The excellent
Live at Montreux
set from 1976 was released on vinyl by both
Saturn
and
Inner City
before disappearing from print for many years. In 2003, the set was reissued by both
Universe
/
Akarma
P-Vine
. A full 20-member
Arkestra
(plus dancers) turns in a typically freewheeling set. From
"Take the 'A' Train"
(featuring a killer solo from
Marshall Allen
), to the
gospel
-influenced
"El Is a Sound of Joy,"
to the almost
exotica
"Lights on a Satellite,"
to the free and raucous
"Gods of the Thunder Realm,"
and on to
"We Travel the Spaceways,"
the Arkestra
covers as much musical territory in this set as anyone would expect from a live
Sun Ra
show. This is considered to be another classic in a vast discography. [Completists take note: the
edition inexplicably fades out the last four minutes of
"On Sound Infinity Spheres,"
which are present on the
edition.] ~ Sean Westergaard