When Sun Comes Out

The Arkestra is at its most beatnik friendly on this early New York recording. Starts out very spare and abstract, with a drop dead gorgeous vocal by Theda Barbara. There’s tons of bongos and other bonky percussion, with Ra’s rinkytink piano even taking a percussive role. Eventually the full band arrives and the horn section out-skronks Ayler, before settling into a hi-hat workout that could’ve sat neatly behind some Ferlinghetti poem. Amazing album by Sun Ra and his Myth Science Arkestra. Reissue from 2008 in excellent shape.