The Singles
A: Daddy's Gonna Tell You No Lie (Barron-Orio-Ra) (1:46)
The Cosmic Rays: Calvin Barron and three unidentified males-voc. Sounds like a rehearsal -- doesn't include
all the lyrics from the S2 version. Some club, Chicago, 1955. Sun Ra does not play, though he may have been
directing.
B: A Foggy Day in London Town (Gershwin-Gershwin)
The NuSounds: Roland Williams-voc; other vocalists unidentified. Sun Ra, p. A club on North Cliburn Street,
Chicago, 1954 or 1955. The serial number implies 1954, but 1955 or 1956 is more likely, given Sun Ra and
Gilmore's interviews with Corbett. [rlc and Gordon]
"I had two vocal groups at the same time. One was called the Cosmic Echoes... and the Cosmic Rays, too... I met the group through a friend. It was at the same time that John Gilmore joined the band. I saw the possibility that they could really be great. So I began to teach them, to coach them. They were connected with a barber shop -- but I taught them other things." [Ra, quoted by Corbett]
"All of them wound up tragically except for one. He [Calvin Barron] was the only one to last for a while, then he went through some tragic experiences in '88 or '89. But the rest of them -- they were wild, you know." [John Gilmore, quoted by Corbett]
The Roland Williams group (the NuSounds) would compete with the Barron group. They would both record the same songs and the better version would be used. (Other reports, however, deny that the NuSounds ever appeared on record.) There was also a third, instrumental group being coached by Ra at the time. [Gordon] Roland Williams' group started before the Rays. [Gilmore]
A: Dreaming (Barron-Orio-Ra) (2:29)
B: Daddy's Gonna Tell You No Lie (Barron-Orio-Ra) [studio version] (2:40)
The Cosmic Rays (Calvin Barron and 3 others)-voc; Ra-p; poss. Victor Sproles-b; prob. Robert Barry-d;
Tito-cga. Professional studio recording, Chicago, 1955 or 1956 [rlc, tape from Webber; label copy from Michael
Shore; info on Valmor from Pat Padua.
Lucious Randolph says Tito was in the Arkestra for less than a year, around 1956, and that the vocal groups were not working with Sun Ra any more by the time LR joined the Arkestra in Fall, 1956. For both sides, take 2 was used -- it is not known whether take 1 is still extant [Gordon].
Side B reissued in 1989 on Valmor 1369, Jook Block Busters #1.
A: Bye Bye
B: Somebody's in Love
The Cosmic Rays-voc; other personnel unknown. Chicago, 1955.
This one is listed in Goldmine's doowop reference book, with the impossible date of 1960. Does anyone have a copy?
A: Happy New Year to You!
B: It's Christmastime
The Qualities: unidentified male vocal quartet. Sun Ra-harmonium; unknown-acoustic guitar; unknown-bells;
unknown-wood blocks. Produced by Alton Abraham and Sun Ra. Chicago, probably 1956. [Thanks to Byron Coley for the
tape and Glenn Jones for label information.]
Sun Ra is presumably on the harmonium-like instrument that appears at the end of Side A and plays in the background through Side B. This is sentimental doowop, not as well executed as the Cosmic Rays material (note the clumsy fake bass singing). The Ra's hand is definitely there: the clicks and pops made by the second percussionist on Side A are completely indeterminate. Anthony Braxton is threatening to use this record in a course on Sun Ra, Karlheinz Stockhausen, and Hildegard of Bingen. [rlc]
According to John Gilmore, this was probably recorded at a rehearsal, hence the ad hoc instrumentation. Ra often rehearsed his vocal groups separately from the Arkestra. According to Szwed, this was made a year or so later than the Cosmic Rays 45s.
Jones says this is a 50s Saturn label, yellow with red print. The name is misspelled "Satur" in script on one side of the center hole. According to Gordon it was mastered at RCA Studios in Chicago; M08W4052 and M08W4053 were RCA mastering numbers. Tape box says "Happy New Year to Year."
Alton Abraham told John Corbett that Ra had still another doowop group called the Clockstoppers. They supposedly made one 45. The doowop releases were limited to a few sides for financial reasons.
