One of a handful of albums
Sun Ra released on
Impulse in the early '70s,
Astro-Black provides a reasonably comprehensive picture of where
the Arkestra was around the time, drawing to the end of their ultra-free period and beginning to investigate some
traditional jazz forms. The opening title track explores some of
Ra's spacier side, sounding a bit like a calmer alternative to his well-known
"Space Is the Place" with
June Tyson's ethereal vocals and the leader's ghostly synthesizer.
"Discipline '99'" is a relaxed, bluesy number, although, as was often the case, one could argue that the band is a bit too relaxed and the piece does plod a little. But this is followed by a lively African-percussion-driven work,
"Hidden Spheres," which, along with the propulsion provided by the great, underappreciated bassist
Ronnie Boykins, is a fine example of
Ra's band at their most enjoyable.
"The Cosmo-Fire," the 18-minute track that closes the album, is a sprawling affair, a smorgasbord of
Arkestra once again held in place by
Boykins' bass, serving as a solid stem off of which
Sun Ra launches abstract organ and vibraphone explorations and the rest of the band wails and sputters. Again, the performance is loose, but in a way that enhances the otherworldly effect that
Ra strove for.
Astro-Black isn't by any means the finest work by this musician, but is a decent introduction to his unique sound world. ~ Brian Olewnick
