Sun Ra discography

The Sun Ra discography is one of the largest discographies in music history.[1][2] Jazz keyboardist, bandleader and composer Sun Ra recorded dozens of singles and over one hundred full-length albums, comprising well over 1,000 songs, and making him one of the most prolific recording artists of the 20th century.[3]

History

His own El Saturn Records albums were usually printed in editions of 75 copies per album, and were sold primarily at live performances. Many of Sun Ra's early albums were recorded at home by Ra himself on wire or early tape recorders, and are decidedly lo-fi. Despite the technological limitations, Ra used some innovative recording techniques, and these recordings provided an unprecedented level of documentation, and were inspirational in showing how artists could take control of the means of production and distribution of their works.

Prior to the 1970s, most of these albums were produced in Chicago through the "El Saturn Records Research" enterprise established by Ra and his colleague Alton Abraham, while later El Saturn Records were produced in Philadelphia. A batch of the most significant recordings were licensed to Impulse! Records in the mid-1970s. They were not as successful as hoped, and were deleted from the Impulse catalog, becoming available around the world as inexpensive "cut-outs" and making the music more widely available.

Most El Saturn Records were hand-decorated by Arkestra members, and these LP records sometimes sell for high prices among collectors. These El Saturn Records releases, dating from the 1950s to at least the late 1980s, typically had little or no information as to performers or recording dates, and sometimes didn't even list the songs on the album, often pressing one LP side from one era with another from a different decade, leading to some confusion among completists and fans.

After Sun Ra's death, many of his recordings were released on compact disc for the first time by Evidence Records, Ihnfinity Music, ESP Disk / ZYX Music, or Impulse!. As is the case with an artist whose output is so extensive, there is quite a bit of debate regarding his "best" albums. Of all these recordings, many critics and enthusiasts feel that the 1959 big band album Jazz In Silhouette is the best entry-point into his work,[4] with The Penguin Guide to Jazz naming the album as part of a recommended "Core Collection" for any serious jazz fan and as "one of the most important jazz records since World War II."[5]