A: Super Blonde (Ra)
B: Soft Talk (Priester)
This is often said to be first Arkestra release [Gordon]. Hoyle recalls making "a couple" of 45s while he was in the
band. The same tracks were later included in Super Sonic Jazz. See LP list for details.
Incorrectly identified as a 78 in Jazz Wereld, No. 19, Aug. 68; error picked up by Buzelin.
A: Medicine for a Nightmare (Ra)
B: Urnack (Julian Priester)
Same versions of these tunes as later appeared on Angels and Demons at Play. A 50s Saturn single with black
print on gold and Saturn in block letters across the top. Label information courtesy of Glenn Jones. Some sources claim
this was the first Arkestra release. [Szwed]
There is may be another single from this period with Saturn on one side. The title is mentioned in the 1963-1964 press release. It is sometimes said to have been paired with Urnack.
A: Great Balls of Fire (Ra)
B: Hours After (E. J. Turner)
Personnel unknown. Recorded Chicago, 1958.
According to Gordon, master tapes still exist. Serial number from Raben. Great Ball of Fire was incorrectly listed in Geerken and Stahl as the first cut on Side A of the Saturn release of Jazz in Silhouette, based on a misreading of Raben's listing. It is not known whether Hours After is the same version that appeared on that album. Raben assumed it was but he obviously had not listened to either the single or the album (his list of album cuts is scrambled). Bill Fielder recalls Great Balls of Fire and says it was written by Sun Ra. No reference to Jerry Lee Lewis -- Ra was talking about comets and stars and such.
Does anyone have this?
A: Muck Muck (Yochannan-Abraham-Ra)
B: Hot Skillet Mama (Yochannan-Abraham-Ra)
Produced by Yochannan, Sun Ra, and Alton Abraham. Sun Ra-p; poss. John Gilmore-ts; poss. Victor Sproles-b; poss.
Robert Barry- d; Yochannan-voc. Recorded in Chicago, around 1956 or 1957. [Terry Adams, via Michael
Shore; Glenn Jones supplied label copy; date and personnel help from Jerry Gordon.] Yochannan was a nightclub
performer in Chicago (not a street singer as previously reported). This single sounds like Louis Jordan numbers
interpreted by Screamin' Jay Hawkins. Drummer has heavy rock hand. Tenor player does conventional R&B riffing, no
solos. [rlc]
The original release has an early Saturn look, like the surviving singles from 1956 through the early 1960s. Block lettering for the Saturn logo, red print on gold. John Gilmore recalls Yochannan hanging around Sun Ra rehearsals, while the band was playing at Budland but after Jazz by Sun Ra.
Hattie Randolph also recalls Yochannan, and remembers this single.
A: The Sun One (3:30) (Yochannan)
Ra-Hammond org; unknown-tp; Marshall Allen-as; John Gilmore-ts; Ronnie Boykins-b; unknown-d; Yochannan-voc.
Chicago, around 1959. On the tape box this was called The Man Who Flew in from the Sun. On the reissue
this was retitled The Sun Man Speaks and credited to Ra and Yochannan. It also included a 20-30 sec. spoken
introduction that was edited out of the reissue. [Jones]
B: Message to Earthman (2:20) (McCarey-Yochannan-Ra)
Ra-Hammond org; unknown-tp; unknown-tb; Marshall Allen-as; John Gilmore-ts; Pat Patrick or Ronald Wilson-bs;
Ronnie Boykins-b; unknown-d; Yochannan-voc. The reissue credits Yochannan-Ra. Chicago, around 1959. [rlc]
The original issue has Saturn in script down the side, like the single by The Qualities. Black lettering on gold. As with all early Saturn singles, the matrix numbers are stamped rather than scratched by hand. Pressing plant is Sheldon. [Jones]
Reissue single has an El Saturn label from Chicago. Has typical late 1960s type font, like that used on Continuation. [Gordon]
A: Space Loneliness (Ra)
B: State Street (Ra)
Personnel unidentified. Vuijsje says it was made at the same period as Supersonic Jazz. But he thinks The
Blues [sic] Set and Big City Blues were too. Listed by Raben as coming from the same sessions as
Side B of Angels and Demons, but his discog. is thoroughly confused here and includes Phil Cohran and Art Hoyle
a though they were playing together. Cohran believes that Space Loneliness was a new composition in 1960....
Does anybody have a copy of this one?
