Search - Sun Ra :: Hours After

Space is a schizophrenic place

p dizzle | augusta, georgia, USA | 06/24/2000

(3 out of 5 stars)

"sun ra made a name for himself through his eccentric stage persona as a native of saturn bringing the hip sounds of space to our earthly ball. early on (1950s), it was unique spins on standards and hard bop, then in the 1960s it was experimental free jazz ('space is the place' is a good example), then in the 1970s, sun ra put together a big band that both swung and pushed the wall of sound further out. this album has both, but the mix seems schizophrenic, rather than melded. the first three tracks sound like a 1940s jump band, with decent solos and some nice band work, but those seeking sun ra's cutting edge sound will be disappointed. good though they are, the songs leave the listener with a "ho-hum, next time i'll try a duke ellington or count basie record" feeling. but the final two tracks, "dance of the extra terrestrians" and "love on a far away planet" deliver the goods sun ra is known for. these songs create atmospheres with sound, the solos sharp and challenging. the first is a burn-out, dipping and darting every which way, then settling into a stark piano-bass-sax trio before launching off in another group explosion. the second sets a groove over which the soloists push the form and create sonic drawings over the grounding riff. the song ends with another argument against fade-outs on jazz records-- you're just getting immersed when the volume drops to silence and the album's over! same goes for the opening track... oh, well. not sun ra's greatest album, but still worth having, even for someone new to the artist."