Angels and Demons at Play (1956/1960)

Although the album Angels and Demons at Play was released in 1965, it actually contains performances from 1956 and 1960, chronologically placing it roughly after Super-Sonic Jazz. Side A contains four 1960 pieces which represent a more developed version of Sun Ra's original "space-bop" conception (now featuring Ronnie Boykins on bass, Marshall Allen on flute and Phil Cohran on trumpet and bowed/plucked ukelin), while Side B contains "archival" material from the Arkestra's earlier swing/hard bop days. Two 1960 tracks are also described as being from "rehearsals", which probably means they were recorded at Sun Ra's Chicago home rather than at an hourly studio.

Angels and Demons at Play (released 1965)

All tracks composed by Sun Ra except where noted. Recording dates from From Sonny Blount to Sun Ra: The Chicago Years © Robert L. Campbell, Christopher Trent, and Robert Pruter.

Side A (1960) 

Personnel:

Sun Ra: piano, Cosmic Tone Organ, percussion
Phil Cohran: trumpet, Violin-Uke (ukelin, or zither)
Nate Pryor: trombone
Bo Bailey: trombone
John Gilmore: tenor sax, clarinet
Marshall Allen: alto sax, flute
Ronnie Boykins: bass
Jon Hardy: drums
Robert Barry: drums

1. "Tiny Pyramids" (written by Ronnie Boykins, rec. Elks Hall, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, June 14, 1960)

This song features an exotic "ethnic" theme (played in close harmony) floating over a static bass riff (Ronnie Boykins) and "processional" drums (Jon Hardy). The theme eventually pivots on a melodic figure in the winds before repeating. A flute solo (Marshall Allen) comes next, followed by a piano solo (Sun Ra) which seems to explore the entire keyboard on every beat. The exotic scales which the Arkestra reeds use in their support and solo roles give this piece a distinctive vibration.

2. "Between Two Worlds" (rec. rehearsal, Chicago, 1960)

This "cha-cha" (as per Irwin Chusid on the album's Bandcamp page) opens with low, syncopated brass accents over an insistent, seesawing bass line. Nate Pryor takes a solo on trombone, after which Ronnie Boykins' bowed bass underlines a series of ensemble brass accents.

3. "Music from the World Tomorrow" (rec. rehearsal, Chicago, 1960)

This tune probably has more in common with Bartok than Basie, as it's opening figure (driven by the unsettling bowed bass of Ronnie Boykin and ukelin playing of Phil Cohran) feels more like some kind of "avant-folk" classical composition than anything jazz-related. While Boykins and Cohran carry on a jagged string rhythm on the outer borders, Sun Ra pounds out a series of haunting "Cosmic Tone Organ" chords. Boykins soon takes a brief solo which eventually merges seamlessly into Ra's web of electric piano harmonies. Near the end, Cohran begins strumming his ukelin, after which Boykins returns to lead the trio (plus Jon Hardy's understated drums) into a final moaning fanfare. 

On Bandcamp, Irwin Chusid writes: 

"The colorfully abstract "Music From The World Tomorrow," featuring Sun Ra on Cosmic Tone Organ and Phil Cohran on "violin-uke," is the album's revelation — a short "sound experiment" rather than a composition, hinting more than any work on the collection Sunny's future direction."

4. "Angels and Demons at Play" (written by Ronnie Boykins, rec. Elks Hall, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, June 14, 1960)

This piece is driven by a witty Boykins bass line which follows an odd time signature (5/4). A playful flute melody (Allen) soon presents itself, which then develops into a solo feature. Afterwards, Boykins adds syncopation to his bass line while Cohran continues to color the upper sound registers with atmospheric ukelin/zither strumming. Finally, the flute theme returns to finish off the piece. 

