Sun Ra - Toward the Stars

Toward The Stars is a sampling taken from Sun Ra's earliest recordings, originally released on his Saturn label and reissued in more complete form by Evidence. The music, dating from 1955-1956, features Ra's Arkestra at the time that they were a slightly left-of-center hard bop-based orchestra working in Chicago. While the leader's interests in outer space and ancient Egypt are felt in the song titles and the occasional vocals ("Spaceship Lullaby," which features the Nu-sounds vocal quartet accompanied by Ra's piano, is particularly intriguing), much of the music is essentially straight-ahead jazz but with a few twists. Read More