Sun Ra Arkestra have a new album coming in October.
Titled Swirling, it’s the legendary jazz group’s first studio album in over 20 years. It was recorded under the leadership of Marshall Allen, alongside a line-up comprised of Danny Ray Thompson (who passed away in March of this year), Michael Ray, Vincent Chancey, Knoel Scott, Cecil Brooks, Atakatune (who passed away in 2018), Elson Nascimento, and Tyler Mitchell.
Swirling, which was recorded at Philadelphia’s Rittenhouse Soundworks, is described in a press release as "a full-blooded celebration of Sun Ra’s legacy." It takes in brand new arrangements of Arkestra staples such as ‘Angels And Demons At Play’, ‘Satellites Are Spinning’, ‘Door Of The Cosmos’, and ‘Rocket No. 9’. You can listen to the new recording of ‘Angels And Demons At Play’ above.
There are also new arrangements of lesser known cuts, and a first-time recording of a track called ‘Darkness’, which has been resurrected from the Sun Ra archives by Marshall Allen. Other tracks include the previously shared re-recording of 1979 track ‘Seductive Fantasy’ and a first ever recording of a Marshall Allen swing composition from which the album takes its title.
"We truly hope that this recording brings much joy to a planet which is so deeply in need of a spirit sound and vibration," said saxophonist Knoel Scott in a statement. "We hope it contributes to a change in the ominous direction of man’s journey through the cosmos."
Marshall Allen added: "This new release is the Arkestra’s love offering to the world. Beta music for a better world."
Strut will release Swirling on October 9, 2020.
