Search - Sun Ra :: Strange Celestial Road

AWESOME!

kaysixone | Manchester, UK | 10/16/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This was the first Sun Ra album I ever bought and is still my favourite. Not quite as far out as some of his 1960s material and perhaps the most accessible of his truly great works, it features a formidable late-1970s version of the Arkestra on 3 extended tracks, each of which develops beautifully and spontaneously into a spaced out mantra half way between John Coltrane's "Ascension" and Funkadelic's "One nation under a groove".



Everything about this album is totally brilliant - cosmic lyrics, freaked out solos scattered over a musical landscape always on the verge of chaos but continually steered into new directions by inspired musicians at the peak of their powers, even the artwork and OTT hype in the sleevenotes (which for once is fully justified)....



Absolutely essential!!!!!"

He builds a world of abstract dreams

Brian Shields | San Francisco, CA | 02/09/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"No matter what "Strange Celestial Road" you find yourself traveling, chances are Sun Ra was there first. The legendary bandleader shocked and thrilled audiences with his "outer space" music for decades. On this disk, Sun Ra shows off his piano playing prowess and his absolute mastery of his Arkestra. The title track is deceptive at first, reminding one almost of a pop song at times. But don't get lulled into complacency because the Arkestra will soon send you spinning off this planet. June Tyson delivers Sun Ra's lyrics faithfully but with force. "Where human eyes have never seen/I'll build a world of abstract dreams/I'll wait for you." If you have strongly held opinions about what "is" and what "isn't" jazz or believe music "ought" to be a certain traditional way, this record is likely to infuriate you. If, on the other hand, you enjoy "Traveling/Strange Celestial Roads/Strange Celestial Roads/To endless heaven", you will love this voyage."

Lovely Late Night Music

Scott McFarland | Manassas, VA United States | 11/06/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The music here has a vibe not dissimilar to that on "Lanquidity", another album currently in-print that was recorded late in a New York night during the disco age. And like that album (as well as the hard-to-find "Sleeping Beauty" and "On Jupiter") featuring an Arkestra that had some R&B roots in the ground.The music is gentle "quiet storm" R&B with washes of sound over the top ... the recording here is clear and crisp. It's gentle groove music and there's a kind of perfection to it."