Space Is the Place (soundtrack)
Encyclopedia
Space is the Place is an album
by Sun Ra
and His Intergalactic Solar Arkestra. The music was recorded in early 1972 in San Francisco, California
for the film Space Is the Place
. However, the music remained unreleased until Evidence Music issued a compact disc
in 1993.
During the late-1960s and early-1970s, Sun Ra and his ensemble made several forays to California
. In 1971, Sun Ra taught a course, "The Black Man in the Cosmos," at University of California, Berkeley
. Over the course of these California visits, Sun Ra came to the attention of Jim Newman
, who produced the film Space Is the Place starring Sun Ra and his Arkestra, and based, in part, on Sun Ra's Berkeley lectures. The soundtrack CD compiles 16 tracks that Sun Ra recorded for the film.
describes the album as "a brisk montage of Arkestra music....[I]t works remarkably well and the playing is tight and enigmatic." The Penguin editors also note that "Mysterious Crystal" is of particular interest, with the track "combining a huge array of elements into something that simply cannot be characterized by reference to any other music." Ron Wynn
of Allmusic describes the tracks as being "among Sun Ra's most ambitious, unorthodox, and compelling compositions."
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
by Sun Ra
Sun Ra
Sun Ra was a prolific jazz composer, bandleader, piano and synthesizer player, poet and philosopher known for his "cosmic philosophy," musical compositions and performances. He was born in Birmingham, Alabama...
and His Intergalactic Solar Arkestra. The music was recorded in early 1972 in San Francisco, California
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
for the film Space Is the Place
Space Is the Place
Space Is the Place is an 82-minute film made in 1972 and released in 1974.It was produced by Jim Newman, directed by John Coney, written by Sun Ra, Joshua Smith and features Sun Ra and his Arkestra...
. However, the music remained unreleased until Evidence Music issued a compact disc
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
in 1993.
During the late-1960s and early-1970s, Sun Ra and his ensemble made several forays to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. In 1971, Sun Ra taught a course, "The Black Man in the Cosmos," at University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
. Over the course of these California visits, Sun Ra came to the attention of Jim Newman
Jim Newman (Dilexi Gallery, Other Minds)
Jim Newman is a film and television producer, contemporary art curator, gallerist and musician.-Musical career and festival management:...
, who produced the film Space Is the Place starring Sun Ra and his Arkestra, and based, in part, on Sun Ra's Berkeley lectures. The soundtrack CD compiles 16 tracks that Sun Ra recorded for the film.
Critical reception
The Penguin Guide to JazzThe Penguin Guide to Jazz
The Penguin Guide to Jazz is a reference work containing an encyclopedic directory of jazz recordings on CD which are currently available in Europe or the United States...
describes the album as "a brisk montage of Arkestra music....[I]t works remarkably well and the playing is tight and enigmatic." The Penguin editors also note that "Mysterious Crystal" is of particular interest, with the track "combining a huge array of elements into something that simply cannot be characterized by reference to any other music." Ron Wynn
Ron Wynn
Ron Wynn is a music critic, author, and allmusic editor. Wynn was the editor of the first edition of The All Music Guide to Jazz , and from 1993 to 1994 served as the jazz and rap editor of the All Music Guide. Wynn is the former editor of New Memphis Star and the former chief jazz and pop music...
of Allmusic describes the tracks as being "among Sun Ra's most ambitious, unorthodox, and compelling compositions."
Track listing
All compositions and arrangements by Sun Ra.- "It's After the End of the World" – 3:25
- "Under Different Stars" – 3:55
- "Discipline 33" – 3:22
- "Watusa" – 7:11
- "Calling Planet Earth" – 3:04
- "I Am the Alter-Destiny" – 1:08
- "Satellites Are Spinning" – 2:33
- "Cosmic Forces" – 3:09
- "Outer Spaceways Incorporated"– 3:00
- "We Travel the Spaceways" – 2:28
- "The Overseer" – 3:04
- "Blackman/Love in Outer Space" – 16:53
- "Mysterious Crystal" – 5:53
- "I Am the Brother of the Wind" – 5:54
- "We'll Wait for You" – 4:11
- "Space Is the Place" – 4:23
Personnel
- Sun Ra – piano, MinimoogMinimoogThe Minimoog is a monophonic analog synthesizer, invented by Bill Hemsath and Robert Moog. It was released in 1970 by R.A. Moog Inc. , and production was stopped in 1981. It was re-designed by Robert Moog in 2002 and released as Minimoog Voyager.The Minimoog was designed in response to the use of...
