Sun Ra

Discipline 27-II

Arguably the last great original era Saturn LP to be reissued on CD, Discipline 27-II has long deserved to be more familiar to Sun Ra fans and layfolk alike. Recorded during the same sessions in 1972 at Chicago’s Streeterville Studios that produced Ra’s most popular and best-known record, Space is the Place, it’s got much the same vibe, from the 24-minute four-part suite of the title track – an important conducted piece that Ra performed frequently in these years – to the opening cut, “Pan Afro,” with John Gilmore’s sensational tenorwork. With a percussion-rich 18-piece Arkestra, the music can be thick, voluble, and dense or it can winnow down to a small group, as on the delightful track “Neptune,” a vehicle for June Tyson’s singing and the site of the indelible Sun Ra space chant: “Have you heard the latest news from Neptune, Neptune, Neptune?” This is the first time Discipline 27-II has been reissued on CD. It has been remastered from the original tapes, includes a never published period photo of Ra by Charles Shabacon, and ends with an explosive bonus track from the same session, showing quite a different side of the same ensemble.

1. Pan Afro (8:02)
2. Discipline 8 (7:56)
3. Neptune (5:47)
4. Discipline 27-II, Parts 1-4 (24:29)
5. Untitled Outtake (8:01)

Sun Ra, electronic keyboard space age instruments, Moog synthesizer, vocals
Space Ethnic Voices [June Tyson, Cheryl Banks, Judith Holton, Ruth Wright], vocals
John Gilmore, tenor saxophone, percussion, vocals
Marshall Allen, Danny Davis, alto saxophone, flute
Pat Patrick, baritone saxophone, bass
Danny Thompson, baritone saxophone, flute
Eloe Omoe, bass clarinet, flute
Akh Tal Ebah, trumpet, flugelhorn, vocals
Lamont Kwamie McClamb, trumpet, percussion
Russell Branch, Stanley Morgan, percussion, congas
Alzo Wright, Harry Richards, Lex Humphries, Robert Underwood [Ayé Aton], drums

Music composed and arranged by Sun Ra.

Recorded by Ed Michel at Streeterville Studios, Chicago, October, 1972; LP produced by Alton Abraham for Infinity Inc.

LP first released on El Saturn Records in 1973; track 5 previously unreleased.

Cover art by LeRoy Butler; cover design by Alton Abraham.

Released under license from Sun Ra, LLC. Thanks to Strut Records.

Remastered by Alex Inglizian at Experimental Sound Studio, Chicago.

CD produced by John Corbett and Jim Dempsey.

CVSDCD039