THE LATEST IN JAZZ: MUSIC FROM OUTER SPACE BY SUN RA & PLANET EARTH FROM ART TATUM (2024)

It was noticeable that there were two SUN RA albums on RSD: a “The Showcase Live in Chicago, 1976-77” on 2 x LP (and 2 x CD) and, strange by SUN RA’s other worldly standards, “Pink Elephants on Parade” from the period between 1985- 1999, a collection of standards and show tunes including ‘Let’s Go Fly A Kite’ (Yes, the one from “Mary Poppins”!), ‘Whistle While You Work’ and ‘Zip-A- Dee-Doh-Dah’ featuring a violinist and some uncredited musicians. A third release (not RSD) is “Inside the Light World: Sun Ra Meets the OVC”, even weirder as OVC stands for Outer Space Visual Communicator, a fractal light projector triggered through a keyboard – visual improvisations on a release with only sound- go figure! If I have a spare moment, I try to listen to some of my own Sun Ra records realising is that it is the tip of the iceberg as they just keep on coming!

Further back from Sun Ra’s heyday there is ART TATUM with “Jewels in the Treasure Box: the 1953 Chicago Jazz Club” on Blue Note on 3 x LP, 2 x CD and download with 38 pieces with a trio made up by guitar and bass. Already having a 4 x CD set comprising solo and ensemble recordings, all 91 of them in my collection, I just can’t keep up – when am I going to find the time to listen to what for me is too intriguing to pass by? My jaw drops further is I listen to the Flying Scotsman of jazz and stride piano. “It’s all to much”, as somebody once sang.