Super-Sonic Jazz

Super-Sonic Jazz was the first album to be released on El Saturn Records, the label run by Sun Ra and his business partner Alton Abraham. Set up in 1955, they released their first singles, including a doo-wop group The Cosmic RaysSzwed, John F., "Space is the Place", Mojo, 2000, p. 152 and the Arkestra's Saturn, at the beginning of 1956,[http://www.designobserver.com/archives/entry.html?id=25497 John Corbett] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090602183322/http://www.designobserver.com/archives/entry.html?id=25497 |date=June 2, 2009 }} and had recorded the whole of their first album by the end of the year, to be released in March 1957. El Saturn is now considered, along with Charles Mingus and Max Roach’s Debut label and Harry Partch’s Gate 5 label, "one of the very first and most active artist-owned record labels."{{Cite web|url=http://www.hydeparkart.org/exhibitions/2006/10/sun_ra_el_saturn_chicagos_afro.php|title=Hyde Park Art Center, Chicago}} Often pressed in editions of 75[http://homepage.uab.edu/moudry/camp1.htm Talk, Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame, Campbell, 1995] retrieved 31-07-09 — sometimes as few as 20 were made for specific concerts — the records would be manufactured using local black businesses, and often put together in Abraham's own home. As John F. Szwed described,

{{quote|El Saturn Records purchased no advertising, gave out no promotional copies for review, and no distribution channels except mail order, hand delivery to the record shops, and, in the southern tradition, sales from the bandstand after performances. An order to the El Saturn address might or might not get a response, and when a record came it might be a different one than ordered (a 1971 Saturn price list asked orderers to list five alternatives), or arrive months later.Szwed, John F., "Space is the Place", Mojo, 2000, p. 170}}

The album was primarily recorded between September and October of 1956, with a handful of tracks recorded prior to the Jazz by Sun Ra sessions used to fill out the album.

{{Track listing

| all_writing = Sun Ra except where noted. All tracks recorded from September - October 1956 except where noted

| headline = Side One

| extra_column = Recording Date

| title1 = India

| length1 = 4:47

| title2 = Sunology

| length2 = 5:39

| title3 = Advice To Medics

| length3 = 2:01

| extra3 = June 16, 1956

| title4 = Super Blonde

| length4 = 2:31

| extra4 = June 16, 1956

| title5 = Soft Talk

| length5 = 2:40

| writer5 = Julian Priester

| extra5 = June 16, 1956

| title6 = Sunology, Part II

| length6 = 7:03

| total_length = 24:41

}}{{Track listing

| headline = Side Two

| extra_column = Recording Date

| title7 = Kingdom Of Not

| length7 = 5:26

| title8 = Portrait Of The Living Sky

| length8 = 1:48

| title9 = Blues At Midnight

| length9 = 6:30

| title10 = El Is A Sound Of Joy

| length10 = 3:55

| title11 = Springtime In Chicago

| length11 = 3:50

| extra11 = April 13, 1956

| title12 = Medicine For A Nightmare

| length12 = 2:23

| extra12 = June 16, 1956

| total_length = 23:52

}}

Image:SunnyRaArkestra1956.jpg

• Sun Ra – Piano, Electric Piano, Space Gong on all tracks except 'Springtime in Chicago'
• Art Hoyle – Trumpet, Percussion on all tracks except 'Super Blonde', 'Soft Talk', 'Medicine for a Nightmare', and 'Advice to Medics'
• Pat Patrick – Alto Sax on all tracks except 'Springtime in Chicago,' 'Super Blonde', 'Soft Talk', 'Medicine for a Nightmare', and 'Advice to Medics', Percussion on all tracks except 'Super Blonde', 'Soft Talk', 'Medicine for a Nightmare', and 'Advice to Medics',
• John Gilmore – Tenor Sax on all tracks except 'Springtime in Chicago', Percussion on all tracks except 'Soft Talk', 'Medicine for a Nightmare', and 'Advice to Medics'
• Charles Davis – Baritone Sax & Percussion on all tracks except 'Springtime in Chicago', 'Super Blonde', 'Soft Talk', 'Medicine for a Nightmare', and 'Advice to Medics'
• Victor Sproles – Bass on all tracks except 'Springtime in Chicago', 'Super Blonde', 'Soft Talk', 'Medicine for a Nightmare', and 'Advice to Medics'
• William Cochran – Drums on all tracks except 'Springtime in Chicago', 'Super Blonde', 'Soft Talk', 'Medicine for a Nightmare', and 'Advice to Medics'
• Jim Herndon – Tympani & Percussion on tracks except 'Springtime in Chicago'

• Julian Priester – Trombone on 'Springtime in Chicago,' 'Super Blonde', 'Soft Talk', 'Medicine for a Nightmare', and 'Advice to Medics'
• Wilburn Green – Electric Bass on 'Springtime in Chicago,' 'Super Blonde', 'Soft Talk', 'Medicine for a Nightmare', and 'Advice to Medics'
• Robert Barry – Drums on 'Springtime in Chicago,' 'Super Blonde', 'Soft Talk', 'Medicine for a Nightmare', and 'Advice to Medics'
• James Scales – Alto Sax & Percussion on 'Springtime in Chicago'

Mixed at RCA studios, Chicago, February 14, 1957, and released in March with an initial pressing of 500.

{{reflist}}

• [http://www.the-temple.net/sunradisco/ Complete Sun Ra's Discography]
• [http://www.designobserver.com/archives/entry.html?id=25497 An Essay by John Corbett on Ra's Saturn label]
• [http://www.hydeparkart.org/exhibitions/2006/10/sun_ra_el_saturn_chicagos_afro.php Pathways to Unknown Worlds: Sun Ra, El Saturn & Chicago's Afro-Futurist Underground, 1954-68, an exhibition about early Saturn activities]
• [http://jazztimes.com/articles/24728-sun-ra-exhibition-opens-in-philadelphia A Review of Pathways to Unknown Worlds exhibition]
• [http://andyw.com/sunra/quilt07.htm Saturn record catalogues from 1967 and 1969]

{{Sun Ra}}

{{Julian Priester}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Sun Ra albums

Category:1956 albums

Category:Impulse! Records albums

Category:Evidence Music albums

Category:El Saturn Records albums