Albums

Studio
Recording date(s)AlbumCredited artistOriginal Label(s)Release date
1953/1973Deep Purple (A.K.A. Dreams Come True)Sun Ra and His Arkestra featuring Stuff SmithEl Saturn1973
1956-07-12Jazz by Sun Ra (A.K.A. Sun Song)Sun Ra and His ArkestraTransition1957
1956Super-Sonic Jazz (A.K.A. Super-Sonic Sounds)Le Sun Ra and His ArkestraEl Saturn1957-03
1956-11-01Sound of JoySun Ra and the ArkestraDelmark Records1968
1956/1958Visits Planet EarthSun Ra and His Solar ArkestraEl Saturn1966
1958/1959The Nubians of Plutonia (aka The Lady with the Golden Stockings)Sun Ra and His Myth Science ArkestraEl Saturn1966
1959-03-06Jazz in SilhouetteSun Ra and His ArkestraEl Saturn1959-05
1959-03-06Sound Sun Pleasure!!Sun Ra and His Astro Infinity ArkestraEl Saturn1970
1959/1960Interstellar Low Ways (aka Rocket Number Nine)Sun Ra and His Myth Science ArkestraEl Saturn1966
1960Fate In A Pleasant MoodSun Ra and His Myth Science ArkestraEl Saturn1965
1960Holiday For Soul DanceSun Ra and His Intergalactic ArkestraEl Saturn1970
1956/1960Angels and Demons at PlaySun Ra and His Myth Science ArkestraEl Saturn1965
1956/1961We Travel the Space WaysSun Ra and His Myth Science ArkestraEl Saturn1967
1961-10-10The Futuristic Sounds of Sun Ra (aka We are in the Future)Sun Ra and His ArkestraSavoy Records1962
1961Bad and BeautifulSun Ra and His Myth Science ArkestraEl Saturn1972
1961/1962Art Forms of Dimensions TomorrowSun Ra and His Solar ArkestraEl Saturn1965
1962Secrets of the SunSun Ra and His Solar ArkestraEl Saturn1965
1962What's New?Sun RaEl Saturn1975
1962/1963When Sun Comes OutSun Ra and His Myth Science ArkestraEl Saturn1963
1963Cosmic Tones for Mental TherapySun Ra and His Myth Science ArkestraEl Saturn1967
1963When Angels Speak of LoveSun Ra and His Myth Science ArkestraEl Saturn1966
1964Other Planes of ThereSun Ra and His Solar ArkestraEl Saturn1966
1965-04-20The Heliocentric Worlds of Sun Ra, Volume OneSun Ra and His Solar ArkestraESP-Disk1965
1965The Magic CitySun Ra and His Solar ArkestraEl Saturn1966
1965-11-16The Heliocentric Worlds of Sun Ra, Volume TwoSun Ra and His Solar ArkestraESP-Disk1965
1966Strange StringsSun Ra and His Astro-Infinity ArkestraEl Saturn1967
1966Monorails and Satellites, Vol 1 & Vol 2Sun RaEl Saturn1968 (Vol.I)
1974 (Vol.II)
1968ContinuationSun Ra and His Astro-Infinity ArkestraEl Saturn1970
1967/1969AtlantisSun Ra and His Astro-Infinity ArkestraEl Saturn1969
1961-70Out There a MinuteSun Ra and His ArkestraBlast First1989
1969-70Space Probe (aka A Tonal View of Times Tomorrow, Vol. 1)Sun RaEl Saturn1974
1962-70The Invisible Shield
(aka Janus, A Tonal View of Times Tomorrow, Vol. 2, Satellites are Outerspace)		Sun Ra and His Intergalactic Research ArkestraEl Saturn1974
1969My Brother the WindSun Ra and His Astro Infinity ArkestraEl Saturn1970
1970[6]The Night of the Purple MoonSun RaEl Saturn1970
1970My Brother the Wind Volume II (Otherness)Sun Ra and His Astro Infinity ArkestraEl Saturn1971
1971[7][8]Solar Myth Approach Vols 1+2Sun Ra and His Solar Myth ArkestraBYG Actuel1972
1972Astro BlackSun RaImpulse!1973
1972Soundtrack to the Film Space Is the PlaceSun Ra and His Intergalactic Solar ArkestraEvidence1993
1972-10-19/20Space Is the PlaceSun RaBlue Thumb Records1973
1973Discipline 27Sun Ra and His Astro Intergalactic Infinity ArkestraEl Saturn1973
1973Outer Space Employment AgencySun Ra and His Intergalactic ArkestraTotal Energy1999
1973Pathways to Unknown WorldsSun Ra and His Astro Infinity ArkestraImpulse!1975
1973Friendly LoveSun Ra and His Astro Infinity ArkestraEvidence Music, Inc.2000
1976CosmosSun RaCobra1976-08
1977Some Blues But Not the Kind That's BlueSun RaEl Saturn1977
1977Solo Piano Volume 1Sun RaImprovising Artists1977
1978New StepsSun Ra QuartetHoro1978
1978Other Voices, Other BluesSun Ra QuartetHoro1978
1978VisionsSun Ra and Walt DickersonSteepleChase Records1978
1978LanquiditySun RaPhilly Jazz1978-07
1979OmniverseSun RaEl Saturn[9]1979
1979On JupiterSun Ra and His ArkestraEl Saturn1979
1979Strange Celestial RoadSun Ra ArkestraRounder Records1980
1979Sleeping BeautySun Ra and His ArkestraEl Saturn1979
1979The Other Side of the SunSun Ra and His ArkestraSweet Earth Records1979
1979-07-25God Is More than Love Can Ever BeSun Ra TrioSaturn 725791989
1980Aurora BorealisSun RaEl Saturn 104801981
1982A Fireside Chat with LuciferSun Ra and His Outer Space ArkestraSaturn Research B1984SG-91983
1982Celestial LoveSun Ra and His Outer Space ArkestraEl Saturn 198421984
1982Nuclear WarSun Ra ArkestraY Records1982-09
1986-12-18/19Reflections in BlueSun Ra ArkestraBlack Saint1987
1986-12-18/19Hours AfterSun Ra ArkestraBlack Saint1987
1988Hidden Fire 1Sun RaSaturn 13188III / 12988II1988
1988Hidden Fire 2Sun RaSaturn 13088A / 12988B1988
1988-12/1989-11Somewhere ElseSun RaRounder1993
1988-12-05Blue DelightSun RaA&M Records1989
1989-11Purple NightSun RaA&M Records1990
1990-07-24/25Mayan TemplesSun Ra ArkestraBlack Saint1990-07

