''Jazz in Silhouette'' is the third studio album by pianist-composer

Sun Ra Le Sony'r Ra (born Herman Poole Blount, May 22, 1914 – May 30, 1993), better known as Sun Ra, was an American jazz composer, bandleader, piano and synthesizer player, and poet known for his experimental music, "cosmic" philosophy, prolific out ...

and His Arkestra. It was recorded on March 6, 1959, and released in May of the same year.From Sonny Blount to Sun Ra: The Chicago Years, Robert L. Campbell, Christopher Trent, and Robert Pruter, 2009
/ref> The album was recorded in Chicago during a session that also included the whole of the albums '' Sound Sun Pleasure!!'' and "Interstellar Low Ways" from the album of the same name.

Background

Critics have described the album as one of Ra's best from his relatively conventional early-career Chicago period before veering off into 'full-fledged explorations into the avant-garde' Planer, Lindsay.

Allmusic review AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

/ref> that characterises the recordings made in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

in the 1960s. Recorded in 1959 at El Saturn Studio, Chicago, the album is one of three records that the Arkestra released in the 1950s, the other two being ''

Jazz by Sun Ra ''Jazz By Sun Ra'' (later titled ''Sun Song'') is the debut album by Sun Ra. The record label for the first pressing says "07-12-56", presumably when it was recorded. The LP originally appeared on Tom Wilson's short-lived ''Transition Records''. ...

'' and '' Super-Sonic Jazz''. Originally released in a simple silk-screened cover credited to HP Corbissero, the album had gained its sci-fi cover, 'of half-naked women teleporting themselves over one of the moons of Saturn', credited to 'Evans' by the early 1960s. The album was reissued by Impulse in 1974, and released on CD by Evidence in 1992. When reissued by Impulse! on LP and Evidence on CD, the album's sides were reversed. ''Enlightenment'', in particular, was to become a staple of the Arkestra's concerts, often featuring chanted lyrics.

Reception

The Penguin Guide to Jazz ''The Penguin Guide to Jazz'' is a reference work containing an encyclopedic directory of jazz recordings on CD which were (at the time of publication) currently available in Europe or the United States. The first nine editions were compiled by ...

'' selected this album as part of its suggested "Core Collection" and awarded it a "crown" accolade, stating "This marvellous record will one day be recognised as one of the most important jazz records since the war."

Track listing

Evidence: Compact Disc and Impulse!: 12" Vinyl

# "Enlightenment" (Hobart Dotson, Ra) – (5:02) # "Saturn" – (3:37) # "Velvet" – (3:18) # "Ancient Aiethopia" – (9:04) # "Hours After" (Ra, Everett Turner) – (3:41) # "Horoscope" – (3:43) # "Images" – (3:48) # "Blues at Midnight" – (11:56) For some years the record was believed to have been recorded in 1958, until the musicologist and discographer Robert Campbell uncovered the original tape box, clearly dated March 6, 1959. The album's release was mentioned a few months later in the Chicago Defender of June 9 (Sun Ra Discs Hit Album!).

Musicians

- Piano, celeste, gong * Hobart Dotson - Trumpet * Pat Patrick - Baritone sax, flute, percussion * Charles Davis - Baritone sax, percussion *

John Gilmore John Gilmore may refer to: * John Gilmore (activist) (born 1955), co-founder of the Electronic Frontier Foundation and Cygnus Solutions * John Gilmore (musician) (1931–1995), American jazz saxophonist * John Gilmore (representative) (1780–1845), ...

- Tenor sax, percussion *William Cochran - Drums *

Marshall Allen Marshall Belford Allen (born May 25, 1924) is an American free jazz and avant-garde jazz alto saxophone player. He also performs on flute, oboe, piccolo, and EWI (an electronic valve instrument made by Steiner, Crumar company). Allen is best ...

- Alto sax, flute *

James Spaulding James Ralph Spaulding Jr. (born July 30, 1937) is an American jazz saxophonist and flutist. Born in Indianapolis, Indiana, United states, Spaulding attended the Chicago Cosmopolitan School of Music. Between 1957 and 1961, he was a member of Sun ...

- Alto sax, flute, percussion *

Ronnie Boykins Ronald Boykins (December 17, 1935 – April 20, 1980) was a jazz bassist and is best known for his work with pianist/bandleader Sun Ra, although he had played with such disparate musicians as Muddy Waters, Johnny Griffin, and Jimmy Witherspoon pr ...

- Bass *Bo Bailey - Trombone

References

External links

Complete Sun Ra's Discography
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jazz In Silhouette Sun Ra albums 1959 albums El Saturn Records albums Impulse! Records albums Evidence Music albums