Re: Sun Ra Arkestra at Sullivan Hall.
Re: Sun Ra Arkestra at Sullivan Hall.
PS Dave Davis, trombone !!!
On Tue, Mar 23, 2010 at 12:50 PM, charles blass charles.blass@gmail.comwrote:
Juini Booth was on electric bass, drummer's name escapes me but he's been with the group for last year or more (excellent player who was given space for solos a few times)... the absence of Farid Barron on keyboards was felt, and I hope he will continue to perform with the Arkestra as his voice has been integral in recent years. Yahya by the way sang a gorgeous lead on East of the Sun. I didnt get the name of the tenor player, not young, but new to the group I believe, and his playing was very strong. The trumpets were Cecil Brooks & Fred Adams in addition to Michael Ray. Ted Thomas played percussion and danced. It was not so many years ago when he was in a wheelchair following verious procedures... Teddy is definitely back in full energy mode which is great!! As are the band, in full force, in terms of playing as well as refreshing the repertoire. CB
On Tue, Mar 23, 2010 at 7:44 AM, Paul Griffiths pshgriffiths@yahoo.co.ukwrote:
Hello Margaret, The Arkestra was fourteen strong but I could not name everyone. The line up was 5 saxophones-3 trumpets-1 trombone-electric guitar-bass guitar-drums-surdo grande-percussion. Those that I can identify were;
Marshall Allen -Alto Saxophone/EWI Yahya Abdul Majid -Tenor Saxophone/Vocals Charles Davis -Tenor Saxophone Danny Ray Thompson -Baritone Saxophone/Flute Michael Ray -Trumpet/Vocals Dave Hotep -Electric Guitar Elson Nascimento -Surdo Grande
The third tenor player also played flute and had a phenomenal power as an improviser with effortless ability in his falsetto register- a reminder of how much John Gilmore is missed.
Anyone else able to fill in the gaps? Paul.
From: Margaret Davis Grimes musicmargaret@earthlink.net To: Sun Ra Group Saturn@nic.surfnet.nl Cc: pshgriffiths@yahoo.co.uk Sent: Tue, 23 March, 2010 4:08:32 Subject: Re: Sun Ra Arkestra at Sullivan Hall.
Hi, Paul and all. Can you or anyone else who attended tell us who were the Arkestra musicians who played at Sullivan Hall on Sunday?
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On Monday, March 22, 2010 at 6:53 PM, Paul Griffiths wrote: Last nights performance at Sullivan Hall NYC was, even by the Arkestra's standards, an incredible one. The band played with a very high degree of precision, discipline, openness, humility, and the kind of intuition borne of vast experience. The set featured predominantly Sun Ra compositions including (not in order);
It Is Forbidden Discipline 27-II Astro Black Springtime Again Opus In Springtime When There Is No Sun Door of The Cosmos They'll Come Back Space Loneliness Stardust from Tomorrow Friendly Galaxy Interstellar Low Ways Fate In A Pleasant Mood Chants - We Travel The Spaceways/ We'll Wait For You/ Journey To Saturn/ Space Is The Place Darkness ( an un-recorded Sun Ra riff composition in 6/8 with great angular horn lines and oblique harmonies) 10-14 (an un-recorded Sun Ra latin--esque 4/4 groove piece) Untitled (an un-recorded Ra composition over a great continuous 5/4 guitar riff and complex melodic shards and blasts from the horns and a driving pulse from percussion-utterly fantastic|) Several Conducted pieces led by Maestro Marshall Allen. In-B-Tween (Marshall Allen) Happy As The Day Is Long East Of The Sun And West Of The Moon
That this band is still creating music at such a high level in all respects after 54 years of non stop work and 17 years after Sun Ra left the planet is a testament to the wisdom, power and profundity of Ra's legacy and the spirit and integrity of Marshall Allen as leader.
I am so looking forward to the Cafe Oto shows in London. Happy Springtime. Paul Griffiths.
Space Loneliness