We Travel the Space Ways
Encyclopedia
We Travel the Space Ways is an album by the American Jazz musician Sun Ra
and his Myth Science Arkestra. Recorded mostly in 1960, the album was released in 1967, on Sun Ra's own label Saturn
. The album brings together a number of eras and personnel of the Arkestra, and was probably mostly recorded by Ra himself during rehearsals.
The earliest recording, New Horizons, was recorded at Balkan Studio, Chicago, April 13, 1956, and predates the version on Jazz by Sun Ra
. Velvet was recorded at the end of the session at RCA Studios, Chicago, around June 17, 1960, that yielded over 30 recordings spread across 5 albums (Fate In A Pleasant Mood
, Holiday for Soul Dance
, Angels and Demons at Play
, We Travel the Space Ways & Interstellar Low Ways
). Eve and Space Loneliness were recorded at the Pershing Lounge, Chicago, July 13, 1961. The rest were recorded at various rehearsals in 1960. The mechanical sound at the end of the title track comes from a toy robot:
When the album was re-issued on CD by Evidence, it was coupled with the whole of the 1961 album Bad & Beautiful
, Ra's first recording for Saturn after arriving in New York.
Side A:
Side B:
The album includes a number of alternative versions of songs that also appear - usually in better quality recordings - on other early Saturn albums; Interplanetary Music and Space Loneliness appear on Interstellar Low Ways
; Eve is also on Sun Ra and his Solar Arkestra Visits Planet Earth
; We Travel The Space Ways from When Sun Comes Out
; ; Tapestry From An Asteroid from The Futuristic Sounds of Sun Ra
on Savoy Records; New Horizons from Jazz by Sun Ra
; & Velvet which appears on Jazz In Silhouette
. All of these records had already been released by the time We Travel the Space Ways was produced.
Phil Cohran
Marshall Allen
George Hudson
John Gilmore
William Strickland
Art Hoyle
Julian Priester
James Scales
Wilburn Green
Pat Patrick
Ronnie Boykins
Robert Barry
Jon Hardy
William Cochran
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 Myth Science Arkestra. Recorded mostly in 1960, the album was released in 1967, on Sun Ra's own label Saturn
El Saturn Records
El Saturn Records is the name of an American record label. The label was one of the most active artist-owned record labels created in 1957 by Alton Abraham. Notable albums produced by the label include works by Sun Ra....
. The album brings together a number of eras and personnel of the Arkestra, and was probably mostly recorded by Ra himself during rehearsals.
The earliest recording, New Horizons, was recorded at Balkan Studio, Chicago, April 13, 1956, and predates the version on Jazz by Sun Ra
Jazz by Sun Ra
Jazz By Sun Ra is the debut album to be released by Sun Ra. The record label for the first pressing says "07-12-56", presumably when it was recorded. The LP originally appeared on Tom Wilson's short-lived Transition Records...
. Velvet was recorded at the end of the session at RCA Studios, Chicago, around June 17, 1960, that yielded over 30 recordings spread across 5 albums (Fate In A Pleasant Mood
Fate in a Pleasant Mood
Fate in a Pleasant Mood is an album by the American Jazz musician Sun Ra and his Myth Science Arkestra recorded in Chicago, mid 1960 and originally released on his own Saturn label in 1965. The album was reissued by Impulse! in 1974, and by Evidence in 1993...
, Holiday for Soul Dance
Holiday for Soul Dance
Holiday For Soul Dance is an album by the American Jazz musician Sun Ra and his Intergalactic Arkestra recorded in Chicago, mid 1960 and originally released on his own Saturn label in 1970. The album was reissued by Evidence on Compact disc in 1992...
, Angels and Demons at Play
Angels and Demons at Play
Angels and Demons at Play is a jazz album by the American musician Sun Ra and his Myth Science Arkestra.Side one was recorded in 1960, including two tracks taken from the mammoth session either at Hall Recording Company or at the RCA Studios , around 17 June 1960 whilst the tracks on side two were...
, We Travel the Space Ways & Interstellar Low Ways
Interstellar Low Ways
Interstellar Low Ways is an album recorded by the American Jazz musician Sun Ra and his Myth Science Arkestra, mostly recorded in Chicago, 1960, and probably released in 1966 on his own Saturn label. Originally titled Rocket Number Nine, the album had acquired its present name, and the red-on-white...
