Purple Night

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Purple Night
Studio album by Sun Ra
Released	1990
Recorded	November 1989
Genre	Free jazz
Length	66:02
Label	A&M
Producer
Sun Ra chronology
Blue Delight (1989) Purple Night (1990) Mayan Temples (1990)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]

Purple Night is a studio album by free jazz pioneer Sun Ra released in 1990 via A&M label.

Background[]

The album was the second in a short-term recording deal with major label A&M Records, who had a "Modern Masters Jazz Series" imprint going at the time. Sun Ra's profile had risen considerably in recent years, partially because of the support given to him in interviews by avant-garde alternative rock band Sonic Youth, who had named him as an influence and played shows with Ra and his Arkestra.

The album was recorded in one marathon session at BMG Studios in New York City, using a 22-piece group that included several Arkestra members or veterans, including three drummers and two bass players (one on upright bass and another on electric bass), plus fellow free jazz musician Don Cherry, who contributed his trademark pocket trumpet work. During the session, Cherry sat at the right of Ra and his piano.

Seven tracks were used for the Purple Night album; the remainder of the master multi-track tapes were given to Sun Ra and his manager Alton Abraham for future release on their own after the A&M deal concluded; much of these recordings were released three years later by Rounder Records on the album Somewhere Else, released shortly before Sun Ra's death. Currently the Purple Night album is out of print physically (the album is available on iTunes and other digital outlets) and the copyright on the original album passed on to Sun Ra’s estate’s holding company, Sun Ra LLC, in 2016.

Track listing[]

1. "Journey Towards Stars" – 3:44
2. "Friendly Galaxy" – 7:43
3. "Love in Outer Space" – 7:12
4. "Stars Fell On Alabama" – 10:27
5. "Of Invisible Them" – 19:08
6. "Neverness" – 13:16
7. "Purple Night Blues" – 4:02

All compositions composed by Sun Ra and published by Enterplanetary Koncepts (BMI), except "Stars Fell On Alabama" written by Mitchell Parrish and Frank Perkins and published by Mills Music Inc./Everbright Music Co. (ASCAP). All arrangements by Sun Ra.

Musicians[]

• Sun Ra - piano, synthesiser, vocal
• Don Cherry - pocket trumpet
• June Tyson - violin, voice
• - trumpet
• Michael Ray - trumpet, voice
• Ahmed Abdullah - trumpet
• Al Evans - trumpet, flugelhorn
• - trombone
• Julian Priester - trombone
• - baritone sax, flute
• James Spaulding - alto sax, flute
• Marshall Allen - alto sax, flute, percussion
• John Gilmore - tenor sax, percussion, voice
• - bassoon, African drum
• - drums
• - drums
• - drums (misidentified in the sleeve notes as Thomas "Bugs" Henderson)
• - surdo, percussion
• Jorge Silva - repinique, percussion
• - electric bass
• John Ore - acoustic bass

Production personnel[]

• - producer
• Steve Ralbovsky - executive producer

References[]