A: October (Ra) (4:30)
Ra-p; prob. Walter Strickland-tp; poss. Bo Bailey-tb; Marshall Allen-as; John Gilmore, ts; Pat Patrick-bs; Ronnie
Boykins-b; poss. William Cochran-d. Around 1959, Chicago. Deliberately strange ballad (mooing pedal tones from
baritone, tenor and trombone, under piano and trumpet melody statements, alternating with lusher scoring). The
drummer is mostly keeping time on a ballad and recording quality is murky. Phil Cohran says he is not on this
recording; his first guess is Walter Strickland. His second guess is Art Hoyle, which would really push the date back!
Nate Pryor doesn't remember making anything like this. [rlc]
B: Adventure in Space (Ra) (2:00)
Ra-p; Jim Herndon-tympani; prob. Robert Barry-d; bells and scrapers by other Arkestrans. An excerpt from a longer
performance, consisting of a percussive Latin piano solo. Chicago, prob. 1958-1959. Lucious Randolph confirms that Ra
sometimes played like this in Chicago ("when he took a long solo, it was scrambled eggs") and believes the tympanist is
JimHerndon. Drummer sounds like Robert Barry in his work with Herndon. [WKCR, confirmed by Gordon; personnel and
dates rlc with help from LuciousRandolph; date and presence of Herndon supported by Gordon]
Chicago label (not a yellow label). Ihnfinity Inc.
A: The Blue Set (Ra)
Phil Cohran-tp; Marshall Allen-as; John Gilmore-ts; Ra-p; Ronnie Boykins-b; Jon Hardy, d. Chicago, 1960. Purposely
old fashioned arrangement. Solos by Allen, Cohran, Ra, and Boykins.
B: Big City Blues (Ra)
Phil Cohran-tp; Marshall Allen-as; John Gilmore-ts; Ra-p; Ronnie Boykins-b; Jon Hardy-d. Chicago, 1960. Gospelly
arrangement, a bit like Kingdom of Not -- but Hardy's rim-shots make handclapping unnecessary. Solos by
Cohran, Allen, Gilmore and Ra. [rlc; thanks to Glenn Lea and Byron Coley for a tape.]
Phil Cohran says that both sides were made in 1960, though not at the Hall "seems to have been to contrast an old-fashioned blues with a new one -- we were doing a country blues and a city blues." Thus the style of The Blue Set is deliberately conservative: "...we were doing an interpretation." No wonder I mistook it for the Art Hoyle/ James Scales version of the Arkestra! [rlc]
An early Saturn single with logo in block letters and black print on gold. Matrix numbers stamped rather than scratched in. [Jones]
The Saturn press release from 1963-1964 lists Arkestra singles. It is just a string of titles without pairings or catalog numbers! Some of these are well known: Super Blonde and Soft Talk, Medicine for a Nightmare, State Street and Space Loneliness, The Blue Set and Big City Blues.But the list also mentionsSaturn as a single. It cites A Call for All Demons and Demon's Lullabye (Art Hoyle recalls making A Call for All Demons as a single). Velvet is even mentioned as a single.... Interestingly, October and Adventure in Space do not appear.
A: The Bridge (Ra) (2:40)
Ra-Gibson Kalamazoo org, Hohner clavinet; poss. Akh Tal Ebah-tp; Ali Hassan-tb; Marshall Allen-as; poss. Danny
Davis-as; John Gilmore-ts; Pat Patrick-bs; poss Robert Cummings-bcl; poss. Clifford Jarvis-d; poss. Nimrod Hunt and
James Jacson-perc; unknown-recitation. Conducted outside playing backing a stentorian declamation of a Ra poem;
Stahl says probably recorded 1982, and provides a personnel list from that period. Shore says 1967-1968, because
the keyboards are the same ones that were used on Atlantis. Robert Barry is also a possibility on drums. New
York, 1967-1968. Any chance that Henry (Hank) Dumas did the recitation? [rlc]
B: Rocket Number Nine (Ra)
Ra-p; Marshall Allen-as; John Gilmore-ts; Pat Patrick-bs; poss. Ali Hassan-tb; Danny Davis-fl; Ronnie Boykins-b;
poss. Clifford Jarvis-d. Excellent version. Sounds like a 60s recording; Terry Adams of NRBQ says he was given a copy
in 1968, which led to this piece being included on the first NRBQ album. Robert Barry is also a possibility on drums. New York, 1967-1968 [rlc]
This single was also made in a one-sided version, with The Bridge only. Thanks to Jerry Gordon for coming up with a two-sided copy.
