Sun Ra's Atlantis
 

Atlantis by Sun Ra and his Astro Infinity Arkestra

I just purchased this album and I'm not sure what to make of it yet. The liner notes describe Sun Ra as "[Thelonious] Monk on acid lost in Africa" and I'd have to say that that's a fairly accurate description. Lots of African percussion, some weird organs, horns, Sun playing the "Solar Sound Organ" -- more avant-garde than the avant-garde. I can't tell if it's genius or absolutely horrible.

Anyone out there like/dislike Sun Ra?

Best,
ron

That's a good record.

I like space is the place, thats a good album, I also have jazz in silhouette which i wasnt so keen on

Sun Ra's Magic City


delicious

Space is the Place is awesome. Both of them. (the album and the soundtrack to the film)

I think I have heard Atlantis but don't remember loving it all that much. Some good Sun Ra ones are, in my opinion:

Outerspaceways Incorporated (a live set from 68, I think, which mixes the swinging stuff with the more out there stuff)
Cosmic Tones for Mental Therapy
Art Forms of Dimension Tomorrow
Heliocentric Worlds vol1 and 2
The Solar Myth Approach vol 1 and 2 (these are pretty out there)
Nuclear War

Based on Amazon reviews (good God), I was thinking about going with Heliocentric Worlds 1 & 2 next, but Space Is the Place seems to be a favorite among you guys ...

Yeah, I definitely like Space is the Place more than either of the Heliocentric Worlds. I think Space is the Place is my favourite Sun Ra of the ones I have heard (which is nowhere near all of them by a long shot)

it took me about a year to really "get" that album. it's super difficult, but i think it's supposed to force you to redefine what you consider music. i was completely confused when i got Atlantis. i wanted to like it, but couldn't figure out what the hell was going on. now you've made me want to listen to it again, it's been a while since i listened to the arkestra.

i highly advise watching "space is the place" or "sun ra: a joyful noise". both are mind-blowing- joyful noise is a documentary with a lot of interview footage and live performances that is a must for any sun ra fan.

Atlantis is awesome. He is playing a clavinet on the album:

Space Is The Place is really damn good.
I sold a quad original of that recently for $75.00!
Great album, and good for us that cheap reissues are around!

I got a new copy of the Atlantis LP for like $5 over winter break. It was sweet.

atlantis is one of my favourites, and i found it a lot easier to get into than some of his other stuff from that period... so i dunno. i find it quite a pleasant summery record, nice rhythms and stuff. kind of like the music you might expect to hear at a desert oasis if ancient egypt were to arise again 5000 years in the future. although i've lent my copy to a friend so i can't listen to it to go into more depth about why i like it.

Atlantis is my favorite so far

it's no Coltrane/Dolphy & co. Africa/Brass sessions, but it's Sun Ra's best work

yeah, atlantis is ok, i like it but space is the place is a masterpiece. cant say its his finest cuz i am not knowledgeable of all ras' work......

yeah, there's a couple hundred albums out there, we probably shouldn't make any judgements on which one's the best...

I love this record and I'm listening to it right now.

I accrued this record a few years ago of ebay for $9, its worth much more than in just about every way. I love it, the drums are way ahead of their time due to their primal and raw nature. Gilmore's sax playing on the first track is scrumtrillescent. A great Sun Ra album and also a great album in general. It seems not many others were doing what was happening on that album on 1960.

Never heard it, but it sounds right up my alley, will investigate!!

sun ra one of my heroes.

Sun Ra is my absolute favorite musician. Atlantis is a God album as it is one of two records, the other being Cosmic Tones For Mental Therapy, where he essentially creates his own music, that while influenced by jazz, actually falls outside the jazz genre.

Space is the Place is indeed also one of his best records, and for a newcomer, it's also one of the more accessible.

I've done a radio show where I played 6 hours straight of Sun Ra and another where I played 4. I am eternally thankful that I got to see him live once, even though it was very near the end, and the band had to wheel him on and off stage. He still did some incredible Ra piano playing. I had tickets to see him a year later, but he died right before the show.