SUN RA Strange Strings Thoth Records NM- '66 re-issue
$
50
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Description
Hello,
Here is a nice copy of a Thoth Records repressing of Sun Ra's 1966 LP, "Strange Strings" (Orignally on Saturn, here on Thoth (502) I do not know what year this reissue if from
Vinyl: clean, little to no scuffing, nice label, no spindle wear: NM-
Jacket: Clean with nice printed copies of the original front jacket and rear jacket assembled on the plain white jacket: NM-.
Review by Sean Westergaard on allmusic.com...
Strange Strings is a somewhat legendary album from the mid-'60s. "Worlds Approaching" is a great tune, anchored by a bass ostinato and timpani and featuring several fantastic solos, including Marshall Allen on oboe, Robert Cummings on bass clarinet, John Gilmore on tenor, and Sun Ra on electric piano. Off and on throughout the tune, Bugs Hunter applies near-lethal doses of reverb, giving the piece a very odd but interesting sound. "Strange Strings" is one of those songs that is likely to inspire some sort of "you call that music?" comment from your grandmother, or even from open-minded friends. It sounds like they raided the local pawnshop for anything with strings on it, then passed them out to the bandmembers. It's difficult to tell if some of these instruments have been prepared in some way, or if they're simply being played by untutored hands. There are also lots of drums and some viola playing from Ronnie Boykins that is also treated heavily with reverb. Despite the cacophony, there is a definite ebb and flow to the piece and what seem like different movements or themes. Whatever you think of the music contained, there's no denying that it produced some of the most remarkable sounds of the mid-'60s. If you don't like "out," stay clear of this one.
Sides A:
Worlds Approaching (Ra)
Ra-Wurlitzer ep, perc; Ali Hassan-tb; Marshall Allen-as, ob; Danny Davis-as, fl; John Gilmore-ts; Pat Patrick-bs, fl; Robert Cummings- bcl; Ronnie Boykins-b; Clifford Jarvis-d, tympani; James Jacson-log drums.
Jacson's drum sound similar to And Otherness. Congested and somewhat distorted sound reminiscent of Spiral Galaxy. New York, prob. 1966 but could be earlier. Different session from Strange Strings.
Strange Strings featuring vocal by Arthur Jenkins (Ra)
Side B:
Strange Strings featuring lightning drum (Ra)
Marshall Allen-strings; Danny Davis-strings; John Gilmore-strings ("a Japanese instrument"); Pat Patrick-strings; Robert Cummings-strings; Ali Hassan-strings; Carl Nimrod-electric strings, perc; Ronnie Boykins-b, vla; Sun Ra-lightning drum, tympani; James Jacson-log drums; Clifford Jarvis-tympani, perc; Art Jenkins-strings, space voice.
(According to Tam Fiofori in a Melody Maker article, the strings include "Chinese lutes, moon-guitars, mandolin, bass, koto"). New York, probably 1966. Raben, Buzelin and Geerken put it in 1964, but see below. Better recording like that of Other Planes of There [Personnel and date from Buzelin; Raben wrongly gives Strings Strange as the title for the first part of Strange Strings and must not have seen the label; Trent, following Schonfield's album list in the 1970 London souvenir program, says 1966. John Gilmore recalls making the string piece after the third ESP album, which would place it in 1966. Label copy courtesy of Jerry Gordon; thanks to Mark Webber for a complete tape]
Mentioned by Tam Fiofori in Jazz and Pop, January 1968. One Thlan Aldridge is listed on the jacket as providing strings and space voice, but Art Jenkins is credited on the label. Geerken and Stahl (and previous versions of this discog) have listed Aldridge and Jenkins as though they were both present. But Victor Schonfield points out that Jenkins is not credited on the original album jacket, and Fitzgerald notes that the Carnegie Hall program for 4/12-13/68 includes as a vocalist "Art Jenkins (=Thlan Aldridge)". In "Sun Ra en de Verwarring" from Jazz Wereld, Aug. 1968, Jenkins is shown playing percussion at Slug's and the caption says that he is also known at Thlan Aldridge (similarly in a photo from Washington DC in the Oct. 68 issue). [rlc]
The 1967 Saturn catalog lists 202-208 and 402-409. So all 500 series items must postdate it. John Szwed bought a copy of Saturn 502 at a concert in 1967 or 1968, and Vuijsje refers to it as brand-new. The familiar cover and back liner are prominently displayed in the 1969 Saturn catalog; no other 500 series LPs are shown. [rlc]
Good Luck!
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