The Singles

Performer: Sun Ra
Artist: Buddy Guy; Julian Priester; Lacy Gibson; John Gilmore; James Spaulding; Ronnie Boykins; Michael Ray
Distributor: Select-O-Hits

Notes: Personnel includes: Sun "Mr. V" Ra (keyboards); Danny Davis, Marshall Allen, John Gilmore, Pat Patrick (vocals, saxophones); Lacy Gibson (vocals, guitar); Yochanan, Roland Williams, Calvin Barron, Juanita Rogers, Lynn Hollings, Little Mack, David Henderson, James Jacson, Sam Bankhead, June Tyson (vocals); Bobby Fields, Danny Ray Thompson, Mickey Boss, James Spaulding (saxophones); Art Hoyle, Lucious Randolph, Michael Ray, Walter Strictland, Phil Cohran (trumpet); Julian Priester, Tyrone Hill (trombone); Buddy Guy (guitar); Ronnie Boykins, Richard Evans, Wilburn Green, Stafford James (bass); Clifford Jarvis, Robert Barry, Jon Hardy, Luqman Ali (drums); Jim Herndon, Tito (percussion); The Nu Sounds, The Cosmic Rays, The Qualities. Compilation producer: Jerry Gordon. Principally recorded in Chicago, Illinois and New York, New York. Includes liner notes by Michael Shore, Robert Pruter, Robert L. Campbell & John F. Szwed. THE SINGLES, a collection of self-released 45s spanning his entire career, will undoubtedly raise anyone's esteem of the legendary band leader. Aside from putting out his own records long before artist-run labels became de rigeur, living and dressing by his own celestially-inspired code (later adopted as George Clinton's funk mythology), and claiming he was from Saturn, the former Sonny Blount had a voracious musical appetite that consumed nearly every post-war style. So while he was mostly renowned for a swinging mixture of suave Ellingtonian grooves and Ornette's freedom-enhanced modernism, THE SINGLES shows off the sizzling R&B, small-group lounge jazz, glorious doo-wop and straight-up Chicago blues sides of Ra's resume. THE SINGLES also includes tracks where Ra's credited only as pianist, arranger, composer, etc. Recorded under a handful of witty sci-fi-related pseudonyms, these don't just capture Ra's diverse repertoire; they highlight his ability to naturally glide amongst seemingly incompatible moods, between the punkish, juke-joint R&B of a "space age" blues jumper named Yochahan, the street-corner serenade of Ra's vocal arrangements of Gershwin tunes for The Nu Sounds, and The Arkestra's patented South Side swing. These singles make up a secret history of one of jazz' giants--history well worth knowing.

Spin (1/97, p.82) - 8 (out of 10) - "...too uneven to provide the ideal introduction to Ra's omniverse...it's still a treasure trove of mischief, and an inspiring way of mapping the many rings of wound visited by America's most intrepid astral traveler..." Down Beat (1/97, p.44) - 4.5 Stars - (out of 5) - "Prepare yourself: This is one of the major archival projects of the decade....this excursion into Ra's extensive and virtually unkown work as a producer of seven-inch, 45-rpm singles lets listeners in on several heretofore shrouded zones in his seemingly boundless musical omniverse..." Option (11-12/97, p.132) - "...lots of beautifully bizarre nuggets....offbeat even by Sun Ra standards, this is not the place to start for Sun Ra neophytes. But for hardcore fans, how can you get along without it?" Musician (2/97, p.122) - "...equal parts big band swing, blues, R&B, performance art, black vaudeville, twentieth-century harmony and Afrocentric rythm-n-ning, animated by a folksy vision of the cosmos and a generous dollop of hokum..."

Claiming to be from Saturn, and combining the aesthetics of extraterrestrials and ancient Egyptians, Sun Ra was one of the most distinctive, visionary artists in jazz. A piano and synthesizer player, and a widely inventive band leader, Ra combined big-band Ellingtonia, free jazz, electronic soundscapes, and celestial themes into an idiosyncratic stew, bolstered by the intense loyalty of his band members (they stuck together from the 1950s until Ra's death in 1993, eschewing higher-paying gigs for the opportunity to play his music). Once dismissed for his surreal antics, Sun Ra has become acclaimed for his brilliant contributions to jazz. His huge discography is a singular monument to his indefatigable artistry.

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