I want some Sun Ra
 

My usual record store has most of his stuff on 180g Vinyl, only problem is I don't know whathis best stuff is. How about instead of just listing sun ra albums lets try and come to a consensus though, haha these sort of threads tend to go on for pages upon pages with just listing of albums, and the occasional argument XD.

I got into Sun Ra via Atlantis, but that was after I already familiarized myself with some other avant-garde jazz. I absolutely hated the thing when I first listened to it four years ago. It's really great though if you know what you're getting into. Futuristic Worlds of Sun Ra, Sound of Joy, Space Is the Place, and Lanquidity are more accessible starters (though I don't think Futuristic Worlds and Space Is the Place were reissued on 180g vinyl recently.)

Atlantis and Space is the Place are likely the best entry points.

Cosmic Tones for Mental Therapy is the ultimate in "Out" Ra. There is no other music like it in his or anyone's discography.

Concert for the Comet Kohoutek is one of the best live albums, but all three volumes of Heliocentric Worlds are at least as good.

Reflections in Blue is the only one I'd suggest avoiding as it actually sounds a bit like electric smooth jazz all the way through. Otherwise, every record is worth the adventure of checking out.

did you read http://sonicyouth.com/gossip/showthread.php?t=29322

I've always found this site to be useful for quick reviews to see if I'd like a certain album or not:

http://www.myrecordcollection.org/ar...sunrapage.html

Probably not every Sun Ra album listed but more than enough to see what you might like. I myself have yet to buy a Sun Ra album, though I've listened to a couple, so I can't really say which ones are his best.

space is the place
atlantis
nuclear war (the song alone is wonderful)
cant go wrong from there....

check youtube for the bbc documentary on him from last year.....its there somewhere!

not be nitpicky but i really doubt yr local record store has "most of his stuff on 180g vinyl" i think you're underestimating his catalogue, dozens of his albums are not in print on vinyl

anyways i'm guessing since it's 180g reissues it's probably the reissues of saturn albums(with black and white sleeves usually??) so look for

The Magic City
Night Of The Purple Moon(4 person band, funky and obscure album)
Fate in A Pleasant Mood(referenced lyrically on new SY Album, definitely one of the best Ra lps especially of the chicago period)

those last two are pretty underrated but are alot better than most of his more popular records, the magic city is probably his best one of the sixties and is basically like a much,much better version of atlantis(which aside from the title track is a lesser release to my ears), heliocentric worlds 1+2 are awesome, heliocentric worlds 3 is good but it should have been called "Nothing Is 2", on that note, "Nothing Is" is good

there's an album called cosmos which i've seen on reissue and which is cheaply available on ebay as an original which is excellent, or get Astro Black, it's OOP i think but the original would cost you about $8 on ebay

Atlantis
The Futuristic Sounds of
The Heliocentric Worlds of, vol 1 and 2
Secrets of the Sun
Space is the Place
The Sound of Joy
God is more than Love can ever be

those are my favorites, theyre all worth your time. srry dude, but when a discography is as big and wonderful as sun ra's, youre not going to have hundreds of board members come to a "consensus" as to what's the best. so, why dont you just be a good music collector and seek out everything and decide what you like the best.

Haha trust me I try, I just dont want to come out of the thread knowing no more than I did when I came out you know? Haha sometimes tehse just turn into a list of albums the artist made.

My only problem with Atlantis is the terrible production.

^That's probably the #1 thing I love about Atlantis.

The four new releases coming out (Interplanetary Melodies, The Second Stop is Jupiter, Rocket Ship Rock and I Am Strange) via the Norton label should be awesome.

New Sun Ra Releases on Norton Records [Fall 2009]

http://nortonville.blogspot.com/

We've also got three volumes on LP and CD of Sun Ra's early Chicago-era vocal group recordings, including a mess of unished mayhem and an entire set of Muck Muck Yochanan and other delights. Copious notes from Arkesta trapsman Michael D. Anderson and the Norton crew, fastidious transfers and mastering, and beauteous packages make these an essential trio for all. Dig also a superb seven inch spoken word 45 RPM single of Sun Ra!

