To Those Of Earth… And Other Worlds. Messages from Sun Ra

“Sun Ra and the Arkestra were the original DIY group. What went on in the 1970s punk with self-pressed records and hand-drawn artwork – Ra was doing that in the '50s and '60s. The music was phenomenal - Sun Ra was the man, the ultimate artist for any vinyl collector,” says tastemaker DJ and music collector Gilles Peterson.

Strut Records follow up their hugely successful Marshall Allen-curated ‘In The Orbit Of Ra’ compilation with a newly curated set from the immense 125 LP back catalogue of band leader, jazz maverick and Cosmic philosopher Sun Ra. ‘To Those Of Earth… And Other Worlds’ is a hand-picked selection from DJ Gilles Peterson, long-time champion of Sun Ra’s music.

In the wider context and history of jazz Sun Ra was unique, a real one-off. For one thing, he claimed to be a citizen of Saturn. He wore ornate gold-lamé costumes and lectured on the Creator’s message to the cruel and deceitful Earthman, naming himself after an Egyptian God. However, Ra was very real.

Peterson has picked personal favourites, classics and unreleased tracks. Favourites including ‘Love In Outer Space’, the modal classic ‘Sleeping Beauty’ and a heavy version of ‘We Travel The Spaceways’ are included plus the off-kilter 1950s doo-wop number ‘Dreaming’, a 45 given to him personally by the late John Peel.

The collection comes with a mix and the double LP features full length versions of selected tracks from the mix while the digital version features a full unmixed selection. Sleeve notes on physical formats come from Gilles Peterson with a full Ra career biography by author Robert L. Campbell. The album also features previously unseen photos from the archives of Val Wilmer along with full line-ups and session details.

Tracklisting:

CD 1

1. Sun Ra And His Myth-Science Arkestra - Calling Planet Earth
2. Sun Ra - Sun Song
3. The Cosmic Rays With Sun Ra And The Arkestra - Dreaming
4. Sun Ra And His Arkestra - India
5. Sun Ra And His Myth-Science Arkestra - Space Loneliness
6. Sun Ra And His Intergalactic Infinity Arkestra - Love In Outer Space (Vocal)
7. Sun Ra And His Myth-Science Arkestra - Adventure-Equation 
8. Sun Ra And His Myth-Science Arkestra – Spontaneous Simplicity (Stereo Version)*
9. Sun Ra And His Myth-Science Arkestra - Brazilian Sun
10. Sun Ra Quartet Featuring John Gilmore - When There Is No Sun
11. Sun Ra And His Astro Infinity Arkestra - My Brother The Wind
12. Sun Ra And His Arkestra – Mystery, Mr. Ra*
13. Sun Ra And His Myth-Science Arkestra – Black Sky And Blue Moon
14. Sun Ra And His Myth-Science Arkestra – Watusa
15. The Sun Ra Arkestra - The World Of Africa
16. Sun Ra And His Solar Arkestra - Cluster Of Galaxies
17. Sun Ra And His Arkestra - Strange Worlds (Live In France)** 
18. Sun Ra And His Blue Universe Arkestra - Blackman

CD 2

1. Sun Ra And His Myth-Science Arkestra – Twilight
2. Sun Ra And His Intergalactic Myth Science Solar Arkestra - Sleeping Beauty
3. Sun Ra - Moog Solo (Live In France)**
4. Sun Ra And His Arkestra - They Plan To Leave
5. Sun Ra And His Solar Arkestra - Reflects Motion (Part 1)
6. Sun Ra And His Arkestra - Children Of The Sun
7. Sun Ra And His Myth-Science Arkestra - We Travel The Spaceways
8. Sun Ra And His Arkestra - Astro Black (Live In Zurich)**
9. Sun Ra And His Mythic Science Arkestra - Somebody Else’s Idea (Live In Paris)
10. Sun Ra And His Arkestra – I Roam The Cosmos
11. Sun Ra And His Solar Arkestra - On Jupiter
12. Sun Ra - There Are Other Worlds (They Have Not Told You Of)
13. Sun Ra And His Intergalactic Infinity Arkestra - The All Of Everything
14. Sun Ra - Enlightenment
15. Sun Ra And His Arkestra – Make Another Mistake
16. Sun Ra And His Arkestra - Space Is The Place (Live In France)**

• Previously unreleased on CD
  ** Previously unreleased