In 1993 Leo Records released this wonderful 1991 Arkestra performance recorded at the Banlieus Blues Festival in Montreuil, France, a suburb of Paris. A very "jazzy" performance including Sun Ra classics and standards like "Prelude to a Kiss" by Duke Ellington and Edgar Sampson's swinging "Blue Lou." I hope you enjoy this excursion into the history of jazz encouraged by an ecstatic crowd.
Alabama
705. [485] Sun Ra Arkestra
Friendly Galaxy
Sun Ra (p, syn); Michael Ray (tp, voc); Ahmed Abdullah (tp, voc); Jothan Callins (flg); Tyrone Hill (tb); Marshall Allen (as, fl, perc); Noël Scott (as, perc); John Gilmore (ts, cl, voc); Charles Davis (bars); James Jacson (bsn, fl, Inf-d); Bruce Edwards (eg); John Ore (b); Buster Smith (d); Clifford Barbaro (d, perc); Elson Dos Santos Nascimento (surdo grande, perc); June Tyson (voc); Mr. TCIII (voc).
Banlieues Bleues, Salle des Fêtes-Mairie,
Montreuil, France, April 11, 1991
Intro Percussion (Ra)
Prelude to a Kiss (Ellington) [TCIII voc]
Blue Lou (Sampson)
Lights on a Satellite (Ra)
Nameless One #2 (Ra)
East of the Sun (Bowman) [JG voc]
Alabama (Callins)
Fate in a Pleasant Mood (Ra) [MR, JT, ens voc]
We Travel the Spaceways (Ra) [ens voc]
Space Is the Place (Ra) [JT, ens voc]
Saturn Rings (Ra) [JT, TCIII voc]/
Friendly Galaxy (Ra)
encore:
Melody / They'll Come Back (Ra)
Leo LR-188[CD], Friendly Galaxy, was released in 1993. Date and personnel from the CD liner notes (though the musicians' names are artfully concealed, and their instruments are not mentioned). An 86-minute audience tape includes the two unissued tracks; "Melody/They'll Come Back" is not on the audience tape and presumably was an encore. Some items were also broadcast over French radio ("Saturn Rings" was edited at the beginning); thanks to ct for this information. Exact location (the Salle des Fêtes-Mairie was on Place Jean-Juarès) supplied by Urs Berger; Leo neglects to say where Banlieues Bleues was. John Szwed says that "Alabama" was composed by Jothan Callins, not by Ra as credited on the CD.
from Campbell / Trent The Earthly Recordings 2nd ed.
Sun Ra Arkestra
Friendly Galaxy (Live at Banlieues Bleues)
Leo Records CD LR 188 (CD) 1993
1. Intro Percussion 4:18
2. Prelude to a Kiss 6:18
3. Blue Lou 5:00
4. Lights on a Satellite 5:41
5. Alabama 9:06
6. Fate in a Pleasant Mood 6:58
7. We Travel the Spaceways 11:10
8. Space Is the Place 9:53
9. Saturn Rings / Friendly Galaxy 12:14
10. Melody / They Will Come Back 6:06
-FLAC-
or
-320-