Side B (1956) 

Personnel:

Sun Ra: piano, electric piano
Art Hoyle: trumpet
John Gilmore: tenor sax
Pat Patrick: baritone sax
Julian Priester: trombone
Wilburn Green: bass
Jim Herndon: tympani
Robert Barry: drums

5. "Urnack" (written by Julian Priester, rec. RCA Studios, Chicago, May 16, 1956)

This track, initially released as a single backed by "Medicine For A Nightmare" (below), is an uptempo swing number which features a complex, bebop-like head melody with short lead breaks and "noirish" descending cadences. John Gilmore takes the first solo on tenor sax, followed by Art Hoyle on trumpet, Pat Patrick on baritone sax, Julian Priester on trombone and finally Sun Ra on piano. After a restatement of the theme, the piece ends on a falling fanfare.

6. "Medicine for a Nightmare" (rec. RCA Studios, Chicago, May 16, 1956)

Also on the "Urnack" single, this is yet another (third) take on the same song featured on Super-Sonic Jazz and rerecorded as a single. This uptempo swing tune is led by a muted trombone figure broken by a brass ensemble cadence. Pat Patrick takes the first solo on baritone sax, followed by Sun Ra on "warbling" electric piano, then acoustic piano (Sunny's solo here is a bit looser/more boisterous than the one on Super-Sonic Jazz). This is followed by Priester's slightly distant trombone lead in the final ending stretch. Unlike the single version, this take has the more abbreviated ending. 

7. "A Call for All Demons" (rec. RCA Studios, Chicago, May 16, 1956)

This track was initially released as a single backed by "Demon's Lullaby". Sun Ra's "drunken" piano theme opens over a lurching bass line before the main theme appears as layered brass figures. The song then switches to a swing blues to support short solos from Hoyle on trumpet, Gilmore on tenor, Ra on piano and Robert Barry on drums, before finishing the section off with a duet between Ra (now on electric piano) and Jim Herndon on tympani. A more subdued restatement of the theme then appears, followed by a brass coda figure (under which Ra continues to apply mischievous piano figures). This composition was eventually "immortalized" as a jazz standard when it appeared in The Real Book song collection.

8. "Demon's Lullaby" (rec. RCA Studios, Chicago, May 16, 1956)

Also on the "A Call for All Demons" single, this uptempo tune has a bit of a "swagger". After the theme statement, Hoyle has a brief solo as the song turns into a blues progression. After a brief return of the theme, Gilmore takes the second solo, followed by Priester on trombone, Patrick on baritone and then Sun Ra on piano (who effortlessly weaves through a series of rising brass accents). The song ends on a repeated fragment of the main theme ("tick-tock").

Additional Singles from the same 1956 session:

9. "Saturn" (rec. RCA Studios, Chicago, May 16, 1956) 

This track appeared as a B-side to some of the singles featuring "A Call For All Demons". After a rhythmic opening section led off by left-hand piano riffs, the brass play an infectious, syncopated AABA theme over an uptempo groove. Gilmore has a lengthy tenor solo, followed by a trumpet solo featuring Hoyle. After a restatement of the theme, a coda (based on the opening theme) finishes things off.

10. "Super-Sonic Jazz" (rec. RCA Studios, Chicago, May 16, 1956)

This is another version of "Super Blonde" from Super-Sonic Jazz. Opening with a somewhat distant electric piano lead, this is a swing blues characterized by a brassy theme melody. Hoyle takes the opening trumpet solo, followed by Gilmore on tenor. A Herndon tympani solo follows (replacing the ensemble bridge section from the Super-Sonic Jazz version of "Super Blonde"), then Julian Priester's trombone solo, then Pat Patrick on baritone sax, and finally Sun Ra on Wurlitzer electric piano (before a closing return to the head melody). Unlike "Super Blonde", Sun Ra only plays electric piano here. No physical copy of this single has yet surfaced.

Links
2016 Bandcamp Release
Singles on Bandcamp
Apple Music
Wiki Entry 
Temple.net Entry
United Mutations Entry