New Steps

Last updated
New Steps
New Steps.jpg
Studio album by Sun Ra Quartet
Released 1978
Recorded January 2 & 7, 1978
Horo Voice Studio, Rome
Genre Free jazz
Length65:36
Label Horo
HDP 25-26
Producer Aldo Sinesio
Sun Ra chronology
Piano Recital: Teatro la Fenice, Venezia
(1977)
New Steps
(1978)
Other Voices, Other Blues
(1978)

New Steps is a double album by jazz composer, bandleader and keyboardist Sun Ra and his Quartet recorded in Italy in 1978 and originally released on the Italian Horo label. [1]

A double album is an audio album which spans two units of the primary medium in which it is sold, typically records and compact disc. A double album is usually, though not always, released as such because the recording is longer than the capacity of the medium. Recording artists often think of double albums as comprising a single piece artistically; however, there are exceptions such as John Lennon's Some Time in New York City and Pink Floyd's Ummagumma and OutKast's Speakerboxxx/The Love Below. Another example of this approach is Works Volume 1 by Emerson Lake and Palmer, where side one featured Keith Emerson, side two Greg Lake, side three Carl Palmer, and side four was by the entire group.

Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, United States, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and developed from roots in blues and ragtime. Jazz is seen by many as "America's classical music". Since the 1920s Jazz Age, jazz has become recognized as a major form of musical expression. It then emerged in the form of independent traditional and popular musical styles, all linked by the common bonds of African-American and European-American musical parentage with a performance orientation. Jazz is characterized by swing and blue notes, call and response vocals, polyrhythms and improvisation. Jazz has roots in West African cultural and musical expression, and in African-American music traditions including blues and ragtime, as well as European military band music. Intellectuals around the world have hailed jazz as "one of America's original art forms".

Sun Ra American jazz composer and bandleader

Le Sony'r Ra, better known as Sun Ra, was an American jazz composer, bandleader, piano and synthesizer player, and poet known for his experimental music, "cosmic" philosophy, prolific output, and theatrical performances. For much of his career, Ra led "The Arkestra", an ensemble with an ever-changing name and flexible line-up.

Contents

Reception

The Allmusic review by Sean Westergaard awarded the album 4 stars. "New Steps is one of several albums done with this basic lineup in January of 1978. This album is billed to the Sun Ra Quartet, but it sounds like there's a bass player present on at least some of the cuts (it could be Ra, but he'd need three hands). There are two standards amongst a program of Ra originals, and things get started with a stellar version of "My Favorite Things." The music quickly takes its only sharp turn toward outer space as Ra introduces listeners to "Moon People," the only track where Ra emphasizes synthesizer over piano. "Sun Steps" is a slow tune featuring some beautiful piano playing from Sun Ra. In fact, the remainder of the album is on the mellow side ("When There Is No Sun" is the only track with vocals), and features some great statements by John Gilmore and Ra. Michael Ray is in fine form as well, if somewhat less exuberant than usual. With such a small group, solo space is ample, and Luqman Ali's understated drumming really holds things together nicely. Another fabulous release from Sun Ra". [2]

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [2]

Track listing

All compositions by Sun Ra except as indicated

Side One:

  1. "My Favorite Things" (Oscar Hammerstein II, Richard Rodgers) - 7:49
  2. "Moon People" - 7:50

Side Two:

  1. "Sun Steps" - 11:37
  2. "Exactly Like You" (Dorothy Fields, Jimmy McHugh) - 6:04

Side Three:

  1. "Friend and Friendship" - 6:58
  2. "Rome at Twilight" - 5:08
  3. "When There Is No Sun" - 4:37

Side Four:

  1. "The Horo" - 15:33

Personnel

Piano musical instrument

The piano is an acoustic, stringed musical instrument invented in Italy by Bartolomeo Cristofori around the year 1700, in which the strings are struck by hammers. It is played using a keyboard, which is a row of keys that the performer presses down or strikes with the fingers and thumbs of both hands to cause the hammers to strike the strings.

John Gilmore (musician) American tenor saxophonist

John Gilmore was an avant-garde jazz saxophonist known for his tenure with keyboardist/bandleader Sun Ra from the 1950s to the 1990s.

Tenor saxophone type of saxophone

The tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor and the alto are the two most commonly used saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B (while the Alto is pitched in the key of E), and written as a transposing instrument in the treble clef, sounding an octave and a major second lower than the written pitch. Modern tenor saxophones which have a high F key have a range from A2 to E5 (concert) and are therefore pitched one octave below the soprano saxophone. People who play the tenor saxophone are known as "tenor saxophonists", "tenor sax players", or "saxophonists".

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References

  1. Sun Ra discography accessed July 4, 2014
  2. 1 2 Westergaard, S., Allmusic Review accessed July 4, 2014