets stuck in your head, and the brief explorations by the band at the end are great foreshadowing for future albums. I'm starting to think that the Arkestra could've got along well enough without Ra, but then I remember that he basically arranged and composed most of this stuff to complement his playing.

A relatively short album, "Sun Songs" also contains some darker songs. "New Horizons" especially caught my attention with it's slow, brooding melody. The hook is great, and the track really showcases the band's versatility.

Some more lively tracks include "Street Named Hell" and "Swing A Little Taste", both of which are upbeat and jumpy songs. What I love about these tracks is that Ra is able to capture the feel of a live jazz club in a studio setting. This isn't something that every artist can do, and I really think that Ra got it just right. I really enjoyed "Fall Off The Log", with all the sax/horn combinations firing on all cylinders.

This is, to me, a quintessential jazz album, as it encompasses swing jazz, smooth jazz, and a little bit of big band too. If I were to suggest an album to someone who is interested in jazz, this is a great one to get your feet wet. Hopefully Ra's subsequent albums can impress me just as much.

06-10-2009, 01:11 PM	#1 (permalink)
anticipation Music Addict Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 3,565	stranger in a strange land. As this is my first foray into this forum, I intend to use this journal as a record of my musical journey through such genres as funk, soul, jazz, rhythm and blues, and rap. I'll be tracking down obscure albums from all over the world and giving them a full listen, as well as some consideration and analyzation before I report them on mb. Every album that I report will be brand new to me, so bear with me as I explore something completely new. First off: "Sun Song" by Sun Ra Track listing: Brainville Call for all Demons Transition Possession Street Named Hell Lullaby for Realville Future New Horizons Fall off the Log Sun Song I've recently come accross the entire Sun Ra discography, so get ready for a lot of jazz reviews. This is Ra's first album and was recorded in 1956 in Chicago. It was originally released as "Jazz by Sun Ra", but was later retitled as "Sun Song" and re-released in 1967. My first impression is; wow, this **** is really good. I thought all Sun Ra's stuff was spacey and hard to get into, but this is pretty standard jazz fare. The horns are great, they play much more of a central role on this album than I thought they would, and Ra's piano work is pretty good on "New Horizons" and "Call For All Demons". The standout track on this album has got to be "Possession", which has impressed me so greatly that it might be one of my favorite jazz tracks ever. It's got great drum work, and a real passionate feel to it that makes for an incredible listen. Ra's subtle sound on the keys doesn't diminish from the horns, which again lead the song. The melody swings and gets stuck in your head, and the brief explorations by the band at the end are great foreshadowing for future albums. I'm starting to think that the Arkestra could've got along well enough without Ra, but then I remember that he basically arranged and composed most of this stuff to complement his playing. A relatively short album, "Sun Songs" also contains some darker songs. "New Horizons" especially caught my attention with it's slow, brooding melody. The hook is great, and the track really showcases the band's versatility. Some more lively tracks include "Street Named Hell" and "Swing A Little Taste", both of which are upbeat and jumpy songs. What I love about these tracks is that Ra is able to capture the feel of a live jazz club in a studio setting. This isn't something that every artist can do, and I really think that Ra got it just right. I really enjoyed "Fall Off The Log", with all the sax/horn combinations firing on all cylinders. This is, to me, a quintessential jazz album, as it encompasses swing jazz, smooth jazz, and a little bit of big band too. If I were to suggest an album to someone who is interested in jazz, this is a great one to get your feet wet. Hopefully Ra's subsequent albums can impress me just as much.