Conceptually, Interstellar Low Ways features Sun Ra reaching out into the solar system (having already thoroughly scouted out the Earth plane in
songs like "India", "Ancient Aiethopia", "Nubia", "Overtones of China" and of course,
"Planet Earth"). Musically, Sun Ra continues his exploration of
unusually-orchestrated processional anthems/dirges, although for some reason he refrains from indulging in electric piano or organ. However, the last track, "Rocket Number 9 (Second Stop Is Jupiter)", has Ra directly pointing towards the music of the future with unexpected rhythmic
breaks, exuberant vocal exhortations and head-spinning structural changes. This modern-sounding number from 1959 also features John Gilmore's tenor sax reaching for some fiercer, much grittier textures than ever heard before from any saxophonists of that era. This period also sees Marshall Allen getting in some alto sax solos ("Interstellar Low Ways", "The Blue Set", "Big City Blues") in addition to his role as a flutist.
In
his 1993 article "Sun Ra - Supersonic Sounds From Saturn", Robert L. Campbell
describes the album as below:
Though sometimes chamberlike in its sonorities, the 1960 Arkestra was tight... Interstellar Low Ways features flutes and piano over Latin percussion on its wistful title piece. Gilmore, now on his way to becoming the dominant soloist in the band, plays boppishly on “Onward,” passionately on the Spanish-tinged “Somewhere in Space.” Marshall Allen is positively disconsolate on a world-weary “Space Loneliness” (a number that turns into strip-joint material when played at a brighter tempo). Phil Cohran is warm and precise; the young and relatively inexperienced trumpeter George Hudson lends a crude excitement to “Space Aura.” On the fiery “Rocket Number Nine” the Arkestra launches a jagged, uptempo space chant (“Zoom! Zoom! Up! Up! Up in the air!’’), the ensemble and the piano solo are ruptured by unexpected rests, then Gilmore careers across the bar lines like John Coltrane in 1962 - except that this was happening a couple of years earlier.John F. Szwed also writes in his 1997 book Space Is the Place: The Lives and Times of Sun Ra:
Rocket Number Nine Take off for the Planet Venus, not released until around 1966, contains “Somewhere in Space,” a piece which harmonically rocks back and forth between two chords, suggesting “Flamenco Sketches” from Kind of Blue which Miles Davis also recorded in 1959. The melody of “Interstellar Low Ways” is stated by two flutes and tenor saxophones, and is followed by Marshall Allen’s solo flute, and piano and bowed bass against a bolero beat, with several stretches empty except for minimal percussion. “Rocket Number Nine” begins in a fast tempo with the band chanting the title, and superficially recalls Dizzy Gillespie’s “Salt Peanuts.” But none of this prepares the listener for what was to come next: the start-and-stop passages and three exceptional solos: John Gilmore’s tenor, Boykins’s unaccompanied bowed bass, and Sonny’s pedal-down blur of notes, ending with the band’s repeated chant, “Second stop is Jupiter,” and their final announcement, “All out for Jupiter.”
Personnel:
Sun Ra: piano, chimes, gong
John Gilmore: tenor sax
Marshall Allen:
alto sax, flute
Nate Pryor: trombone
Ronnie Boykins: bass
John L.
Hardy (credited to Edward Skinner/Luqman Ali): drums
Phil Cohran: trumpet on "Space Loneliness", "Rocket Number 9 (Second Stop Is Jupiter)"
James Spaulding: flute on "Interstellar Low Ways"
William Cochran: drums on "Interstellar Low Ways"
Rocket Number Nine Take Off For The Planet Venus (1966)/Interstellar Low Ways (~1969)
1. "Onward" (recorded prob. Wonder Inn, Chicago, around October 1960)
This tune gives the Arkestra an opportunity to show off their bebop skills. A slightly off-kilter (syncopated) piano vamp leads to a spry theme invigorated by sharp brass accents and swells. Eventually, George Hudson takes a trumpet solo, followed by John Gilmore on tenor sax, and finally Sun Ra on piano.
2. "Somewhere in Space" (recorded Elks Hall, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, June 14, 1960)
This ambling "tic-tock" piece is more of an interlude than a
platform for blazing solo trips. A relaxed two-chord vamp driven by piano
and brass accents is underlined by a counter-motif in Gilmore's tenor sax,
which eventually develops into a brief, but soulful solo. As Ronnie Boykins
begins shifting around the beat in the bass, Marshall Allen comes in and
finishes off the tune with a flute serenade based on the
earlier counter-melody.
