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Sun ra and his Arkestra - Jazz in Silouette (expanded edition)"In tomorrow's world, men will not need artificial instruments such as jets and space ships. In the world of tomorrow, the new man will 'think' the place he wants to go, then his mind will take him there." Sun Ra, Jazz in Silhouette album notes (1959)Jazz in Silhouette is the quintessential record of Sun Ra's Chicago period during the late 1950s. Recorded in 1958 and issued in 1959, the albumRa's thirdoffers a coda for the bandleader's bebop hard bop
"In tomorrow's world, men will not need artificial instruments such as jets and space ships. In the world of tomorrow, the new man will 'think' the place he wants to go, then his mind will take him there."
— Sun Ra, Jazz in Silhouette album notes (1959)
Jazz in Silhouette is the quintessential record of Sun Ra's Chicago period during the late 1950s. Recorded in 1958 and issued in 1959, the album—Ra's third—offers a coda for the bandleader's bebop/hard-bop periods, as his interstellar traveler persona began to vividly evolve at the close of the decade. Sunny's compositions here reflect his talent for writing memorable works in the jazz idiom, even as arrangements like "Ancient Aiethopia" point to new directions in amalgamated primitive-futurism. After Ra moved to New York in 1961, he began to explore musical terrain away from jazz conventions. Yet Jazz in Silhouette is resplendent with adventure.
Many of these early works, including "Images," "Enlightment," and "Saturn," would remain staples in Arkestra set lists for the rest of Sunny's life. These recordings showcase the brilliant tenor sax stylings of John Gilmore and introduce the iconic playing of Marshall Allen and Pat Patrick; all three would remain with Ra for decades (as would bassist Ronnie Boykins). On the extended “Blues At Midnight,” each horn soloist stretches out as in a live club performance. Here, Sun Ra and the band radiate the period's Chicago jazz sound, with lilting melodies, intertwining chords, and surprising dynamic shifts.
This expanded edition, issued in vinyl, CD and digital formats, features additional material from the 1958 sessions, along with non-album bonus tracks from the period, some never-before issued, as well as rare stereo mixes. The CD and digital editions feature the full original album in the widely known monophonic mix. The eight album tracks are followed by four bonus tracks, "State Street" "Blues From Saturn," the single version of "Hours After," and another single, "Great Balls of Fire"; all are in mono.
The rest of the deluxe edition—call it Part 2—is in stereo, starting with the album Sound Sun Pleasure (which includes the stereo mix of "Enlightment," a title that appeared in mono on Jazz in Silhouette). This short collection wasn't issued on Saturn until 1970, but the works originated at the same Chicago recording sessions as Jazz in Silhouette. Two tracks feature the sultry vocal stylings of Hattie Randolph, sister of early Arkestra trumpeter Lucious Randolph. The rest of Part 2 features the premiere LP/CD release of five Jazz in Silhouette album tracks in full stereo. Every prior edition of the album had been monophonic. A stereo session tape was discovered by Michael D. Anderson of the Sun Ra Music Archive; five tracks were salvaged (although one is incomplete). The album's second stereo reel, unfortunately, cannot be located.
[NOTE: The 2-LP expanded vinyl edition does not include the full original mono album. Because of time limitations on each side, the four full stereo mixes were substituted for the mono versions; however, the track sequence has been preserved. The CD and vinyl editions also include a lengthy historical essay by Ra scholar John Corbett and additional illustrations.]
This deluxe package also features the original space nymph cover art, which only appeared in cropped and washed-out reproductions on Saturn releases. John Corbett found and preserved the original painting by an artist identified only as "Evans." The colors are more vibrant, and the expanded edition gatefold LP presents previously omitted artwork at the periphery of the untitled painting.
Finally, all formats of this expanded edition restore the track sequence of the earliest Saturn versions of Jazz in Silhouette; every subsequent reissue has reversed the original sides A and B.
—I.C.
