Sun Ra & His Intergalactic Infinity Arkestra – The Night of the Purple Moon

The Night of the Purple Moon, recorded and released in 1970, has a vague flavor of psychedelia. Credit the presence of an electronic keyboard popular with late-1960s shaggy-haired acid-rock bands: the Rock-Si-Chord. It served as a louder stand-in for the ancient harpsichord, which couldn't compete against high-decibel electric guitars. On Purple Moon there's a sense that after a decade of experimentalism and genre-bending jazz-not-jazz, Sun Ra sought to produce an accessible pop album. The Arkestra here is minimal, with only three sidemen: saxophonist John Gilmore (oddly, mostly playing drums), bassist Stafford James (his sole recording with Ra), and Danny Davis (reeds and percussion).Six bonus tracks on are on this expanded edition, including Stargazers Theme-Another Tomorrow from a 1971 European TV concert, which presents Ra playing Rock-Si-Chord and Moog onstage; and a work with the assigned title July 4, 1973, the date Ra played Rock-Si live at Flushing Meadow Park, Queens, New York, in a quartet setting (which includes drummer Beaver Harris in his only known appearance with Ra). 2xLP packaged in tip-on gatefold jacket with liner notes by Irwin Chusid and Brian Kehew.

Disc 1

1. Sun-Earth Rock
2. The All of Everything
3. Impromptu Festival
4. Blue Soul
5. Narrative (Takes 1 ; 2)
6. Outside the Time Zone
7. Night of the Purple Moon (Take 2)
8. A Bird's Eye View of Man's World
9. 21st Century Romance
10. Dance of the Living Image
11. Love in Outer Space (Take 1)
12. Night of the Purple Moon (Take 1, Alternate)
13. Stargazers Theme - Another Tomorrow (Live)
14. Love in Outer Space (Single Version)
15. Dance of the Living Image (Rehearsal)
16. July 4, 1973 (Live)
17. Love in Outer Space (Vocal Version)

Label: Cosmic Myth Records

Catalog: 11

Genre: Jazz