| Ever-ready to delve into some serious sonic archeology, The Unheard Music Series is proud to bring to light a compelling and particularly obscure facet of Sun Ra’s Chicago activities from the mid-1950’s: a collection entitled SPACESHIP LULLABY, featuring Ra’s work with several vocal ensembles from the period.
Although similar musings had heretofore been heard only on the rare 7”s compiled on THE SINGLES (Evidence), SPACESHIP LULLABY presents a full CD’s worth of unreleased material, including songs by Nu Sounds & The Cosmic Rays, plus a previously unknown doo-wop group known as The Lintels- each singing popular tunes of the day.
Strange, wonderful- and even hilarious in places- this is pop music as only Ra could envision it, featuring him on piano along with the great Robert Barry on drums; on a few select tracks, the Arkestra is even backing The Cosmic Rays.
Included here for your enjoyment and edification are two songs (the glorious title track & “Chicago U.S.A.”), which were known to exist but thought to be lost forever- as well as 35 (!) other tracks. Finally a recent, exclusive interview with The Cosmic Rays’ manager illuminates this little-known aspect of Sun Ra’s early work with these vocal groups, thereby completing SPACESHIP LULLABY.
So hold onto to your horses, Ra fans: you ain’t heard it all just yet...!!! |