Of Heavenly Things

Danny Davis (alto sax, flute), Marshall Allen (alto sax, piccolo, bells, spiral cymbal), John Gilmore (tenor sax, timpani), Pat Patrick (baritone sax, timpani), Chris Capers (trumpet), Teddy Nance (trombone), Bernard Pettaway (bass trombone), Robert Cummings (bass clarinet, woodblocks), Sun Ra (piano, bass marimba, electric celeste, timpani), Ronnie Boykins (bass) and Jimhmi Johnson (drums, percussion, timpani). From the album The Heliocentric Worlds of Sun Ra, Volume One (1965).

In 1971, 1983 and 1984 the Sun Ra Arkestra traveled to Egypt. In their concerts they combined mystical songs and free improvisations with extravagant versions of swing melodies. In 1972 Ra recorded Space is the Place and producers John Coney and Jim Newman, along with screenwriter Joshua Smith, worked with Sun Ra to create an 85-minute feature film with the same title as the album. In 1978, Sun Ra and his band appeared on the television show Saturday Night Live.

The group has continued its tours and recordings to the present day. In 1990, Sun Ra suffered a stroke, but continued to lead his group and composing music. He died in 1993 at the age of 80 years from congestive heart and respiratory failure, circulatory problems, stroke and other diseases. From then on John Gilmore, whose relationship with Sun Ra lasted 40 years, directed the Sun Ra Arkestra until his own death in 1995, when he was replaced by Marshall Allen, that belongs to the band since 1958.

First some rattles sound and then Ra with the marimba, Patrick with the timpani and Boykins with the bow establish a conversation. After that, the group appears briefly to give way to Davis, who plays some phrases with the flute accompanied by Ra. Then Ra makes a duo with Boykins, this time playing the double bass with pizzicato, and later Patrick joins in again. Next Boykins continues his discourse accompanied by Johnson, who plays the cymbals gently. They are followed by Davis with the flute making an effusive solo accompanied by some musicians of the band. Afterwards Cummings plays a woodblock and then Ra returns again with Boykins joining him and setting the tone of the melody while Johnson plays the drums. Then the wind section intervenes shortly and Ra continues with the marimba along with Davis, who then stays alone with the flute, and finally Boykins and Johnson give the final twist to the composition.