Posthumous releases of studio material and rehearsals
RecordedAlbumArtistRelease date & notesOriginal Label(s)
1963Blue YorkSun Ra2014 as a bonus disc for the Continuation album re-release and 2016 as the Blue York Album. Previously unreleased recording from 1963[10]Jeanne Dielman
1965Heliocentric Worlds Vol. 3 (The Lost Tapes)Sun Ra2005. Previously unreleased recording from the Heliocentric Worlds Volume II sessions[11]ESP Disk
1965Other Strange WorldsSun Ra And His Astro-Infinity Arkestra2014. Previously unreleased recording made in Sun Ra's apartment in New York City[12]Roaratorio
1966Thunder of the GodsSun Ra and His Arkestra2017. Previously unreleased live and studio recordings[13]Modern Harmonic
1968-69Sun EmbassySun Ra And His Astro-Ihnfinity Arkestra2018. Archival recordings from the Sun Ra Philadelphia house, Sun Studios, from May 1968 to October 1969 [14]Roaratorio
1969The Intergalactic ThingSun Ra And His Astro-Ihnfinity Arkestra2016. A dozen previously unreleased recordings from rehearsals at the Sun Ra Philadelphia house[15]Roaratorio
1973Crystal SpearsSun Ra2000. Previously unreleased album which was planned for release and shelved by Impulse! in the 1970s[16]Evidence
1973CymbalsSun Ra2000. Previously unreleased album which was planned for release and shelved by Impulse! in the 1970s[16]Evidence
1973Sign Of The MythSun Ra And His Astro-Infinity Arkestra2014. Previously unreleased Impulse! recordings from the Pathways To Unknown Worlds sessions[17]Roaratorio
1974Dance of the Living Image: The Lost Reel Collection Volume 4Sun Ra2007. Previously unreleased reel-to-reel rehearsal sessions made in San Francisco[18]Transparency

