Sun Ra - Cosmic Tones For Mental Therapy/Art Forms Of Dimensions Tomorrow (1961)

This twofer combines two early-1960s releases from the period when Sun Ra was just starting to get truly cosmic. Certainly he'd utilized celestial themes in his work before this, but on these albums, Sun Ra & his Arkestra actively pursue their idea of what outer space actually sounds like. Breaking with the more (relatively) traditional aspects of his earlier albums, Ra begins to focus on sound as an end in itself; Ra's right-hand man John Gilmore explores all the sonic possibilities of the saxophone, while Ra's organ whirls into otherworldly dimensions; the whole ensemble heads in a direction far more "out" than anything even the most forward-looking jazz artists were thinking of in the early '60s. COSMIC TONES and ART FORMS are avant-garde, downright psychedelic, and way ahead of their time.

Recorded in New York, New York between 1961 and 1963.Rolling Stone (3/4/93, p.64) - 5 Stars - Classic - "...the music that paved the way for acid rock..."
Spin (2/93, p.78) - "...like an Egyptian sci-fi soundtrack recorded on Mars...contains some of the greatest woodwind playing ever heard..."
Down Beat (5/93, p.36) - 5 Stars - Excellent - "...schizophrenically alternate[s] Edgard Varese-like percussive workouts and ethereal horn arrangements....Ra's Hammond organ grinds lunar funk..."
Musician (4/93, p.84) - "...Note the polyrhythmic ruminations foreshadowing the Art Ensemble Of Chicago. Marvel at the spacey electric textures and far-out echo effects anticipating Pink Floyd at their druggiest....after 30 years it still sounds like an intriguing tomorrow..."

01.And Otherness
02.Thither and Yon
03.Adventure-Equation
04.Moon Dance
05.Voice of Space
06.Cluster of Galaxies
07.Ankh
08.Solar Drums
09.Outer Heavens, The
10.Infinity of the Universe
11.Lights on a Satellite
12.Kosmos in Blue.

COSMIC TONES FOR MENTAL THERAPY: Sun Ra (Clavioline, drums, organ), Danny Davis (alto saxophone, flute), Marshall Allen (alto saxophone, oboe, drums), John Gilmore (tenor saxophone, bass clarinet, drums), Pat Patrick (baritone saxophone, flute),James Jackson (flute, log drums), Robert Cummings (bass clarinet), Ronnie Boykins (bass), Clifford Jarvis (drums, percussion), Thomas Hunter (percussion).

ART FORMS OF DIMENSIONS TOMORROW: Sun Ra (piano, keyboards, drums, percussion), Marshall Allen (alto saxophone, bells, sticks, drums), John Gilmore (tenor saxophone, bass clarinet, drums), Pat Patrick (baritone saxophone), Clifford Thornton, Manny Smith (trumpets), Ali Hassan (trombone), Ronnie Boykins, John Ore (bass), Clifford Jarvis, C. Scoby Stroman, Thomas Hunter (drums).