When Sun Comes Out (Remastered 2014) [feat. John Gilmore, Marshall Allen, Pat Patrick & Danny Davis]

Recorded in New York City and released on his own label in 1963, When Sun Comes Out begins a new phase for Sun Ra and his Arkestra. The music is now beyond the bop, blues, R&B, and swing of his Chicago material of the ‘50s. Nonetheless, the arrangements have a ragged beauty that starts with all manner of percussion front and center (generally played by the horn section, with the explosive Clifford Jarvis manning the drumkit), with other rattles lurking in the background—this creates an interesting sense of sonic depth (particularly on “Circe,” “The Nile, Part 1,” and the title track). When the saxophonists do play their horns they eschew bop licks in favor of more exploratory lines, with trumpeter Walter Miller sounding particularly strong. The second half of this is made up of new stereo mixes (everything is remastered from source tape using 24-bit transfer) with “Dancing Shadow” finding a freeform groove as Miller leads the way. Without a doubt, this is the start of Sun Ra's classic era.