Live
RecordedAlbumNotesOriginal Label(s)
1960Music from Tomorrow's World: Chicago 1960Sun Ra and His ArkestraAtavistic
1964Featuring Pharoah Sanders & Black HaroldSun RaESP-Disk
1966Nothing IsSun RaESP-Disk
1966-68Outer Spaceways IncorporatedSun Ra and His ArkestraBlack Lion Records
1968Pictures of InfinitySun RaBlack Lion Records
1970Nuits de la Fondation MaeghtSun Ra ArkestraShandar
1970It's After the End of the WorldSun Ra and His Intergalactic Research ArkestraMPS
1970Black Myth/Out in SpaceSun Ra and His Intergalactic Research ArkestraMotor Music
1971NidhamuSun Ra and His Astro Intergalactic Infinity ArkestraEl Saturn
1971Live in Egypt 1Sun Ra and His Astro Intergalactic Infinity ArkestraEl Saturn
1971HorizonSun Ra and His ArkestraEl Saturn
1971The Paris Tapes - Live at Le Theatre Du Chatlet 1971Sun Ra and His Mythic Science ArkestraKindred Spirits / Art Yard
1973What Planet Is This?Sun Ra and His Space ArkestraLeo
1973Concert for the Comet KohoutekSun RaESP-Disk
1973Live in Paris at the "Gibus"Sun RaAtlantic Records
1973Planets Of Life Or Death: Amiens '73Sun Ra and His Intergalactic Research ArkestraStrut
1974Out Beyond the Kingdom OfSun Ra and His Outer Space ArkestraEl Saturn 61674
1974The Antique BlacksSun Ra and His ArkestraSaturn 81774
1974Sub UndergroundSun Ra and His ArkestraSaturn 92074
1976Live at MontreuxSun Ra and His ArkestraInner City Records
1976A Quiet Place in the UniverseSun Ra and His ArkestraLeo
1977Taking a Chance on ChancesSun Ra and His ArkestraSaturn
1977Somewhere Over the RainbowSun Ra and His ArkestraSaturn
1977The Soul Vibrations of ManSun Ra and His ArkestraSaturn
1977St. Louis Blues (solo piano)Sun RaImprovising Artists
1977Some Blues But Not the Kind That's BlueSun Ra and His ArkestraSaturn
1977Solo Piano Recital Teatro La FeniceSun RaLeo
1977UnitySun Ra and His ArkestraHoro
1978Springtime in ChicagoThe Sun Ra ArkestraLeo
1978Disco 3000Sun Ra QuartetEl Saturn
1978Media DreamsSun Ra QuartetEl Saturn
1978The Sound MirrorSun Ra and His ArkestraEl Saturn
1979Of Mythic WorldsSun RaPhilly Jazz[19]
1979I, PharaohSun Ra and His ArkestraEl Saturn 6680[20]
1979[21]Live from SoundscapeSun Ra and His ArkestraDIW Records
1980Sunrise in Different DimensionsThe Sun Ra ArkestraHathut Records
1980The Complete Detroit Jazz Center ResidencySun Ra And The Omniverse Jet Set Arkestra
Limited issue of 500 copies, 28-CD Box Set		Transparency
1981Beyond the Purple Star ZoneSun Ra And His Omniverse Jet-Set ArkestraEl Saturn 123180
1981Dance of Innocent PassionSun RaEl Saturn
1982Oblique Parallaxprimarily Sun Ra on keyboardEl Saturn SR72881
1983The Sun Ra Arkestra Meets Salah Ragab In EgyptThe Sun Ra Arkestra / Salah Ragab / The Cairo Jazz BandLeo
1983Love in Outer SpaceSun Ra and His ArkestraLeo
1983HiroshimaThe Sun Ra All Stars BandArt Yard Records
1984Cosmo Sun ConnectionSun Ra and His ArkestraSaturn/ Recommended Records
1984Live at Praxis '84The Sun Ra ArkestraLeo
1985Live at Club LingerieThe Sun Ra ArkestraTransparency
1985Live at Myron's BallroomThe Sun Ra ArkestraTransparency
1986A Night in East BerlinSun Ra and His Cosmo Discipline ArkestraLeo
1987John Cage Meets Sun RaSun Ra and John CageMeltdown
1988[22]Cosmo Omnibus Imagiable IllusionSun Ra ArkestraDIW
1989Second Star to the Right (Salute to Walt Disney)Sun Ra & His Intergalactic ArkestraLeo
1989Stardust from TomorrowSun Ra & His Intergalaxtic ArkestraLeo
1990Live in London 1990Sun Ra and His Year 2000 Myth Science ArkestraBlast First
1990Live at the Hackney EmpireSun Ra And The Year 2000 Myth Science ArkestraLeo
1990Pleiades[23]Sun Ra and His ArkestraLeo Records
1991At the Village VanguardSun Ra SextetRounder
1991Friendly GalaxySun Ra ArkestraLeo
1992Destination UnknownSun Ra & His Omniverse ArkestraEnja Records