3. "Interplanetary Music No. 1" (recorded Elks Hall, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, June 14, 1960)
This good-natured "cha-cha" has no brass in it, but rather features
percussion (John L. Hardy), bowed bass (Ronnie Boykins), piano (Sun Ra) and
an amiable vocal chant ("Interplanetary... Interplanetary... Interplanetary music...). The first section is fairly laid-back, but the tempo briefly switches
into an uptempo riff in the back half (Interplanetary melodies... Interplanetary harmonies..."). Boykins' bowed bass is then featured
in a creaking "fiddle" solo, followed by a return of the vocal chant. Even today, this odd number is almost uncategorizeable. Another version
of "Interplanetary Music" can be found on the album We Travel the Spaceways.
4. "Interstellar Low Ways" (recorded Chicago, March 6, 1959)
This song begins as a tone poem featuring a chamber-music-like main theme on
piano and intertwining flutes reinforced by understated tenor sax. James Spaulding soon takes a
flute solo (the album actually credits Marshall Allen but I lean towards Campbell's guess) over a vamp carried by percussion, gong strikes and intermittent, sometimes
angular piano comping from Sun Ra. Ra eventually drops out completely to allow
Spaulding to go into "full flight", but then forcefully returns with his own
"interstellar journey" (replete with some exotic "space harmonies"). The next part of the piece becomes a bit more episodic as William
Cochran lays down a brief percussion lead, but then quickly steps aside to make
room for a groaning bowed bass solo from Boykins. Sun Ra eventually
interjects a "counter-argument", which in turn heralds in some metallic
percussion textures. Piano and percussion eventually lead the band back to
the main theme.
5. "Space Loneliness" (recorded Elks Hall, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, June 14, 1960)
Here, Sun Ra's angular piano introduces (and then adds commentary over) a "dirge-blues" overlaid with some isolated woodblock accents. Lurching brass accents then drive the piece towards a slightly brighter groove, allowing trumpet player Phil Cohran to take a solo. Sun Ra then takes his own wide-ranging piano solo, followed by a soaring alto sax lead from Marshall Allen. The dirge theme soon returns to finish out the piece. A slightly more upbeat version of this tune appears on We Travel the Spaceways.
6. "Space Aura" (recorded prob. Wonder Inn, Chicago, around October 1960)
This is fast swing tune driven by Boykins' propulsive bass and John Hardy's sprightly drums. An accented brass theme (pierced briefly by jack-hammer trumpet outbursts from George Hudson) soon gives way to a nimble solo from John Gilmore on tenor sax. Hudson and the band soon return for an extended second round of duels to finish out this roiling number.
7. "Rocket Number 9 (Second Stop Is Jupiter)" (recorded Elks Hall, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, June 14, 1960)
A tumbling opening motif on piano and bass kicks off a fast vocal swing sequence featuring shouted exhortations to "Zoom, zoom, zoom, up in the air!" A drum break soon interrupts this "launch sequence", but the groove then resumes with a Sun Ra piano break followed by a stutering brass sequence topped with spiraling trumpet figures from Phil Cohran. After another pause bracketed by piano ornaments, Gilmore takes off in a bebop-informed solo which eventually even reaches the lower strata of the free-skronk stratosphere. Cymbal strikes then signal a striking unaccompanied bass solo in which Boykins lays down counterpoint lines in separate pitch registers. The ending sequence features an explosive Sun Ra piano cadenza which ushers in another vocal chant ("Second stop is Jupiter!") and a final brass cadence.
A few singles from the same sessions were also released during this era (and can be found on the Singles compilation):
"State Street"
The opening vamp of this light-hearted groove (highlighted by Phil Cohran's
tight trumpet accents) is countered with winding brass sub-themes. Cohran
eventually breaks out into a full trumpet solo, followed by bluesy solos
from Sun Ra on piano and John Gilmore on tenor sax. This track was released as a single with "Space Loneliness".
"The Blue Set"
This is a bump and grind blues number in a relaxed tempo. After an opening
theme section featuring opening statements from Phil Cohran on trumpet, Marshall Allen enters with an edgy alto solo, followed by an affable Sun Ra
piano solo and then a thumping Boykins bass solo. This track was released as a single with "Big City Blues" (below).
"Big City Blues"
After a crime-jazz opening fanfare the Arkestra settles into a mid-tempo
swing blues. A Sun Ra piano lead introduces brief but boisterous solos from Marshall Allen on alto sax, Phil Cohran on
trumpet, John Gilmore on tenor sax, and finally a second Sun Ra piano
lead, before the arrival of a closing theme statement featuring Cohran's trumpet.
Links
2014 Bandcamp Release
Singles on Bandcamp
Apple Music
Wiki Entry
Temple.net Entry
United Mutations Entry
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