Sun Ra and His Space Arkestra

Recorded live in New York in 1973 with a 25-piece ARKESTRA, What Planet Is This? comes from a time when SUN RA had just exploded onto the wider music scene, touring all over Europe, and even teaching a class at the University of California called “The Black Man In The Cosmos,” where Ra was given a chance not only to teach about music, but also his world-view which, in some ways, was not unlike that of the hippies. Although many get caught up in his stagey esotericism and claims that he was from another planet, perhaps it can all be read as a simple code message to others to be anyone you want to be, regardless of race, or indeed, planet. Highlights of this recording include the ten-minute full-blown “Love In Outer Space,” featuring unfettered organ, horns and a wall-of-sound approach to percussion, and the wild and whirling “Shadow World.” In fact, Ra is at his best when he takes his audience by storm, pulling out all the stops as he does so masterfully on this rare performance with a 25-piece Arkestra, one of his largest ever!