Album Cosmic Equation-Sun Myth by Sun Ra Review
In the 1980s and into the ensuing decade, the vast majority of Sun Ra's back catalog was not in print. In fact, it wasn't until the compact disc revolution that most vintage Ra titles would be made available globally. It was during that downtime the German-based Happy Bird imprint issued what were essentially pirated copies of the two Heliocentric Worlds of Sun Ra volumes. The Sun Myth (1983) presents the second installment with surprisingly decent sound, that is for a supposedly unauthorized recording. Originally, these were cornerstones of Ra and company's ESP-Disk's cache, which first unleashed the combo to a significantly larger audience than his Saturn platters had. This specific collection derives its name from the inaugural track and is one of only three compositions making up the album. "The Sun Myth" commences with an empathetic bowed bass introduction from Ronnie Boykins (bass). Ra then begins to direct several intricate instrumental conversations performing on percussion (in this case pitched hand drums) aggressively interacting with Roger Blank before the pair yield to Boykins, who takes his contributions from a full-bodied growl to a high-pitched screech - the latter reverberating like a violin or cello. Ra resumes on the electric clavioline keyboard as the entire ensemble weave a hypnotic and almost funky groove. This rhythmic catalyst churns under some alternating stark and impassioned lines that entwine like a demented hellish symphony. "A House of Beauty" is an undeniable study in diversity as Marshall Allen on piccolo and Ra on clavioline and then piano, create a sonic crochet with Robert Cummings punctuating the proceedings on bass clarinet. Concluding Sun Myth is "Cosmic Chaos", a nearly quarter-hour indulgence providing the quintessence of what made the mid-'60s incarnations of Ra's groups so appealing to lovers of free jazz. The opening rush allows the Arkestra to twist, turn and finagle into a variety of aural scenarios including a robust tag-team assault by John Gilmore (tenor sax) and Marshall Allen (alto sax) who render blazes that feel as if they were playing for their very lives.Review by allmusic.com
