Sun Ra and His Arkestra : Jazz in Silhouette
Genre: Cosmic Big Band Free Jazz	Dates: 1958

Ra claimed to have come from Saturn (one among many of “The Sun One”’s intriguing notion—see John Szwed’s Space is the Place, one of jazz’s great biographies, for more), but before you start laughing—spin the CD. You will hear compositions of great euphoniousness and calamity; of great tenderness and anger; of intricate structure and surprising freedom; of ancient tradition and still-fresh innovation. Not only that—if that isn’t enough—but terrific soloists (John Gilmore—an influence on John Coltrane—Hobart Dotson, Pat Patrick, Ra himself) and Egyptology! Attention punks: Ra was one of the first DIYers, designing his own covers (sometimes even painting them himself) and distributing his own singles at gigs. A true American original.

Playlist:
1. Enlightenment
2. Saturn
3. Velvet
4. Ancient Aiethopia
5. Hours After
6. Horoscope
7. Images
8. Blues At Midnight