Sun Ra - Jazz in Silhouette (Expanded Edition) '2023

Tracks list

"In tomorrow's world, men will not need artificial instruments such as jets and
space ships. In the world of tomorrow, the new man will 'think' the place he
wants to go, then his mind will take him there." — Sun Ra, Jazz in
Silhouette album notes (1959) Jazz in Silhouette is the quintessential record of
Sun Ra's Chicago period during the late 1950s. Recorded in 1958 and issued in
1959, the album—Ra's third—offers a coda for the bandleader's
bebop/hard-bop periods, as his interstellar traveler persona began to vividly
evolve at the close of the decade. Sunny's compositions here reflect his talent
for writing memorable works in the jazz idiom, even as arrangements like
"Ancient Aiethopia" point to new directions in amalgamated primitive-futurism.
After Ra moved to New York in 1961, he began to explore musical terrain away
from jazz conventions. Yet Jazz in Silhouette is resplendent with adventure.
Many of these early works, including "Images," "Enlightment," and "Saturn,"
would remain staples in Arkestra set lists for the rest of Sunny's life. These
recordings showcase the brilliant tenor sax stylings of John Gilmore and
introduce the iconic playing of Marshall Allen and Pat Patrick; all three would
remain with Ra for decades (as would bassist Ronnie Boykins). On the extended
“Blues At Midnight,” each horn soloist stretches out as in a live
club performance. Here, Sun Ra and the band radiate the period's Chicago jazz
sound, with lilting melodies, intertwining chords, and surprising dynamic
shifts. This expanded edition, issued in vinyl, CD and digital formats, features
additional material from the 1958 sessions, along with non-album bonus tracks
from the period, some never-before issued, as well as rare stereo mixes. The CD
and digital editions feature the full original album in the widely known
monophonic mix. The eight album tracks are followed by four bonus tracks, "State
Street" "Blues From Saturn," the single version of "Hours After," and another
single, "Great Balls of Fire"; all are in mono. The rest of the deluxe
edition—call it Part 2—is in stereo, starting with the album Sound
Sun Pleasure (which includes the stereo mix of "Enlightment," a title that
appeared in mono on Jazz in Silhouette). This short collection wasn't issued on
Saturn until 1970, but the works originated at the same Chicago recording
sessions as Jazz in Silhouette. Two tracks feature the sultry vocal stylings of
Hattie Randolph, sister of early Arkestra trumpeter Lucious Randolph. The rest
of Part 2 features the premiere LP/CD release of five Jazz in Silhouette album
tracks in full stereo. Every prior edition of the album had been monophonic. A
stereo session tape was discovered by Michael D. Anderson of the Sun Ra Music
Archive; five tracks were salvaged (although one is incomplete). The album's
second stereo reel, unfortunately, cannot be located. [NOTE: The 2-LP expanded
vinyl edition does not include the full original mono album. Because of time
limitations on each side, the four full stereo mixes were substituted for the
mono versions; however, the track sequence has been preserved. The CD and vinyl
editions also include a lengthy historical essay by Ra scholar John Corbett and
additional illustrations.] This deluxe package also features the original space
nymph cover art, which only appeared in cropped and washed-out reproductions on
Saturn releases. John Corbett found and preserved the original painting by an
artist identified only as "Evans." The colors are more vibrant, and the expanded
edition gatefold LP presents previously omitted artwork at the periphery of the
untitled painting. Finally, all formats of this expanded edition restore the
track sequence of the earliest Saturn versions of Jazz in Silhouette; every
subsequent reissue has reversed the original sides A and B.

Tracklist:
1.01 - Sun Ra Arkestra - Hours After (mono) (3:42)
1.02 - Sun Ra Arkestra - Horoscope (mono) (3:46)
1.03 - Sun Ra Arkestra - Images (mono) (3:51)
1.04 - Sun Ra Arkestra - Blues at Midnight (mono) (11:56)
1.05 - Sun Ra Arkestra - Enlightment (mono) (5:03)
1.06 - Sun Ra Arkestra - Saturn (mono) (3:39)
1.07 - Sun Ra Arkestra - Velvet (mono) (3:19)
1.08 - Sun Ra Arkestra - Ancient Aiethopia (mono) (9:07)
1.09 - Sun Ra Arkestra - State Street (bonus track) (4:24)
1.10 - Sun Ra Arkestra - Blues from Saturn (bonus track) (4:30)
1.11 - Sun Ra Arkestra - Hours After (single version) (2:47)
1.12 - Sun Ra Arkestra - Great Balls of Fire (bonus track) (5:30)
2.13 - Sun Ra Arkestra - Round Midnight (stereo) (3:50)
2.14 - Sun Ra Arkestra - You Never Told Me That You Care (stereo) (5:31)
2.15 - Sun Ra Arkestra - Hour of Parting (stereo) (4:46)
2.16 - Sun Ra Arkestra - Back in Your Own Back Yard (stereo) (2:01)
2.17 - Sun Ra Arkestra - I Could Have Danced All Night (stereo) (3:10)
2.18 - Sun Ra Arkestra - Enlightment (stereo) (5:03)
2.19 - Sun Ra Arkestra - Hours After (stereo) (3:47)
2.20 - Sun Ra Arkestra - Velvet (stereo) (3:22)
2.21 - Sun Ra Arkestra - Ancient Aiethopia (stereo) (9:14)
2.22 - Sun Ra Arkestra - Horoscope (stereo, incomplete) (2:14)

Related artists