— Sun Ra, Jazz in Silhouette album notes (1959)
Jazz in Silhouette is the quintessential record of Sun Ra's Chicago period during the late 1950s. Recorded in 1958 and issued in 1959, the album—Ra's third—offers a coda for the bandleader's bebop/hard-bop periods, as his interstellar traveler persona began to vividly evolve at the close of the decade. Sunny's compositions here reflect his talent for writing memorable works in the jazz idiom, even as arrangements like "Ancient Aiethopia" point to new directions in amalgamated primitive-futurism. After Ra moved to New York in 1961, he began to explore musical terrain away from jazz conventions. Yet Jazz in Silhouette is resplendent with adventure.
Many of these early works, including "Images," "Enlightment," and "Saturn," would remain staples in Arkestra set lists for the rest of Sunny's life. These recordings showcase the brilliant tenor sax stylings of John Gilmore and introduce the iconic playing of Marshall Allen and Pat Patrick; all three would remain with Ra for decades (as would bassist Ronnie Boykins). On the extended “Blues At Midnight,” each horn soloist stretches out as in a live club performance. Here, Sun Ra and the band radiate the period's Chicago jazz sound, with lilting melodies, intertwining chords, and surprising dynamic shifts.
This expanded edition, issued in vinyl, CD and digital formats, features additional material from the 1958 sessions, along with non-album bonus tracks from the period, some never-before issued, as well as rare stereo mixes. The CD and digital editions feature the full original album in the widely known monophonic mix. The eight album tracks are followed by four bonus tracks, "State Street" "Blues From Saturn," the single version of "Hours After," and another single, "Great Balls of Fire"; all are in mono.
The rest of the deluxe edition—call it Part 2—is in stereo, starting with the album Sound Sun Pleasure (which includes the stereo mix of "Enlightment," a title that appeared in mono on Jazz in Silhouette). This short collection wasn't issued on Saturn until 1970, but the works originated at the same Chicago recording sessions as Jazz in Silhouette. Two tracks feature the sultry vocal stylings of Hattie Randolph, sister of early Arkestra trumpeter Lucious Randolph. The rest of Part 2 features the premiere LP/CD release of five Jazz in Silhouette album tracks in full stereo. Every prior edition of the album had been monophonic. A stereo session tape was discovered by Michael D. Anderson of the Sun Ra Music Archive; five tracks were salvaged (although one is incomplete). The album's second stereo reel, unfortunately, cannot be located.
[NOTE: The 2-LP expanded vinyl edition does not include the full original mono album. Because of time limitations on each side, the four full stereo mixes were substituted for the mono versions; however, the track sequence has been preserved. The CD and vinyl editions also include a lengthy historical essay by Ra scholar John Corbett and additional illustrations.]
This deluxe package also features the original space nymph cover art, which only appeared in cropped and washed-out reproductions on Saturn releases. John Corbett found and preserved the original painting by an artist identified only as "Evans." The colors are more vibrant, and the expanded edition gatefold LP presents previously omitted artwork at the periphery of the untitled painting.
Finally, all formats of this expanded edition restore the track sequence of the earliest Saturn versions of Jazz in Silhouette; every subsequent reissue has reversed the original sides A and B.
—I.C.
credits
released June 16, 2023
All tracks produced by Sun Ra
Recorded 1958 in Chicago
Produced for reissue by Irwin Chusid and Michael D. Anderson
Tape transfers by Michael D. Anderson/Sun Ra Music Archive, Joe Lizzi, and Ben Young
Audio restoration by I.C. and J.L.
Mastering by Joe Lizzi
Art Director: Edward ODowd
Artwork by Evans
Cover artwork restoration by Laurie ES; front cover design by Edley and I.C.