WATCH OUT FOR MUCK MUCK!
Norton recently took a rocket ride into the vaults of El Saturn Research and arrived back on Earth with a motherlode of unissued early R&B, doo wop, soul and general weirdness featuring Sun Ra and his Arkestra backing a variety of artists. Atomic outer space genius from yet another Norton turban headed star!

http://www.nortonrecords.com/index2.html

SUN RA - INTERPLANETARY MELODIES (Norton 352)
COSMIC RAYS - Daddy's Gonna Tell You No Lie / Dreaming* / Bye Bye / Somebody’s In Love* / Summertime / CRYSTALS - Honey In The Bee Box* / NU SOUNDS - Spaceship Lullaby* / I’m Through With You* / Africa / Dabba Dabba Dabba Du Day* / QUALITIES - It’s Christmas Time / If I Only Hadn’t Sinned* / JUANITA ROGERS - Love Letters Full Of Promises* / JUANITA ROGERS AND LYNN HOLLINGS -Teenager's Letter Of Promises / SUN RA - Tony’s Wife* (* = previously unissued)

LP-$10
CD-$12

SUN RA - THE SECOND STOP IS JUPITER (Norton 353)
COSMIC RAYS - Somebody's In Love / Daddy’s Gonna Tell You No Lie* / Dreaming / There’s A Small Hotel* / The Second Stop Is Jupiter* / NU SOUNDS - Spaceship Lullaby* / Honeysuckle Rose* / Baby Won't You Please Be Mine* / Black Sky And Blue Moon* / Dreams Come True* / QUALITIES - Happy New Year To You / She’s My Moonglow* / CRYSTALS - Little Sally Walker* / JUANITA ROGERS - I’m So Glad You Love Me* / I’m So Glad You Love Me / SUN RA - Stuff Like That There* (* = previously unissued)

LP-$10
CD-$12

SUN RA - ROCKET SHIP ROCK (Norton 354)
YOCHANAN - Muck Muck / Hot Skillet Momma / Rocket Ship Rock* / Is That Me?* / Hot Skillet Mama (alt. take)* / Muck Muck (alt. take)* / The Sun Man Speaks / Message To Earthman #1 / Message To Earthman #2 / LITTLE MACK - Tell Her To Come On Home / LACY GIBSON - I Am Gonna Unmask The Batman / EBAH - I Am Gonna Unmask The Batman* / DON (DINO) DEAN - Space Stroll (* = previously unissued)

LP-$10
CD-$12

SUN RA - I AM STRANGE / I AM AN INSTRUMENT (45-153)
Unissued sixties spoken word mysticism from Saturn, with otherworldly instrumentation. Absolutely brain bending and everso essential!

45-$5

you really cannot go wrong with sun ra, just start buying all of them

That's only 95% true. There's a record called Reflections in Blue that is mostly digital synth smooth jazz covers of standards without much of the Sci Fi influence at all. really just his pic on the cover. I actually got rid of it, and I worship everything else the man has done.

atlantis rules my balls

Disco 3000
Media Dreams

those are the best from the late 70's period where he was doing more progressive elctro style cheese jazz, but on these there is same crazy awesome Moogesque synth damage noise destruction patterns that he's creating that is INSANE!


Some of my favs which are more "out" or "free":

Nuclear War (least free)
Heliocentric Worlds Vol 1 & 2
Space is the Place
Astro Black
Magic City
Other Planes of There
Nothing Is
Strange Strings
Outer Spaceways Incorporated
Solar Myth Approach Vol 1 & 2
My Brother the Wind Vol. 1 (not so much Vol. 2, but this one has some insane unorthodox Moog workouts countered with amazing sax solo spazzouts by John Gilmore, hard to find though may not be a reissue of this from Evidence)
Concert for Comet Kouhetek

Any Ra is good Ra but general rule of thumb is anything from the 60's is the most essential. (particularly 62-66 for my money his creative peak)

I'd probably start with Angels and Demons At Play/Nubians of Plutonia or Secrets of The Sun form the early sixties, then work towards the more chaotic stuff, like Cosmic Tones, Magic City and Strange Strings.

Very underated is 'What Planet Is This' - an amazing 2hr concert from the 70's that covers the entire spectrum.

Also when Ra branched out into more commercial realms it made for some pleasing results (My Brother The Wind ('space BBQ music'), Lanquidity (space-funk) or On Jupiter (space-disco), Night of The Purple Moon, Days of Happiness (great small band/trio recordings)

Hope this helps!:)

nice thread!