Saturn 3066 has a Chicago label; Inhfinity Inc. production. [Gordon]
1982Y is a Philadelphia product [Jones]. Presumably 9/1982-4 (cited on WKCR memorial broadcast) is also.
A: Blues on Planet Mars (Ra) (3:25)
Ra-solar sound instrument (Hohner clavinet); John Gilmore-perc; Clifford Jarvis-perc; Robert Barry-perc. New York,
1967-1969.
B: Saturn Moon (Ra)
Ra-solar sound instrument (Hohner clavinet); poss. John Gilmore-d; wordless vocal by other Arkestrans. New York,
1967-1969.
Both of these probably came from the same sessions as Side A of Atlantis. [WKCR, confirmed by Jerry Gordon; personnel and dates rlc; label says produced by Alton Abraham; mentions Ihnfinity Inc.]
A: I'm Gonna Unmask the Batman (Lacy Gibson, Alton Abraham, Ra)
Ra-Mini Moog syn, Hohner clavinet; prob. Akh Tal Ebah-muted tp; Marshall Allen-as; John Gilmore-ts; Danny Ray
Thompson-bs; unknown-b; unknown-d; poss.Stanley Morgan [Atakatune]-cga; Sam Bankhead-voc. Recorded 7/4/74,
probably in Chicago. [singer identified by Gordon; other personnel rlc]
B: The Perfect Man (Ra)
Ra-Mini-Moog syn; Allen-ob; Gilmore-ts; unidentified-d. Recorded 5/24/73, location unknown. [Information on the
record from WKCR and Gordon; personnel rlc]
Side A supposedly came about because of Ra's participation on the Dan and Dale Batman record in 1966 (see below). Blues guitarist Lacy Gibson, once an in-law of the Ra, had his own LP on Saturn 524 (I Wish I Had a Wishing Ring, recorded 1968) and his own single on Repeto 436 (clearly of Saturn origin). There may be a second Repeto with Gibson as well.
Original issue single has (P) 1974 affixed to it with a stamp, but also has a Chicago Saturn label . [Gordon]
Glenn Jones has an original issue with a blank label on Side A and a green early 70s Chicago label on Side B. Curtis Fukuda confirms the 1974 issue date; he bought a copy at the 12/11/74 concert. The 1983 reissue (also in Jones' possession) has a handwritten Philadelphia label.
It is possible that a version of Outer Spaceways Incorporated was included on a single around this time. [Gordon]
A: Journey to Saturn (Ra)
Ra-org; Danny Ray Thompson-bs; prob. Clifford Jarvis-d; June Tyson-voc; John Gilmore-voc; other Arkestrans-voc.
Live performance, characteristically overamplified, 1972-1974.
B: Enlightenment (Dotson-Ra)
Ra-Hohner clavinet; prob. Clifford Jarvis-d; June Tyson-voc; John Gilmore-voc. Probably made in the living room in
Philly, 1970-1974. [rlc, single played on WKCR]
A: Love in Outer Space (Ra)
David Henderson-vocal, dubbed over the performance from Night of the Purple Moon.
B: The Mayan Temples (Ra)
Ra-Mini-Moog syn, rocksichord; Allen-ob; unknown-d; poss. Stanley Morgan-cga. Recorded 6/27/1975, probably in
Philadelphia. A sketch of the piece that appeared on Of Mythic Worlds, I Pharaoh, and The Sound
Mirror. [Played on WKCR, personnel rlc]
Philadelphia label, handwritten copy. [Gordon]
A: Rough House Blues (Ra)
Ra-p; Luqman Ali-d. Duet on a St. Louis Blues base. Amateurish recording has drums up front, piano recessed.
B: Cosmo-Extensions (Ra)
Ra-keyboards; Luqman Ali-d. Drummer punctuates, not an equal duet partner. Both probably Ra's living room,
Philadelphia, 5/18/1979. [rlc, thanks to Simosko for a tape]
A: Nuclear War [from Fireside Chat] (7:39)
B: Sometimes I'm Happy [from Celestial Love] (4:25)
A: Quest (Ra)
Ra-p. In a concentrated, Monorailish style. Recorded c. 1982.
