Welcome to the world of Sun Ra. This 2CD set of sprawling avant-garde, free form jazz was recorded at the Teatro Cilak in Milan Italy in January of 1978, and features over 2 hours of music. Joining Sun Ra (who himself plays electric & acoustic piano, Moog, and Crumar Mainman( are John Gilmore (tenor sax, drums), Michael Ray (trumpet), Luqman Ali (drums), and June Tyson (vocals). The music here is like a cross between Miles Davis' fusion era, Thelonious Monk, Ornette Coleman, and Soft Machine, filled with squonking horns and wild keyboard explorations. Disc 1 opens up with the near 30 minute title track, a nightmarish example of avant-garde styles and sounds, with Sun Ra leading the charge with his distorted electric piano screeches and Moog blips. Despite much of the bombast and free-form nature of some of these pieces, the band does settle down a bit for some old school jazz on "Sky Blues" and "Geminiology", which features some tasty piano, sax, and trumpet melodies.
Over on Disc 2, you have the Chick Corea-ish "Third Planet/Friendly Galaxy", which sparkles with energy thanks to some inspiring piano & sax duels, the psychedelic "Dance of the Cosmo Aliens" (featuring some spooky electric piano from Sun Ra), and the spacey bombast of "Spontaneous Simplicity". Sun Ra goes for the juggular on the crazed "When There Is No Sun", a free-form adventure of monstrous electric piano, Moog, manic drums, and screaming horns.
With it's mix of elegant jazz, fiery free form, and bizarre avant-garde excess, Disco 3000-Complete Milan Concert 1978 has a little something for every vintage jazz-fusion lover. Kudos to Art Yard/ReR USA/Ad Hoc Records for releasing this enjoyable set for all to cherish.
Track Listing
CD 1
1. Disco 3000
2. Sun of the Cosmos
3. Echos of the World
4. Geminiology
5. Sky Blues
6. Friendly Galaxy
CD 2
1. Third Planet/Friendly Galaxy
2. Dance of the Cosmo Aliens
3. Spontaneous Simplicity
4. Images/Over the Rainbow
5. When There Is No Sun
6. We Travel the Spaceways
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