). Eve and Space Loneliness were recorded at the Pershing Lounge, Chicago, July 13, 1961. The rest were recorded at various rehearsals in 1960. The mechanical sound at the end of the title track comes from a toy robot:
"The bizarre whirring and quacking heard at the end of “We Travel the Spaceways” comes from a toy robot with flashing lights; John Gilmore told John Corbett that around this time the Arkestra would release the “robots” into the audience during their performances. The band also used mechanical “flying saucers” as props".
When the album was re-issued on CD by Evidence, it was coupled with the whole of the 1961 album Bad & Beautiful
Bad and Beautiful (album)
Bad and Beautiful is an album by the American Jazz musician Sun Ra and his Arkestra. Recorded in 1961 in New York at the Choreographers' Workshop, 414 W. 51st St., the album was the second to be recorded in New York by the Arkestra after leaving Chicago, but would remain unreleased until 1972...
, Ra's first recording for Saturn after arriving in New York.
12" Vinyl
All songs were written by Sun Ra.Side A:
- Interplanetary Music - (2.41)
- Eve - (3.08)
- We Travel The Space Ways - (3.23)
- Tapestry From An Asteroid - (2.07)
Side B:
- Space Loneliness - (4.49)
- New Horizons - (3.01)
- Velvet - (4.36)
The album includes a number of alternative versions of songs that also appear - usually in better quality recordings - on other early Saturn albums; Interplanetary Music and Space Loneliness appear on Interstellar Low Ways
Interstellar Low Ways
Interstellar Low Ways is an album recorded by the American Jazz musician Sun Ra and his Myth Science Arkestra, mostly recorded in Chicago, 1960, and probably released in 1966 on his own Saturn label. Originally titled Rocket Number Nine, the album had acquired its present name, and the red-on-white...
; Eve is also on Sun Ra and his Solar Arkestra Visits Planet Earth
Sun Ra and his Solar Arkestra Visits Planet Earth
Sun Ra and his Solar Arkestra Visits Planet Earth is a jazz album by the American musician Sun Ra and his Solar Arkestra. Recorded between late 1956 and 1958, the album was originally released on Ra's own Saturn label in 1966, and has since been reissued on CD by Evidence in 1992...
; We Travel The Space Ways from When Sun Comes Out
When Sun Comes Out
For the song by Harold Arden and Ted Koehler, see When the Sun Comes OutWhen Sun Comes Out is an album by the American Jazz musician Sun Ra and his Myth Science Arkestra...
; ; Tapestry From An Asteroid from The Futuristic Sounds of Sun Ra
The Futuristic Sounds of Sun Ra
The Futuristic Sounds of Sun Ra is an album by the American Jazz musician Sun Ra and his Arkestra, recorded October 10, 1961 for the Savoy label. The first record to be recorded by a pared-down Arkestra after leaving Chicago, the album is often considered one of the most accessible records in Ra's...
on Savoy Records; New Horizons from Jazz by Sun Ra
Jazz by Sun Ra
Jazz By Sun Ra is the debut album to be released by Sun Ra. The record label for the first pressing says "07-12-56", presumably when it was recorded. The LP originally appeared on Tom Wilson's short-lived Transition Records...
; & Velvet which appears on Jazz In Silhouette
Jazz in Silhouette
Jazz in Silhouette is a jazz album by Sun Ra and His Arkestra. Recorded on March 6, 1959 and released May of the same year. The album was recorded in Chicago during a session that also included the whole of Sound Sun Pleasure!! and Interstellar Low Ways from the album of the same name...
. All of these records had already been released by the time We Travel the Space Ways was produced.
Musicians
Sun RaPhil Cohran
Phil Cohran
Kelan Phil Cohran is a jazz musician. He is known most for his trumpet contributions in the Sun Ra Arkestra in Chicago during 1959-1961 and for his involvement in the foundation of the AACM.-Biography:...
Marshall Allen
Marshall Allen
Marshall Belford Allen is an American free jazz and avant-garde jazz alto saxophone player. He also performs on flute, oboe, piccolo, and EVI ....
George Hudson
John Gilmore
John 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...
William Strickland
Art Hoyle
Julian Priester
James Scales
Wilburn Green
Pat Patrick
Ronnie Boykins
Ronnie Boykins
Ronnie Boykins was a jazz bassist and is best known for his work with pianist/bandleader Sun Ra, although he had played with such disparate musicians as Muddy Waters, Johnny Griffin, and Jimmy Witherspoon prior to joining Sun Ra's Arkestra.-Biography:He joined the Arkestra during the Chicago...
Robert Barry
Jon Hardy
William Cochran