B: Outer Space Plateau (Ra)
Ra-syn, org; unknown tp; poss. Tyrone Hill-tb; Marshall Allen-as; John Gilmore-ts. Brooding forerunner to
Retrospect. Recorded c. 1982. [rlc, thanks to Mark Webber for tape]
A: Queer Notions (Hawkins)
B: Prelude No. 7 (Chopin)
Live at Pit Inn Tokyo 8-8-88 Volume One: Ra-p, synth, voc; Michael Ray-tp, voc; Ahmed Abdullah-tp; Tyrone
Hill-tb; Marshall Allen-as; John Gilmore-ts, timbales; Danny Thompson-bs; Leroy Taylor-as, bcl, contra-alto cl; June
Tyson-vln, voc; Bruce Edwards-g; Rollo Radford-b; Eric Walker-d; Earl "Buster" Smith-d. [Webber]
A: East of the Sun (Bowman)
B: 'Frisco Fog (Carr-Roberts)
Live at Pit Inn Tokyo 8-8-88 Volume Two: Ra-p, synth, voc; Michael Ray-tp, voc; Ahmed Abdullah-tp; Tyrone
Hill-tb; Marshall Allen-as; John Gilmore-ts, timbales, voc; Danny Thompson-bs; Leroy Taylor-as, bcl, contra-alto cl;
June Tyson-vln, voc; Bruce Edwards-g; Rollo Radford-b; Eric Walker-d; Earl "Buster" Smith-d. [Webber]
A: Opus Springtime (Ra)
B: Cosmos Swing Blues (Ra)
Live at Pit Inn Tokyo 8-8-88 Volume Three: Ra-p, synth, voc; Michael Ray-tp, voc; Ahmed Abdullah-tp; Tyrone
Hill-tb; Marshall Allen-as; John Gilmore-ts, timbales; Danny Thompson-bs; Leroy Taylor-as, bcl, contra-alto cl; June
Tyson-vln, voc; Bruce Edwards-g; Rollo Radford-b; Eric Walker-d; Earl "Buster" Smith-d. [Webber]
Side A is The Sky Is Crying (obviously by Elmore James but no composer credit)
Side B is She's My Baby, credited to Gibson.
There may also be a second Gibson on Repeto. And there is a report of a Repeto release by Muhal Richard Abrams! [rlc]
Evidence ECD 22164-2
Disc 2: 1960 - 1982:
The Blue Set [4:40] (Saturn SA-1001)
Big City Blues [3:13] (Saturn SA-1001)
Tell Her to Come on Home [2:07] (Saturn 144M)
I'm Making Believe [3:14] (Saturn 144MM)
The Bridge [1:57] (Saturn 3066)
Rocket #9 [2:23] (Saturn 3066)
Blues on Planet Mars [3:25] (Saturn 911-AR)
Saturn Moon [2:13] (Saturn 911-AR)
The Sky Is Crying [2:50] Repeto 436)
She's My Baby [2:07] )Repeto 436)
I'm Gonna Unmask the Batman [2:44] (Repeto K702)
I Want an Easy Woman [2:44] (Repeto K702)
I'm Gonna Unmask the Batman [2:19] (Saturn ES537B)
The Perfect Man [4:54] (Saturn ES537B)
Journey to Saturn [3:43] (Saturn ES538B)
Engligtenment [3:26] (Saturn ES538B)
Love in Outer Space [3:49] (Saturn 256)
Mayan Temple [4:14] (Saturn 256)
Disco 3000 [2:43] (Saturn 2100)
Sky Blues [2:34] (Saturn 2100)
Rough House Blues [3:35] (Saturn SR 51879)
Cosmo-Extensions [4:24] (Saturn SR 51879)
Quest [2:38] (Saturn Gemini 1982Z)
Outer Space Plateau [2:22] (Saturn Gemini 1982Z)
The Evidence two CD set, which has won many awards since its release, contains forty-nine tracks and a thick, fact filled booklet with essays by Robert Campbell, Michael Shore, Robert Pruter, and John Szwed. Information on most of the individual tracks may be found above. [Moudry]
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