Compilations
ReleasedAlbumCredited artistOriginal Label(s)
2000Greatest Hits: Easy Listening for Intergalactic TravelSun Ra and His ArkestraEvidence
2001Out in SpaceSun Ra and His Intergalactic Research Arkestra–
2007The Creator of the Universe (Lost Reel: Volume 1)Sun RaTransparency
2007Intergalactic Research (Lost Reel: Volume 2)Sun RaTransparency
2007The Shadows Took Shape (Lost Reel: Volume 3)Sun RaTransparency
2007Dance of the Living Image (Lost Reel: Volume 4)Sun RaTransparency
2009Interplanetary MelodiesSun Ra and His ArkestraNorton
2009The Second Stop Is JupiterSun Ra and His ArkestraNorton
2009Rocket Ship RockSun Ra and His ArkestraNorton
2014In the Orbit of Ra[24]Sun Ra and His ArkestraStrut
2015To Those of Earth... And Other WorldsSun Ra and His ArkestraStrut
2016The Space Age Is Here To StaySun Ra and His Interplanetary Vocal ArkestraModern Harmonic/Sundazed Music
2016-11-25Singles: The Definitive 45s Collection, Vol. 1—1952–1961Sun RaStrut
RecordedAlbumCredited artistOriginal Label(s)
1954-60Spaceship Lullaby: Chicago 1954-60Sun Ra/the Vocal Groups featuring Nu Sounds, the Unitels & the Cosmic RaysAtavistic
1966Impressions of a Patch of BlueWalt Dickerson Quartet with Sun Ra on harpsichordMGM
1966Batman and Robin - The Sensational Guitars of Dan and DaleUncredited, but featuring Sun Ra & members of the Arkestra and the Blues ProjectTifton
1968A Black MassImamu Amiri Baraka with Sun Ra and His Myth Science ArkestraJihad Productions[25]
1988Stay Awake: Various Interpretations of Music from Vintage Disney FilmsSun Ra & His Arkestra perform "Pink Elephants On Parade" from DumboA&M Records
1992A Tribute to Stuff SmithBilly Bang with Sun Ra, John Ore and Andrew CyrilleSoul Note
2013ARTPOPWriting credit with Lady Gaga for the song "Venus"Interscope

References
  1. "Sun Ra discography". Allmusic.
  2. Campbell, Robert L. & Trent, Christopher (2000). The Earthly Recordings of Sun Ra (2nd ed.). Redwood, NY: Cadence Jazz Books. ISBN 978-1-881993-35-3.
  3. Szwed, John F. (1997). Space Is the Place: The Lives and Times of Sun Ra. New York City: Pantheon Books. p. xvii. ISBN 978-0-679-43589-1.
  4. Planer, Lindsay. "Jazz In Silhouette". AllMusic. Retrieved February 15, 2007.
  5. Cook, Richard & Morton, Brian (2006) [1992]. "Sun Ra". The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings (8th ed.). New York City: Penguin Books. p. 1245. ISBN 0-14-102327-9.
  6. Collins, Troy (August 15, 2007). "Sun Ra: The Night Of The Purple Moon". All About Jazz.
  7. Mason, Stewart. "The Solar-Myth Approach, Vol. 1". AllMusic.
  8. Cook, Stephen. "The Solar-Myth Approach, Vol. 2". AllMusic.
  9. "Sun Ra - Omniverse". Discogs.
  10. "Sun Ra Continuation". Discogs. Retrieved July 23, 2016.
  11. "Sign Of The Myth". Roaratorio. Retrieved July 23, 2016.
  12. "Other Strange Worlds". Roaratorio. Retrieved July 23, 2016.
  13. Pearce, Sheldon (April 13, 2017). "Sun Ra and His Arkestra: Thunder of the Gods". Pitchfork. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
  14. "Sun Embassy". Forced Exposure. Retrieved July 8, 2018.
  15. "The Intergalactic Thing". Roaratorio. Retrieved July 23, 2016.
  16. Ruhlmann, William. "Great Lost Sun Ra Albums: Cymbals & Crystal Spears". AllMusic. Retrieved July 24, 2016.
  17. "Sun Ra – Heliocentric Worlds Vol. 3 (The Lost Tapes)". Discogs. Retrieved July 23, 2016.
  18. Nastos, Michael G. "Dance of the Living Image". AllMusic. Retrieved July 24, 2016.
  19. "Sun Ra - Of Mythic Worlds". Discogs.
  20. Campbell, Robert (30 January 2013). "Sun Ra Discography: Items 76-127". University of Alabama at Birmingham. Archived from the original on 20 July 2011.
  21. "Live from Soundscape". AllMusic.
  22. "Live at Pitt-In, Tokyo". AllMusic.
  23. Campbell, Robert. "Sun Ra discography". University of Alabama at Birmingham. Archived from the original on 2011-07-20. Retrieved July 23, 2016.
  24. Westergaard, Sean. "In the Orbit of Ra". AllMusic. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
  25. "LeRoi Jones / Le Sun Ra* - A Black Mass". Discogs.
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