, FarfisaFarfisaFarfisa is a manufacturer of electronics based in Osimo, Italy.The Farfisa brand name is commonly associated with a series of compact electronic organs, and later, a series of multi-timbral synthesizers. At the height of its production, Farfisa operated three factories to produce instruments, in...
organ, ClavinetClavinetA Clavinet is an electrically amplified keyboard instrument manufactured by the Hohner company. It is essentially an electronically amplified clavichord, analogous to an electric guitar. Its distinctive bright staccato sound has appeared particularly in funk, disco, rock, and reggae songs.Various...
, Rocksichord, declamation - Kwame Hadi – trumpetTrumpetThe trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
, congaCongaThe conga, or more properly the tumbadora, is a tall, narrow, single-headed Cuban drum with African antecedents. It is thought to be derived from the Makuta drums or similar drums associated with Afro-Cubans of Central African descent. A person who plays conga is called a conguero...
, vibraphoneVibraphoneThe vibraphone, sometimes called the vibraharp or simply the vibes, is a musical instrument in the struck idiophone subfamily of the percussion family.... - Wayne Harris – trumpet
- Marshall AllenMarshall AllenMarshall Belford Allen is an American free jazz and avant-garde jazz alto saxophone player. He also performs on flute, oboe, piccolo, and EVI ....
– alto saxophoneAlto saxophoneThe alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments invented by Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax in 1841. It is smaller than the tenor but larger than the soprano, and is the type most used in classical compositions...
, fluteFluteThe flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
, oboeOboeThe oboe is a double reed musical instrument of the woodwind family. In English, prior to 1770, the instrument was called "hautbois" , "hoboy", or "French hoboy". The spelling "oboe" was adopted into English ca...
, bassoonBassoonThe bassoon is a woodwind instrument in the double reed family that typically plays music written in the bass and tenor registers, and occasionally higher. Appearing in its modern form in the 19th century, the bassoon figures prominently in orchestral, concert band and chamber music literature...
, koraKora (instrument)The kora is a 21-string bridge-harp used extensively in West Africa.-Description:A kora is built from a large calabash cut in half and covered with cow skin to make a resonator, and has a notched bridge. It does not fit well into any one category of western instruments and would have to be...
, cowbell, percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration... - Danny Davis – alto saxophone, flute, alto clarinetAlto clarinetThe alto clarinet is a wind instrument of the clarinet family. It is a transposing instrument pitched in the key of E, though instruments in F have been made. It is sometimes known as a tenor clarinet; this name especially is applied to the instrument in F...
, percussion - Larry Northington – alto saxophone, conga, percussion
- John GilmoreJohn Gilmore (musician)John Gilmore was an American jazz tenor saxophone player best-known for his long tenure as a member of Sun Ra's Arkestra...
– tenor saxophone, drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, percussion, vocal - Eloe Omoe – bass clarinetBass clarinetThe bass clarinet is a musical instrument of the clarinet family. Like the more common soprano B clarinet, it is usually pitched in B , but it plays notes an octave below the soprano B clarinet...
, bongos, percussion - Danny Thompson – baritone saxophoneBaritone saxophoneThe baritone saxophone, often called "bari sax" , is one of the largest and lowest pitched members of the saxophone family. It was invented by Adolphe Sax. The baritone is distinguished from smaller sizes of saxophone by the extra loop near its mouthpiece...
, percussion - Lex HumphriesLex HumphriesLex Humphries was a jazz drummer. He worked with two musicians known for mixing world music with jazz; Sun Ra and Yusef Lateef. As a member of Sun Ra's "Arkestra" he appeared in the film Space Is the Place....
– drums - Ken Moshesh – conga
- June TysonJune TysonJune Tyson was a jazz singer.She performed with keyboardist and bandleader Sun Ra regularly, from at least the early 1970s to her death. Tyson was diagnosed with cancer and grew increasingly ill...
– vocals, bellBell (instrument)A bell is a simple sound-making device. The bell is a percussion instrument and an idiophone. Its form is usually a hollow, cup-shaped object, which resonates upon being struck...
s
Release history
| Region | Date | Label | Format | Catalog |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Worldwide | 1993 | Evidence Music | CD | ECD 22070-2 |