• Track Listing

The monumental sessions from the Saturn legend with The Solar-Myth Approach Vol. 1 & Vol. 2, now brought together in one deluxe 2-CD set. Restored & remastered from the original tapes by Nick Robbins, this edition comes in a 6-panel deluxe digi-sleeve that echoes the vibe of both original LPs. It includes two printed inner CD wallets replicating the original LPs' front and back cover artwork, along with a 16-page booklet featuring archival musician photos and a new, insightful essay by author and jazz specialist Kevin Le Gendre

A Cosmic Journey Through Sun Ra's Creative Universe

This double-CD edition celebrates the unparalleled creative energy of Sun Ra-the visionary who forged his own genre. Elevating his renowned band, The Arkestra, to the status of The Solar Myth Arkestra, the pioneering bandleader, composer, and keyboardist produced a vast body of work that could fill a universe. These sessions, spread across both discs, rank among his finest releases of the 1970s.

Featuring legendary Arkestra members-including saxophonists John Gilmore, Danny Davis, and Marshall Allen; drummers Clifford Jarvis, Lex Humphries, and Nimrod Hunt; and the charismatic vocalist June Tyson-The Solar Myth Approach Vol. 1 & Vol. 2 compile an eclectic mix of tracks from various undocumented sessions in New York and Philadelphia during the 1960s. Some pieces may even date back to the late 1950s, when Ra and his Arkestra were based in Chicago.

These invigorating albums showcase Sun Ra expanding Duke Ellington's big band aesthetic into uncharted territory. They reflect his deep fascination with non-Western cultures, cutting-edge electronics, and homemade instruments. Often evoking ancient ceremonies and rituals, the music reinvents the traditional theme-and-improvisation model while underscoring Sun Ra's enduring Afro-centric vision.

"This remastered version provides the finer points of Sun Ra's music that reveals more layers with every listen. 'The Solar Myth Approach Vol.1 & 2' are an epic journey into sound." Kevin Le Gendre