Executive Producers for Virtual Label: Peter Wright and John Allen
PERSONNEL:
Sun Ra (piano, organ, celeste)
Hobart Dotson (trumpet)
Lucious Randolph (trumpet)
Bo Bailey (trombone)
Marshall Allen (alto sax, flute, percussion)
James Spaulding (alto sax, flute, percussion)
John Gilmore (tenor sax, clarinet, percussion)
Charles Davis (baritone sax, percussion)
Pat Patrick (baritone sax, alto sax, flute, percussion)
BeBop Sam Thomas (electric guitar)
Ronnie Boykins (bass)
Robert Barry (drums)
William "Bugs" Cochran (drums)
Alvin Fielder (drums)
Jim Herndon (tympani)
Hattie Randolph (vocals, tracks 13 & 16)
All titles composed by Sun Ra © Enterplanetary Koncepts (BMI)
except:
Enlightment (Sun Ra-Hobart Dotson)
You Never Told Me That You Care (Hobart Dotson)
Hours After (Sun Ra-Everett Turner)
'Round Midnight (Monk-Hanighen-Williams)
Hour of Parting (Spoliansky-Kahn)
Back in Your Own Back Yard (Jolson-Rose-Dreyer)
I Could Have Danced All Night (Lerner-Loewe)
Thanks to John Corbett, Christopher Trent, Robert L. Campbell, Matthew Mehlan/Experimental Sound Studio, Gilbert Hsiao, Chris Reisman
All tracks produced by Sun Ra
Recorded 1958 in Chicago
Produced for reissue by Irwin Chusid and Michael D. Anderson
Tape transfers by Michael D. Anderson/Sun Ra Music Archive, Joe Lizzi, and Ben Young
Audio restoration by I.C. and J.L.
Mastering by Joe Lizzi
Art Director: Edward ODowd
Artwork by Evans
Cover artwork restoration by Laurie ES; front cover design by Edley and I.C.
Executive Producers for Virtual Label: Peter Wright and John Allen
PERSONNEL:
Sun Ra (piano, organ, celeste)
Hobart Dotson (trumpet)
Lucious Randolph (trumpet)
Bo Bailey (trombone)
Marshall Allen (alto sax, flute, percussion)
James Spaulding (alto sax, flute, percussion)
John Gilmore (tenor sax, clarinet, percussion)
Charles Davis (baritone sax, percussion)
Pat Patrick (baritone sax, alto sax, flute, percussion)
BeBop Sam Thomas (electric guitar)
Ronnie Boykins (bass)
Robert Barry (drums)
William "Bugs" Cochran (drums)
Alvin Fielder (drums)
Jim Herndon (tympani)
Hattie Randolph (vocals, tracks 13 & 16)
All titles composed by Sun Ra © Enterplanetary Koncepts (BMI)
except:
Enlightment (Sun Ra-Hobart Dotson)
You Never Told Me That You Care (Hobart Dotson)
Hours After (Sun Ra-Everett Turner)
'Round Midnight (Monk-Hanighen-Williams)
Hour of Parting (Spoliansky-Kahn)
Back in Your Own Back Yard (Jolson-Rose-Dreyer)
I Could Have Danced All Night (Lerner-Loewe)
Thanks to John Corbett, Christopher Trent, Robert L. Campbell, Matthew Mehlan/Experimental Sound Studio, Gilbert Hsiao, Chris Reisman
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4.8 ★★★★★
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Product Reviews
★★★★★ 5
Book
Format: Hardcover
Good book
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on October 11, 2025
★★★★★ 5
Love!
Format: Paperback
My girls love this series. We have read all of them and my daughter was so excited about the graphic novel!
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Reviewed in the United States on August 11, 2025
★★★★★ 5
Love
Format: Paperback
Daughter loves it!
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Reviewed in the United States on September 4, 2025
★★★★★ 5
Can't wait for the next one!
Format: Paperback, Format: Paperback
My 9 year old loved the story and illustrations. She is hooked on this series and was thrilled to discover the graphic novel. She liked that there are new things to discover from the original Whatever After version of the story. Even though they are minor it was fun for her to catch the details.
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Reviewed in the United States on July 12, 2024
★★★★★ 5
So good!
Format: Paperback
This whole series of regular books is clever and wonderful; laugh out loud funny and inspiring. I only wish there were more graphic novels. This is a great place to start though.
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Reviewed in the United States on November 23, 2024