Sun Ra - The Other Side of the Sun (1980)

The Other Side of the Sun is a great example (among many) of Ra's ability to deftly use traditional Big Band Jazz as a launch pad for his exploratory adventures.  The wonderful sound and inclusion of some standards makes this a nice choice as an introduction for those unfamiliar and wary of Ra's reputation for expressing Interstellar Chaos through music.

Space Fling

The Sun Ra Arkestra looks both forwards and backwards in time on this obscure small label LP. Ten years earlier, one could not have imagined Ra and his men romping through "On the Sunny Side of the Street" or reinventing "Flamingo." However, those versions certainly sound quite original, and there is no mistaking the band for any other orchestra on "Space Fling," "Manhattan Cocktail" and the trademark "Space Is the Place." The music on this album features a version of the Arkestra consisting of six reeds (including John Gilmore and Marshall Allen), three trumpets (including Michael Ray and Eddie Gale), two trombones (with a young Robin Eubanks), the French horn of Vincent Chancey, guitarist Dale Williams, three bassists, four percussionists, singer June Tyson and the leader's keyboards. A stimulating set.

281. [224]  Sun Ra and his Arkestra
Sun Ra (p, Fender Rhodes ep, perc, bells, voc); Walter Miller (tp); Michael Ray (tp); Eddie Gale (tp); Tony bethel (tb); Robin Eubanks (tb); Vincent Chancey (Fr hn); Marshall Allen (as, fl); Danny Davis (as, fl); John Gilmore (ts, timb); James Jacson (bsn, fl, Inf-d); Eloe Omoe (bcl, as); Danny Ray Thompson (bars, fl, perc); Dale Williams (eg); Oscar Brown Jr. (eb); Bob Cunningham (b); Ben "Jereeboo" Henderson [Jeribu Shahid] (b); Atakatune (cga, perc); Luqman Ali (d, perc); William Goffigan (perc); Eddie Thomas (perc); June Tyson (voc).

Sweet Earth SER 1003, The Other Side of the Sun, was released in 1980.  All information from the album jacket.  Personnel is collective, and it is not known at which session individual tracks were recorded.  It is a reasonable bet, however, that "Space Fling" was made on November 1.

from Campbell / Trent  The Earthly Recordings 2nd ed.

or

 This is a rip that I found online (in some far off [unknown] place, many light-years in space).  I attempted my own rip but this sounds much better than what my copy would yield.  Many THANKS to the original ripper.

Aren't these pictures of the band playing before Bill Sebastian's OVC amazing?