Sun Ra And His Solar Arkestra - Other Planes Of There 1964

The title track, "Other Planes Of There," is another classic avant-garde exploration in the tradition of "The Magic City" or "Atlantis," although it pre-dates both of those recordings. While it has opening and closing passages that explode with fury and power, the most enjoyable and interesting portions of this 22-minute flight are Ra's subtle, reflective piano improvisations in the passages featuring only the rhythm trio. There are also superb solos by Ra regulars John Gilmore on tenor sax and Marshall Allen on oboe.

The title track is clearly the focal point of this album, but it is the other tracks that make this such a unique Arkestra recording. "Sound Spectra" is a multi-rhythmic composition featuring just five band members – Ra, bassist Ronnie Boykins, trumpeter Walter Miller, and drummers Lex Humphries and Roger Blank – which is exploratory yet remarkably stripped down.

In stark contrast, the next two tracks, "Sketch" and "Pleasure," are straight-ahead quartet numbers with a standard rhythm trio – the former featuring Gilmore, and the latter, a ballad, with Pat Patrick on baritone sax. It is strange, but also a real treat to hear Sun Ra play piano in this traditional hard bop setting.

The CD concludes with "Spiral Galaxy," an eerie avant-waltz that returns to Ra's familiar (uncharted) territory. While "Other Planes Of There" is pretty accessible compared to other Sun Ra efforts, this music is not for everyone. However, if you are prepared to explore the rings of Saturn, this is a great place to start.

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1 Other Planes Of There
2 Sound Spectra/Spec Sket
3 Sketch
4 Pleasure
5 Spiral Galaxy

Sun Ra - Keyboards
Marshall Allen - Alto Saxophone, Flute, Oboe
Roger Blank - Drums
Ronnie Boykins - Bass
Ronnie Cummings - Bass Clarinet
Danny Davis - Alto Saxophone, Flute
Danny Davis - Alto Saxophone, Flute
John Gilmore - Tenor Saxophone
Ali Hassan - Trombone
Lex Humphries - Drums
Walter Miller - Trumpet
Teddy Nance - Trombone
Pat Patrick - Baritone Saxophone
Bernard Pettaway - Bass Trombone